Is there a dress code for midlife?

In this week’s episode of Midlife No Crisis, we’re asking the big question: what should women wear in their 40s and beyond - and who actually makes the rules?

From short skirts and skinny jeans to wide-leg trousers and jumpsuits, we’re diving into the unspoken fashion “rules” about ageing, style, and whether we’re allowed to show our legs without being accused of “mutton dressed as lamb.”

We talk about:

• Do fashion rules exist after 40?
• Can you wear short skirts in midlife?
• Heels after COVID - are they gone forever?
• The pressure to “dress your age”
• Instagram influencers and midlife style trends
• Why Manchester dresses up and Bristol doesn’t
• Personal shoppers, capsule wardrobes & wardrobe confidence
• Skinny jeans vs wide leg jeans - where do you stand?
• Is comfort the ultimate midlife power move?

This is an honest, funny and very real conversation about confidence, body changes, hormones, and finding your style in midlife without losing yourself.

Because maybe looking good isn’t about being naked at all… maybe it’s about feeling good in what you’re wearing.

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Listen if you want a laugh and a comforting reminder that friendships don’t have to be perfect — they just have to be real.

Can two self-confessed midlife moaners record an episode without complaining? This week on Crisis Talks, we attempt exactly that.

Welcome to our unofficial challenge: Positivity Tennis - a back-and-forth of small wins, everyday gratitude and those tiny moments that genuinely lift your mood.

From walking to work in actual daylight (game changer), to empty washing baskets, teenage Valentine’s joy, and friends who lift you up when hormones are doing the absolute most - we explore how micro wins can shift your whole mindset.

We chat about:

• Why lighter mornings improve mental health
• Micro-stresses vs micro-wins (and how they affect cortisol)
• Gratitude journalling and “deep & meaningful conversations with yourself”
• TV recommendations including Small Prophets (BBC) and Shrinking (Apple TV+)
• Midlife hormones, sleep struggles & mini mindset resets
• The joy of crocuses, grape hyacinths and getting your gym kit ready the night before

It turns out happiness isn’t about grand gestures. It’s about sunlight on your face, an organised school bag, a thoughtful teenage boyfriend, and friends who still invite you out after you’ve left the job.

If you’re navigating midlife, juggling work, kids, perimenopause and the mental load — this episode is your reminder that small wins matter.

🎾 Ready to play Positivity Tennis with us?

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Listen if you want a laugh and a comforting reminder that friendships don’t have to be perfect — they just have to be real.

In this episode of Midlife No Crisis, we’re throwing EVERYTHING that irritates us straight into Room 101 - never to be seen again (hopefully).

From “day in the life” influencers and fake tan disasters, to corporate jargon, reply-all email offenders, vaping in doorways and people who say “holibobs”… nothing is safe.

We also get an update on Katy's smartwatch obsession and ditching the data overload, Katie's new hobbies (or lack of!); plus, melatonin, magnesium and midlife sleep struggles!

We have brilliant listener contributions (including the legendary “right-hand turners”) that prove we are NOT alone in our petty frustrations.

If you’re navigating midlife, juggling work, teens, hormones and a mild intolerance for modern nonsense - this one’s for you.

Expect laughs, relatable rants and a healthy dose of “a good cleansing moan” energy.

Listen now and tell us what YOU would put in Room 101.

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Listen if you want a laugh and a comforting reminder that friendships don’t have to be perfect — they just have to be real.

In this episode of Crisis Talks, we dive head-first into ageing, beauty standards, cosmetic surgery, Botox, hair transplants and the unspoken rules society places on women’s faces and bodies.

Following on from our main episode on plastic and cosmetic surgery, we ask the uncomfortable questions:
Why are men praised for ageing naturally while women are judged for every wrinkle? Who actually benefits from the pressure to look young? And are we changing our appearance for men… or for other women?

From menopause, HRT and workplace visibility, to armpit hair, makeup, filters, Turkey teeth, hair transplants and the rise of “maintenance culture”, this is an honest, funny and reflective conversation about getting older without disappearing.

We also explore:

• When we first noticed ageing on our own faces
• Why women judge themselves (and each other) so harshly
• The mental load women carry - even around appearance
• Whether cosmetic tweaks are empowerment or pressure
• Why “you do you, boo” might actually be the healthiest answer

Unfiltered, opinionated and full of laughter, Crisis Talks is the space where midlife conversations get real.

Perfect for listeners interested in:
midlife, menopause, ageing, beauty standards, Botox, cosmetic surgery, women’s health, body image, feminism, mental load, confidence, self-acceptance.

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Listen if you want a laugh and a comforting reminder that friendships don’t have to be perfect — they just have to be real.

In this episode, we explore the uncomfortable but increasingly relevant conversation around cosmetic surgery, Botox, fillers, beauty standards and social media filters — and how they affect women in midlife.

We begin with our usual catch up covering exhaustion, corporate jargon, bad weather and feeling generally discombobulated, which turns into a deeper discussion sparked by a listener question: why do so many people feel pressure to change how they look?

