The answer to the question in the title is “no”, we should be wearing what we damn well like. There is no rulebook.
My one and only pair of dungarees were bought in my late teens from a great shop in Newcastle called, “Plus Four”. It was situated in Eldon Square in the city centre. Back then, “Plus Four” was the shop to go to for up to the minute “Levi’s” and “Le Breve” jeans. But, more about the dungarees, later!!
As an aside, when I shopped in Newcastle in the late seventies, I would pop into a boutique called, “Bus Stop”. If you are of a certain age, you may remember this shop. For my younger self, going into this boutique was like entering an Aladdin’s cave of fashion. I bought a lot from “Bus Stop” and I so wish I’d kept some of the items I purchased from it back then – for nostalgia more than anything. Vintage “Bus Stop” designs are now highly sought after for their flattering cut, beautiful prints and fantastic fabrics.
Here’s a little bit of history of this iconic shop…..
“Bus Stop” was created by Lee Bender along with her husband, Cecil, in the late ’60s. They had previously produced clothing under their label ‘Lee Cecil’. They then went on to open the first “Bus Stop” shop in 1969 in Kensington’s fashionable Church Street, right next door to the iconic “Biba”.
The “Bus Stop” name was chosen as it represented something identifiably British. And, the red interior of the shop continued this theme, based on the colour of telephone kiosks, post boxes and London buses. Customers to their London shop included Brigitte Bardot, Marianne Faithfull and Pattie Boyd, amongst other famous faces.
Lee and Cecil famously designed their clothes for “real women”. Joan Collins, another celebrity customer of “Bus Stop”, named Lee Bender as one of her favourite designers, saying “she designs clothes for women with boobs and bums”.
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“Bus Stop” became a chain of twelve stores throughout the UK. I would love to hear from you if you, too, visited this great shop. It was a place where I could indulge my younger self in great fashion, here in the North East, which was quite rare back then, since shops in this genre were mainly based in London. The chain was bought by ‘French Connection’ in 1979.……
Now, back to my quest for dungarees and my thirty-year hiatus from them….…
Dungarees seem to fall into that category of “are they worn over a certain age”? On Pinterest, I noticed the likes of Sarah Jessica Parker, Demi Moore and Diane Kruger looking very cool and stylish in them. This was the inspiration behind my search.
While having a browse through the various brands, I, again, noted there isn’t a realistic representation of the “midlife” age group. The majority of models are teenagers or a little older, wearing clothes I may like to buy. The problem is their youthfulness can be “alienating”, which shouldn’t be the case.
Wouldn’t it be refreshing if we saw more of our age group showing off these clothes on their websites?
I know these stylish midlife women exist because I follow them on their blogs and Instagram? If brands used older models, I would certainly be inspired and more likely to return to their sites to buy their clothes.
The denim dungarees I was looking for had to be the right shade of blue, soft to the touch with a small amount of lycra so they would be extra comfortable. I was avoiding thick, stiff denim which would be restrictive. After quite a good search, I came across this pair from “Fat Face”. The reviews spoke for themselves. When they arrived, I knew, immediately that I’d made the right choice. They ticked all the boxes and I even got the seal of approval from my boys who were around when I tried them on for the first time. They don’t usually take a lot of notice.
My advice is to look for a pair that is made well (check the fastenings and inside seams) and, in terms of fit, the actual style hasn’t really changed much from the classic-but-baggy cut that seems to work with most body shapes.
Here are a few plus points……they feel surprisingly feminine and fit the body well with a little bit room to spare – making them super flattering. I find them very comfortable and quite flirty, in a tomboy way. Depending on what time of year it is, they can be worn with a little tee and flats to keep cool in the summer months, or worn with a woollen in the colder months.
The list is endless of how to style dungarees. Casual understated glamour is coming to mind with a tailored jacket and heels, or stomping boots. Alternatively, suede ankle boots will do the job nicely along with a stylish coat.
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Please note that all items worn in this post are my own. However, some of the above are affiliate links – if you like the look of one of the items and click through to the website, there is no extra cost to you.
If you are looking for some home entertainment inspiration I am currently putting together a list of TV series/films we have watched and enjoyed over the last year or so.
Thank you for reading my post. I hope you have enjoyed it. If you have any questions about this article, I would love to hear from you – please let me know in the comments below.
Best wishes to you.
Alison x
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That boutique sounded amazing! Those were the days! I think dungarees look even beter on,, older,, women then the young ones.
Author
It really was the place to go. I didn’t know a lot about Lee bender at the time – it’s since that time I’ve learnt about her great designs and prints.
I love this look and the reminder of the fun days of funky dressing in years gone by. I wore dungarees for many years but not recently. In my neck of the woods we’ve called them overalls. I always like your posts…. they keep me happy in my wardrobe selections which are always somewhat out of sync with my circle of friends. I’m never 100% sure if “Oh…. look at YOU!” is a compliment or not.
Author
I still love 70’s fashion and this style is a reminder of my youth. There are no rules and we should wear what makes us happy, confident and comfortable of course. I’m so pleased that I’m helping you with your wardrobe selections. Have a lovely weekend.
I think these overalls look amazing on you! And I love them with the cozy sweater! I hope you are having a great week!
