What is wrong with looking mumsy?

[bouquetofpencils]

Just that really.

What is mumsy? I associate mumsy with being comfortable. In which case I was mumsy long before I was a mum.

Fashion is about expression of how you feel and perceive yourself and your style, it's not about what other people think :)

It is worth noting that high percentage of the workforce in this country has to wear a uniform too.

WTF are 'mom jeans'

Those people who are saying we are being mean, or whatever are missing the point. I teach Fashion History. Fashion is essential a mixture of social history and anthropology. So whatever you wear, even if you are making an anti-fashion statement is still delivering a message.

So some of us may be happy to be mumsy, some not, and some not care. It doesn't really matter, what matters is the message you are putting across whether intentionally or unintentionally. Fashion is essentially about being part of a tribe and relating to others in the tribe, so it is bound to cause tension. It isn't always about judging others, it's about decoding what someone is wearing. This website explains it better than me.
here

I think 'mom jeans' change with every generation as no self respecting teenage girl ever wants to wear the same jeans as her mum. So the days of skinnies are numbered but I don't see this as the fashion police at work; it's just the law of nature.

Just googled 'mom jeans' as I had no idea either. They seem to be a kind of 80s look -high waist loose-ish thigh, tapering to ankle and often snow- or stonewashed. I s this about right?

Newpencilcase - mom jeans

Interesting post Orange.

Yes, it's about being behind times....eg my parka.

I hate my parka, feel like a sheep, wear it because...it has a hood and all the bootiful coats and jackets I also have cannot make up for that.

So I wear a parka daily despite 17 other coats and jackets which are far prettier, stylish and youthful.

I knew parkas were over the minute I saw one in charity shop a year ago. Around here only mums and the deeply sheeply wear them.

And I am one.

I don't think we get to decide what is or isn't mumsy; our daughters do that. It doesn't matter whether you are 27 or (in my case) 57, if you have a teenage or pre-teen daughter or niece then you are about to become 'mumsy'. Fact. There isn't a single thing you can do about it.

This doesn't mean you have to give up on fashion - I certainly haven't - but I really think we should all stop worrying and looking for approval and just start enjoying our clothes.

Interestingly, I have a fashion and textiles degree too and have worked in the industry :)

There's nothing wrong with it at all. Not everyone has the time/money/inclination to the extent of ditching last year's parka/skinnies/tunic. Nicer just to describe people as looking normal rather than "mumsy", I think. After all as someone said there's not the pressure for men not to look "dadsy"!

I think there is some middle ground here. There isn't cutting edge fashion and then everything else is frumpy.

I'm a bit confused - when people start discussing following fashion trends on here there's lots of criticism levied at those who are slaves to fashion...but on this thread thee is the suggestion that if you are not a fashion forward you are frumpy. And where do the classic dressers fit in? Those who deliberately avoid trends, purchase high quality expensive basics - are they considered frumpy? Are the French frumpy?

Also the guardian's fashion editor recently described skinny jeans as one of those styles that surprised everyone by it's longevity, people supposedly in the know keep predicting their demise but they stubbornly remain a core part of a lot of woman's wardrobe. The boyfriend jean is an interesting diversion but they are hard to wear, they are so unflattering - mind you people said that about skinnies too.

I personally hate wearing the same thing as everyone else....but like many others I still lost my way during the nappy years.

"Bootcuts are stylish and lots of stylish women wear them."

It wasn't that long ago that people were saying on here how frumpy and mummy bootcut jeans were
I still have my 10 year old boot cuts. I am finally a fashion leader

I would say a slave to fashion wears everything ahead of the trend whether it suits them or not, and wears too much of it.

Someone with style would select maybe one item to wear ahead of trend but wear it with minimalism in mind

A classic dresser likes to play it safe no matter how much they spend on clothes. But they will have a very different mindset to the above two

TBH, the Brits can't do my idea of Mumsy anywhere near as well as the Americans. There is something quite incredible about a sea of women dressed in badly fitting jeans/khakis/shorts with sneakers and a hoody emblazoned with their child's team/college/high school's name.

I nearly fell off my seat the first time I saw it!

*On my days off I wore mostly gap long sleeved tops and bootcut jeans (it was the early 2000s) with camper flat shoes or converse.

I think I looked pretty bad actually *

I like to think I'm riding that exact look because it's making its way back to fashion's cutting edge

Totally how I look in my bootcut jeans in my head only

Agree American mothers look DIRE. And so uptight. You can't wear a bikini or anything close fitting. Like bloody nuns. And what's with the obsession with turtle necks

Ah Edith, some humour . Why do people take themselves so bloody seriously about this stuff??

There is a distinctly superior tone in some of these posts - particularly from those who think they are incredibly well dressed. And some of them sound like they are, but I also imagine some of them with a face like a slapped arse, serious lack of self-deprecating humour and sneering at the boden and fat face crew.

That is not cool or stylish. And this is from someone who spends an inordinate amount of time on Pinterest and cash on clothes I can ill-afford. Please try a bit of humour.

Clothes are fun. Why can't we just enjoy them and stop using them to score points?

Although I reserve the right to say Angelina Jolie's oscar dress looked awful

There is a difference between point scoring and banter. My mates and I talk like this when we've had a few (or not) and mostly about each other!

I like to think i have reached the point where I can shop in my closet buying just a few things each season to update.

Some advice I read once (on here probably) - if you see that there are two main trends in a season, don't wear them both in one garment or outfit or you'll be left looking dated or fashiony victimy very quickly. So if pink and cocoon shapes are in, don't buy a pink cocoon unless you can afford to update very quickly.

I always aspire to that (probably apocryphal) story of Dame Margot Fonteyn. It is said that en route to her many public appearances she could make a swift adjustment to her outfit- a button undone, scarf added or detracted, change of shoes, jacket off or on and come up with a myriad of super sleek understated looks - none predicated on what the 'shops' say she should have worn.

Yes agreed, Noddy and I've joined in this thread from time to time so I'm hardly claiming any moral high ground! But parts of the thread have made me feel a bit uncomfortable - just saying. And when I see other 'What am I supposed to wear?' threads springing up from this one, well I just kind of think, that's not right.
Anyway, got to go now. Good day to you all