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To start, this is NOT to bash older women, 40+ isn't even close to "old", heck, my wife is 43 lol. What I am curious about is looking at pictures/watching movies from much more in the past it always seemed as if women that were 40+ the kind of fashion was always horrible, pretty much made to make them look way older than they were; from their hair, to makeup, to clothes etc. Nowadays it's quite common to see women that age (including my wife, shameless plug lol) look very attractive, hot, cute, sexy you name it.
Obviously that kind of horrible fashion has gone out the window and of course I am happy. And of course I realize that in the past women of a certain age was not supposed to look as so many do now. But my question is, when it comes to clothes/makeup/hairstyle etc. etc. that women in that age range would typically have from the past, what was it in particular that made them look so much older/unattractive? Again, not saying they themselves were, just it all seemed to colmulate in the exact opposite of attractive. Like, even an otherwise model 20-something couldn't wear the clothes and do their hair and makeup in the same way and still look good lol.
Just kind of curious from an old obsolete fashion standpoint, as obviously biologically nothing has changed with women since yet clearly in the past a woman my wifes age (I, myself am 30).
can you give an example? i don't know what you mean.
And there was more of an expectation that once a woman snagged a husband, she didn't have to go to so much trouble with her appearance. She's a wife and mother, so she should be practical.
I remember women who would only look good after 4pm, because hubby would be headed home by 5. Until then they would be out at the grocery store with their rollers in their hair!
Then after 4 they all looked like June Cleaver. I remember my mom saying “I hope I don’t get in an accident looking like this ...” which I never understood. Because if you got in an accident, would anybody really care?
Polyesssssssssssssterrrrrrr slacksssssssssssssssss! And elastic waistbands. That's what I remember all my aunties wearing when I was a kid. (I'm 49 now.)
I look at photos from when I was about 14-15 and it looks like I should be working in an office. Big glasses, shoulder pads, sprayed hair, way too much makeup. I looked middle aged. And then we went through the silly Little House on the Prairie phase with the stupid-looking prairie skirts and ruffled blouses. Good Lord. Why didn't someone do something about all the problems?
Polyesssssssssssssterrrrrrr slacksssssssssssssssss! And elastic waistbands. That's what I remember all my aunties wearing when I was a kid. (I'm 49 now.)
I look at photos from when I was about 14-15 and it looks like I should be working in an office. Big glasses, shoulder pads, sprayed hair, way too much makeup. I looked middle aged. And then we went through the silly Little House on the Prairie phase with the stupid-looking prairie skirts and ruffled blouses. Good Lord. Why didn't someone do something about all the problems?
Heh; Gunny Sax dresses; I remember those! Didn’t help that I had long, straight brown hair & my mom would part my hair down the middle & braid it tight enough to pull your eyelids up.
I'm 41, and I think the problem during my childhood ('80s) was a combination of BIG shoulder-pads, bad hair dyes that only came in a few colors, and women figuring out "work professional" wear after we started becoming executives, etc. The businesswomen of that era were trying to look "hard" and almost manly, wearing these awful pants/skirt-suits that did ZERO for their figures. I guess they thought if they appeared too feminine and/or sexy, they wouldn't be taken seriously? Think Melanie Griffith in "Working Girl," or that woman from "Secret of My Success." This was what they had to deal with, and yes, it made women over 30 look MUCH older.
Here's what I'm talking about:
So glad we have more attractive options today! I frequently get mistaken for much younger (even a colleague apparently thought I was 32), and that's fine with me.
Well it's true you never saw women going out in pajamas and slippers like TODAY.
Maybe you should watch that movie again since, as you said, you were a child so maybe you have a child's persepective of the era.
Cherry picking the one look to make some elusive point despite Signourney Weaver's outfits and all the other ones, including Melanie Griffith's.
Not to mention the entire POINT of the movie and the "theme" of "power dressing" of which MUCH has been written and how iconic that theme became in that iconic movie.
