When does lamb become mutton? - YouLookFab Forum

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When does lamb become mutton?

Anonymous

Hi,

I'm (cough) in my 30s and have no intention of hanging up my short skirts and towering heels for quite some time yet.

But, at what age do you think lamb becomes mutton?

Dressing

22 replies

Latest reply was from MovingFashionForward

Staysfit

Veteran

When it looks like you're trying too hard to look young? My neighbor who is in her late 60's still wears mini-skirts, sleeveless dresses, and bikinis. She looks fab. I think she had to go lower with the heels because she had a hip replacement, but that isn't stopping her. There's an art to looking sharp and youthful without looking tacky. She manages it. I think you should look at Pinterest for examples of women in their 30's to see what they are wearing and how they manage to carry off short skirts. They do it. Women of all ages do.

kkards

Veteran

sheep are generally considered mutton after the 1st year
women don't have a expiration date ....they can and must make the decisions of what works or doesn't work for themselves....each of us have different bodies, different climates, and cultures that we must negotiate.
if short shirts and high heels work for you...go for it.

lyn67

Veteran

To answer your question: -when fit is off:-((

Anonymous

I like KKards response. Women do not have expiration dates.

Joy

Veteran

With short skirts and high heels, you might avoid tight clothing and low necklines. 30 is still very young. Enjoy. What I see as mutton are mature women who look like they are trying to look like a sister to their teen daughter.

cindysmith

Veteran

I'm with staysfit. It's all about how you style it.

Jaime

Many people will say to where whatever you want-don't worry about "guidelines". That is well and good in a perfect world this would always be the case. The fact of the matter is that we have to make a decision about how much we care how others perceive us. If not at all-then have at it and where whatever pleases you whenever. If you do care then there comes a time when you have to start thinking about what is or is not age appropriate. I have a couple thoughts-
For me the biggest thing is do you have the body to wear it. This goes for all ages. For example, I see way too many young girls wearing extremely short shorts that really do not flatter them in the least. Yes, they are the right age for short shorts but still shouldn't wear them if they care about perception. At 50, I am starting to not have the body for
shorts that are above the knee. Something not so pretty is happening to my kneecaps So I will not wear these when I am in situations that I want to make an impression and save them for playtime. Ditto this for my arms. Otherwise I am still slim and have a pretty good shape so I still rock things like skinny jeans.
I also feel that if you do have the right body for a look you interpret it differently at different ages. Take a sweater dress for example- a young 20 would probably go all out with accessories/heels and maybe crazy hose. Someone your age would want to be a little more sophisticated so maybe scarf/nicer heels/otk boots/big earrings etc. If I were to try that I would most likely wear a jacket over it or blouse under it, simple scarf earrings, boots/heels-understated.
So I guess my advice is to take an honest look at your body to decide what still looks good and then take an honest look inside yourself to see how much you care what others think and in what circumstances this applies. Also there is no need to limit most looks, just interpret them appropriately. Good news is that you are still pretty darn young and most likely at the height of your beauty so I am guessing there is lots that you can still wear. Lastly I will add that at your age I was afraid to wear certain things I really could have looked great in-now I wish I would have just went for it

April

Veteran

Always two years from whatever age you are right now.

Such mixed feelings about that expression. On the one hand, it's horribly sexist. On the other hand, as a woman of a certain age, I am extremely sympathetic to the idea that a woman doesn't necessarily want to look as if she doesn't realize she is no longer 19 and gleefully pulling on sexed-up clubwear. (Why not? I'm not sure, it just somehow seems appropriate to show that you know who you are. Even if you -- I hate this expression too -- "have the body for it.")

For what it's worth, for me it's not only about being overly sexy. I feel the same when I see Betsy Johnson, covered head to toe in sparkles like one of my former preschool students emerging from the dress-up box. It just feels like one of the pleasures of growing up is that you get to dress like a grown up. Doesn't mean you have to be dull, but maybe it means you've put away the Disney Princess costumes.

krishnidoux

Veteran

That is an excellent question.

A mutton is so only because and as long as it is compared. In this case, compared to its baby version, the lamb. The mutton could be anything; But the lamb serves as boundary. An imposed boundary disguised as a natural one (the distinction between lamb and sheep is one of nature: a lamb grows into a sheep, but the distinction between lamb and mutton is not so natural anymore: a lamb grows into a sheep which latter becomes mutton stew thanks to human intervention). The terrible "Mutton dressed as lamb" image is in fact constructed. It's cultural, it's social. There is a purpose behind this idea. It is a scary, degrading message meant to secure you, post-twenty-sometheling, into non-lamb territory. We wouldn't want you to threaten social order now would we.

