Teen Style Tuesday: Mother-Daughter Style
Whether or not we agree that every style is fair game for any age to wear or not, I’m thinking there’s more going on if we consider the similarities and differences between what mothers and daughters wear.
Case in point: last week I happened to have a long wait in the department of licensing - a great place to catch mothers and daughters together. Well, there was one pair I’m sure was missed by no one. This 30-something mother and her teen daughter appeared to share not only a hairstylist, but also their closets and bottle of dye. Both had blond on top, black in the back, messy dramatic, pokey-outey hair. The only difference was the mother’s was slightly more tastefully done. Oh and mom didn’t have a lip ring (but she did have a pink feather purse).
What’s going on here?
Now, neither of these ladies would have appeared outlandish to me alone. Why is it troubling to see them together? (Of course, high glamour is my intimidator style.) Then I passed another mother-daughter pair on the way out, also dressed in similar style to one another, this time a more contemporary casual style. Which got me thinking:
- Who is influencing who in these cases?
- Are both parties equally pleased by the style similarity?
- Is it possible for mothers to stifle their daughters individuality by expecting them to adorn themselves like mom?
So how did your mom encourage or discourage your individual style development? Did that have any more serious impact on your personality development?
I would say my mother neither discouraged or encouraged. She kind of just let me be (within reason).
If you saw us together, I don’t think you’d be surprised we were mother/daughter by looking at our style. While she is more classic than I am, I do have a lot of classic mixed through my wardrobe.
I never thought about it before, but I guess she has influanced me somewhat, but it’s all been by example, and not by direction.
My sister on the other hand is *much* more trendy than we are, and I don’t think you’d place all three of us together, style-wise.
Fun thread!
I’ve seen Mom and daughter pairs like that and also wondered who was leading that bandwagon. I always imagine that mom hangs out with the daughter’s friends so I guess that means I suspect that daughter is the big influencer.
My mom had no personal style. She couldn’t have cared less about anything that had to do with presentation or fashion. I guess that is a “style” but I wouldn’t know how to classify it. She did have a hatred of mini-skirts and red lipstick and nail polish. That may be why I loved them.
When I was growing up my mom’s style was Little House on the Prairie, which definintely influenced me for a long time. I know, I know, don’t laugh.
Now she is back to her (original) casual cowgirl look, which is what she wore before the LHOTP stage.
And my wardrobe basically has none of her influence, since I had a fashion epiphany. I’m still trying to figure all this style stuff out, but probably the only thing that she remotely influenced me on is that I’m still very comfortable in dresses and skirts, although I don’t wear them exclusively. However, they are up-to-date, not LHOTP style. They don’t look anything like what she/we wore while I was growing up. And my style has absolutely no casual cowgirl influence whatsoever!!!
mmmm Why don’t you tell me?
Funny, MOM
Same as Carrie. She let me dress how I wanted to. And I did *not* want to dress in her St. Johns Bay way. Although now that I think about it, it’s not *too* far off from where my style personality has landed.
But about the Mother looking like a teenager thing. It bothers me! It really bothers me when I see a pair like the one you saw with blonde hair. What bothers me about it is I’m sick of women trying to always look younger. As I am getting older (@ 27) I find it harder to accept it because most older women I see aren’t accepting it. I could go on, and on, and on, but baby needs mama.
St John’s Bay’s not so bad, bonnie, it’s Cabin Creek you have to watch out for. (I think I’m showing my age.)
My mom dressed in a pretty contemporary style when I was growing up, and my parents are both very sensible and frugal. Now, however, if the three of us (MOM, Beth & I) went out together, it wouldn’t look like anybody was copying anybody. Some day MOM can write a guest post about how her life changed when styles changed at the end of the 70s.
I tread lightly around areas that may be my daughter’s signature styles, and some times feel a little restricted by it. But it’s more important to me for them to be able to grow up freely in their personalities than it is for me to look young or stylish or any other such thing.
My mom let me go with my own style, but she was honest about what she thought. I appreciated her telling me when things didn’t flatter me so much, and also when they did. Sometimes I see girls and I wonder if they have someone to tell them the truth.
The only thing I’m concerned about with my daughters is modesty. When my girls are teens, I’ll tell them if they would be embarrassed if I wore it, they can’t.
That is a practical - and hilarious - way to put that!
I have no sense of style so there is no way Mom could have influenced it. I wish I had style, I just don’t. I think I got Dad’s sense of style, jeans and t-shirts. Wow, that sounds scary… okay it’s not that bad.
The main thing I got from my mom’s style was things I knew I didn’t want to wear. Like gym socks and dress shoes. Anything with ruffles. White socks and black pants. Mom was a fashion don’t. She’s better now, we’ve gotten her help.
Hmmm… no wonder I have no sense of style!
I don’t try to influence my daughter’s style at all other than to say no way to anything revealing or to let her know when a skirt has gotten too short. She has way more style than I ever have, so mostly I let her go with what she wants. She is one of those girls who can pull off a hat too! I wish I could do that.
A provoking question! There were some pretty crazy ideas my mom had but now that my daughter is 4, i’m noticing she is rejecting my fashion ideas and coming up with her own. It does come full circle, doesn’t it?
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