My mum is the person in my life that I turn to for almost anything—advice on the big-picture parts of my life, insights into how to navigate a sticky situation, or even just mundane matters like recommendations on what to cook for dinner.

We’re incredibly close, courtesy of there being only 17 years between us, but where I don’t seek her insights is when it comes to suggestions on style. Don’t get me wrong, she’s always incredibly complimentary on whatever I wear and loves getting dressed up as much as I do, but given I’ve been a fashion writer for close to a decade, she really leans on my expertise when it comes to building her wardrobe and honing her taste.

Where we diverge, however, is in the specific styles of clothes we gravitate towards. Though there’s a very small age gap, those years seem to be magnified whenever we hit the high street, with her drawn towards more classic silhouettes appropriate for a 44-year-old, whilst I run straight towards contemporary shapes suitable for a 26-year-old.

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An image of Who What Wear's Ava Gilchrist and her mum.

Who What Wear UK writer, Ava Gilchrist (26), and her mum, Krystalla (44), have a 17-year age gap. But how does this generational divide fare when they’re tasked with finding new-in, high-street finds that they’d both wear?

“I like to wear clothes that look and feel luxurious, without necessarily the expensive price tag to match, and make me feel confident and empowered when I walk out the door,” she tells me. “I don’t really follow trends, but now as I get older, I’m trying to build my wardrobe with specific items tailored to each season, as well as timeless pieces I can wear all year round.”