When your Mum says about an item of clothing "Oh, we had those when I was a girl!" you dismiss the claim as maternal rambling.

When it happens to you, it pulls you up short.

It was all to do with platform heels. We'd gone out shopping, my youngest daughter and I, and were looking at shoes.

She was ogling a particularly extreme pair that looked as though they'd come in handy if the Spanish Inquisition ever got back into business. Even though I was quietly "hrrmphing" my displeasure at such a daft buy, they did have a familiar look.

Then it struck me. They were dead-ringers for a pair I had when I was 18. They crippled me but I was convinced that I looked like a top model (minus the height, the protruding rib cage and the stunning face, of course).

Naturally, I didn't let this warm memory influence my judgement. "But you'll break your neck in those!" I whined, as Lucy gave me That Look.

You know, the one that teens do so well, combining derision and disdain, and total disbelief that you are in any way related.

She didn't get those shoes, by the way. She bought a far uglier pair that reminded me of old, orthopaedic boots. But the situation did bring back the complete incident of my platform shoes.

I had actually been out shopping with MY Mum when I saw them -- and SHE had had a pair rather like them when SHE was a teenager!

Looking at it all logically, of course, you can see that teenagers never want to acknowledge that they like clothes that their parents might conceivably wear.

Certainly, one way to ensure that your child doesn't buy an item is to praise it. "THAT'S nice!" is the kiss of death. Almost as effective as describing something as "cute."

Fortunately for today's teens, they do have one item of clothing all their own that their parents would probably never buy.

The Thong.

Surely this was created as a refined form of torture? I can't believe anyone would wear this piece of lingerie modelled on a particularly flimsy chastity belt as anything other than a cruel punishment.

Although, as the Monty Python boys had it, you never expect the Spanish Inquisition ....