What is classed as mummsy style?

[Booie09]

Just that really...what is too mummsy?

Everything I wear is FatFace pretty much, I had no idea it was seen as "mumsy" 🙈 it's been my fave brand since I was a teenager, I was clearly doomed lol. I have a NorthFace waterproof a colleague (with no kids) calls my mum anorak lol 🤷‍♀️

Women can wear heels all the time if they like. Or never if they don’t want to. You can wear whatever you want whenever you want.
Stripes and converse out in the evening at the ritz? LOVELY!
a tutu, highest of heels, sequinned leotard for the school runs and the park with a toddler? ALSO LOVELY!

Let’s not be arses to other women about what they wear-we have other battles to fight.

I also have LOTS of stripes, and yes THAT yellow jacket....I'm clearly just unimaginative...

Agree so much with wear what you want. It’s a celebration of yourself, and it doesn’t matter if that means anoraks or stilettos or stripy tops.
It really really doesn’t matter.

What if you’re doing the school run on the way to work

Don't people read posts anymore?

It's not about being practical or not. There a lot of very stylish mums at my kids' school. None wear anything that is impractical for looking after kids but they look like they take an interest in fashion and what they wear as a way of self expression. Part of being stylish is being appropriately dressed for the occasion in my opinion.

My friend recently moved to another area which is much more affluent. She says the new school is very 'mumsy'. Everyone in a uniform of Joules, Boden and flat boots.

Most of the posts here describe my day-to-day uniform.

But it's a uniform that suits my lifestyle, and is comfortable and practical. I can mix & match tops & bottoms and smarten up if I need to with a blazer & accessories.

I buy a lot of my uniform in the sales, I buy quality & designer brands without spending a fortune.

I have some lovely holidays though. sneer away suckers.

When I sort our laundry I make 3 piles; darks, whites, and stripes. I must be very mumsy indeed. However I'm also a sister, daughter, lecturer, writer, aunt, feminist, and a middle aged woman getting through life as best I can. Whatever.

@lweji so do women who wear heels on the school run need to wear a sign explaining they're going to work after???

Again, missing the point of my entire post.

I was making the point that the concept of stylish is not static and that it depends on the situation, as well as the person.

So, a person wearing heels is not necessarily more stylish than someone in low heels.
And that someone wearing heels to do the school run when there's no need, can in fact be less stylish than someone in converse.

@pinkOboe it's okay @lweji deems it acceptable to wear heels on the school run if you're going to work afterwards. They can't be too high though and I'm not sure how you make it clear that you're wearing them for work and not just because you felt like it.

I agree with Boogle upthread: why is your parental status seen as your defining characteristic? Why is mumsy or matronly seen as a loaded and pejorative term? It's because mothers are looked down on as a group, because they aren't valued, because they aren't prioritising luring a mate by being ornamental. The women we are all meant to aspire to be now are young girls, whereas (and I know this is the other extreme) women in the past could be praised as motherly because it meant beautiful, fulfilled, fertile, with a role in society that had status.

I've been thinking about parentsy sytle these last few weeks, as I've been attending school open days.

The mums around here all wear black opaque tights, above knee skirts/dresses, or 3/4 limewashed palazzo culottes, trainers (black or gold), oversize woolen/Teddy coats, and often a fringe. The men wear facial hair, baby slings, and odd boots or rubber and felt clogs. They all nod when the HT says "allotment" "class dojo" "stem" "Forest school" or makes a dig at private landlords.

@lweji nope I'm not missing the point of your incredibly judgy post.

Here's a novel idea....don't pass any judgement on what other people choose to wear. It's pretty simple really.

I think that a lot of the stuff that Kate Middleton wears could be described as 'mumsy'. A lot of the time, it looks like stuff her mum would wear but I have always secretly suspected that Carole Middleton is her stylist

I wear boden dresses, leggings, sensible shoes or low-heeled ankle boots and I have a practical hairstyle (call it curly but it's actually just messy). I'm not a mum but I am almost 40 so it's probably just what our age group wears at the moment. It flatters me and is comfortable so I'm pretty happy

tawdry that is hilarious!

Here's a novel idea....don't pass any judgement on what other people choose to wear.

That was the point.

It's more aimed at dressing for work, but is relevant here also I think. Seriously. Please wear what you want. And that includes leopard print catsuits for the school drop off.

I look at women who do the school run in heels and think I wish I could walk in heels....I also don't look at other women and judge them! As I said previous I saw a topic on another post describing some boots as mummsy....just wanted to know what clothes were classed as mummsy.

lweji it might have something to do with your incredibly contradictory points.

'This is inappropriate, unless you think it's not, then it's ok.'

What on earth is the point of even writing that.

just wanted to know what clothes were classed as mummsy.

By the same people who tell other people not to judge?
(Ok, only some)

I really wouldn't worry about wearing clothes classed as mumsy. Ask yourself what you like to wear. That's your style. And that's what matters.

I just realised someone else very high profile who dresses in what this thread describes as mum on the school run uniform: striped rainbow jumper, on trend wideleg cropped trousers, ankle boots, anorak with pockets, bob haircut? Dr who!

I think from comments we can conclude
1 any clothing women wear which enables them to function effectively- like low heeled boots and trousers- is mumsy
2 anything else - heels/body con dresses/leopard print etc
So either way we lose

I'm not having any luck googling 3/4 limewashed palazzo culottes though...

Sorry
2 ....is trying too hard/mutton

When I hear the word 'mumsy', I always imagine someone who looks too 'buttoned up' and who wears clothes that strictly speaking are too 'mature' in style for their age or wears things that look slightly schoolmarmish or as though their mother should be wearing it. Something too matchy matchy and 'safe'. Something that has no dash but that is worlds away from dressing just to be practical. My mum lives by the coast so I am afraid when we get storms coming in from the Atlantic, there is no way would I be slipping outside in anything 'fashionable' and a practical to the knees anorak type coat is a must!