Top 5 Things Not to Buy Mom for Mother's Day

[Theresa Brazle]

1. Frumpy Fashion
Forty is the new 30, 50 the new 40 and so on. So don't assume that just because she's a mom or grandmother that she doesn't want to look updated. So skip the baggy "#1 Mom" T-shirts and look for styles that will help her express herself, such as Junk Food Clothing's cool T-shirts (a favorite of 40-something celeb moms like Demi Moore and Felicity Huffman).

2. Fake Bag
Sure, you'd save a bundle by buying that fake Fendi from a car trunk or street corner, but nothing's tackier than a knockoff gift. Instead, opt for budget bags that get the look of designer handbags (same silhouette or hardware type) but aren't blatant counterfeit goods.

3. Cheap Jewelry
At some point, all of the gold-tone lockets and faux sterling bracelets start to pile up in Mom's drawers. She may feel obligated to wear these sentimental pieces for your sake, but what she'd really like is something that fits in better with her signature style (it could range from an estate piece you find on eBay to classic diamond studs).

4. Mom Jeans
Let's get one thing straight: just because Mom doesn't have the body of a 19-year-old doesn't mean she wants to wear high-waisted, peg-leg jeans. With so many premium jeans on the market, you can find great updated denim for Mom in every size range. Find out all about jeans.

5. Wrong Size
One of the biggest challenges to giving clothing as a gift is finding the right size. If you don't know, don't guess (unless you want to drive a size 6 mom crazy by buying her a 2X top or vice versa). Try to sneak a peek at her closet to help find sizes or even ask her for sizes or measurements to compare to size charts.