I just don't get it. I truly don't. It seems that society doesn't want us to look like Moms, and we are biting in on the propaganda.
Mom jeans is a humorously pejorative term for a specific type of fit of women's jeans, considered to be both unfashionable, and unflattering to the wearer's bodyshape. This style usually consists of a high waist (rising above the belly button), making the buttocks appear disproportionately longer, larger, and flatter than they otherwise might. It also tends to have excess space in the zipper/crotch and leg areas. The jeans are usually in a solid, light-blue color, with no form of stone washing or fading. Other attributes of the style often seen are pleats, tapered legs, and elastic waistbands. The style is often accompanied by a blouse or shirt that is tucked into the jeans. This style of jeans was popular with women in the United States until the mid-1990s, when lower rise jeans started to become fashionable. (google source, wikipedia)
Okay, I don't need to look like a hag, but I am proud of the fact that I have survived parenting for over 30 years and birthed six children from my womb. I can now brag about being a Grand Mommy, and therefore, if there is anything I wear, or do, or buy or say that suggest the journey I have taken, well bring it on! I may not enjoy wearing the jeans from the 80's, but to warn me about "not wearing mommy jeans", well I would say that is the wrong wording. Let's call them "out of style" I haven't owned jeans like that in years. Even with my larger body I had given those up.
Just google "mommy" jeans and your computer will go on overload with advice to not look like a mom.
http://www.oprah.com/style/Denim-Dos-and-Donts/5
Just open up Yahoo and all you see is bodies without a "mom trace" that would suggest the birthing years or with titles on how they look better now than they did before they had children. Then you have the "hot grandmothers". I am sure neither of my grandmothers worried about being "hot". I mean, whose eye are you trying to attractive? The only eye's I want to attractive is my own silver-headed husband. He still view me through early married eyes and in no way has every!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!, made me feel my "mommy" body looked un-attractive. I also don't want to hear my grandson's describing me as their "hot" Grand Mommy.
So I will say, do and be the Grand Mommy I am....I have earned it. Don't plan on seeing me on the latest run-way, my thunder thighs have never allowed me to walk on that floor. I will, however, exercise, try to eat right, and wear a style of clothes that doesn't scream....YOUTH.
Come on ladies..............can't we grow old gracefully and leave the SEXY for our husbands? Maybe if us "wiser" women would let go of this new "don't look like a mom" mentality then the younger women wouldn't have such insecurities about their looks, which leads to so many problems. Just saying...from the one who is going to wear "Grand Mommy" jeans proudly.
17 Joining in with more words:
Do you hear me? I'm jumping up and down, applauding.
Finally, someone has posted what I have been saying for years!
I have always wanted to be a grandma!
For me it meant that I EARNED the right to have gray hair, thunder thighs and wrinkles.
Still cheering you on!!
What a great post Janette and so appropriate for this day and time....I want to look nice and up to date but more important to me is to be comfortable in my skin, being authentic, and letting the love of Jesus shine through me. If I worry too much about the outside the inside doesn't get enough attention.....
If there is one thing that bothers me in fashion it is the woman who refuses to give up dressing for what she is not! Let's face it, LOTS of the styles and trends are made for young, thin, and styling gals. I haven't tried for years, lol. Now I do feel like you. I don't want to look like a hag, nor do I want to LOOK like a little old lady, BUT I do want to be comfortable, modest, and be as "in style" as I am capable. I know for a fact that the jeans I wear are MADE for moms and grandmoms and SINCE that it is what I am, I am fine with that, haha. Even when I could still squeeze into the other styles, I was NEVER comfortable in them and couldn't wait to get them off and into something comfy. Comfy took over right around turning age 50, haha. Enjoy your day Janette!
Amen Sister!!!
Having recently revealed my haggard "I have earned the right to look this way" face, I applaud you. Enough of this baloney already! It's all meant to shame and demean and I don't cotton to it.
Way too much emphasis is placed on outward appearance these days. While I attempt to dress age appropriate, and stylish (in the current century), I've never been driven by trends. It's a shame so many are.
Yes this is an awesome 'shout out'...to all of us.
Now I have to admit I am guilty of wearing sweat pants at home because they are comfortable and warm and who sees me? My husband doesn't care if I wear them and the grand children all know that is 'grandma'...but in reality I should 'should' dress up a bit more. We have been married 40 years and have six grand children. I have given birth to two and have had three 'c-sections'. I am 59 years old and feel 'YOUNG'. Still looking for that perfect pair of jeans.
Well, I decided a long time ago, that comfortable was easier and I was nicer if I wasn't hurting because of my clothes. I have also noticed that people are so self adsorbed now they never even notice anything at all, most of the time I think I take invisible pills in the morning before I leave the house, also when I drive. I think just being who you are is so much nicer. You are so right though, we have earned where we are now in life.
Have a lovely day, in what ever YOU want. :)
Wonderful post, Janette, and I couldn't agree more. I have lived in blue jeans since I was twelve and regardless of how my body may have changed through the years I am still going to wear my beloved jeans in whatever style I choose. And I am proud to be a mom and can hardly wait to be a grandmom!
Amen, preach it sister!
I have a whole closet full of *Mom jeans* - and I'll wear them proudly. I'm just a bit chagrined that I am currently sporting the biggest-sized ones. Grr.
xo
IF I would get with the program and get that balance going, I would not be so stinking late to such a wonderful post.
I want to stand up and CHEER you about this. I couldn't agree more. I want to be beautiful to two "men" and that's all. The first is my Heavenly Father, whose eye for beauty has nothing whatsoever to do with mommy jeans. The other is my own no-so-silver-haired husband. When I look at him, I see the skinny boy I married 30 years ago. It wouldn't matter how old he got, that is exactly what I see. What I want is for him to see the same, and the way that that is accomplished is simply by BEING the girl he married and not trying to be some plastic Oprahfied creature.
As for the young mommies and their designer diaper bags, I have a lot to say about them. I have kept mum to the blogosphere, but trust me that I have had a lot to say to the two future (I pray) mommies toward whom I still have some influence.
Go, Granny, Go! Keep preaching it.
I am a grandma and I've been told you don't look like a grandma..I agree with you.... this is great post...dress age appropriate, and you'll be just fine - I won't and will not wear those skinny jeans - I have yet to seen a women really looking stylish in those skinny straight legged pants...Modest all the way...
HUgs
I love this! First - I love your new look of the site! Second, thanks so much for this post! It's something I've wrestled with from my thirties to forties. As I'm getting older, I desire to age gracefully, but it is something I struggle wih1
Preach it sister!!
I love this, and even though I continue to wage war against the SIZE of the jeans, I will never not wear them. :)
Gray hair?? That one no one will ever know for sure since I keep frosting over whatever the natural color is.
The whole tone of this blog is so right on! There are rewards for each chapter of life, and being a 'mimi' is one of the best of all. I wonder why people think we are supposed to be dowdy and dumpy and out of fashion? I think we can be grand mommy's and mimi's and still look sharp and classy!! That's my story and I'm sticking to it! :)
LOL! I'm laughing through the tears! YES, we've earned it. You go, girl!! big hugs ~ tanna
It was fun reading your post AND the comments. It's great to be in such good company :)
Couldn't agree more with this post Janette too much emphasis has been place on outward appearances, even in "christian circles"
Applauding this stand!!!
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