Looks You CAN Steal From Your Daughter’s Closet

If you have a  teenage daughter at home, chances are her closet is filled with hip, trendy pieces you’d never think of wearing.  But that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t have a poke around.

You may be surprised to find a few things in there that you can draw inspiration from or tweak to create a modern, hip, but still very grown-up look.

Here are some pieces you might consider “borrowing” from your daughter’s closet:

Leggings

How your teenage daughter would wear leggings:

She would wear leggings underneath short shorts and as a substitute for pants, pairing them with tank tops, hoodies, leather jackets, and high heels.

How you can wear leggings:

Leggings are a simple go-to accessory that looks great on mature women when styled the right way. The key to looking sophisticated in leggings is to pair them with a longer, bum-covering top that has a looser fit to balance out the form fit of the legging.

A solid neutral-colored legging worn with a tunic and flats can make for an easy weekend outfit. Try a fitted blazer or jacket over your top for a sharper, work-friendly look, and complete the company with a pair of classic heels or boots.

Camouflage Prints

How your teenage daughter wears camo:

Her translation of this popular army-style look would take the form of baggy parkas, low-slung cargo pants, baseball caps, and light tanks.

How you can wear camo:

Stay away if your teen’s closet includes any camouflage pieces mentioned above. But if you find your daughter is stocking a more minimal camo print with a modern, streamlined shape such as a classic tee, you might want to give it a second look. To keep camo sophisticated, don’t want to go army literal with your outfit. Instead, pair camo pieces with tailored basics such as fitted pants and blazers in neutral colors to avoid looking costume-like. Think “Army inspired” AT 40, 50, and beyond.

Animal Prints

How  your teenage daughter would wear an animal print:

She might go crazy for skinny, low-rise leopard jeans and over-the-knee boots.

How can you wear it

You’ll likely be more comfortable and look more appropriate with a  simple leopard over-the-shoulder purse worn with a tailored black dress and chic pumps.

The Biker Jacket

How your teenage daughter would a biker jacket:

Teenage girls don leather (or faux leather) jackets with exposed metal. They’re styling their jackets with combat boots and plaid shirts to give off a slightly rough, rugged vibe.

How you can wear it:

If your daughter has a biker jacket in her closet, you can style it in a more refined way that will work for you too. Create a trendy outfit with an elegant edge by combining the biker jacket with classic dark wash jeans and a V-neck blouse. For the evening, consider wearing a casual dress in feminine color or a print underneath the coat. You can further soften the toughness of the jacket by adding a  pair of chic booties and a minimal amount of modern-looking jewelry.

Teen trends to avoid!

While you can rework some of these trends, some pieces in your teen’s closet do not translate for women after a certain age.  Here are a few items to steer clear of:

• Anything that can be described as “mini” (i.e., mini skirt, mini dress, micro-mini shorts, etc.)
•  Pieces with overly loud graphics
•  Super distressed jeans that have been ripped and bleached into an almost unrecognizable state

The basic rule to follow when borrowing from your daughter’s wardrobe is to pair trendy items with classic pieces from your wardrobe to keep your look sophisticated and age-appropriate. So if you’re feeling bold or experimental, raid your teen’s closet for cool trends to put a youthful twist on your classic pieces.

For more great ideas on how to adapt youthful looks, check out the book Steal This Style ~ Mom’s and Daughter’s Swap Wardrobe Secrets by Sherrie Mathieson.

It’s the perfect guide for borrowing hip yet appropriate pieces from younger gals and styling them with classic items to look fabulous. There are lots of beautiful photos that make the tips easy to imitate! So check it out.

Guest Contributor  Chantelle Collier.