Move Over Mom Jeans: Why We're Dressing Like Our Teens

   By drodriguez  Aug 12, 2011

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If you’ve noticed your wardrobe is looking more and more like the inside of your teen daughter’s closet, you’re not alone.

Moms everywhere are following suit with the latest teen trends and even shopping (much to the chagrin of teen daughters everywhere) at the same stores their kids like. You can definitely see the trend of moms and daughters dressing alike when you look at celebs like Madonna and daughter Lourdes Leon or Demi Moore and Rumer Willis.

Though many moms out there would probably like to think rather than mimicking their daughter’s style, their teen’s style preferences are actually maturing and becoming more like theirs. It’s time to throw that theory in the laundry pile as there is now scientific proof that moms are in fact copying their daughters when it comes to dress.

A recent study from Temple University reveals moms mimic teen style more often than teens copying their moms. Professor Ayalla Ruvio and her team of researchers questioned 343 mother-daughter pairs, with the average age of moms at 44 and daughters about 16.

Through questioning, the researchers found that teens at this age are adamantly against copying their mother’s style and are in search of a more unique look as a way to define their identities.

Moms on the other hand that feel young want to express this with their style and the way they dress. Unfortunately for teens, this translates into shopping for the same pair of skinny jeans and tanks.

Ruvio is quoted in a CNN report explaining, “We live in a society that one of the main values is to look younger. Most of these women have kids, work and they don't have time to monitor the market and see what is cool and hip, so they basically take a shortcut. Through their teenage daughters, they know they're safe.”

Do you find yourself dressing more like your daughter as she comes into her teen years?

Do you think it’s ok for moms to shop at the same stores and dress like their teen daughters?

Is there a particular look that you feel moms should stay away from?