'Dress Your Age!'...

Updated on January 13, 2012
R.D. asks from Richmond, VA
21 answers

Obviously, age appropriate dress goes for ALL ages. Duh ;)

However, I had posted on my Facebook how happy I was to be short enough to be able to shop at Once Upon a Child; obviously it's a kid's 2nd hand clothing store, but some of that stuff I would NOT let MY daughters wear at 6 and 8!!

A few people sent me messages bashing me for this... kind of left me stunned.

I bought 2 short sleeved spring-y shirts, and a strapless cocktail dress (who let's their kids wear that anyway!?) for myself... I don't see the big deal. They are 'adult' brands, Forever 21, Mossimo (from Target, yeah they make kids clothing too, this could go either way), and I forget the brand on the dress, but again, what 12 year old wears a strapless dress? It's short too! My, my...

My point is, I'm not smashing myself into too small, juvenile clothing (like Limited Too or Gymboree stuff!) In fact, one of the shirts I bought it long, like tunic style... I am, most definitely, dressing my age, regardless of the fact that it came from a kids store.

So what are your thoughts on this? Would it make a difference if these clothes had come from somewhere else? Does it really MATTER as long as they look appropriate? I was just pretty stunned... seems to me it's okay for parents to dress their kids in grown up clothes, but not vice versa...

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So What Happened?

@SL, I know what you're talking about! My ex-bosses wife used to smash into her 10 year old daughters clothes... sans underwear. Just because you fit into a kids size 10 denim skirt, DOES NOT MEAN YOU SHOULD WEAR IT! Ew!!

No, the shirts I bought would be approved by my kids clothing code of conduct, it's soooo not like that ;)

Featured Answers

M.D.

answers from Washington DC on

Yep - I'm jealous!! LOL. Not only am I 6'1 and will never fit into anything kid, I'm a chunky monkey too!! Working on the weightloss (btw - still no soda!! YAY!!)

I think you're fine. They are jealous - let it roll!

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B.P.

answers from New York on

It sounds like you are wearing Junior's clothes, not children's clothes. I tried on a dress recently from Mossimo and was shocked to find that the Large was a bit snug. I also wear a Large at Forever 21 as well. The styles are cute and as long as it's appropriate, which it sounds like it is...go for it!

2 moms found this helpful

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C.O.

answers from Washington DC on

R.:

They were probably jealous that they couldn't get into those things.

I know when Elayne was 12 - I did NOT let her wear strapless tops and I even had a problem with tank tops.

I am shocked at the amount of people that let their kids to things like Toddlers and Tiaras -that just makes me insane to see young girls looking like whores for a competition. YIKES!!!

I am shocked at the way many people dress - whatever happened to modesty? Why do you have to "show it all?" NOT YOU - but people who wear things with their butt cheeks hanging out and boobs showing/see through...urgh.,

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S.L.

answers from Green Bay on

The clothes you bought seem like they are appropriate but I think there is a line I wouldn't cross and cringe when I see others cross it. For example I have a friend who is my age (early 40's) and she is in great shape with a boob job and she like to show herself off. She came over one day in a Ambercombie zip up hoodie that was zipped don very low and it was short showing off her belly. I think that is pushing it when you are in your 40's with kids. Just my opinion. That is just one example of many.

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R.J.

answers from Seattle on

I'm so tall (and stacked) that I hit the pregnancy racks quite often, and I'm not pregnant! It's just that pregnancy shirts have room for the girls and are long enough to cover my navel. ((Trust me, no one wants to see my navel! But even "tall" in most stores leave me with a 4" gap between shirt and waistband)).

I do the majority of the rest of my shopping in the boy's department. I do rather dress like a 12yo boy... but with DDDDs, the tees look anything but masculine, and again, the shirts meet my pants instead of showing belly. LOL... and with the trend of v-necks and pink in the boy's/men's depts... really. No one can tell. And the boy's sleeves make natural "cap sleeves", unlike the mens' sleeves which look all icky. ((Downside, my son steals from my wardrobe)).

