Australian Mom Turns TikTok Viral for Bold Fashion and Saying No to “Dress Your Age” Comments

16 November 2025

At 58, Australian mother and TikTok creator Trish Roda is quietly shaking up fashion norms, posting daring, vibrant outfits alongside her 31-year-old daughter Suzannah Gagliardi and drawing both applause and criticism for refusing to let age = style. The duo’s videos, which feature bold leather pants, sparkly tops, and coordinated mother-daughter fashion moments, have racked up hundreds of thousands of views as they promote the message that style is timeless rather than tied to a number.

Roda shared that she is tired of being told what she should wear and when she should look a certain way just because of her age. The pair have become a mini-movement as much as a fashion account, encouraging women to express identity, confidence and joy rather than conforming to expectations about “dressing your age.”

The story began to catch major attention when one TikTok post amassed more than 780 000 views, featuring Roda in black leather trousers and a dazzling top, her daughter walking beside her in fashion synchronicity. It was the kind of image that invites comparison to magazine editorials rather than run-of-the-mill social-media updates. But the fans weren’t the only ones watching. In the comments section, haters jumped in quickly the kinds of remarks that told Roda to “wise up”, stop trying to “look 30 years younger”, or quietly “dress her age”. One commenter wrote bluntly “She’s proof that looks don’t last forever.” Others accused her of being attention-seeking or disrespectful of her age.

Roda’s reaction was surprising to some. Rather than retreat, she leaned in. She told media that negative comments don’t upset her. In fact they fuel her. “It’s like ‘Wow, bring it on. Wait till you see my next outfit,’” she said in an interview. Her daughter Suzannah picked up the narrative in her own words: “There’s pretty much an army behind her just sticking up for her, which I love.” The duo pointed out that their DMs are now full of messages from women saying they used to fear aging or upkeep but now feel inspired to express themselves without apology.

Beyond the personal stake, the story taps into broader cultural fault lines. The notion that mothers or women over 50 should adopt certain “appropriate” clothing is something the fashion industry and social-media spaces have long wrestled with. When Roda says “style is who you are,” she contests not just a comment section but decades of normative grooming rules. Her stance challenges the idea that maturity must look muted, quiet, hidden or tailored down. Instead she presents visibility, audacity and flair as options regardless of years lived. In doing so she connects with younger audiences and older ones alike, building a bridge across generations.

Fashion watchers have also noticed the aesthetic. Roda’s choices leather pants, sparkly tops, coordinating accessories defy what might be called “middle-age minimalism”. They signal not desperation but intentional appearance. With Gagliardi beside her, the visuals communicate unity, fun and confidence. One observer wrote that the duo’s style subtly dissolves the idea of age-segmented fashion altogether. And in a social-media era where every video, like, share and comment is quantified, this mother-daughter thread validates that fashion still matters and that visibility still carries meaning.

But the question remains: why now, and why this moment? For Roda the answer seems rooted in self-acceptance and a refusal to bow to invisibility. She has been styling wardrobes for years yet chose to step into the camera-light alongside her daughter with purpose, to show that 58 is not a number to hide from but a chapter to celebrate. The TikTok format allowed that chapter to become public, and for audiences to respond. The criticism serves as the flip-side of visibility: when one step out, some expect you to step back. Roda refuses.

What this story reveals is that age and appearance are still deeply enmeshed in cultural expectation especially for women. The trope that once you have children or reach your 50s you should dress modestly, responsibly or invisibly still holds weight online. Roda’s viral moment flips it: she becomes the subject rather than the object, the model rather than the muse. Her vindication comes not just in views but in messages saying women feel inspired by her. She says if she can help even one woman embrace who she is, then it’s worthwhile.

As the account grows and the posts continue, Roda and Gagliardi appear set on expanding the message beyond the viral moment. They plan to keep posting, keep sharing outfits and keep cultivating the community that rallies behind them. The age-inclusive fashion movement, they say, is more than trend; it is a stance. In their case it is also a public mother-daughter partnership where authenticity matters over uniformity, expression over expectation.

In the end the viral story of “dress your age” turned on its head signals a shift in how style, generation and identity intersect online. For Trish Roda it is not about fighting age but embracing it, not about seeking youth but owning presence. And for the audience watching it plays as a reminder: confidence doesn’t fade with time. It evolves.