Mom Fashion — almost everyone has a love-hate relationship with this style trend. One day, you’ll find yourself rolling your eyes at your mother’s baggy mom jeans. The next, you’ll end up rummaging her closet for her cool tops and super retro jackets.
Mothers are the biggest fans of fashionable clothes, too. Check her closet and you’ll find a few pieces. It doesn’t matter if she got it at the flea market or purchased it at some expensive luxury store — her style is a one-of-a-kind style.
As mentioned, there has been some negative stigma concerning mom clothes. That Saturday Night Live parody commercial of Mom Jeans is enough proof. If you don mom-ish clothes, it’ll be all about the baggy jeans, the saggy top, and the stereotypical “Mom” clothes.
On the contrary, Mom Fashion isn’t just about these pieces. And if it were, they’d still be totally awesome.
In fact, we have our mothers to thank for the amazing fashion scene we have now. If it weren’t for them, you wouldn’t be blessed with the following pieces:
Oversized Sweaters
Nothing says fashion and comfort better than snuggling in an awesome oversized sweater. Teddy bears, giant hearts, flowers, and pastel lighthouses — sweaters with graphics weren’t just relegated to the holidays. Moms wore them whenever, wherever.
Today, you’ll see fashionistas rocking the Mom sweater. For that modern flair, pair your fluffy sweater with tight pants or high-waist jeans.
Comfort Sandals
Yes, our mothers were the brave pioneers of these pretty-ugly shoes — and rocked them. Even when the rest of the world wasn’t a big fan of comfort sandals, Mom ignored them. After all, comfort trumps style at any time of the day.
Even though everyone called these Mom staples ugly, pretty much the rest of the fashion world jumped aboard the comfort sandal bandwagon. Some fashion aficionados even dare to cross two traditional faux pas at once by wearing their sandals with socks!
Large Bags that Hold Everything
Need some tissues? Mom’s got it in her bag. Do you need a pin for your hair? She probably has that, too. In fact, you shouldn’t be surprised if your mother has a thermos in that big bag of hers. After all, mothers are the proud trendsetters of big bags.
Today’s handbags mimic our mom’s popular bags. You can put almost anything in it: a poncho, hand sanitizer, five kinds of lipstick, snacks, your social security card, wrench for emergencies, and a couple of DVDs.
Chambray Shirts
Mom had no time for fitted tops when she was balancing three kids at once. Instead, she settled for roomy and equally fashionable chambray shirts.
Whether your mother wore hers with a giant cartoon patch on the back or tucked into her stonewashed jeans, her chambray shirt was the staple. You can pair this versatile piece of clothing with almost anything in your closet.
Knitted Twinsets
This stylish combination screams of winter comfort (although your mom may have worn it frequently, no matter what the season was). Knitted twinsets are perfect for cold nights when you’re trying to put the kids to sleep or for cuddling with your husband AFTER you’ve put the kids to sleep.
Mothers probably pulled out their shell-and-cardigan set when they wanted to be a little dressy. If she paired this attire with a knitted pencil skirt, she just wore a triple fashion threat.
Mom Jeans
We’ve mentioned the iconic SNL sketch entitled mom jeans, which made a mockery out of mom’s favorite pair of 80s to 90s jeans. These high-waist and baggy jeans, however, were the Holy Grail of every mom’s fashion.
Make fun of the mom jeans all you want, but it’s making a return. Gigi Hadid, Kourtney Kardashian, and other famous celebrities are big fans of the Mom Jeans! After all, these high-waisted mom jeans are one of the biggest trends to emerge from fashion’s constant cycle. More fashion girls continue to embrace this cool, vintage-inspired look.
Summer Scarves
If there’s one accessory you and your mom have always had on hand, it’s a soft and wooly scarf. Scarves come in different colors, shapes, and even levels of heft. These fashion accessories work with any outfit, no matter what the occasion is.
Chances are, you’ve had a couple of scarves stashed at the back of your closet. Some of those scarves may have come from your mom!
We might call them summer scarves, but these fashion staples are perfect for different seasons. Tie it around your neck like she did for that beautiful Jackie O effect.
Ribbed Mock Turtlenecks
Mom liked to keep it sophisticated during the day. The epitome of sophistication, the slimming ribbed mock turtleneck was her go-to outfit from the office to your baseball games. The stylish ribbed knit comes with vertical ribbed lines that create a slimming visual effect. The high mock neck gives her look a lovely design accent.
Fanny Packs
Your mom used to sling these around her waist so that she can chase you around the home and still have her essentials close by. The super convenient bag, which is also the accessories of tourists, received backlash for its “dorky” style.
The fanny pack, however, is in the middle of a major revival. This dorky bag is getting a full design makeover as more fashion labels rebrand it as a “belt bag,” “waist bag,” or “hip bag.” Yes, the big names are investing on this (aka Alexander Wang and Nike).
Make her fashion your own by adding elements from today’s fashion scene. Don’t hesitate to mix and match or combine her fashion with yours. Like Mom, don’t be afraid to venture out.
Also, before you ignore Dear Old Mum’s fashion choices, keep in mind that SHE wore your favorite clothing pieces first. Instead of turning your nose up at her clothes, it’s best to rummage her closet. Our moms, after all, were the fashion pioneers of our time. Trust her style because if it weren’t for hers, you wouldn’t be enjoying a couple of fashion must-haves.