How many times just before you step out of the house, have you received ‘the look’ from your mum, enquiring about your questionable fashion choices? We bet it’s more than once! That’s the thing about fashion. Every generation has their set of tricky trends that their parents regrettably accept or fiercely reject – in the ‘70s, it was the ill-advised piercings, in the ‘80s it was the big hair, in the ‘90s it was the low-waisted pants and now we have ripped clothing – from denims to tees and jackets. So, on account of Mother’s Day, we thought, why not gather all our mums (and even grand mums) virtually and have them discuss their take on this trend. They are after all, our first fashion police! Scroll down to witness the clash between the classic and the cool moms…
The Cool Moms
“I think I’d be pretty okay with my daughter wearing ripped jeans from the time she’s 15-16 or so (as long as she wants to wear them). I would love to see her wear them now even. We can’t be blind to the fact that kids these days are following fashion trends more closely than we probably did at their age. I’ve had strict parents so I’d like to be a little more open towards her choices; but at the same time I’d like her to develop a specific sense of style based on her preferences and comfort, not simply follow the herd,” says Sharanya Rao, newly turned mummy to her seven-month old daughter. Another young mummy was quick to add in. “I’d be cool with my daughter wearing them wherever she wanted. I personally wear ripped jeans all the time so it would be quite hypocritical for me not to allow her to do the same,” says Meghna Shah, mother to a six-year-old. One would deduce that this might just be the popular opinion among millennial moms but on the contrary, those belonging to the boomer generation welcome this trend with equal enthusiasm. “I was actually with her when she decided to buy her first pair of distressed denims. I think she must be 12 or 13 then. I loved how they looked on her but my husband got so mad at me for letting her buy one of those,” laughs Veena Dalal, mother to two young adults in their early twenties. Supporting Dalal’s statement, Sohni Daswani, who is also a mother to two millennials, opined, “I thought it was super cool when my daughter started wearing them too and I had no issue with it as I also wear them quite often.” But her approval doesn’t come without its exceptions. “I still however get irritated with those really ripped or short shorts (even though she looks great in them) because unfortunately we have too many slimy ogling men on the roads in our country!” she adds. Something similar was stated by Gulshan Shroff who is also a cool mom to not two but three cool kids. “I thought my daughters looked quite hip when I first saw them in a ripped outfit and I don’t mind them wearing them as long as they are ripped to a certain limit.”
The Classic Moms
“I’m not a big fan of ripped wear! I think I was taken aback a bit when I saw my daughter in it for the first time. I’m so glad the fad died down at home itself,” says Rekha Koshy, mother to a single child. Indu Chellaram, mother to one forty-something and grandmother to two twenty-somethings seconded Koshy on this thought. “Ripped clothes are totally insane! What a waste of good money! Why are we such fools to follow stupid trends!” adds Chellaram. On the other hand, Kamini Kapasi shared a rather hilarious observation of her daughter in distressed denims. “When my daughter first pointed out the ripped jeans to me at a store, I asked her if she was serious about wearing them. I thought she looked like she got mugged in them!” says the mother of one who now seems to have made peace with her daughter’s daring outfit choices and understands her desire to stay on top of the trends. Meher Dubash, a doting mother to two young daughters nodded in agreement. “I had already seen other children and people in ripped clothing so it didn’t come as a surprise to me and I think my daughters carry it off very well. However, I would prefer they don’t wear them too often. I think it’s more of a fashion statement currently but hopefully they will outgrow it when the trend changes,” she said.
The Verdict
Distressed clothing can be equal parts cool and classic as long as it’s more Yeezy kind of breezy and less all-skin-baring. For those of you who don’t have your mum’s full support in sporting them, try pairing them with vintage pieces or a structured blazer to introduce polish to the look. If all else fails then pull out the picture of Meghan Markle’s first public appearance with Prince Harry and convince her that if the former Duchess of Sussex can wear them, you can too! For those lucky others, go all out and rock your ripped pieces with everything from a bold bralette to a beyond basic body suit!