When I was a kid, I always wanted to dress to match my mommy.  We had these matching Laura Ashley floral jumpsuits and I begged her to wear them everyday.  She couldn’t stand it! She probably gave hers away with the tags still intact.  One might think I would outgrow my affinity for the matchy-matchy after the age of 7, but such was not the case.  With my own entry into motherhood, I found myself dreaming of matchy moments, not just for my two daughters, but for me as well! We coordinate often.  I feel this pressure to get it all in now, before they grow up and rebel and decide they hate me and my style!

Here are my tips for Mommy and Me Dressing:

1. Pick a point of focus for matching:

Each look doesn’t have to be a head-to-toe clone.  Maybe everyone wears a leopard item or a beret or the same color coat.  If it’s mommy and son, it could be coordinating sneakers and jeans or matching hoodies! This is visually adorable without being completely corny.

2. Let everyone express their own style:

I think it’s important for my girl’s to feel unique even when I dress them alike.  This usually comes down to accessories.  My girls frequently wear the exact same outfit, with different hats or gloves or sunglasses.  I always style their hair differently, as well.  For my outfit, I will wear the same sweater or same color dress as my girls, but I’ll wear a newsboy cap and while they wear bows in their hair.  

3. Don’t compromise your outfit simply to match:

Wearing a white T-shirt and jeans is taking the easy way out for a twinning moment.  Also, when I consider my own outfits, I think it’s important to try to dress like a chic adult, and not like a cutesy toddler.   As tempted as I am, you won’t find me wearing a tutu overall dress, but I will wear flattering, slim-legged overalls while my girls do.  A good way to avoid dumbing down your own outfit is to think about what you’d like to wear that day independently and then work in the matching elements.  Ask yourself, “If I was alone without my children, would I feel ridiculous in this?”