MOTG- Us Verses Them - YouLookFab Forum

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MOTG- Us Verses Them

chewyspaghetti

Veteran

This just occurred to me while reading another thread. We have a lot of advice here about MOTG wardrobe and outfits and a lot of discussions about practicality and age appropriateness. I love Angie's ideas about practical wear for MOTG's, but I am realizing that the standard of society (where I live anyway) is a lot different. When I see young MOTG's in my community, they generally are heavily tattooed and facially pierced, and seem to wear a uniform of super tight low rise jeans that leave things exposed in the back and either a T or cami/tank, usually with flip flops. Most of them are wearing ill fitting clothing for some reason. Is this a California "thing", or do you see this look elsewhere? I wonder if a much more conservative look will come in as a backlash to your mom looking and dressing this way?

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41 replies

Latest reply was from whirledpeasclothing

MNsara

Veteran

Khris -

Where we live there are all types! I just drove home past a young 'goth' couple out walking their baby in a stroller. The sun had just come out (a first in 8 days) and it was suddenly steamy, so they had peeled off their outer black top layer and were down to the tatoos and black lace cami with thier oversized/hardwared black pants. . . It's not just a CA thing, but I bet CA has more of it

Scarlet

Veteran

Whoa! I have not seen this look. By "young" do you mean teenagers?

Anonymous

I'm seeing a bit of that here, surprisingly in the more rural areas. It seems to be a biker look. In the suburbs there's more of it on middle-aged women with teen children than on young moms and I wonder about that.

MNsara

Veteran

My young couple appeared to be 20-25 years old. But I love that no matter what untraditional style the young couple may have in clothes, hair, piercings, tatoos, - they still are doing the traditional baby walking

Laura

(website)

Veteran

Never, ever in a million years would I see something like that on the moms where I live. But it's a different breed of cat here

chewyspaghetti

Veteran

By young I mean 20-30 with young families (infants/toddles), NOT teenagers.

Dusty

(website)

You'll see stuff like that occasionally, but usually here it's more boxy t-shirt, slightly baggy jeans (or ill-fitting in some other way) or lower-calf length capris and flipflops. Hair is usually either short or up in a messy ponytail/half bun kind of thing. Usually no visible tattoos and rarely more than a single pair of holes in the ears (or sometimes another set, but with no earrings.

Sarah Baker

(website)

Most of the MOTG outfits in my area are a "gimme" t-shirt with capri pants or jeans, tennis shoes, and a baseball cap. I have seen the look you described on the very young, and mostly military, wives. I stand out like a sore thumb among my peers now that I have started following Angie's advice. Anyone else?

Anonymous

We've got all kinds here in Wisconsin, but mainly you see a lot of women who are frumpily dressed or dressed in trendy items inappropriate for their age ... rarely do I see a happy medium where I'm like, "whoa ... I want to dress like her." Most of the moms at my kids' karate school wear "gear" capris or denim capris with flip flops or white socks and sneakers, t-shirts and ... that's about it. Lots of flip flops. LOTS.

Sarah Baker

(website)

OMG, how could I forget flip flops? They are so popular out here that people have flip flop stickers on their SUVs. It's always a pair of flip-flop stickers, followed by their initials, and then the family stickers, all on the back windshield.

Beth

Veteran

Like Laura, I'd never see that on the moms in this area.

Scarlet

Veteran

Huh. You know, I am always thinking my city is not stylish considering it is Europe and all, but the more I read people's descriptions of their community, I have to say it's not so bad here. At least I don't see flip flops on every corner and the student style provides oodles of people-watching entertainment. The moms are always dressed, I don't know, a little more like I would think of a mom dressing. Some better or some worse, but not with flip flops or fannies hanging out.

puffenstuff

(website)

Veteran

Yep I see that look here too Khris - equally interspersed with the opposite end of the spectrum with looks of baggy bum tracky daks, runners and polyester blouses (also makes me want to run upto them and give them a business card with YLF on it!)

Lori

Veteran

Living in San Diego, I see lots of the pierced/tattooed look also, as well as so many other styles of dressing. I tend not to think in an us vs. them way, I really think it takes all types of people with differing styles to make a place interesting. In my opinion it would be very boring if everyone I saw was dressed like me or even impeccably dressed every day. I love to people watch, and I love that people can be totally unique and not fit into tidy little categories. Personally, I love to get dressed and love to dress up and look great everyday, not everyone is like me, and maybe not every one would think I look great because my style is not their style, but I do think there is a place for all of us, even the not so stylish, flip flops and all. But that's just me. . .

