"Mom, have you seen my red dress?"
"Er, um, no Ashley...I haven't." Cut to mom shoving worn red dress into dry cleaning bag.
Mothers and daughters are not only dressing similarly, but they are also swapping wardrobes and they actually enjoy *gasp* shopping together. We're dubbing these women part of Generation Meld: The melding of Gen X moms and their Millennial daughters into one fashion-loving congregation.
A number of factors play into this trend.
Mass marketing and media bombardment
- Today's generation of moms are among the first to incur the inundation of mass marketing, making them more brand literate and aware of fashion than previous generations
- Daughters view their mothers as well-versed in fashion and look to them for fashion advice
Celebrity and youth obsessed Culture
- Evident in the New York Times bestselling book titled How Not to Look Old (aimed at Boomers)
- Offers style tips to look "Y&H" (young and hip) vs. "OL" (old lady)
- Women don't want to suffer from "mom jean" humiliation (a la Jessica Simpson)
- Wearing their daughter's clothing makes them feel young
Trend-inspired mini-me kids outfits
- Increased availability of mini-me outfits make fashion easy to follow for both mother and daughter
- Websites such as matcheez.com and footstepsclothing.com offer matching outfits for mother and daughter
- Piperlime carries a sandal called "Like Mother, Like Daughter" from BC Footwear
Shopping together is fun!
- Daughters no longer shy away from the obligatory shopping trip with mom, they enjoy the bonding time
- Katie Holmes and Suri Cruise as well as Madonna and Lourdes are two examples of celebrity mothers and daughters setting this trend
- Not only do Madonna and Lourdes shop together, but they have started their own clothing line
- Encourage the relationship between mom + daughter by hosting events, promotions, and sales that embrace them as a team.
- Tap into mom's need not to feel old by offering age-appropriate, stylish options that look Y&H, not OL. Provide online opportunities to share their experiences.
- Showcase "regular" moms + daughters in advertising.
Image: Suat Eman/ FreeDigitalPhotos.Net
