Who Wore It Better? Me or My Mom? | The Odyssey Online
Start writing a post
Lifestyle

Who Wore It Better? Me or My Mom?

Are we becoming our parents or are they becoming us?

78
Who Wore It Better? Me or My Mom?
A.V. Club

I always forget that my mom was once a 19-year-old girl. I remember looking through old photo albums with my cousins at pictures of our moms in their stylish outfits of the 70s, 80s and early 90s, times before they had to worry about colorless, shapeless, maternity clothing. Looking at these pictures were like looking at today's Urban Outfitters catalogues. I mean just beautiful, young women in floral maxi dresses, listening to records, and curling each others' hair. My mom would boast about being the most fashionable woman at the bank she worked at back in the Philippines. "I never wore the same dress twice," she told us smugly from the other room.

"What happened?" I asked.

"You and your brother," she replied with a laugh.

That was a couple years ago when my brother and I were still young and mom traded stilettos for tennis shoes so she could run around with us. Now we're a lot older and I've noticed a change in the clothes my mom wears, but not just any change...

The other day I visited home, and just like every time I visit home, my mom began to pull out clothes from her closet to show me all the new "looks" she's pulled off since I last saw her. Once it was a bright peplum top, grey joggers and strappy sandals, an outfit I could see myself wearing. This time though, my mom pulled out a muted, teal, off-the-shoulder dress. A dress identical to this Forever 21 one I've been eyeballing for quite some time now. Did my mom and I just have a "Freaky Friday" moment?

It occurred to me this weekend that the change I found in my mom's clothes was in the same direction as my own clothes and that is slightly terrifying, but not in the way one would think. I wasn't scared of my mom trying to become some kind of "cool mom," but rather that I will change my look completely so I don't dress like my mom. After years of hiding behind clothes that didn't fit right, I finally found a look that worked for me and have been styling myself according to that look. Although to be so prideful that I would compromise a part of myself in fear of dressing like my mom is ridiculous.

Why can't parents and their teenage sons and daughters dress alike? Could it be because the expressive nature of clothing separate child from parent, what's hip from what's unhip? Does my mom and my shared fashion taste mean I am unhip?

No, and now that I think about it, I'm flattered to be able to share fashion tastes with my mom who is one of the most well-dressed (and knows it) women I know. I can trust that if my mom and I had a real "Freaky Friday" moment, I would at least look good, both with her in my body and I in hers.

The thing is though, many of today's fashions trends for both men and women are reminiscent of fashion trends of previous decades. With the rise of hipsters and their glorification of all things vintage, the resurgence of bell bottoms is logical. In addition to that, many of the clothes available for our parents run the course of being very similar to what our generation is wearing. It is not as uncommon to see a person in their late-40s wearing skinny jeans or even jeggings nor is it uncommon to see a person in their early-20s wearing their grandmother's circle skirt.

Are we becoming our parents or are they becoming us? More importantly, does it matter?

Report this Content
This article has not been reviewed by Odyssey HQ and solely reflects the ideas and opinions of the creator.
Entertainment

Disney magic for New Year!

The "Happiest Place on Earth" has a lot of characters with some pretty great advice.

5051
Disney magic kingdom castle on new years
StableDiffusion

Disney movies are well known and very popular in today's world. Although many people appreciate the plot and the storyline, not many people appreciate the wisdom these characters possess. Every Disney movie has unique advice that can be applied to everyday life. Here are 11 Disney quotes to help start your New Year off right:

Keep Reading...Show less
Lifestyle

40 Gift Ideas for the Indecisive

It's a time of love, family, memory-making, and gift-giving. But also a time of stressing over the perfect gift.

119324
Christmas gifts around a tree
StableDiffusion

It's officially December. There is less than a month of 2024, and I still feel like yesterday was summer. Now comes the merriest time of the year, the Christmas season.

Everyone has been waiting for this time of year since mid-October (which is way too early, in my opinion) or before. It's a time of love, family, memory-making, and gift-giving. A lot of times when I ask friends and family what they want, I get a lot of "I don't know" or "I don't care."

Keep Reading...Show less
Lifestyle

Bucket List To Live In The Now

Find excitement in your life and start exploring wherever you are right here, right now.

1216
mu bucket list

I was sitting at my cubicle, now that I am an adult, looking at the rain pouring down on the windowsill, bumming on life, wishing for the rain to just stop for a full day.

There are moments where we count down the hours until work is over and how many more days till the weekend, and this many weeks until something exciting. Or something like that? Well, I was bumming because my next day off from work is not until Memorial Day weekend, which is not until the end of May. And since this is my first year out of college being a “real person,” I am totally missing the winter, spring and summer breaks. I am sure all of us have felt this way even if just for a hot minute…

Keep Reading...Show less
Entertainment

11 Ways To Survive Finals As Told By Leslie Knope

Because you know you're going to be stressed out, and Leslie knows exactly how to survive.

874
Everything hurts and I'm dying

So finals are on their way. That's right everybody, finals are about to start.

But hey, don't panic. Start getting your affairs in order and prepare for a week of hell. Here's a few things Leslie Knope wants you to do to make your finals week just a little bit less stressful:

Keep Reading...Show less
Student Life

10 Signs You Go To Kent State

You know you're a true Kent Stater when...

931
Kent State University
Great Value Colleges

If you go to or went to Kent State, then more than likely you have done or will do some of these things.

1. You’ve slipped and fallen on the ice at least once.

The winters at Kent are brutal, and while the heated sidewalks and some great snow boots are always a help, there’s no chance you won’t bust it on the ice at least once in your four plus years at school.

Keep Reading...Show less

Subscribe to Our Newsletter

Facebook Comments