Momcore: From ‘bad jeans’ to a toxic sign of privilege

As a clothing style, momcore dates back to a scene in the 2004 film Mean Girls, epitomized by Amy Poehler’s “pretty mom,” who had a penchant for pink corduroy and diamonds. Fast forward two decades again TikToker known as Tinx – along with other major influencers such as Chriselle Lim – renamed “cool mom” to “rich mom”.

Part parody, part marketing gimmick, the “rich mom” persona also owes a lot to franchises like “The Real Housewives” and “Keeping Up With the Kardashians” that make motherhood and her clothing a lucrative show. . But what started out as a sketch or satirical cultural commentary became problematic, mainly because in 2023, notions of identity, privilege, and motherhood aren’t really fodder for comedy. It’s also hard to satirize something with an amorphous definition.

To better understand momcore, we spoke to fashion historians and stylists, all of whom are scratching their heads a bit when coming to terms with the sartorial notion of momcore. Like fashion historian Claudia B. Manley, author of “2022”Fashion Writing: A Primer“, he said, “Momcore seems like a way to label something that doesn’t need a label.

According to Liv Schreiber, owner of the fashion marketing agency Brand name caffeinethe notion of momcore is “stuck in stereotypes” and has undergone a style shift over the past two decades, evolving from “slumpy to effortless”, both problematic in their own way.

Manley noted that the current momcore trend seems isolated to a certain demographic. “It seems that when it comes to ‘momcore’ as a fashion trend, I mostly see white women talking about it. Many appear to be full-time mothers or mothers returning to work. That’s a pretty privileged position that’s not exclusive to white women, but maybe it’s seen more often in that community,” she told HuffPost.

Momcore’s rebranding in the mid-2010s did away with the idea of ​​a mom “letting go,” according to Schreiber, justifying it by going to Pilates while wearing an expensive dress. “It evolved from Tina Fey, Julia Louis-Dreyfus-mother-[inspired] jeans and the original cardigan for today’s influences in the mom space,” explained Schreiber. He referred Larissa Mills, the 50-year-old viral TikToker, described by WhoWhatWear as a purveyor of “basics” that are emblematic of today’s momcore clothing. This catchall has less to do with actually being a mom, or the uniform used to satisfy motherhood, and more to do with making everyday outfits look chic.

In the past, Fey’s “cool mom” look on “Mean Girls” exuded brilliance, but it was silly and meant to be a joke. The look has remained, however, and has evolved over the years. Schreiber described the Momcore makeover in the mid-2010s as “skinny jeans, heels, stilettos, Botox and a tight ponytail.”

“Look at someone like [Something Navy fashion blogger turned designer] Arielle Charnas, who belongs to Zero Bond [an exclusive members’ club] and come down the Upper East Side in taupes and Chanel,” she said.

Today, momcore is less about a real representation of motherhood and more about looking rich, chic, and cosmopolitan. Consider Christina Najjar, the TikTok star known as Tinx and creator The rich mom logo. Najjar, who launched a Rich Mom clothing line last year and collaborates with all sorts of lifestyle brands from Golden Goose (what she calls the official Rich Mom shoes) to Tabasco, isn’t even a mom.

“Being a mom these days doesn’t mean giving up your style; it means not giving up your identity for the sake of your children, but rather embracing the two identities together,” explained Schreiber.

But this merging of identities, at least when it comes to clothing, requires privilege and money. Manley said: “There’s also a part that seems to be about the insecurity of style. There seems to be a need to make women who are mothers feel it’s okay to dress in a way that’s comfortable and easy to wear.”

At its best, momcore is a clothing style that encourages ease of movement, as Manley points out above. In this way, momcore is more relevant today. “Moms just need to know that they make the world go round no matter what they choose to show off,” Schreiber said, explaining that dressing for moms is very individual. “Mothers’ clothing also depends on the person I’m styling; some want more comfortable shoes, others want stilettos to feel invigorated and unstoppable.

Here, he points out the main problem with momcore as a cultural touchstone. Since there is no single type of mother, no single definition of motherhood, assigning a uniform is problematic. But when we take the uniform from momcore and see it more as a style of clothing that allows for easy movement, the term opens up.

Beverly Osemwenkhae, a New York and London-based style expert and founder of ProjectBee Wardrobe Consulting, told HuffPost, “When I think of the term momcore, the first thing that comes to mind is comfort. Is it stretchy and can I move in it? She went on to explain the nuances of momcore, which can only mean doing you.

“I think everyone should wear clothes that make them feel good,” Osemwenkhae said. “I don’t think mothers should dress differently than other women; it’s about understanding your body shape and finding the right pieces that work for you and your lifestyle. If you’re a busy professional with young children, it might be worth investing in clothing that can easily transition from work to evening to weekend. If you’re a stay-at-home mom, consider more comfort and invest in activewear.

Ultimately, his take on momcore isn’t necessarily about consumption. Indeed, for Osemwenkhae, momcore is about rediscovering those parts of yourself that may have been darkened by motherhood. “I help [moms] rediscover your wardrobe by making physical purchases in your closet, giving new life to old pieces through restyling [their wardrobe],” she said.

Dropping the label of how a mom should dress could signal the end of momcore as we know it, or simply redefine it with more perspective and cultural relevance.