There’s an undeniable pull toward coordinated dressing with your children. It soothes the eye in a way clashing colors and competing cartoons never could and undeniably looks better in photos (a legitimate benefit at the start of a fresh school year when there are an abundance of moments to capture). Aesthetics aside, it’s also a tangible way of confirming those small, loveable rockets of disaster and mess are yours. Consider: Parenting is a marathon of soothing and fetching and wiping; seize any opportunity to applaud yourself for keeping them alive, healthy, and, crucially, dressed.
True matchy-matchy outfits exist, but the most modern way to approach mom-and-me co-ords is with complementary colors or shapes or a print envisioned in cuts that are both adult-friendly and small-person adorable. Skip anything that looks like there’s the original (yours) and the identical, shrunken-down version (theirs). Instead, shop with an eye for shared details, fabrics, or the same print in different silhouettes.
There’s an understated elegance to picking pieces that don’t immediately scream, “We’re matching!” Those are the ones we’re after: Combos that style-lovers will notice and appreciate, clocking details that talk to each other.
Here, six matching-but-not-exactly pairings perfect for starting off the back-to-school fashion season.
The Bottom Line
Boden
Back-to-school season is peak transitional dressing, which translates to a last hurrah for summery staples like luxe cotton and broderie. The latter is a richly worked detail that doesn’t scream but whispers. You’ll notice it and anyone who cares about fashion will clock it, but your junior? Maybe, maybe not.
Boden Lauren Broderie Midi Dress, $178.50
Boden Broderie Hem Pants, $44
Garden State
Baybala
If you’re looking for a more fully-matched moment, keep an eye out for cuts done in the same print or fabric. Differing silhouettes avoid the cringe of decades past—Mom’s cut shouldn’t be infantilized. In essence, the aim is an item that will live on in both of your closets, whether worn on the same day or not.
Baybala English Garden Mother & Daughter Set, $332
Don’t Sweat It
Sezane
The easiest way to get a coordinated vibe is with basics that are similar but not identical. Graphic crewnecks are so easy to mix and match within everyone’s closets: You can wear with jeans while your little can pair with the bottom du jour (dinos, trucks, unicorns, etc).
Sézane French Enough Sweatshirt, $120
Sézane Amour Choco Crème Sweat-Shirt, $75
Line Up
Boden
There’s no better way to make a statement-maker count than going double. Striped trousers will always grab attention, but adding on the one-two punch of seeing yours duplicated on a smaller frame? Honestly, only wear these if you’re okay with strangers commenting on the cuteness.
Boden Westbourne Linen Pants. $98.99
Boden Cotton Linen Pull-On Pants, $45
Jump to It
Alex Mill
One way to approach coordinated mom-and-child dressing is to simply think about what you like to wear, then replicate it. You can usually find similar options with a quick internet search, but some labels have taken notice of the matching trend, issuing petite versions of adult bestsellers.
Alex Mill Standard Zip Jumpsuit in Herringbone, $250
Alex Mill Mini Standard Jumpsuit, $125
Flowers of a Feather
Doen
The same dreamy, romantic look that you might gravitate toward likely works well for younger dressers who also are familiar with a princess era. When something has equal appeal to both parties (like beautiful blossoms), the matchy-matchy look truly feels effortless.
Doen Nyeli Dress. $338
Doen Little Marche Top, $88
Read the original article on InStyle
