Yes, you CAN wear the same clothes as your daughhter — and look fabulous
It’s HOW you style it that makes it work for both ages ... as this mum proves
Left to my own devices, I don’t go into shops much any more. I’m blinded by the rails of incredibly similar-looking clothes as well as the poor quality, and I’m not keen on the idea of throwaway fashion.
It’s having a 20-year-old daughter that has opened my eyes to trying new styles.
When Iggy and I go shopping together, we’ll critique each other. I’ll ask Iggy whether I’m too old for something, and she always tells me the truth, or she’ll suggest that a dress may look cooler with different shoes. She has mentioned that the heeled boots I love, for instance, can look a bit mumsy.
Some women my age — I’m 52 — put on clashing patterns and look amazing. But I’m afraid of colour and am never convinced I can carry it off. the florals around at the moment look so cool on someone Iggy’s age, yet I’m wary they would make me look like a granny.
I settled into my style in my 30s and I know what suits me. But it’s good to shop with someone who will encourage me to try something a bit different now and again.
Iggy, who models and works for an events company, has youth on her side, so she looks fantastic in everything.
When she comes to stay, she borrows my clothes but puts her own stamp on a look — wearing trainers with one of my maxidresses or adding a cropped top or jumper, for example.
Her forages in my wardrobe have given her a love of vintage clothes and made her question fast-fashion. She can also experiment and see what suits her. My mother was very stylish when she was younger. She used to get Vogue delivered monthly and copy dresses she liked quite beautifully — right down to vast eighties ballgowns with elaborate beading. I still have a few of her vintage Seventies clothes.
Iggy has yet to find her own style, but it’s evolving. I’m just glad she ditched the push-up bra phase a couple of years ago.
But can we both pull off the same look? Here’s what we thought of ourselves, and each other, in similar outfits — and what we’d do to make it work for each of us.
1. DAY-TO-NIGHT JUMPSUIT
Jumpsuit, £49.99, mango.com; all jewellery for all four looks, kennethjaylane.com
IGGY: Shirt, £95, whistles.com; loafers, £14.99, schuh.co.uk; handbag with scarf detail, £17.99, hm.com
POLLY: Heels, £46, topshop.com IGGY SAYS: this jumpsuit looks so elegant on Mum. She can show off her toned arms ( she’s a yoga
teacher) — but I’m not comfortable in this. I love the shoes, but not the shirt or bag. POLLY SAYS: I wear plenty of jumpsuits and this is a very flattering one. On Iggy, adding a shirt makes it more youthful and she can carry it off in flat shoes. I think she looks utterly charming.
2. COLOUR-BLOCK SKIRT
Red skirt, £49, stories.com
IGGY: T-shirt, £19.99, hm.com; neckerchief, £24.50, johnlewis. com; shoes, £119, kurtgeiger.com
POLLY: Jumper, £19.99, zara.com; heels, £129, kurtgeiger.com; handbag, £29.99, zara.com IGGY SAYS: I felt mischievous putting a polo-neck and heels with this skirt as I knew it was way out of mum’s comfort zone. But I think she looks incredibly stylish. I loved my T-shirt and skirt combo. POLLY SAYS: I feel terribly Home Counties in this skirt. The poloneck might work with baggy jeans, but I’m not sure there’s any place in my life for these middle-aged heels. On Iggy, though, this look’s fresh and a little bit Fifties.
3. PRINTED MIDI-DRESS
Blue dress, £279, whistles.com
IGGY: Jacket, £295, whistles.com; Stan Smith trainers, £70, schuh.co.uk
POLLY: Boots, £49.98, aldoshoes.com IGGY SAYS: Mum doesn’t like showing off her lower legs — she says she has dancer’s calves — but I think this dress is very flattering and she has great ankles. I prefer to wear trainers with dresses so it looks more casual, and the jacket gives my look a cool vintage twist. POLLY SAYS: This dress is far more patterned than anything I’d usually choose. But I like that there are no fussy accessories — that would have made it frumpy.
4. BOYFRIEND BLAZER
Blazer, £49.50, marksandspencer.com
IGGY: Jumper, £300, farfetch.com; trousers, £89.95, massimodutti. com; Stan Smith trainers, as before
POLLY: Top, £45, hobbs.co.uk; trousers, £80, boden.co.uk; shoes, £119, kurtgeiger.com IGGY SAYS: Mum manages to make very standard items look stylish, and Breton tops are classics for any age. I think this looks fantastic on her. POLLY SAYS: Some outfits look edgy on the young but distinctly middle-aged on the over-40s. On the one hand, the flat shoes and the boyfriend blazer work. But do I really want to wear a Breton top with it, given its middle- class Mummy connotations?
This is a look more suited to Iggy, whose youth would carry it off.