To start, this is NOT to bash older women, 40+ isn't even close to "old", heck, my wife is 43 lol. What I am curious about is looking at pictures/watching movies from much more in the past it always seemed as if women that were 40+ the kind of fashion was always horrible, pretty much made to make them look way older than they were; from their hair, to makeup, to clothes etc. Nowadays it's quite common to see women that age (including my wife, shameless plug lol) look very attractive, hot, cute, sexy you name it.
Obviously that kind of horrible fashion has gone out the window and of course I am happy. And of course I realize that in the past women of a certain age was not supposed to look as so many do now. But my question is, when it comes to clothes/makeup/hairstyle etc. etc. that women in that age range would typically have from the past, what was it in particular that made them look so much older/unattractive? Again, not saying they themselves were, just it all seemed to colmulate in the exact opposite of attractive. Like, even an otherwise model 20-something couldn't wear the clothes and do their hair and makeup in the same way and still look good lol.
Just kind of curious from an old obsolete fashion standpoint, as obviously biologically nothing has changed with women since yet clearly in the past a woman my wifes age (I, myself am 30).
Is this another "I hate the 80's thread?
Or women need to look "hot and sexy for me" thread?
Or "Suddenly when turning 40, women looked old" thread?
I have no idea what you're talking about.
Not sure you do either except to say...you hate older fashion even though you weren't born then?
Because the theory I think you're espousing is inaccurate.
You think Beyonce looks "young"? And she's only 36.
OH snap, no - you're right. There WERE no sexy hot women in the 70's-80's who "aged well"...might wanna tell Madonna that. Raquel Welch. Jane Seymour. Farrah Fawcett, Naomi Campbell. Cher. Cindy Lauper. Christy Brinkley. Cindy Crawford. Iman. Debbie Harry. Michelle Pfeiffer. Lisa Bonet. Kim Basinger. Tina Turner. Elle MacPherson and every other Sports Illustrated cover? Lauren Hutton. Cybill Shepard. Beverly Johnson.Cheryl Tiegs
Tell Christina Aquilera she didn't have to work so hard to look like Betty Grable.
You're 30?
The human brain doesn't even mature until age 26 so it's hard to take it seriously when someone your age decides to completely trash any women not of your "era".
BTW please tell the current day "sexy hot women" to stop going out in filthy pajamas and slippers.
The worst part is, you're implying that all previous generations of women were stupid for looking that way.
Which is always the case when the current generation of experts re-examine women or fashion of the past.
Also hilarious you apparently think MEN of past eras looked "young". Or something.
Also, hate to tell ya but Megan Markle looks 45. And she looked ridiculous in that gown for her engagement photo.
ETA: Oh hell, I just spent all this time answering the OP and all your posts are about MILFS and your wife going "commando", granny panties etc.
Personally, I presumed the OP was talking about when you see pictures of say.. an 18 or 20 yr old around some earlier years thru say the mid 50's... they generally looked like 30 yr olds. It never even entered my mind that it was something going against women or picking on the 80s.
Before the mid-late '70s, a lot of what made women look older was the lack of blow dryers and wash-and-go hairstyling. Vidal Sassoon's signature cut was a game-changer in the hair industry. There just wasn't anything like that before. Hair was set on rollers, or permed to be able to be set on rollers, then spray-lacquered into a semi-permanent shape because hair was washed only 1-2 times a week and just re-teased and re-sprayed. You stick that hairstyle on anyone and they immediately look older.
To start, this is NOT to bash older women, 40+ isn't even close to "old", heck, my wife is 43 lol. What I am curious about is looking at pictures/watching movies from much more in the past it always seemed as if women that were 40+ the kind of fashion was always horrible, pretty much made to make them look way older than they were; from their hair, to makeup, to clothes etc. Nowadays it's quite common to see women that age (including my wife, shameless plug lol) look very attractive, hot, cute, sexy you name it.
