Me and my mom have the same taste in many things in life—music (salsa), food (cheeseburgers), travel (South America), and movies (romantic comedies all the way!). But when it comes to our fashion tastes, we couldn’t be more different. My mother is a true maximalist—she favors vibrant colors and vivacious prints. Her mantra is “the more sparkle, the better.” Bring on the accessories and statement earrings. Ruffles, fringe, florals! She is vibrant, bold, and spirited. And I love her for it.
I, on the other hand, dress mostly in beige, black, or white. I hardly ever touch prints (unless it’s basic stripes), my accessories are pared-back, and I live in what my mom likes to call “house jeans.” My mother is yearning for me to put on red lipstick, red shoes, red anything!
Despite our sartorial differences, there are still a handful of pieces that we repeatedly do agree on time and time again. These consist mostly of chic and trusty basics that ground me and my mom’s looks no matter what we’re wearing.
On a recent shopping trip together at Nordstrom, as we mazed through the racks, I was pleasantly surprised on the number of items me and my 69-year-old mother both enthusiastically agreed on.
From black blazers to white loafers and a sweet floral-print blouse—perhaps she’s rubbing off on me, or I on her, but we both agreed not to disagree on these chic pieces below…
Me and my mom both know the power of a chic black blazer. It’s a versatile go-to in both our work wardrobes for its ability to make our outfits look instantly polished. I must admit that when I think of Reformation, I don’t think of my mom, but we were both drawn to this luxurious-feeling double-breasted blazer from the brand that has a chic French-girl vibe.
We have this thing for loafers. We both own way too many in our wardrobes and are both gravitating toward white ones right now that feel unequivocally fresh for the spring season ahead. Easy enough to pair with minimalist pants or maximalist skirts. Win-win!
While this may not be a “basic” per se, my mother convinced me that every wardrobe needs a pretty floral blouse that will serve you for work, evenings out, and everything in between. I agree with this one. And while I admittedly passed on a lot of the vibrant print blouses she had presented me with, we both loved this flattering (and trending) green hue with its timeless floral print.
My mom loves a fitted, stretchy black top to layer under all her jackets and cardigans. I love one I can easily wear with my high-waisted jeans and heels for an easy day-to-night look. This long-sleeved bodysuit is the perfect match for both of us. The fabric feels very luxurious, which you can’t beat given its affordable price tag.
My mom and I both agree that when it comes to silky, white button-down blouses, you can never have too many. We both like the casual, slightly oversize fit of this Topshop shirt that looks chic under blazers or paired with high-waisted jeans. This one is slightly sheer, so we recommend a seamless tank top underneath (which we failed to bring with us on this shopping trip!).
This was clearly not taken at Nordstrom, but we evidently had a matching outfit day (across continents!). There’s nothing we love more than a chic, long camel coat—especially when paired over a versatile black turtleneck and pants.
A checked blazer is a classic that’ll never go out of style. (I often steal my mom’s vintage ones too.)
You’ll always find a pair of relaxed tailored trousers in both our wardrobes. So chic and versatile.
We can’t live without our cardis!
My mom and I both have wide hips, so we love the forgiving and flattering silhouette that boot-cut and flared jeans provide (plus, they’re trending for 2020).
This might just be the item we wear more than any other in our wardrobes!
Classic and sophisticated. Who doesn’t love a chic trench?
My mom wears hers with ballet flats. I wear mine with knee-high boots.
My mom and I are both enamored with quilted coats. If we’re doing a casual outdoor activity, you can guarantee we’ll both be in one.
A long cardigan is our throw-on-and-go topper of choice.
