Mother's Day Outfit Inspiration with Cotton Traders {2024}

Dear friends. Mother's Day in the UK is early this year, on March 10. I always go to Plymouth to see my mum, who's 91, and we usually go out for lunch.

Readers in the USA and Australia may be scratching their heads over the date. Your Mother's Day is on 12 May. The reason for the UK date being different each year is that our celebration is rooted in the Christian observance of Lent, with Mothering Sunday taking place on the fourth Sunday, exactly three weeks before Easter Sunday.

Here's a sneak preview of what I'll be wearing, thanks to my friends at Cotton Traders.

Shades o lavender, pink and light grey from Is This Mutton's Mother's Day outfits post 2024

Early March is likely to be quite chilly so we will definitely need a jacket for a walk. Blazers are very on-trend at the moment. Regular readers will know I love the colour purple in most of its forms so this soft lined blazer in dusky lilac caught my eye. It's extremely good quality: it arrived without any creases. Also available in misty blue and pale rose, £49.

The chinos are also from Cotton Traders, who sensibly offer them in three lengths. The colour is the Holy Grail neutral of dove grey. I'm wearing my classic straight leg chinos in size 10, length 29 ins, 73 cms. Offered in sizes 8 to 24, the chinos also come in navy, washed green and dark ink, £34.

My top is the mock tee in shocking pink, a sleeveless top worn under the Fia blouse from Kettlewell Colours. Lilac brogues, old, from The Bias Cut. House of Bruar have a suede brogue in purple and other colours for £59.95.

Mum will also be looking colourful. She's never had her colours analysed but I'm sure she's a spring, like me. She has always adored wearing colour. Our Mother's Days are very precious, and many of you will have bittersweet memories on the day if you have lost your mum. I hope this post has not been triggering for you.

Gail Hanlon from Is This Mutton signs her card for her mum on Mother's Day 2024

The origins of the celebration are not courtesy of Hallmark cards as a lot of people think. In the US, the modern holiday was first celebrated in 1907, when Anna Jarvis held the first Mother's Day service of worship at Andrews Methodist Episcopal Church in Grafton, West Virginia. Andrew's Methodist Church now holds the International Mother's Day Shrine.

The UK origins go back to the 16th century and a tradition linked with Easter of Mothering Sunday.

Below: Mum in 2019. This was the last time we went to Torquay for the Mother's Day lunch at one of the seaside hotels. It was quite a significant date because my first step grandchild was born that day.

Lockdown and a dose of Covid intervened between 2020 - 2022. Last year we went to a restaurant in Plymouth with my brother and his family.

The mother of Is This Mutton's Gail Hanlon in 2019, aged 87, enjoying Mother's Day in Torquay

I'm back tomorrow with a very special book spotlight on The Wartime Book Club by Kate Thompson.

Disclosure: I was gifted with the blazer and trousers by Cotton Traders in return for a blog post. Copy approval was not sought and my editorial opinions are always objective and honest.

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