Harper Beckham, 14, has been borrowing her mother Victoria’s dresses while on holiday in Ibiza, wearing the same long, brown floral chiffon dress Victoria wore days earlier. The following day, she wore a pink satin dress from Victoria’s upcoming collection as the family dined in Formentera.
This mother-daughter wardrobe sharing is a common rite of passage, but experts warn it can trigger complex emotions. Dr Ghazala Aziz-Scott, clinical director of the Marion Gluck Clinic, notes that both teenage girls and menopausal mothers experience hormonal fluctuations, leading to potential clashes.
“As women enter the menopause, they do not produce enough progesterone, the calming hormone, which also fluctuates in adolescents,” Dr Aziz-Scott said. She added that menopause is a psychological turning point where self-esteem can plummet, while watching a daughter blossom.
However, cognitive psychologist Professor Carolyn Mair says the “mini-me dynamic” can also foster bonding. “When daughters borrow or mirror their mothers’ style, it can reflect admiration and strengthen attachment,” she explained. “But those same moments can bring an unwelcome awareness of ageing and shifting identity.”