Obviously that kind of horrible fashion has gone out the window and of course I am happy. And of course I realize that in the past women of a certain age was not supposed to look as so many do now. But my question is, when it comes to clothes/makeup/hairstyle etc. etc. that women in that age range would typically have from the past, what was it in particular that made them look so much older/unattractive? Again, not saying they themselves were, just it all seemed to colmulate in the exact opposite of attractive. Like, even an otherwise model 20-something couldn't wear the clothes and do their hair and makeup in the same way and still look good lol.
Just kind of curious from an old obsolete fashion standpoint, as obviously biologically nothing has changed with women since yet clearly in the past a woman my wifes age (I, myself am 30).
I actually think everyone looked older than. Every September, the paper would print photos of all the Miss America contestants. A lot of them were 22 or 23, but if you look at the pictures they look like they're 35.
I think a lot was hair and makeup. But even now it exists. There is a small department store in our downtown that has two sections for female clothes, one side was Juniors and the other Misses. The clothes in the juniors section are attractive and trendy. The clothes on the other side scream "I give up". Elastic waist pants and matching tops with seahorses on them. A rack of coordinating cardigans next to them, lol.
It makes me mad, because I am still attractive at 55 and still in good shape. I'm not ready for "Mom" jeans but I don't want to dress like a 20 year old, but it's like the store thinks there is no reason for any female over 35 to even attempt to look attractive anymore.
Or women need to look "hot and sexy for me" thread?
Or "Suddenly when turning 40, women looked old" thread?
I have no idea what you're talking about.
Not sure you do either except to say...you hate older fashion even though you weren't born then?
Because the theory I think you're espousing is inaccurate.
You think Beyonce looks "young"? And she's only 36.
OH snap, no - you're right. There WERE no sexy hot women in the 70's-80's who "aged well"...might wanna tell Madonna that. Raquel Welch. Jane Seymour. Farrah Fawcett, Naomi Campbell. Cher. Cindy Lauper. Christy Brinkley. Cindy Crawford. Iman. Debbie Harry. Michelle Pfeiffer. Lisa Bonet. Kim Basinger. Tina Turner. Elle MacPherson and every other Sports Illustrated cover? Lauren Hutton. Cybill Shepard. Beverly Johnson.Cheryl Tiegs
Tell Christina Aquilera she didn't have to work so hard to look like Betty Grable.
You're 30?
The human brain doesn't even mature until age 26 so it's hard to take it seriously when someone your age decides to completely trash any women not of your "era".
BTW please tell the current day "sexy hot women" to stop going out in filthy pajamas and slippers.
The worst part is, you're implying that all previous generations of women were stupid for looking that way.
Which is always the case when the current generation of experts re-examine women or fashion of the past.
Also hilarious you apparently think MEN of past eras looked "young". Or something.
Also, hate to tell ya but Megan Markle looks 45. And she looked ridiculous in that gown for her engagement photo.
ETA: Oh hell, I just spent all this time answering the OP and all your posts are about MILFS and your wife going "commando", granny panties etc.
He's not bashing anyone. Read again, he says women are still very attractive when we're older, including his wife, but when he looks at pics from back in the day, older women looked older. He is definitely right. The fashions, hair styles and makeup advice for older women DID tend to make them look their age or older.
He is asking what people think it was, whether the fashion, hair-dos or whatever, that kept older women from looking as hot as we do now...hardly an insult. He's not talking about celebs, but average women. When I was growing up, all the 50+ women in my family anyway looked the older housewife part. My mom wore aprons around the house, for God's sake, lol. It's not the same now and OP is just asking about the fashion trends that changed. That's why he's asking on the Fashion forum.
Really beautiful clothes designed for older women are relatively recent, just like really beautiful clothes for plus size people are relatively recent. The choices back then were reflective of what society thought of older women and beauty then.
I think Weezy made a good point. My mom's hair was set in giant rollers and piled on top of her head, then glued in place with half a can of Aqua Net.
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