What's the typical "mom uniform" in your area?

[toucaninjapan]

Just what the title says, really. I'm interested to hear what it's like in other places.
I live in Tokyo and all the moms here seem to have the same style. You'd never see anyone wearing something tight or sexy (no cleavage at all times, nothing showing your waistline etc.), most of the outfits consist of a very loose-fitting dress/oversized jumper or shirt in neutral colors over baggy jeans. "Loose" and "neutral" are keywords here. Bonus points if you are wearing UV protection arm sleeves with your short-sleeved t-shirts. Nobody wears shorts or leggings - by themselves, I mean, laying under dress is OK - as that's embarrassing (actually nobody wears leggings unless they're going for a run, that's not just a "mom" thing. As for shorts, I was instructed by my midwife to steer clear of those as I'm a mom now! Anyway you're too old to wear shorts after 30 apparently, even if they are on the longish side). No sunglasses on anyone (I've seen some articles bashing moms wearing sunglasses like "who are they trying to impress?"). Flowery prints not recommended if over 30. Lots of branded bags, preferably something easily recognizable, are desirable.
This thread was inspired by some article I came across this morning with examples of shocking outfits that some readers saw other moms wear - well, not so shocking in my opinion to be honest. Out of place in some cases maybe, but I can't see why anyone couldn't wear a flowery dress or some bright clothes during the weekend or on holiday. That explains some strange looks from other moms at the nursery as I love wearing my flowery prints at the grand age of 32.😁
Anyway, I'm including here 2 pics of "recommended outfits" for moms and 2 pics of the "shocking outfits". Very interested to hear what's it like in other places!

Anything goes here, my neighbour is a corporate lawyer so is dressed formally if going into the office, my other neighbour has a wardrobe of seasalt, face face and similar (my style too) plenty walking past have gym wear on, others jeans and a top. A few might be in sailing brands as we live by the marina (helly Hansen is the coat of choice), oh and another being a nurse has an actual uniform.

Rural Oxfordshire and it's a total mix. Quite a few wearing athletic wear, skinny jeans and boots still very popular. A few tracksuits, leggings and sweatshirt combos.

This is one of those threads that pretend to be about clothes when they are really concerned with insecurity, social status and money. Or else it wouldnt have reached over 3 pages long.

I always say, if you have to shout about it to internet strangers, you ain't got it!

Leggings, shapeless cardigan and oversized trainers. This I assume is SAHM kit.

Working mums look more polished, not surprising

Also often suspect these threads are created by bored journo's who help MN rustle up ad views. On a site heaving with class insecurity it's bound to go down a treat.

In Devon the majority are shorts Dads, it baffles me how many men wear shorts all year round here 😂

Small, wealthy, discreetly and not-so-discreetly wealthy neighborhood of NYC here, disproportionately high number of private schools. Many moms wearing whatever they wear to work in, which in these days of wfh means they're identical to the ladies who lunch but look stressed. Mostly it's cropped flared jeans + French-tucked cashmere jumper + sunglasses + Veja/Golden Goose + dog + coffee in a Yeti cup. Or, Lululemon if going straight to the gym. When it gets hot, we'll see lots of floaty dresses, almost all either aspiring to the Japanese aesthetic + clogs or giving in entirely to Boden/DvF-style floral floatiness + leather sandals.

There's variance too, it's not 100% identikit. Quite a few foreign-born parents.

The Dads have their own uniform too. Either sportswear (I don't recognize the brands, I'm told they're crazy expensive), or hiking-esque gear signaling they have a second home upstate / in the Hamptons, or aspirational hobo (picked their ridiculously expensive clothes off the floor, where they'll go again tonight). Always, always in sneakers. I was remarking the other day that since Covid I've only ever seen one man, once, in a suit or indeed actual shoes. It's just sneakers all the time, either actual running shoes or rubber-soled semi-formal sneakers.

@toucaninjapan your OP is brilliant. I love the pictures. How random what offends!

No consistent uniform where I am.

I live in supposedly the most trendy area in London (it’s not!).

My street is next to the school streets so I see a few mums:-

1. mom or skinny jeans with Hush or other logo sweatshirts (whistles), Veja or other trainers, add Uniqlo padded jacket.

snd similar to @Trysbutfails post.

Mix of WFH and biking and returning from work smart mums.

I’ve been mistaken for a school mum twice separately by 2 of the school dads so god knows what that says about my style!

Genuinely curious; what is aspirational about wearing a mum uniform? I thought 'mumsy' meant a bit shit? Why would anyone be showing off about wearing the same thing as all the school mums? I am a mum btw, so no shade but I don't aspire to look like all the mums at the school gate

We have an athletic ‘tiny running shorts and no top’ dad, who runs from work to school pick up, then puts on his singlet, which has been tucked into a belt, while entering the playground. In fairness, from the few words we’ve exchanged, he seems very nice, but I think ‘accidentally doing the school run practically naked’ would feature in many people’s nightmares.

