May 3, 2018

I keep getting served this ad and it's kind of freaking me out.



Now, I don't dress like that or wear my hair like that or act like that. I mean I'd put my hand in my pocket, but, given a small bouquet of flowers, I would not put it on my head with an ooh-it's-kind-of-like-a-hat gesture. But I'm afraid this company — Gudrun something or other — has been reading some dark garishly bright corner of my mind and calculated that this — this!!! — is the real me, traipsing and stumbling about town. And I've got to admit that it's just about exactly how I pictured the myself as an old lady when I was 19 years old.

73 comments:

Big Mike said...

Don’t feel bad, Professor. I got it a couple times myself and I don’t wear dresses at all!

Darrell said...

Google thinks you would like the crazy progressive old cat lady look.
Send them a "Fuck You!" IM.

YoungHegelian said...

Perhaps some advertiser's bot-net found a past reference to the 'Crunchy Con Exterior -- Hippy-Dippy Love Chick Center" phrase.

Expat(ish) said...

It's sorta got that original Freaky Friday vibe.

I live in The SWF and we have crazy rich old ladies all over the place. Not many like that tho.

-XC

Mr. Groovington said...

She has a good face.

exiledonmainstreet, green-eyed devil said...

If they're going by zip code, it becomes understandable. I imagine you can find quite a few retirees who dress like that in Madison.

Yesterday at the Metro Market, I saw a woman with white, purple, and pink hair. She appeared to be about 75. I guess you can look at it 2 different ways:

"Look at that old fool trying to look like she's a 21 year old SJW! Must be a Bernie voter! Doesn't she have any dignity?"

or

"She's at an age where she just doesn't give a damn anymore. Who's gonna fire her? Dignity? F you."

robother said...

I'm getting the Haven Bachelor Party ad instead of this. I suppose I should be insulted that I'm above this crass appeal to my id, but I'm OK with it.

Otto said...

Musings from this little high school girl in the 60s studying hard to be valedictorian in suburban north Jersey while fantasizing about being a rebel.

Ignorance is Bliss said...

For a while I was getting adds on your site for a doll of a much younger, more attractive woman. Life size. Anatomically correct. Don't have the slightest idea why they thought such a thing would appeal to me.

(If you see large chunk of change from your Amazon portal, that might explain it.)

Leland said...

It looks hippish, and as we now have been told; the Internet was created by a bunch of hippies that wanted to exploit ordinary human compulsion to make a buck. It is less a reflection of you as it is them thinking they know you.

PM said...

Data analytics - it's a gold mine.

Ann Althouse said...

"Musings from this little high school girl in the 60s studying hard to be valedictorian in suburban north Jersey while fantasizing about being a rebel."

It was the first summer after college, and I had to go live with my parents in their new house in south Jersey... in the Pine Barrens. I wasn't studying, but working in a diner.

Ann Althouse said...

I had the idea that when you're old, you're completely liberated, that you could really be a hippie.

Joe Biden, America's Putin said...

It's pippy goth hippy stocking

Ann Althouse said...

That was the summer I transferred from RC (at Michigan) to the art school, completely intending to forfeit all hope of becoming part of the productive economy.

Yancey Ward said...

At least you aren't getting ads for funeral homes.

Jupiter said...

Don't fight it. You can't outsmart an algorithm. Better buy something from them quick.

Ignorance is Bliss said...

...completely intending to forfeit all hope of becoming part of the productive economy.

So what made you choose to re-enter the productive economy? ( Assuming that you believe you ever did )

In other words, why did you sell out?

Nonapod said...

So the algorithm determined that Althouse is some kind of crazy cat lady?

Otto said...

I call it the grace of being old- don't have to go to unproductive meetings, don't have to attend useless social events, don't have to wear a shirt and tie, don't have to meet deadlines and budgets, don't have to keep up with the latest in your field , etc.So in a sense you are a rebel even though it maybe short-lived.

John Henry said...

A couple days ago someone posted a link to a rolling stand for potted plants. I've probably gotten 20 ads for that since.

As for the lady in the ad, I don't see you like that at all. I see that woman as living alone, in a small apartment where nobody knows her except her 15 cats. Kids never call.

It is a VERY depressing picture. Even if I wore dresses like that the ad would really turn me off.

