Yes, She Can Work It

Working it way back in the 90's

The NYTimes recently called out mothers who dress up like their daughters using Dina and Lindsay Lohan clones as prime examples. Gag, seriously? I love going shopping with my Mom, and often times we do walk away with matching items. And when we're apart I'll buy two of something if I think she'll like it/will be daring enough to pull it off (generally she's game).

But I'm not exactly sending her tube tops - my taste is 30+ years off according to Harper's Bazaar feature 'Fabulous At Every Age' (maybe it's Hellen Murren dazzling looks that draw me towards what women my Mother's age should be wearing). But Tide has been sure to capture the phenomenon with this classy commercial - a mom going out on the town in her daughter's green tank:

Although one of the perks of living with 48 girls in Pi Phi at Lehigh was essentially having an endless closet, I still have the most fun raiding my Mom's closet; there's always a story with each purchase.  Even better: a lot of her jewelry was inherited from relatives. A little different than trying on your newest 'going out shirt' for the dance party on the Hill.

Courtesy of Jessica Love Photography

Wearing these sentimental pieces is always an indulgence - I can wear something my Grandmothers only donned on special occasions, and I consider that a badge of honor. I'm always delighted when friends or family use my jewelry as their "something borrowed" in weddings. Heather chose my Great Aunt's bracelet to compliment her wedding attire, and Libby wore my Grandmother's ruby and pearl bracelet as hers.

Wedding season has officially come to an end for the year, but I realized that I'll miss helping my Mom coordinate her special occasion looks. For Julie's Ohio reception, she showed me some ideas she had picked out ahead of time and we went through each possibility scrutinizing the details. It was good, but we didn't find that showstopping combination where we both agreed 'That's it.'

Mary and John

Once we came across those turquoise BCBG mules I knew she could kill it. We picked out a lace top of the same color (we got it on a shopping trip together a few years ago) and tried on many different necklaces. We settled on this Silk Road Pearls long white coin necklace.

The Times got it wrong: moms and daughters dressing alike is not the end of the world. It's a sign of closeness, not of a mom's need to 'stay young and hip.' My Mom and I made many noteworthy fashion choices together over the years, from my first earrings and all my prom dresses (not to mention that we were each others braces buddy on alert for any embarrassing food in teeth situations - can you believe my Mom was brave enough to get braces in her 40's?). Buying a trend to appropriate each of us isn't a crime of fashion. But we are careful not to dress alike in public - how lame!