We talk honestly about:

• Cosmetic surgery trends and beauty pressure
• Botox, fillers and social media filters
• “Snapchat dysmorphia” and comparison culture
• Whether cosmetic procedures improve confidence
• Menopause, ageing and self-esteem
• Why young people are turning to Botox earlier
• The line between self-care and chasing perfection
• Personal choice vs societal expectation

This episode isn’t about judgement — it’s about asking better questions and opening up real conversations about ageing, identity and confidence.

🎧 We’d love to hear from you:
If you’ve had cosmetic work done, did it give you what you hoped for — or did it lead to wanting more?

📩 Email us: hellomidlife@icloud.com

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Listen if you want a laugh and a comforting reminder that friendships don’t have to be perfect — they just have to be real.

In this Crisis Talks episode of Midlife, No Crisis, we’re joined again by solution-focused hypnotherapist Pat Wilson to dig deeper into goal-setting, anxiety, sleep problems, and the harsh way so many women talk to themselves.

As January comes to an end and New Year’s resolutions start to wobble (or collapse entirely), we explore why big, all-or-nothing goals don’t work - and how small, realistic steps create lasting change.

We talk about:

• Why most New Year’s resolutions fail
• The danger of all-or-nothing thinking
• How tiny goals create motivation and confidence
• The “Valley of Despair” and why reality hits after early optimism
• Negative self-talk, body image, and the inner critic
• Anxiety at night, 3am wake-ups, and racing thoughts
• Simple breathing techniques to calm the nervous system
• Helping teenagers cope with GCSE stress
• Why multitasking doesn’t work (especially for tired brains)
• The power of positivity tennis and noticing small wins

This episode is full of practical tools, relatable parenting moments, and reassurance for anyone feeling overwhelmed, anxious, exhausted, or frustrated with themselves - especially women navigating midlife, hormones, stress, and responsibility overload.

🎧 Listener bonus if you keep listening to the end!

https://reboundhypnotherapy.co.uk/

https://www.facebook.com/p/Rebound-Hypnotherapy-100090731785036/

https://www.instagram.com/rebound_hypnotherapy/#

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Listen if you want a laugh and a comforting reminder that friendships don’t have to be perfect — they just have to be real.

In this episode of Midlife, No Crisis, we celebrate 1,000 downloads 🎉 and welcome (back) a very special guest: Pat Wilson, solution-focused hypnotherapist and former secondary school teacher.

We talk honestly about midlife career change, burnout, anxiety, sleep problems, and why so many women hit a wall in their 40s and 50s feeling exhausted, overwhelmed, and stuck. Pat shares her powerful story of leaving a 24-year teaching career after bereavement, stress, and perimenopause - and how retraining in hypnotherapy changed her life.

Together, we explore:

• Why midlife is often the tipping point for stress and anxiety
• The truth about overthinking, sleep issues, and waking at 3am
• Pat’s brilliant “stress bucket” metaphor (and how to empty it)
• Why smart watches and sleep tracking can increase anxiety
• How hobbies, purpose, and small mindset shifts protect mental health
• What solution-focused hypnotherapy really is (and what it isn’t)

This episode is packed with reassurance, practical tools, laughs, and those “oh THAT’S me” moments - especially if you’re navigating perimenopause, parenting teens, caring for others, or questioning your career.

🎧 Stay to the end for a listener-only offer from Pat, including a free relaxation track and a podcast-exclusive discount.

https://reboundhypnotherapy.co.uk/

https://www.facebook.com/p/Rebound-Hypnotherapy-100090731785036/

https://www.instagram.com/rebound_hypnotherapy/#

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Listen if you want a laugh and a comforting reminder that friendships don’t have to be perfect — they just have to be real.

Following Monday’s chat about hobbies, this episode dives into how to stay motivated to actually do them — especially when life is busy, tiring, cold or just a bit… January.

Katie and Katy explore:
Gardening and allotments — the joy of planting bulbs, watching things grow and losing yourself for half an hour
Creative urges — floristry, drawing and the pleasure of doing things simply for enjoyment
Travel and planning — discovering that even researching holidays counts as a hobby
Exercise habits — from marathons to walking to work, and how building routines makes movement feel automatic
What truly motivates us — avoiding boredom, loving fun and fresh air, and knowing how good you’ll feel afterwards

They also tackle the mindset side:
✨ Making habits easy (set your clothes out, don’t miss twice)
✨ Remembering the feeling after doing something
✨ Starting small — 15 minutes can change your day
✨ Pull vs push goals: choosing things you want to do, not things you feel you should do

With humour, honesty and a touch of self-realisation (“turns out we DO have lots of hobbies!”), the episode reminds midlife women that hobbies don’t need to be worthy or productive — they just need to make you feel good.

A warm, relatable nudge to stop overthinking, start small and find joy in whatever sparks your interest.

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Support the show

Listen if you want a laugh and a comforting reminder that friendships don’t have to be perfect — they just have to be real.