I must say I am experiencing a mix of awe and envy from reading this thread. So many of you had wise, stylish mothers interested in having wise, stylish daughters!

Wise and stylish mothers of the world - carry on!

I think of two main lessons.

1) Letting people make their own choices about clothes - we had battles over clothes for a while until I was about 9 but then Mum let me choose my own looks and pieces. I put together some pretty strange looks but I was happy to have that independence. I had a strong desire to wear jeans and cords and more sporty style clothes and she was keener on a Laura Ashley style for me. A very happy moment though was when she arrived home from a trip to Australia with two tracksuits for me when I was 10.

2) The power of wearing colours that suit you. Mum was an autumn - fading to a soft autumn in her later years. She always wore muted purples, browns, olives, warm navies, teals etc and avoided black, grey, cool pinks and the colours that did not suit her.

I remember my mom taking me to have our “colours done” together back in 1980s. I had never heard of such a thing and usually I just chose my colours randomly but this consultation certainly made an impact on my colour palette going forward. I still have my little pocket colour swatches.

My mom paid the bills sewing clothes for other people. I think she liked having a bit of an "audience" when she was working... for example I remember her narrating a bit when she cut out the pieces for a pattern she had just made. She talked about fabrics and armholes and and quality construction. She loved to show off something that was beautifully made. She had a deep appreciation for quality.

While I have a different set of values for a lot of my clothing, I also thrill when I see a garment that is truly beautifully constructed.

What immediately sprang to mind when you asked what knowledge about clothing my mother imparted to me was: "Wear clean underwear!"  So there you go.  And I stick by it ! 

My dear mom and I had very different styles from early on.  By 12 I was off on my own trajectory.  She was always a conservative dresser, think Talbots.  My mother never wore jeans in her life. I was not conservative, and embraced the 60's, 70's alternative dressing. I didn't take advice from her, and she didn't take it from me. She always found my choices a little too out there, but only occasionally commented that way, and I appreciated her restraint.  As she got older, I'd pay her more compliments, about a beautiful sweater (she was a great knitter) or her color choices and tell her she looked nice.  I meant it, but I also felt she needed that boost later in life.

Judy Like your Mom, my Mom also warned me about wearing less than perfect underwear. You know, in case you are in an accident, the horror of not having perfect underwear. Haha not so much the horror you may be injured or worse, dead. She was also a great knitter. And I just realised that she never owned a pair of jeans. Jeans are my favourite item.

My mother was a rebellious tomboy flower child who was always closer with her dad than with her mom, and bonded with him over gardening and hiking, eventually passing those interests along to me. But her mother taught her how to knit, which kindled a lifelong interest in fibre arts! My mom and I made recycled wool rugs together when I was a kid (I remember spending hours scouring thrift stores and free bins for wool suiting to cut into strips for rugs!), and she still spins, dyes, and knits with wool nonstop. She is a diehard utilitarian who always prioritizes function over form, but also has a great eye for colour and line. I'd like to think I inherited her mindset!

My mom was meticulous about her appearance. She was always well groomed and did not leave the house even to grocery shop without putting a little effort into what she wore. Like her, I would rather be a little overdressed for any occasion rather than underdressed — I could usually be counted on to be more “dressed up” than my friends because of my mom’s influence, and that’s true to this day. Like her, my makeup routine is almost daily but minimal.

I got from her a love of shopping, pretty prints and patterns, and scarves and rings as favorite accessories. We enjoyed shopping together, and I still keep a couple of items she bought me on those trips, even though they’re probably 20 or more years old. I have some of her jewelry and wear it fairly regularly.

Love all the responses

My mother dressed well, but conservatively. She used to advise us to always buy pieces that can be mixed and matched. She didn't go for strong, bright colors or prints because they were too memorable, especially in the workplace. I say, "To each his own style of dress!"