How to be more like Amanda from Motherland?

[xmas1990]

How to be more like an Amanda when I'm very much Julia?

Using for context, if anyone watched the show you'll get what I mean!

I didn't say Julia always looks put together - quite the opposite. But manbof her clothes - wide legged trouser suit with double-breasted jacket.
Shirts tucked into boyfriend or mom jeans -
Are More fashion than Liz's knee high boots and longer line jumpers over skinny jeans

You wear dated, mumsy clothes. But I get what you mean, I guess it's just more makeup, more time to style your hair ect. I guess it's more of a fitted look.

I agree that Julia is more fashionable. She's like many of us, likes clothes but knackered and cannot be arsed to make an effort.

I guess there's a middle ground to aim for?

Keeps up with hair colouring - salon done!

Regular blow dry and rollers in between

Good skincare and treatments like facials at least (maybe a bit of help with Botox)

Not as run ragged as Julia because of wealth/SAHM lifestyle pre Hygge Tygee 😂 while her kids were school age

Great figure helped by Pilates

Nice wardrobe - cool blouses which have a brightening effect

It always struck me how she puts herself first eg when she insisted on not missing her hair appointment. I definitely didn’t/don’t since becoming a mum!

I think we are all forgetting how fabulous Julia looks the day she had the big work event - but then went swimming… 😂😂 Sorry if anyone else got there before me and I haven’t read it.

Coordinated outfits, hair styled with rollers or a wide barrel tong everyday, brows, nails, sleeping pills, and more front than Woolworths.

I always think I'd like to be like that but that upkeep! I'm happy if my hair has a wee bounce and smells lovely every day. And neat brows. And lip balm and illuminating moisturiser. That's not too hard to manage, although still requires effort.

I'd much rather be a Liz than an Amanda. Liz is brilliant!

Amanda to me is pure Oliver Bonas & Boden- I don’t envy her style at all- far too swishy.

Try the revlon dryer brush to get the same hair look! It's ridiculously easy and fast....

Yes, she looks amazing.
It actually stresses me a bit when the whole look gets ruined!
Brilliant episode.

Did she look fabulous? I thought the suit was rather gross, wasn't it meant to be kind of horrible.

I thought so even if the outfit pairing wasn’t something I’d go for: a cream jacket with slightly flared sleeves and some fuschia trousers I think. It was a bit of an Anthropologie style mash up, I thought!

Her wardrobe isn’t meant to be frumpy most of the time- at least I didn’t think. She wears a MaxMara coat in one episode! And I did love her belted blazer (again, clashing colours and prints in an Anthropologie way) when flirting with the builder.

In the earlier episodes when Amanda is all smug I think she’s much more smiley and swishy, head up, shoulders back.

Julia by contrast has poor posture, stringy dingy hair, rarely smiles, looks tense and drawn.

i think there’s an element of fake it until you make it with Amanda which I love, Julia just doesn’t seem to give a shit and it shows!

I thought the point of Julia’s style was that she has loads of lovely fashionable clothes but is always in a hurry so just chucks them on at random and doesn’t brush her hair?

I’d rather be Meg, minus the uppers!

Surely being PR in FMLG means Julia would have to be bang on trend? I love how her look changes.

I love how Liz seems to basically wear what was cool before she got pregnant and hasn't changed since except when she tried on Amanda's coat.

I love Meg's stuff (that's closest to my taste).

But most of all surely it's Mrs Lambs jumpers?

I don't love any of their styles. There's occasionally an item that I think is nice, but then I think is should be styled differently.

I agree with this. Some of Amanda’s pieces like her interesting blouses but paired with a less polished overall look (like oversized jeans and cool boots) would look quite cool while some of Julia’s pieces paired with a bit more polish would also look great. 😁

Also agree that Julia is meant to look thrown together - not necessarily in a good way - and that might include some nicer, fashionable stuff. Maybe it’s a reminder of her life prekids but I’m getting all over analytical English teacher style!

Is it just me or wasn't Motherland a scathing observation of socially insecure/competitive, time poor mums living a rather insular existence bouncing between pointless self loathing and performative consumption ? I never quite got the impression these characters were anything to aspire to, the clothing dept was having a good deal of fun stereotyping for effect, especially Julia's predilection for 'nappy-arsed' joggers and Diane Morgan's stubborn reluctance to step away from the Primark anorak.

I much preferred ms Punch's wardrobe in her Doc Martin days

I'm probably more Anne than Amanda! I'm not sure my ideal aspirational style is represented in Motherland but I feel like they get to the heart of the primary school mum experience.

I always thought Amanda was basically wearing the Boden catalogue. And Julia looks like she's in Hush casuals from five years whence.

I liked Liz's Doc Martens and her White Stuff Christmas jumper though

✨What an iconic statement✨

Another for Liz in every sense- personality and dress sense!

Wouldn't you rather be Meg?
I love Motherland but when she came it was like it properly came into its own. Love her attitude and ability!!!

I loved that jumper!

I want to be Liz, but Meg has the best style. Tanya Moodie (who plays Meg) is tall, though - harder to carry off the wide trousers and slouchy jackets when you're a short arse, like me.

😂

One of my favourite episodes.