My mother has always had a TON of clothes. Always. She currently owns over 100 white blouses, t-shirts and tops. She has probably 30 pairs of pants and probably 20 dresses. Fills 3 closets to the brim with clothes.
In the last couple of months she has given up wearing anything more than a housecoat. (I didn't even know they made those still!) She buys them 5 at a time from a catalog. She finds a style she likes and buys it in all the colors it comes in. She is clean and she keeps her housecoats clean...but this is a sudden change of pace for a woman who dressed head to toe every day--even in the past 3 years where she has gone NOWHERE but to Bingo once a week for 1 hour and then to the grocery store where she sits in the car while my brother shops for her. That's it.
I actually am not bothered by the housecoat thing. I wear muu muus all the time. (Must be genetic!) I am just surprised by how fast this 'slippage' happened. She won't get her hair cut and has stopped attempting makeup. OK, she's 92 and she was still slapping on mascara and eye shadow every single day!
I don't expect any real answers, as I am not asking a question. I'm just thinking out loud a little. She's tired, she's sick of living, but still monitors her blood sugar and takes her meds religiously. She will probably live to 100 or beyond.
It's just such a shock to go see her at 2 pm and she is basically already dressed for bed. She puts on a fresh housecoat every morning.
And for the record, I think she's smart to wear as little as necessary. Much less laundry, for one thing. Easier to get to the bathroom. When she wore pants, she had accidents all the time.
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I think covid helped us decide to dress more casual as we spend more time at home. Loved hiding my no-make-up face behind a mask. Not wearing eye make-up anymore as when outside I wear what I call my "Airwolf" sunglasses, crystal blue lenses.
I put on shoes only once a week if I am driving to on-line grocery pick-up or a doctor's appointment. If it is Saturday, it's bath time like it was when I was a kid.
Yes, part of it is being lazy, because when you are retired and not busy, you tend to put things off for another day.... or month.
Other things wearing housecoats make easier;
* Choice is way less. Colour or pattern! But NOT top & pants, what goes with what, what still fits, what's the weather like.
* Mobility. Getting those tops over the head (even if stretchy) gets hard with reduced shoulder mobility or arthritis. Same for bending down to put pant legs on.
* Energy conservation. Putting on one item vs multi items. Exhausting if lung/heart issues or fatigue.
"I think she's smart.."
Me too! 😁
#MuMuu life
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Like FreqFlyer, my work wardrobe still hangs in the closet, but hasn't been worn in years. Only if I attend a funeral or something business related would I consider wearing something other than shorts and t-shirts, or sweat shirts and sweat pants in the winter.
The one thing she did let go of finally was dying her hair. She went from light blonde to full on gray hair after I managed to convince her that it was a good idea to do just that. She was the ONLY woman in the entire ALF that was still dying her hair! So she gave it up and wound up looking so much better with natural gray hair *it was silver* than she ever did with bottled blonde!
It's weird to see your mom in a housecoat all the time, I'm sure. I grew up with my grandmother who wore housecoats ALL the time and nowadays I even own a few of my own (mostly because I go to estate sales and when I find them, I BUY them! :) ) Snap coats, they're also known by. They are super comfy and what I call 'one stop shopping'........easy to wear and one piece of clothing vs. 2, top and bottoms.
At least your mom is not having all those accidents like she did when she wore pants, right?
Seeing our moms taking steps down (no matter how small) is an acknowledgement of their mortality. They put on this act of invincibility, and we buy into it b/c they're so strong and tough, etc. Yet these little signs are huge and indicative of the truth. I knew 'for a fact' my mother would live to be 100 too. I was wrong about that, though.
Sending you a hug today, Midkid.
Me, my basic wardrobe is jeans and tops. My shoes are Sketchers. In both I pretty much keep to the same style. I have my old jeans and T shirts I wear around the house. Newer jeans and tops I wear when going out of the house. Then about 7pm I put on my "let it all hang out clothes" which consists of PJ bottoms and over large Tshirts for Summer and Big OLD sweat shirts in the winter. Fashion statement I am not. 😁
She was slightly embarrassed about this... I said BRING IT ON 😆 I am there with them 🤣🤣
Yet, 2 years, Covid, injuries, surgeries etc. I find it totally acceptable and I am total fashionista, always was and will be.
She still watches TV, all day. She does puzzles. She reads ( a little). She lives with YB's family and they are all still living at home (4 daughters in their 20's and 30's) so she's not alone.
We have encouraged her to try antidepressants, in the past and she says she's never had a depressed day in her life (absolutely not true) but she is aware enough of things that she can make her own decisions.
She's wearing out. We're not made to live forever. She's perfectly happy in her housecoats and actually, her 'apologies' for wearing them are unnecessary! She looks fine. She's clean and housed and fed and really has a better life than most 92 yo's.
I don't think most drs would even try to address depression in someone so old and in poor health. It just is what it is.
But, I do thank you for your comment. Cutting back on things that are hard is fine--we all do it.
I am glad that your mother enjoys and feels comfortable wearing the housecoats. Hugs sent to you, Midkid.
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