I think the marketing people have done WONDERS. Even if you have 2 identical things, because they're "for" different things (ages, male/female, living room or dining room) OMG!!! You CAN'T buy the one for the wrong thing!!! You HAVE to buy from this OTHER place! (at a markup, typically).

3 moms found this helpful

T.S.

answers from San Francisco on

I guess I'm wondering why people on your own FB would be bashing you for anything?
FB is one of those wonderful places where you can "choose" and "hide" people at your own discretion. Anyone on my page starts to get negative or bitchy they are gone with a click.
Sometimes I wish the real world was like that, lol!
p.s. in answer to your question, who cares where it came from as long as you love it and it looks good? I'll shop at Nordstrom one day and the Salvation Army the next, and everything in between. As far as age appropriate, well that's subject to individual taste.

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A.J.

answers from Williamsport on

As far as I'm concerned, there are no rules, and those comments were out of line. AND petite people can pull off way more stunts than tall people when it comes to clothing.

I have a few friends who are stylists who buy CRAZY things from crazy places and no one ever knows the difference unless you tell them where it's from. They shave their budgets like crazy at budget and thrift stores-regardless of gender, age, whatever. They think in abstracts to fill in wardrobes: "Must have short shirt with long sleeves-could alter cheap men's shirt...."

Before everyone made fitted tees and tanks for ladies (wasn't actually that long ago...early 90's I think, all the tees and tanks were boy style) stylists were pillaging children's stores and underwear departments to get certain "fitted" pieces to fill in their outfits under jackets and stuff for models on shoots.

Once my friend styled a shoot with an $8500 leather jacket in it. The top she put with it was from a nurse's supply store, and she found a gross (literally smelly) skirt from a thrift store, some army boots in the next aisle (grunge days), etc.

When the photo came out she got tons of calls asking "Who did the skirt and where could it be found?" just because the overall outfit worked in the photo.

Besides. Even if you were smooshing yourself into teensy clothes and looking diabolical-how is it their business? I can't believe you got those comments. My friends would have been laughing with me not at me for sketchy fashion scores in kids stores. Some people are c a t t y. "They're just jealous" as they say...

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☆.A.

answers from Pittsburgh on

Nah...it wouldn't make a difference where/what dept. something came from...if it looks good, who cares?
I, too, am SHOCKED that your FB "friends" would bash you over this!
I would probably be more concerned with the quality of children's brands because they aren't meant to last forever--they'd be outgrown first by kids, but for a tank, etc....no biggie!

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K..

answers from Phoenix on

I don't think it's an issue.

Sounds like you need to do some FB deleting & get rid of negative people. How people could have anything bad to say about you saving money & buying clothes that could've gone in a landfill is beyond me.

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H.M.

answers from Denver on

I think if it looks ok then who cares - unless you are running around telling everyone "hey guess what i got this from the kids' rack" then they should be none the wiser.

On that note - I did have an old daycare provider who told me she bought all her clothes in the Target girls (yes GIRLS) department - she was 50 years old and always wore tank tops with matching skorts. Made me finally realize how an adult women could possibly have so much clothing with hearts, rainbows and kitties on them. :-)

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L.L.

answers from Rochester on

If something is appropriate (you're not hanging out) then who cares?

I'm down to boys and mens t-shirts because my boobs are too big and no matter what kind of shirt I buy, it looks slutty.

I wear boys shoes because they're cheaper and more comfortable (sneakers, anyhow.)

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I.X.

answers from Los Angeles on

Sometimes its hard to realize what people really think of us. Its lame these people snatched up this opportunity to let their opinions be known in a back handed way. If you can fit children's clothing and make it work for you then who cares the name brand or where you got it. But, It sounds like some don't think its working for you, or maybe they are just jealous of your size. Hard to say.

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K.A.

answers from San Diego on

"Age appropriate" is a great marketing ploy. As is "gender appropriate". As is many other things people latch on to. And it changes per season and year to year. IT's a bunch of people sitting in a room wanting to make money. They don't care about anything else.
I wear what I am comfortable in, what fits, what flatters my body, what I enjoy. I don't care what "department" it came from. I buy shirts from the mens and boys department all the time. I buy shirts and pajamas from the juniors section all the time.
Who cares!
If it looks good on you, fits you, your family likes it on you, you like it on you who cares where it comes from!!