Sad.

John Henry

Ann Althouse said...

"So what made you choose to re-enter the productive economy?"

I got obsessed with teaching myself to read Italian and it caused me to realize that the verbal part of me was starving.

I found myself saying (in a random conversation) "If I had it to do over again, I would go to law school," then later, discouraged about art, realized that life was going to go on for a *long* time even if I couldn't start over, so I could still try a new beginning.

I wanted to have a child, and I genuinely thought it was a sensible path in that direction (and did in fact have a baby in my 3d year of law school).

Earnest Prole said...

It's the aging hippie cousin of Theory and J. Jill.

tcrosse said...

It's how Blythe Danner dresses when not doing Prolia commercials.

Unknown said...

Isn't that a character in Altman's Popeye movie?

traditionalguy said...

Gotta admit she's cute. The silver fox look.

traditionalguy said...

I recently saw a you tube of an old girlfriend with her hair silver turned from dark brunette. 50 years goes by quick. She was reading her poetry to a San Francisco gathering. Her personality , voice and mind were unchanged. Sweet to Burn is her latest collection.

Sigivald said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Sigivald said...

Because of the type choices, I can't not read the company name as "Gundam [whatever]".

Which is frankly more interesting than whatever it actually is.

Giant armored suit fashion for old ladies!

Etienne said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
The Cracker Emcee Refulgent said...

Ugh. Douchey and patronizing. I loathe the self-conscious cutesiness of Tom Robbins and Monk and Red Hat Society ladies. If you want to let your freak flag fly, by all means, but recognize that it's more tiresome than freaky.

Bilwick said...

Hot. Very hot. I can see her doing GILF porn.

Ken B said...

Aging Flower Child. The Age Of Aquarius dawns at last.

ALP said...

More proof going gray gracefully requires serious cheekbones.

Earnest Prole said...

Hot. Very hot. I can see her doing GILF porn.

She's grandmilfalicious.

Caroline said...

Funny. I’m getting the same ad....i, too, take it as something of a memento mori, a shock. Like the time Mom gave me a Christmas sweater with Santa going down the chimney and told me she thought it was so “me.”

prairie wind said...

It's the aging hippie cousin of Theory and J. Jill.

Yes. I also blame LuLaRoe.

SDaly said...

What diner in the Pine Barrens? Probably on or just off Route 72, because once off the main road, there's not a lot of customer traffic.

SDaly said...

Fun fact, the Pine Barrens was pitched as the location for Disney World, and was close to the top of the list, but edged about by vast amount of then-unoccupied land in Central Florida.

tcrosse said...

A large part of the Pine Barrens was turned into Retirement Communities. My parents lived in one of them.

Rabel said...

I see the connection.

hstad said...

AA, these companies send out thousands if not 100s of thousands of these missives to potential clients. It's called advertisements! Why would a specific email promo concern you? I think if you see yourself like this, then there are bigger problems for you. My view of you is that you've have had a successful positive career. Plus, now you're onto a second act. Consequently, I view you as a very productive contributor to our society/country. Therefore, please don't be influenced by the "Madison Ave.," hucksters trying to define who you really are by needing to adopt this look? Have a wonderful day and keep up the excellent blogging.

Sebastian said...

I'm getting Chicuu. WTF?

Inga...Allie Oop said...

Me too! Yikes.

MayBee said...

There are shoes you once linked for us that are not dissimilar from that look, no? Maybe a kind of flowered maryjane a few years back?

wild chicken said...

What I hate are the ads for metamucil or whatever showing some old lady on a bicycle kicking both feet out like wheeee!

Nobody does that. Esp not us old ladies.

Ignorance is Bliss said...

wild chicken said...

What I hate are the ads for metamucil or whatever showing some old lady on a bicycle kicking both feet out like wheeee!

Nobody does that. Esp not us old ladies.


Maybe if you were getting a little more fiber in your diet...

Jupiter said...

Resistance is futile. You will be simulated.

Charlotte Allen said...

I know women who dress like that. And Gudrun's stuff is really expensive. She advertises in the New Yorker.

Snark said...

That's not completely un-Althouse like, particularly if there is some bot scanning past images. There was a fairly protracted long skirt/coloured tights/flat shoes period, in my memory at least.

Bilwick said...