Angie

(website)

Fashion Stylist

Oh, heavens. I live in the grunge and goth capitol of the world. I see lots of young Mums as you've described in downtown Seattle. But Mums in the burbs look completely different.

cciele

Veteran

We have different subsets of moms here (Bay Area, California), and they dress differently according to age, income, and lifestyle. There are the 30-something yummy mummys (for lack of a better term) -- blown-out hair, mani and pedis, designer clothes and accessories, fully made-up face. The sporty moms tend to be older and wear gear, running shoes, sweats, capris, REI-type clothing, little or no makeup. The 20-somethings are more alternative -- piercings, tats, skater look, brightly colored hair, etc. I'm not sure where I fit, given that I am in my 40s, have several body piercings, red streaks in my hair, and designer clothing.

Something that cuts across all types are flip-flops! Everyone wears those.

Maya

Veteran

Moms here are typically in gear, mom jeans, messy hair, apoplexy-inducing cropped pants. Typical mom uniform. The I-don't-have-time-for-anything-because-I-have-kids look.

In the city, it's a bit weird. Most of the women I see are, at least compared to the suburbs, pretty well turned out. But for some reason this does not apply to moms. They look exactly the same as the suburban moms. The most baffling of all are the moms of the Upper East Side. In all the months I spent working at the Met, I definitely noticed that money doesn't buy style. Those moms definitely had the money AND the time to dress well, but they still looked like slobs. I don't get it.

When I was a teen I remember seeing a goth couple shopping for their daughter and picking out this tiny red velvet Victorian inspired dress for her. I thought it was the cutest thing ever.

Isabel

Veteran

Sarah Baker pretty much nailed the look here. All the moms I know and see that are my children's schoolmates are mid-thirties on. ( first and second grade kids ).

I do see many women in sporty skirts come Spring/Summer.

taylor

Veteran

hmmm, interesting. I see all types here. My daughter and son in law fall firmly in that age group. They both have tattoo's and piercings, great jobs, 2 young children, a big house in the burbs and are about as traditional and conservative as one can get in all other respects.

My son has NO tattoos or piercings is 27, not married yet, and is about as UN- traditional as it gets...can't tell a darn thing by looks here:)

Maya

Veteran

I would very much like to meet your son Taylor :p

taylor

Veteran

Maya!!! He is quite a good dresser too, and I know you like that!!!

I could only dream that he would bring you home to mom!!!

Ohh, you would get along with my daughter too...Hello Kitty afficinado & fan, Golden Girl mega fan.....I feel a blending of the families coming on:)

Christie

Nope, moms where I live don't wear that, not even the younger set. But I'm not in the city, just a mid-sized town (not even suburbs of a city).

I see three general categories ... the sloppy dressers in pjs and sweats, the well-dressed in MOTG formulas, and the in-between who wear current but basic clothing. Of course, there is always the exception.

Maya

Veteran

I'm not one bit surprised that he is a snappy dresser Taylor, given the role model he has. I prefer--nay, demand--a non traditional bloke.

You have just descibed my dream in laws :p Fabulous MIL who does my hair, fabulous SIL who watches Golden Girls marathons with me. Oh my, have you inspired some strange daydreams...

chewyspaghetti

Veteran

I'm not in a big city- I'm not even in the suburbs, I am in the boonies. I live in the desert- gas stop between LA and Vegas. We certainly have our fair share who march to the beat of a different drummer, but it's interesting that this is not an isolated phenomena.

Ele

(website)

The mums where I live are an extremely stylish bunch- but then, the term "yummy mummy" did originate in London They are all about the summer dresses, skinny jeans, fierce shoes and beautiful bags. Never over-the-top or prissy (usually natural hair and makeup) but very polished. My sister is NOT a mum but looks just like them- I always call her "yummy mummy" to get her riled up.

londonkiwi (now back in NZ)

Veteran

Funnily enough, most mother's in my part of London look pretty well put together as well (think Boden catalogue!)

Rosie

Veteran

Oh, there is very little in life that is better than a Golden Girls marathon! If I'm in the mood for mystery I'll opt for Murder, She Wrote, but no one gets me laughing like those four ladies!

I guess I see all types around here, not completely dependent on age. I'm sort of in an alternative mecca, though. Most people have a more hippie bent, though, than goth.

taylor

Veteran

Haaaa, Maya...me too:)

Maya

Veteran

Well, if the YLF convention comes to SF and I bum off of you, perhaps you should plan for an introduction :p

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