1 mom found this helpful

V.C.

answers from Dallas on

R., I am with you! I am SO Glad no one is wearing those butt-less pants anymore. And I don't need to see anyone's belly unless we are at the pool or beach.
Here's a funny story on me:
I was in France a while ago. Out shopping, I found the cutest capris. They weren't available here then (showing my age!) They were just a little bit snug. I found someone to ask if there was a size larger. I didn't speak French but she finally made me understand that if I left the children's department, I might find some!

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M.2.

answers from Chicago on

I agree with the poster who said they're probably just jealous =) I don't think it matters where you buy your clothing - as long as it is age appropriate and fits properly!

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A.V.

answers from Washington DC on

I'm petite. I can fit a child's L or XL depending on the brand. I once bought a velvet skirt at Limited Too because their 12 FIT (though I was stunned that it did. It was a smaller version of the same skirt from Express). On What Not to Wear, they sent one of their very small clients to a children's store (I think it was LTD2) to look for small versions of adult clothes - staples like pants and button up shirts.

I think that it's more awful that kid clothes (like the strapless dress) is "too adult" than an adult is picking and choosing her clothes from available places. I strongly suspect those complaining have never dealt with your particular sizing issues.

Now, if I shop in the kid aisle, I'm really careful to be basic and not make myself look 12. But if the t-shirt fits, I'll wear it.

Petite Sophisticate used to be my go-to store, and I still browse Forever 21. A cami is a cami.

I think as long as you are happy and you don't look 12 or 16 or aren't trying to be your kid, then shop where you want. At least you're trying to look your age vs the 50 yr old squeezing into her 16 yr old's skinny jeans.

So, back to FB, if those people are bashing you, delete their comments and consider why you have them as friends.

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C.O.

answers from Minneapolis on

I don't see the big deal. I wear boy's t-shirts & hoodies. Also wear boy's shoes.

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C.J.

answers from Milwaukee on

I have found soooo many things are "vanity" sized I have been buying clothes in the boys and girls section. A LOT cheaper and nobody knows UNLESS the 4 1/2 year old announces "mom got a new coat" like he did the day after I bought it. (He wasn't even WITH ME when I bought it!)

My husband actually looked at me, the coat and told him "it is NOT new." Well he doesn't like being wrong and he pointed out all the differences from the old coat to the new coat. The BIGGEST clue was it has a HOT PINK lining and a hood. Yup, the old coat was too big and I bought a coat in the girls section for HALF the price. Once again, ratted out by my little man.

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J.L.

answers from Chicago on

I think if it looks good and appropriate so what....just don't tell anyone for the reason you listed...There will always be someone out there who's judgemental. Let it go. I've debated about wearing some hello kitty shirts...they make for adults now. so what... have fun

D.S.

answers from Norfolk on

Hi, R.:
People love to give their opinions on everything.
Some people do not know to have a basic conversation so
they just say whatever not thinking how it will affect someone.
Wear what you like. Buy your clothes where ever you like and
enjoy the moment in time when you can do this. Wait until you
are in your retirement years. Then you can give everyone your opinions about where they shop and what they wear.

So what if you wear juvenile clothing. It keeps life interesting.
Just my thoughts.
D.

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A.L.

answers from Las Vegas on

It's not age that matters perse in as much as how the clothes look on a person... To me, sometimes an older person can pull off an outfit that a younger person cannot and vice versa..Often, just because something is someone's size doesn't meant they should wear it.. To me, if an article of clothing flatters my shape, by that I mean, it fits well and looks good, then I will wear it.. Now, if the cocktail dress looks great on you, then why not wear it... sizing these days is so varied.. with kids getting bigger, nowadays you can find a size 20 in juniors.. that is something that didn't happen years ago.... you can still find size Zero... (is that really a size) :) either way, I think it's a matter of one's own body type... and frankly, one's own personal taste... why should anyone care what another adult is wearing... with so many other things to worry about..

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