Everyone has different tastes when it comes to fashion. People should be allowed to dress however they feel most comfortable, especially if they’re just running errands.
But some people insist on commenting on other’s appearances and policing what others wear.
It’s not your job, and everyone needs to just mind their own business.
Redditor Tinydinosaur24 encountered this very issue with another woman. So she turned to the “Am I The A**hole” (AITA) subReddit for moral judgment.
She asked:
“AITA for telling an older lady she’s mad she can’t dress how I dress?”
The Original Poster (OP) explained:
“So I (23f) went to Starbucks after working out, and I was wearing booty shorts. I had planned to go through the drive through but the line was long so I went inside.”
“Some older lady rolls down her window and tells me that my shorts are ‘at home shorts’ and I shouldn’t leave the house in them.”
“I said ‘I’m not your age yet so I’ll wear what I want.'”
“She said that I was disrespectful for speaking to her that way.”
“I told my dad about the incident later and he said I should respect my elders and I should’ve let it go. I feel like it was very inappropriate for some lady I don’t know to comment on my attire, and she doesn’t get a pass for being old.”
“It’s 2021 I can wear what I want.”
OP added more context.
“I should probably explain these shorts. They were short yes, but they were gym shorts.”
“They did cover my butt, and they definitely covered more than swimsuit bottoms if that’s any reference. They were the standard black Nike windbreaker shorts.”
Redditors gave their opinions on the situation by declaring:
- NTA – Not The A**hole
- YTA – You’re The A**hole
- NAH – No A**holes Here
- ESH – Everyone Sucks Here
Most Redditors agreed OP was not the a**hole.
“NTA”
“She started it. You finished it.” ~ Sweeper1985
“‘At home shorts?’ Lmao this old lady is trying to be the fashion police and dictate what someone can’t and can wear.”
“Like what is she going to do when it gets really warm out during the summer? Tell people who are hot to bundle up because their clothed are ‘lounge wear’?”
“NTA for sure!” ~ TheoryAddict
“It’s a friggin pandemic, ‘at home’ attire IS appropriate for running errands, especially workout attire. Just look around on any given day.”
“I know I never bother to change out of my leggings to run my morning errands. If leggings that are basically painted on material are being worn by half the women in Walmart then she can wear workout shorts to grab a cup of coffee for Pete’s sake!” ~ Dewhickey76
“Speaking as an older person myself, what is it with people who think being old means you can be rude? That woman was very rude indeed to the OP, and the OP just defended herself.” ~ squirrelfoot
Some argued respect is earned.
“Whenever some old person tries to play the ‘respect your elders card’ I call bullsh*t.”
“Nothing about being old warrants automatic respect. Respect is a 2 way street. I respect those who respect me.”
“That old lady is a massive hypocrite by disrespecting you and expecting you to return the favor by licking her shoes. Good for you OP” ~ Plane-Ad-2581
“She needs to watch her at-home attitude.” ~ yonk182
“Yeah don’t make it about age, next time, it’s just because you look better in them than they would.” ~ rebelmumma
“I hate the older person mentality of ‘well I’m old so I can disrespect you but you better just respect me’ Like… no?”
“Respect is earned, IDGAF who you are. You dish it? You eat it.” ~ toxikola
Redditors reminisced on their own fashion choices.
“Especially if she’s going to use her out-loud voice to — completely unsolicited — criticize another woman’s fashion.”
“‘Older people’ have no business doing that — by which I’m assuming the 50+ crowd? Ummm…no. We had short-shorts…but it was the 80s and everyone wore them with tube socks.” ~ Opinion8Her
“Yeah, my 70s cut offs were so short I’m amazed I wore them. I had mini-dresses so short they came with matching panties. We old folks have zero room to judge.” ~ cappotto-marrone
“Can confirm: I had the dress with matching panties too. They were called ‘sizzlers.’ And I recall an older woman chastising me about it. Some things never change.” ~ moxymoxalone
“I had a pair of cut off shorts that were so short my mother was like NOPE, so In my 90’s teenage mind I added eyelet lace around the bottom and wore them everywhere.”
“My hippie mother saying nope should have been the ‘well these are probably showing my ass to a degree that will make me stick to vinyl chairs’ but nope, TO SCHOOL I WENT ah, the nineties.” ~ flytingnotfighting
“Ha, we wore school uniforms and we rolled our skirts so high it justified the price our moms had to pay for our regulation school color knickers that were mandatory wear.”
“If you police teenage girls’ panties, be prepared for teenage girls to point out the perviness of that in the most awkward way possible.”
“And now I might customize a pair of cut offs in your honor because honestly they sound fantastic. I love a bit of malice compliance fashion styling.” ~ IFeelMoiGerbil
Some argued their family encouraged them.
“My mom had mini-dresses so short they didn’t cover her butt when she sat down. Best part is that her grandma made most of my mom’s clothes & she was totally fine with them being so short!” ~ DoctorNerdyPants
“My mother bought me my first pair of hot pants. I remember saving them to wear to middle school and that day some other girl wore the same pair. They were red, white, and blue, so very distinctive.”
“I never did get the shiny, white boots, so she wore it better.” ~ cappotto-marrone
“My grandmother picked out lower cut tops for me than I did when we went shopping. She died ten years ago. Flaunt it.” ~ PondRides
“Whenever you shop her ghost is standing behind you whispering ‘more cleavage.'” ~ Vaporeon134
OP responded to some of the comments.
“ESH (her more than you). She should have minded her own business, but when you make a derogatory comment like that you’re not just being rude to her (which was deserved) but to everyone in a particular group – meaning people her age.”
“You didn’t need to mock her based on something she can’t control, and something that’s eventually going to happen to all of us.” ~ Allaboutbird
“You’re very right actually, I will hopefully be her age one day.” ~ Tinydinosaur24
“I think she deserved a smart mouth reply but maybe not about her age.” ~ Tinydinosaur24
People should be able to dress however they like.