Think about it. Whenever this image is conjured, we're talking about looks that are wrong for all kinds of reasons, however could possibly be excused on younger wearers because their youth could make up for a lot of things.

It's about what is in the head of the onlooker, not the wearer.

Here is a description I found on the internet: http://www.galleryoftheabsurd......-lamb.html
the outfit depicted here isn't wrong because of the age of its wearer. It's wrong because... come on! The visual given by the blogger is just terrible, even for " a 20-something heading to the hottest new club"!

So my answer to you is: in fashion, and in style, there is no mutton. There is no mutton for the simple and good reason that there is no real lamb. Remember this.

Anonymous

Thanks for all of your thoughts

Gaylene

Veteran

When a woman decides to embrace the term "adult" instead of "girl".

LaPed

Veteran

You've gotten great answers. So many shining examplrs of why I love this forum.

What I've found, thanks to YLF, is that the most stylish people are those who dress for themselves rather than to satisfy others' expectations. The clothes that look the best are the ones you look genuinely happy in... and if that's short skirts and towering heels, why not?

But, if you're questioning that look on yourself, examine the reasons why: is the discomfort personal, or cultural? Have others made comments, or is it just that small voice in the back of your mind? Is it a signature look that's feeling stale? Does it just need to be tweaked to suit who you are now?

Janet

(website)

Veteran

Bravo, Krish! I love what you wrote and want to copy it to use in response to any future discussions like this.

rachylou

Veteran

What Gaylene said - when you want some respect.

Anonymous

If you care about perceptions, then ditto what Gaylene posted.

Lyn D.

Veteran

Always a great discussion!
Reminds me not to be judgy of others dressing choices.

Gigi

Veteran

There are some good replies here. First of all, I would say that if you're in your thirties, I wouldn't worry too much yet.

I'm in my forties and occasionally wear short skirts (midthigh) and high heels (4" stilettos). I don't wear both of these items at once, though, ha ha! I think the key is the design of the pieces. If I were wearing a stretchy mini made from very thin fabric, that would seem too "young" to me. Instead, I wear nicer miniskirts made from heavier fabric, and there is something stylistic about them that makes me feel like "me". For instance, a couple of the skirts are A-line skirts with a seventies vibe (one is denim, one corduroy), and another one is a rose-gold metallic skirt that is very simple looking. I don't feel like I look too "young" in any of these and in fact often get compliments on them.

sylvie55

(website)

When you start wondering whether something is still appropriate, it probably isn't. It's all about feeling comfortable in your skin.

Anonymous

I like Jaime's response because I think it's the most grounded in simple, non discriminatory, visual attractiveness for all ages. If it describes the person you are and want to be, and it's flattering to your body, including fitness and skin texture it's probably fine.

Jennib12

Lots of great responses! As someone who just entered her mid-40s, I've been pondering this myself. I love the comments about dressing for yourself and I try to embrace that. Personally I find wearing too many trends at once makes me feel "old," so if I'm trying out a trend (which I love to do!) I stick to one at a time, balanced with more classic pieces.

Anonymous

Thanks again ladies

MovingFashionForward

I always love seeing people (of all ages) dressed in ways that are currently deemed 'ridiculous' or 'mutton dressed as lamb' because the more brave individuals do that, the more acceptable it will become for people to dress how they want to, which I think would be a good thing.

Having said that, we don't all want to be pushing the boundaries of dress-related cultural norms all the time. Sometimes, one wants not to look ridiculous in one's real life surroundings.

But by way of providing a bit of reassurance that it is most definitely possible to look stylish and not 'mutton dressed as lamb' while wearing short skirts, you might like to spend some time people-watching in Paris, or watch some of the videos of passersby in Paris you can find on the ILoveParis youtube channel. Whilst not everyone you will see will look stylish by any means, you will certainly see some quite old women wearing short skirts very stylishly (for example, with black tights and flat footwear and a mid-thigh-length body-skimming black wool coat, and a scarf). Another thing I noticed is that at least some older women there somehow manage to look stylish despite showing considerably more (by no means perfect/youthful) skin than you might imagine would be consistent with looking stylish as an older woman. Quite interesting!

Sarah