"What I hate are the ads for metamucil or whatever showing some old lady on a bicycle kicking both feet out like wheeee!

"Nobody does that. Esp not us old ladies."

My GILFy significant-other does that, only a bicycle is not involved. Usually.

Kirk Parker said...

Althouse,


"...completely intending to forfeit all hope of becoming part of the productive economy."

Well, didn't you succeed?

stevew said...

No fashion expert am I, but to me that is not how a grown-up woman dresses herself.

-sw

Rana said...

Charlotte, her clothes are well made and not terribly expensive. Also, she has many styles available (ranging from hippy-dippy boho chick to tailored professional). I think Althouse would like some of them if she bothered to look at the website. I have several of the long, plain skirts and long sleeve tees as well as a few of the more brightly colored items for spring and summer. I always receive compliments whenever I wear one of my Gudrun outfits. Added bonus--the clothing looks great with clogs!

Anonymous said...

Ann, they still think you are on the east coast where women actually dress like that. Having installed ad blocker on your site I am saved from all these kinds of misdirected ads that you decided to burden us with.

Clyde said...

The book Pippi Longstocking came out in 1945, featuring a nine-year-old protagonist who was the same age as the author's daughter. That would make Pippi about 82 years old today, and I'm guessing she would look an awful lot like that picture.

Laslo Spatula said...

I sent Althouse an updated version of this post's pic, crossing the wires of Althouse's past and future hippie-osity.

It ended up looking like something from a NYC underground version of 'Laugh-In'.

I am Laslo.

Rabel said...

Hey, there's Laslo out and about.

Work release or Presidential pardon?

LuAnn Zieman said...

The woman in the ad is a model. Gudrun herself is elderly looking, and rather chunky, with bright red glasses. She's Swedish and her business is based in Sweden. She steals ideas for her clothing line from several different cultures. She would be in big trouble with our culture warriors!

Christy said...

I see the ad regularly, but figured it was because I visit fashion blogs for the over 50 set. I reluctantly embraced the leggings with long skirt look this winter, but try to keep the layers under 4.

Charlotte Allen said...

Here are some Gudrun links, where you'll get a good idea of what she, her clothes, and her philosophy are like:

https://www.thewomensroomblog.com/2013/12/05/gudrun-sjoden-a-style-icon-for-all-ages-and-sizes/

https://www.thesucculentwife.com/gudrun-sjoden-profile-of-a-spirited-designer/

https://www.nytimes.com/2013/04/25/fashion/critical-shopper-gudrun-sjoden-in-soho.html

You either go for Gudrun--or you don't.

stevew said...

It just occurred to me that my six year old granddaughter, whose parents have always allowed to dress herself, will dress in a similar way (pants under a dress, mixing of plaids and stripes, colors that don't match, etc. It is endearing in a six year old.

-sw

Anonymous said...

That pic looks like Cloris Leachman doing Grandma in 'Bad Santa'.

n.n said...

Her hair is white. Your hair is blond. Clearly a case of mistaken diversity.

the 4chan Guy who reads Althouse said...

So I was reading this Althouse post with the ad of an old lady being groovy, and, like, this gave me an idea and shit, but my buddy Laslo beat me to it. So anyway, here's the pic Laslo did of young Althouse imagining herself as a groovy old lady...

"And I've got to admit that it's just about exactly how I pictured the myself as an old lady when I was 19 years old."

jaydub said...

"I had the idea that when you're old, you're completely liberated, that you could really be a hippie."

Fortunately, when you're old and liberated your life experiences inform you hippies were/are really effed up people.

Danno said...


Blogger Yancey Ward said...At least you aren't getting ads for funeral homes.

When Ann starts dressing like that we'll know she is ready for memory care.

Lindsey said...

The model looks like Elon Musk’s mother. She is a model.

Phil 314 said...

Does the outfit come with cats?

Quaestor said...

Stay far away from this crap. The other Gudrun is Heinrich Himmler's daughter.

Quaestor said...

Yeah, she's got flowers on her head now, but at any moment she'll put a steel pot on her noggin and start heiling.

LordSomber said...

It looks like a glue-sniffing K-Mart employee's version of a Klimt.

mockturtle said...

Women who dress like that are often named Heather or Susan. And yes, cats are compulsory.