Only one dropping off dad regularly wore a suit, tie and formal shoes, and he was referred to by other people as either ‘James Bond’ or ‘Funeral’.

The OP isn't a bored journo. If you don't like the thread feel free to fuck off elsewhere, I'm certain nobody's going to mind. I found it quite interesting until you popped up with your snide comments

I was thinking of starting a thread on this subject! Because I’ve moved from South London to the South Manchester area and I’ve noticed a mum uniform here that London didn’t have. It’s as several others have described:

Long puffa/quilted coat
Trainers (platform or New Balance)
Woolly hat (beanie or bobble)

Not sure what’s under the coat yet. The Spring weather will reveal all.

I’m now consciously trying not to adopt the look, but suspect I’ll succumb in time.

Spot on.

This thread is peak MN.

I'm in east London. This is a very mixed area with everything from a traditional black hijab (big Bangladeshi community) to gorgeous colourful traditional African dresses to City-suited dads and mums going to yoga classes. There's no uniform. I never drop off but my husband says its about 30/70 dads/mums which is nice. Dads apparently are all in either suits (or shirts/smart wool coat/trousers/proper shoes/etc) or in cycling gear

My SIL lives in Stockholm so I asked her what she wears on school runs. She was genuinely baffled. Kids walk to school on their own so school runs don't exists.

I'm in Switzerland. Son is in nursery. I wear gym clothes/no make up as I usually head to the gym once I've dropped him off. It's a mix, I see some super glam mums with Gucci change bags & head to toe Gucci. Then the working mums in very conservative outfits - neat claudie pierlot edge to edge jackets, tailored crop trousers, loafers, shirt etc designer bag - usually Chanel. Then the nannies all have their own style. Generally I've found the fashion style here to be very conservative, and a bit boring/conformist. But I lived in London before and worked in fashion in Soho so very different.

Black or blonde hair. Occasionally pastel pink or blue. Orange tan. Thick eyelashes. Duvet coat , leggings, trainers. Vape.

@Toastedtoacrisp I apologize if this thread has offended you in any way, it wasn't my goal at all to make anybody feel bad. Anyway there's no "class" thing here in Japan, at least nothing that I'm aware of. Some Japanese people of my age haven't even heard of burakumin discrimination so that tells a lot!

@Riapia I lol-ed so hard at this 😂

@Dithyramb I meant on the broader scale, the mom uniform over here applies not just to nursery/ school runs, if you turn up at a shopping mall for example dressed in shorts and with a child on the weekend, you'll probably notice some disapproving looks. The uniform applies to all life scenes basically, or at least it appears to be.

@FrancescaContini because showing your waist = being sexy, showing off your body, putting "a woman" in you in front of "a mother". I'm gonna do a bit of people watching over the weekend to see if there are actually any mothers around that break this rule and who just slipped through my radar

SW London. Total middle class cliches. Different tribes:

Sweaty Betty- £100 leggings and matching work out stuff for not actually working out in. Expensive hair. Baby names: Tabitha, Inigo,

Hipster; mom jeans, trainers, chavvy jewellery worn in an iconic way, piercings/ tats. Nothing fits very well or flatters. Baby names : Nova, Lucien, Agnes

Boden and frumpy: gilet, jeans, polo/rugby shirt, Todd's loafers Baby names Boudicca (I kid you not), Otto,

I follow someone on Instagram who breaks the mould @toucaninjapan she posted of this issue once and I thought it was new mum nerves causing a confidence loss, now I realize how brave she is. It's an oppressive attitude to think people can't look traditionally feminine and be a good mum. A patriarchy thing I suppose, an assumption that women dress for the male gaze and if they're a mum they should have their focus solely on their children.

Where I am the uniform is mostly skinny jeans, trainers, some sort of top and a padded coat. People don't ever dress very adventurous here, it's all basic and practical without much emphasis on fashion

@toucaninjapan So interesting! Please consider making more Japanese threads!

I was thinking about this post today, I live in Asia and the Japanese School bus leaves just as I head out each morning. I promise all the mums dropping their kids for the bus were a carbon copy of this thread - there's a reason Muji has a shop on every corner over here!

God it's depressing that this is a thing. My son starts school next year and I hope to drop and run and avoid all that crap.

Yikes

Rural but affluent area in uk. No uniform but lots of tribes. It may be though that actually everyone is wearing the same brands but I haven’t heard of them 🤣. Most mothers work so generally wearing work clothes if not then sports stuff or jeans and cashmere or sweatshirt, it will be interesting to see if the flowery dress/ white trainers/ denim jacket summer uniform is still with us (if it ever gets warm enough!).