Photo by Janis Brett Elspas, MommyBlogExpert
I'm a mom of triplet teens, including two 13 year-old daughters -- one who writes guest posts for this blog as Mini MommyBlogExpert -- who have professed great fashion sense. As such, I am blessed to have not one but two personal shoppers at my disposal year-round to help me weave the latest fashion trends from the Paris, Milan, New York, and of course, Los Angeles fashion shows. In fact, I don't even have to ask for their advice, because I also have a pair of fashion critics who will really say what they think.
So, for this post, I asked my girls what fashion advice they would share with all the moms who read MommyBlogExpert.
My Daughters' 10 Tips for Helping Us Moms Dress With Panache
1. Moms always need to read the latest issues of the fashion magazines us teens subscribe to including Teen Vogue, Vogue, and Elle, among others. That's because we young women set the trends and even you moms can work some of the newest styles into your wardrobes if you keep up-to-date on the latest fashion news coming out of Europe, New York, and here in California.
2. Moms can also stay current with what's in fashion by making sure you follow your favorite stores and designers on Twitter and also on Facebook. As a matter of fact, you moms should spend as much or more time than us girls do checking things out not only on all the top fashion websites, but also watching YouTube clips as much as you possibly can.
2. Moms should "shop" and borrow from their daughter's closets, as long as daughters are allowed to borrow stylish pieces from their moms in return. Assuming that moms actually do have some things in their closets that us girls might like to wear, this is a good deal for both young girls and their mothers because it can more than double your wardrobe combinations. Besides, if you have some good basic classics in your closets such as those little black dresses you can accessorize these the reflect the latest new style trends.
3. Moms would be wise to go shopping together with us daughters at least a few times each season. Not only will us girls get our moms to buy us some clothes or accessories that we've been dying to have, while out shopping together moms can get their girls' honest suggestions and opinions on what they think might look good on you. You never know, your own daughter might be able to put together an ensemble for you that you and Daddy will just love.
4. Moms -- speaking of shopping -- there's every reason for you to shop with your daughters at places like H&M, Forever 21 and Arden B. That's because these stores and other similar ones have such a range of styles for both teens and those who just want to look young and on-trend, without looking like they are trying to dress like kids. What's more, fashions at places like these are very accessible to you as you can usually find affordable, cutting-edge clothes styles and accessories that both you and your daughters will both love.
5. Moms, another thing, don't overlook taking your daughters to thrift stores and vintage boutiques to shop together. These kinds of shopping trips are like going on exciting treasure hunts, because you never know what you'll find if you go through enough racks or piles of one of a kind accessories and separates. Best of all it's a way for us big girls to bond and play dress up and it's so fun to mix and match the pieces that we find to mimic haute couture.
6. Moms, here's a piece of advice that you are always giving us girls: Constantly edit your closets and weed out what you're not wearing. This will not only help you reclaim space in your closets for new purchases, it will help you (and us daughters) to find what we're looking for when we go searching for a particular item. Having things well-organized come particularly in handy when you or we are rushing to go somewhere and we must find that perfect outfit quickly and we don't want any drama.
7. Moms, while we're on the subject of being able to find things, you should take a tip from your daughters and organize your closets by color. It really is so much easier to get dressed in a flash if all your jeans are all stacked together and all the separates in each color family are grouped together in your closets.
8. Moms ought to be creative when putting your outfits together just like we are. Think outside the box and have a little fun. For inspiration, a great idea for us daughters and for you is to actually cut out pictures from current issues of various fashion magazines as well as those trendy catalogs we are always getting in the mail because we are on all these subscription mailing lists and hanging those either in or near our closets or full length mirrors.
9. Moms you're cautioned not to wait till the last minute to decide what to wear, either. Follow the lead of your daughters and try everything on well ahead of when you will need to be ready. We young girls like to plan our outfits in advance, and you should too. That way you won't be running around frantically trying to get ready to go to work or to have lunch with your friends.
10. Moms, lastly remember to really listen to your daughters comments about what you're wearing. We young girls think we are really in touch with what's hot and what's not. When we tell you we like what you have on there's a good chance you look very trendy. But, when we say we hate the outfit you've chosen might get you arrested by the fashion police, take us daughters seriously because they're a possibility that there may be some truth to what we are saying. You do want to look like you just walked off the runway, don't you?
Please Comment: When was the last time you and your daughter went shopping together? Please share your funny, crazy, and dramatic stories about the experience below.
FTC Disclosure: I wrote this blog post while participating in the TwitterMoms and Kenmore blogging program, making me eligible to get a $50 gift card. For more information on how you can participate, click here.
