Seriously?
A fashion editor recently wrote a column for The Sun newspaper telling mums what they should be wearing on the school run to avoid looking ‘old and frumpy.’
Yes, really.
The style-forward journalist, who herself is a mum, listed off a bunch of clothing and footwear that really should be avoided in order to look more trendy and put together when dropping the kids to school – you know, as if it was a front row fashion show we were all heading into, and not just the school gates.
Curious as to what she says we should all be avoiding? Here are the five items fashion editor Clemmie Fieldsend says we need to pack away for good now:
Cagoules
‘Unless you’re queuing at the school gates in a cagoule because you’re helping out on a school trip that day, you should never wear one.’
Zip off trousers
‘The I-do-everything-mum who is always ready for action in zip-off trousers with umpteen pockets on the sides filled with suncream, plasters and snacks is always the one that gets the eye roll.’
Orthopaedic shoes
‘Clunky and dated they make you look like you’ve given up on yourself and have no sense of what looks good. Avoid.’
Low crossbody bags
‘Bouncing on your thigh or mum-tum as you stride up to the gate and hanging down too far so if you need anything from your bag you have to do the awkward lean down – cringe.’
Skinny jeans
‘Not only are skinny jeans unflattering, they’re drab and old-fashioned making you look older beyond your years. And worse still are the mums who are clinging onto their maternity jeans because they’re too comfortable to let go, tragic.’
‘Imagine an article like this for dads’
The article was not long published before readers – and then social media users – started making fun of it – and questioning what the heck the writer was thinking writing it.
Former Made in Chelsea star Ashley Louise James took to Instagram Stories to share her outrage about the ‘horrific’ article, commenting:
“Imagine an article like this about dads.”
It just would not happen, I think we all realise, which is no doubt why this article has outraged parents both in real life and in the celebrity world.
Many agreed with James and commented that there’s really no mention of what dads should wear and others stated that, what they look like is the least important thing about taking kids to school.
One commenter wrote:
‘The Sun should be embarrassed … such a nasty and judgemental article bullying tired, overworked and underappreciated women because they wear comfortable shoes and skinny jeans. Describing them as ‘tragic’ etc.”
Another reader commented:
‘This mean-spirited article … Goes on about how mums look ‘tragic’ in comfortable clothes and shoes (as if we don’t have enough on our minds).’
Following the rebuttal to the fashion article, Fieldsend, who herself is the mum of a young boy, says:
‘Things that are more important to me than what I wear to take Alf to nursery (or school when he’s at school).
She then lists:
“Getting Alf ready. Making sure he’s got his packed lunch and has had breakfast. Playing with Alf in the morning before he has to leave me so I can work. Usually, it’s a win for me to brush my teeth before he leaves the house.”
However, the 35-year-old reveals, if you feel good dressing up then do that too.
“I don’t care judge other mums – I’m envious of the effortlessly stylish mum. I don’t judge them and I don’t judge the ones who don’t dress up. But I certainly don’t see other mums as my competition.”
