Watch out for the fashion police
When does a hip mom cross the line between trendy and tacky? We've rounded up some of the worst crimes of fashion any mom can commit — are you guilty of any?
More and more moms are taking fashion cues from their teenage daughters, according to researchers at Temple University's Fox School of Business. The findings of the study, published in The Journal of Consumer Behavior, stated that mothers "doppelgang" their adolescent daughters' style.
If you're one of those moms, then it's time for an intervention. Let it go and embrace your own fabulous mom style. How do you tell if you're an offender? If you answer "yes" to any of the following questions, then you are guilty!
Do you think it's sexy to show multiple bra straps?
Perhaps this generation of teenage girls is having some sort of strap contest. They layer a tank top over a camisole over a bra and the result is a collection of visible shoulder straps in every color of the rainbow.
The look may be trendy among teens, but it's downright tacky on moms. When you're airing all of your lingerie straps for the world to see, it just looks like you forgot to check the mirror before you went out...
Does your thong play peekaboo?
If all of the shoppers in the store get a glimpse of your lacy thong as you bend down to get a jar of pickles, then we've got a problem.
The thong itself isn't the problem — thongs are great when you don't want panty lines to show. The real problem is the fit of your jeans. Your undies shouldn't show every time you bend over!
Before you let the pendulum swing the other way and resort to mom jeans, why not try out a pair of nicely fitted mid-rise jeans... or a longer shirt!
Do you flaunt your ink?
For today's teen, getting a tattoo is every bit as common as getting her ears pierced. And tattoos can look tasteful and attractive on young, taut skin — a delicate flower on the shoulder, for example.
What our precious teens don't realize — and what we know all too well — is that skin doesn't stay firm forever. Gravity takes over with age, and that hummingbird looks very different on middle-age bat wings than it did on your 16-year-old cheerleader's bicep.
Do you pierce more than your ears?
Don't even try to keep up with the next generation's piercings. One hole in each ear is plenty. Trust us!
Take the money you have earmarked for piercing your nose, lip and eyebrows and invest in a classy pair of diamond earrings instead.
Do you wear shirts that don't reach your pants?
Back in the '80s, we wore short shirts called "cropped tops." Whatever they're called these days, they are off limits for anyone who's already graduated high school.
For moms whose abs are less-than-flat, a shirt that covers the entire torso is the only way to go. Muffin tops are very, very bad.
And for Pilates devotees with fab abs, a whole shirt is still better than half. Show off your physique with fitted tops and belted jackets instead.
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