Maria West is a trad wife—and a proud one at that. While many women are pushing off settling down to discover themselves and build their careers, West has eschewed all of that in favor becoming a wife and mom.
She’s thus considered a trad wife, a stay-at-home mom who believes in traditional gender roles à la a stereotypical ’50s housewife. It’s a lifestyle that West considers to be a “soft rebellion.”
“To me, soft rebellion is doing the opposite of what the culture or system expects but doing it with warmth, intention, and joy,” she told What’s the Jam. “Some people rebel by taking to the streets – I rebel by choosing a slow, rooted life at home. It’s still rebellion, just in a softer tone.”
As her husband goes to work in real estate, West stays home with their kids and takes care of the house.
“They raise the price of eggs, so I get chickens. They flood the shelves with pesticide-laced food – I make sourdough and source locally,” she said. “They push mothers to outsource parenting – I homeschool with delight. They want our kids to sit still, follow rules, and become cogs in a machine – I raise mine to think freely and lead boldly.”
“Culture tells women to fear getting left behind, to hustle, to choose independence over intimacy,” West added. “My rebellion is building something with my husband and showing my children that motherhood is powerful, not passive. It’s not loud, but it’s radical in its quiet way.”
Trad Wife Reveals Why She Dresses Up for Housework
She does all of this—”home-schooling, baby-wrangling, cooking, cleaning, and pretending the laundry pile isn’t winning”—with a full face of makeup and an impeccable outfit.
“I don’t want to look like one of the boys. Even in the chaos of motherhood, I want to feel soft, beautiful and grounded,” she said. “Being presentable at home matters to me, but not in a vain way. It’s about respect, mindset and feeling myself. I want to reflect love and care for my home, my husband, and my children. That starts with how I carry myself.”
“Sometimes it’s a full face of makeup and a dress, other days it’s a brushed ponytail and a matching lounge set – but I always try,” West continued. “I don’t think we need to look perfect, but I do think we should show up with intention. I believe in embracing femininity in how I dress.”
Is Being a Trad Wife Anti-Feminist?
As for the implication that embracing the trad wife life is anti-feminist, West had a lot to say.
“Some people assume that choosing home means you’re repressed or small-minded, which is wild considering I’m just over here making soup and minding my own business. If empowerment means choice, then this is mine,” West said. “Peace doesn’t need to be loud to be real. There’s strength in softness, and not everyone is comfortable with that – but that’s OK.”
“To me, [being a trad wife] is not about playing a character or idolizing the past – it’s about building a life that’s rooted, peaceful, and intentional,” she added. “I’m not trying to go backwards – I just value some of the old ways: homemade food, strong family, quiet loyalty. I still dream, I still create – I just do it from the heart of my home.”
In fact, West insisted that, in adopting this lifestyle, she “didn’t lose” herself, but rather “just stopped chasing things that didn’t fit.”
“My legacy is being built in slow mornings, shared meals, and tiny hands,” she said. “I think women have been taught to fear motherhood, like it’s the end of their story. But for me, it was the beginning. We don’t talk enough about the joy, the depth, and the identity you gain from this role.”