My legs have always been quite good, just need to be 4 inches longer!!! As a woman of champagne taste, but beer money, I have never followed fashions. What money I had saved was for much more important things , like opera cds and art and travelling to meet new people and countries etc., I have always respected dress codes and 50 years ago always carried a large headscarf so that if I came across a church or temple I had some head covering to show respect. I married in 1968 with trad white dress etc but my going away outfit was a honey gold cord long sleeved tunic with metal clip shutters and matching hot pants. Very good quality cloth. When hot pants went out of fashion or it was winter and colder I teemed the tunic with dark brown trousers and had a small filmy dark brown scarf and that made a good outfit. Then after a few years I didnt wear it but the material far too good to throw away. Some years later there was a float in the local carnival from the library and they were doing animals , and my son (whose name is Daniel!) went as a lion. My lovely husband used the tunic for the skin , made a mask and paws for his hands of somewhat darker velvety material and used curtain fringing for the mane . They won a prize But back to the real question. Apart from making sure I do not offend people I mostly wear stuff for comfort, ease of cleaning, mix and match , and of good quality material. So my best bargain was an Ann Harvey shop closing down and I bought a sky blue silk shirt type blouse with collar and long sleeves for £12.50 well over 10 years ago. I put it with black velvet trousers and they look fine for eating out, going to a concert or whatever and are comfortable. I also have a batik very thin elasticated waist voile dress for summer . It is full length and takes very little room in a bag, so ok to go out in the evening , or if you have been swimming can go over costume. So sublime to ridiculous. When I am not trying to look reasonably ok while I am singing or out in the evening I am in comfortable T shirts and trousers of various ages and styles. So long as they are clean to put on, I really couldnt give a damn what anyone thinks. When I am gardening or doing jobs the bit that counts is , are there good pockets to stick stuff in,can I bend and stretch in them easily. Occasionally I see a picture in a paper or magazine and comment , oh yes I have got some like that - but often I have had them from the last time there were in fashion. Hate 3/4 sleeves on anything , again practicalities. Short you can put a jacket over, or long sleeved you can hold the end and put jacket on. Blasted 3/4 sleeves are designed by men who never attempt to we4ar them in the real world. They either ride up, or you have an unsightly ridge under the jacket. So cashmere, pure cotton and silk are my favourites but not in my price range normally.. So long as I can wash them I would rather look in the charity shop and get quality stuff that I can wash than wear horrible synthetics, but that just me. Many many years ago i did some modelling with vidal Sassoon - think good hair cut like Mary Quant style and also swimwear etc. The ideas I had then still work today. Take care which clothes and accessories you choose in the beginning. Make an effort with your make up and comb hair well . Check in the mirror for hems, backs of shoes not scuffed etc. Once you see you are as well as you can be go out there and totally forget about it and do what you intended to. So long as you and your clothes are clean , that is all that matters and there is much more to pay attention to. Once met a woman at an office do who was wearing exactly matching clothes but different accessories. She started to apologise to me - dont know why , it is a free country - but I said to her . "Not at all, it is good to see someone else with good taste!!"
