Fashion writer and author Terry Newman is celebrating the women who maintained their personal style, ambitions and individuality through motherhood in her new book, Cool Mothers: An Appreciation of Style.
The illustrated book examines the lives and wardrobes of influential women, including Jane Birkin, Vivienne Westwood, Kate Moss, Charlotte Gainsbourg, Courtney Love and Rosita Missoni, alongside her daughter Angela and granddaughter Margherita Missoni. Rather than presenting a guide to dressing well as a mother, Newman uses fashion to explore the personalities, experiences and identities of women whose influence extends beyond their roles as parents.
In an interview with WWD, Newman described her approach as writing miniature biographies through clothing. Her previous books have explored figures including Harry Styles, BTS and Marilyn Monroe, reflecting her interest in how personal style reveals character.
The project was partly inspired by the loss of her own mother a few years ago. While going through her late mother’s diaries and photographs, Newman discovered images of her as a teenager that revealed a side of her she had never fully known. The experience prompted her to consider how much of a woman’s identity can remain hidden from the people closest to her.
From Princess Diana to Kate Moss: Style Beyond Motherhood
Diana, Princess of Wales with Eton housemaster Dr, Andrew Gailey, Prince Harry, Prince William, and then Prince Charles outside of Manor House on Prince William’s first day at Eton College in Eton on September 6, 1995. Getty Images
Princess Diana is among the figures whose evolution illustrates the book’s central theme. Newman reflected on how the late royal gradually moved away from the conservative image initially associated with her public role, embracing a more independent identity through her fashion choices.
As Diana became more confident, her wardrobe evolved from traditional frilled blouses to bolder looks, including designs associated with John Galliano. Newman also highlighted Diana’s decision to dress her sons, Prince William and Prince Harry, in more casual clothing, challenging established expectations within the royal family.
Other examples include Kate Moss, whose daughter Lila has spoken about borrowing vintage rock T-shirts from her mother’s wardrobe, and Courtney Love, whom Newman believes was unfairly judged as a young mother. Love’s appearance on the red carpet with her daughter, Frances Bean Cobain, both dressed in vintage clothing, offered an alternative image of motherhood that combined personal style with an unconventional lifestyle.
The book also explores family relationships through fashion history. Newman recalled learning from Elizabeth Taylor’s granddaughter that the actress valued inexpensive novelty jewellery alongside her diamonds, demonstrating how personal attachment can matter more than an item’s price or prestige.
For Newman, the defining quality of a cool mother is not youth, glamour or perfection. Instead, it is the ability to retain a strong sense of self while allowing children the freedom to develop their own identities.
That perspective offers a broader cultural counterpoint to idealised portrayals of motherhood, including the growing visibility of traditional domestic roles on social media. By examining women who continued to pursue creative careers, take risks and make mistakes, Cool Mothers argues that motherhood need not erase ambition or individuality. Its central message is that authenticity, rather than an image of flawless parenting, is what makes these women enduring style figures.
