it’s the idea of not dressing in the fasion sense of the parent, so the complement that she looks “cute” makes her think she’s out of date or not “hip” if her mom likes how she looks.
typical teenage insecurity. more interested in not being like something and being “cool”. just a slave to clothes marketing companies’ social media fashion.
if you were being pedantic, it would be the ball made of silly putty, to give it it’s strange flight, it just doesn’t fit as well with the putting joke.
sunday’s comic is totally missing