<p>Me, too! I look at pictures of me from the 80s and early 90s and think what a waste of my younger thinner self! Of course, part of that for me was being a female lawyer of that era. We all laugh when we think about those “little man” skirt suits we used to wear (same fabric as men’s suits) with the high collar cotton shirts and the little silk ties. YIKES!!! But we really were trying to dress like the men. And NO showing a hint of anywhere near cleavage ever.</p>
<p>Then there were the stirrup pants and long sweaters for which the timing was actually great because that was around when I was having kids and the sweaters could hide the not quite toned belly.</p>
<p>After that were the PLEATED jeans with skinny ankles…quite unfortunate when paired with a shirt tucked in (and the not quite toned belly.) Even at 108 lbs, quite unflattering!</p>
<p>Momofthreeboys, I finally got rid of the 80s workout attire (neon colored leos, leggings, etc.) and THE NEXT YEAR D went to a dance convention where they were supposed to wear 80s workout attire! Now when I go my closet cleanouts, I try to save the one thing that most exemplifies the era I’m getting rid of, just for future costume possibilities.</p>
<p>Ahh- the little silk ties! I had a drawer full of them.</p>
<p>Does anyone remember Multiples? It was a line of knit separates that you put together with these tube things that could be belts, legging/scrunchy leg things, etc. The pieces were one size fits all and you pulled them in with the tubes. It was an “interesting” look which I loved at the time and looking back it’s more like “what was I thinking?”</p>
<p>Now when I go my closet cleanouts, I try to save the one thing that most exemplifies the era I’m getting rid of, just for future costume possibilities.
My daughter has a huge tub full of neon clothes the 80’s are apparently a costume treasure trove ( I did have a Madonna type outfit- don’t know where my lace fingerless gloves have gone to though)</p>
<p>I cleaned out closets a long time ago, although I do still have my Burberry trench from about 33 years ago ( I didn’t wear it for about 30 years), it still looks great, thank goodness it didn’t have shoulder pads.</p>
<p>I still have a drawer full of those little silk ties. I tie them onto luggage so I can spot them in the airport…seriously that’s what I do with them LOL.</p>
<p>I remember multiples, but i passed on them. I not only had drawer full of ties, but those little ascot things that were fastened with velcro. Crisp, 100% cotton shirt and I was feminized and good to go!</p>
<p>I was thinking about the idea of this thread, “dressing young” and I realized that because I work with young adults I want to seem young at heart, but not like I am trying to be one of them. I realized recently that I am now older than most of their parents!! </p>
<p>Well, I guess as I moisturize my whole body I will be fine :)</p>
<p>More recently, I resisted capris. I own one pair and I never wear them.Now, I think they look nice on some people, but they just didn’t look right on me. I took my mom shopping one day and she wanted to buy a pair for me. I tried them on and she said, “Honey, you’re right, they don’t look good on you.”</p>
<p>Gotta love shopping with moms and daughters.</p>
<p>I remember when I was pregnant for the first time, a guy at work (whose tiny sister had just had a tiny baby) told me to make sure I was rubbing my belly with cocoa butter to prevent stretch marks…LOL, after having an 11 pounder, stretch marks were the least of my worries.</p>
<p>I have a small box in the basement with some ancient clothes. It has a mini dress that I can’t believe I wore. It’s not long enough to be a shirt! My son glommed onto an amazing kitenge shirt I had made when we lived in Tanzania in the early 70s. The fabric was in honor of one of the moon shots and it features an orange moon (complete with all the craters) that is about three feet a cross on a white background with green stars. It is truly eye popping.</p>
<p>I own some and wear them on occasion, but I think that almost all of us need to stop. If a woman’s rear is rounded AT ALL (I’m not talking fat here, just rounded), the look in narrow legged capris is unflattering.</p>
<p>I think we should sometimes just say, the heck with what looks the “best” on me and just wear what feels good. Life is too short to focus so much energy on the outside package.</p>
<p>Ah, Stacy and Clinton battle that type of thought almost every week on What Not to Wear. Their point is that one can dress comfortably and attractively at the same time. Plus, I do feel better when I think I look good than when I know I look bad.</p>
<p>Well, I have really long legs…so I love capris…especially black slim ones.
I think after years of dressing, we all kind of figure out what looks good and bad on our bodies. And we adjust as things widen a bit (at least I had too, not sure about some of the really slim ladies posting here).
I bought one of those hippie gauze skirts over the summer and it falls beautifully (not too long) with a great swing to it…and is very cool and comfortable in hot weather. I receive complements whenever I wear it…and from total strangers…so that’s always a good indicator.</p>
<p>80’s suits with shoulder pads - check ( my favorite one was red and the guys in the tax department always called it my power suit)</p>
<p>Multiples…I think I remember this. Lots of knit “pieces” to mix and match, right? Sounds like what I wore during my first pregnancy instead of maternity clothes.</p>
<p>I am not wearing capri’s so much anymore as my body seems to be changing. In my case, my butt is going flat. That is depressing.</p>
<p>I’m not talking about sweat pants and slobby stuff, but I like wearing capris because they are more modest and formal then shorts but not so warm as slacks. I’m petite so capris were probably not made for me, but then again not too many clothes were made for us shorties.</p>
<p>Please don’t misunderstand - I am not capri bashing. They were just not meant for me. I often see women wearing them who look very nice. </p>
<p>As we fondly recall former fashion highs and lows, I have to admit I loved wool bermudas with knee socks. I had a favorite pair that I wore with a sweater vest and a blazer if necessary.</p>
<p>But I do think again, it’s about the fit with them. Capris that are baggy and wide at the bottom - no. I like ones that fit nice like jeans but with just a slight bell at the bottom. Again though, just basic colors - khaki, green khaki and sometimes black. Actually I also have a white pair for summer that look really nice.</p>
<p>I think each of us needs to make our own shorts vs. capris decision - maybe with our painfully honest daughter or mother in the room. For me, a pair of crisp slim-ish shorts that hang straight, almost to the knee, is more flattering than capris, even if they show a few more inches of skin.</p>
<p>For me, the “bermuda” short just doesn’t seem to work - I need to either do a few inches above the knee (for just hanging around the house and walking in the neighborhood and stuff) or go below the knee. May sound weird, but I think I have bad looking knees and I feel bermudas draw attention to them!</p>
<p>You bring up a good point Missypie - the “other” opinion - like your daughter or friend. I will often ask my daughters their HONEST opinion on something - I don’t know that I’m always getting it! Forget the husband opinion - style is NOT important to him!</p>