Author
Many thanks to you Laura. Wish I had bought a pair sooner – they are so comfortable. xx
You look fabulous! The story about the shop was interesting!
xoxo
Lovely
http://www.mynameislovely.com
Author
Thank you so much. It was great reminiscing about this great shop – wish there was more like it now. xx
I just recently got a pair and I love to wear a sweater under it, too! That turtleneck looks so cozy!
Carrie
curlycraftymom.com
Author
Thank you, Carrie. they are such a great addition to the wardrobe, aren’t they? That is such an old sweater I’m wearing with them – I’ve had it for years. Have a lovely weekend. xx
They look really really good on you! The cut is very flattering. I might have to have a look see!
http://www.chezmireillefashiontravelmom.com
Author
They are so comfortable. I will wear them a lot as I do feel good in them too. xx
I’d never heard of Bus Stop but it sounds amazing! I sometimes wish I could go back in time for a day to visit all the fabulous shops that were around in the 70s. You look great in the dungarees, the fit is perfect. I love the chunky sweater underneath too. I just ordered some cord dungarees and was unsure if I should keep them but my daughter persuaded me to…I think she has a secret plan to claim a lot of my clothes when she gets older! Thanks for linking up!
Emma xxx
http://www.style-splash.com
Author
Thank you so much, Emma. I do love these dungarees – they are so comfortable. I didn’t mean to write about “Bus Stop” – but when I started to think about that time in my life all of the memories came flooding back. Lee Bender has a website. It’s worth a browse – there are some beautiful prints. xx
Yay, Alison, you got the dungarees! And they are fabulous on you! Such an adorable outfit and I really love the ageless style message as well. And what a fun little trip down vintage lane with the Bus Stop history. That was super fun to read! I will be featuring this post on tomorrow’s link up. Thanks for joining!
Shelbee
http://www.shelbeeontheedge.com
Author
Thank you for the feature and inspiration Shelbee! I do love these dungarees – they are so comfortable. I enjoyed writing about my “Bus Stop” days – a lot of lovely memories came flooding back – as well as the fab clothes I bought back then. Lee Bender has a website. It’s worth a browse – there are some beautiful prints. xx
I FREAKING love you in these dungarees!! They look amazing. I’ve desperately wanted a pair for years, and did actually buy some a couple of years ago but they’re meant to be super tight. I wore them for one blog post lol and then donated them to my 14 year old neighbour!! I’m now on the look out again for a pair that are actually flattering – like these.
Sadly, I’ve never been to Newcastle, despite being a Yorkshire lass. The ‘problem’ is that I moved to Portugal when I was ten years old and I’ve been here ever since! It sounds like an amazing shop though. I love that old pic of Jerry Hall!!
Hugs
Suzy, The Grey Brunette
Author
Thank you so much Suzy. I did hesitate for quite a while before buying – mainly because I was unsure if I should be revisiting a garment I’d worn in my youth. Then, as I began my search I was seeing some great reviews and was inspired by my own age group wearing them and smashing it. Hope you find the right pair for you, I can highly recommend “Fat Face” dungarees. The reviews speak for themselves and mine are super comfortable.xxx
Never too old for them. They can be worn with so many accessories and look well on any body type. They are fairly neutral so you can play with color for the rest of your outfit.
Author
So true! Wish I hadn’t waited so long to get a pair. They’re so comfortable too, and versatile to wear with most things.
You look fab in these! Dungarees are quite youthful and fun and you carry this off so well. I bought a pair from Primark a couple of years ago and as an over 60 I’m amazed to say that I still find them funky and fun too!
Cheers
Anna x
Author
So true! I felt great in them immediately – they are so cool and easy to style and wear.
Alison xx
You look great in them, no question about it. I myself pondered the similar question a while ago when i bought my first pair of dungarees. My answer is yes
https://lookingfabulousat50.blogspot.com/
Author
Definitely! Just wish I hadn’t waited so long to buy a pair. They’re great to wear – stylish and comfortable.
I love your dungarees, you look great. I myself started wearing them only last year and my view, if you look good in them the answer is “yes”
Author
I just wish I hadn’t waited this long to buy some. I do love them, and they are being worn a lot during “lockdown” as they are so comfortable. x
No, you aren’t! You have never been this young before!
Author
Nancy, I like your style and it is so true. The best is yet to come!
Well these really do suit you, what a great post to read. Super you have these photos too. I’m not sure that dungarees are for me, just don’t have the right figure for them. Have a super week. Jacqui x
Author
Thank you Jacqui. I must admit I loved my trip down memory lane in this
post and always thought dungarees were one of those items to be left in the
past. But then I saw quite a few women in my age group wearing them well, and
thought, what the heck. I’ve worn them so much in this lockdown, there’s
lycra in these particular ones – so lots of stretch. Have a lovely weekend. x
You look amazing! I have recently invested in several pairs of dungarees and have been wondering whether they are okay for me to wear at 51. I love them!
Author
I understand your hesitation, I did the same for a long time – then, I saw women of my age group looking so
cool in them, so then I thought “what the heck”. It really spurred me on to get a pair. The dungarees I
bought from “Fat Face” are so comfortable and I’m wearing them such a lot lately.x
You rock in those dungarees. You look absolutely stunning in them! They really suit you. I do not think you can be to old to wear dungarees. Keep wearing them if you still have them.
Author
Thank you. It’s taken me quite a while to realise the style rules around midlife are wrong, who decided anyway? Life is too short, I wear what makes me feel good, yes, I still have and wear my dungarees, so comfortable and I wear all the year round. Thank you for calling by.