I love gorgeous lingerie. It makes me feel not only sexy, but spoiled. And I like feeling a little spoiled. Always have. In fact, right at this very moment, my closet contains a small arsenal of lacy, silky something-somethings...none of which fit anymore. ARGH!!! While I've happily weeded out all of my pre-baby clothes that no longer fit, I haven't been able to bring myself to weed out the lingerie. I keep hoping that one day we will be happily reunited.
I'm still waiting.
So there it is. It might be time to move on. Since shopping always makes me feel just a wee bit better about...well, anything really (sick, I know), I started looking for a new little silky something as a consolation prize of sorts.
And there are all kinds of gorgeousness out there. I just don't want to wear (most of) them. While I'm sure my husband would love me in anything, quite frankly it's not about him. It's about me. I need something that makes me feel gorgeous. And playful. And flirty. Something that isn't too serious. Something that can get me out of the "Mom" frame of mind, but something also that makes me feel comfortable in my post-baby body. So yes - I'm looking for the Holy Grail of mom lingerie.
Did I find it? Nah. But I found some gorgeous-playful-flirty lingerie that is certainly worth a try. Don't be afraid: there are no crotchless (or tasseled) anythings.
Rookie Moms, one of our all-time favorite mom blogs, asked us to guest post with the general theme of "sexy" in time for Valentine's Day. First up: sexy jeans.
Are your jeans sexy? Or are they screaming, "I'm a mom with a saggy, saggy bum!!" Apply the hand-grab rule and find out.
I'm slowly transitioning away from plastic. Our plastic bags have been replaced by Envirosax Bags (to read all about my love for them, click here), plastic sippy cups never stood a chance against my Sigg bottles (despite the recall, I'm still a fan) and at long last, I've found a solution that makes those annoying little plastic baggies obsolete: Lunch Skins.
Lunch Skins are the creation of Three Green Moms, who wanted to come up with an answer to your "plastic baggie blues". Three Green Moms were concerned with amount of landfill waste the modern family was contributing, and knew they could come up with a product that was safe, affordable and cute. Working with patisseries and bakeries in Europe, they created Lunch Skins out of a thick cotton fabric coated with a food-safe polyurethane lining (read: no plastic-leaching worries) that could also withstand high heat: Voila! An environmentally friendly, dish-washer safe, and very cool alternative to the plastic baggie.
NOTE: They have been certified as lead, Bisphenol-A (BPA) and phthalate-free.
The very thin layer of polyurethane has also been tested and found not
to migrate into food or leave a “plastic” odor behind, and meets EU
requirements for food contact (typically stricter than US laws).
I've filled these baggies with popcorn, chips, pretzels, cut fruit, cheese, sandwiches, peanut butter crackers, and, in a pinch, a rolled-up clean diaper and wipes when I needed to downsize my diaper bag to better match an outfit. My husband regularly steals them for his own lunch, and I've been known to swipe some for toiletries while traveling.
Lunch Skins now come in three sizes - a smaller size, shown in the pic of
Raines happily snacking, a larger sandwich size bag, and a "sub bag". Best of all, they come in some pretty cool fabric choices (see below for pics).
Gang, meet Jocelyn and her little guy, Jasper. She was shopping at Whole Foods, Jasper and hubby in tow, looking adorable in the middle of January in her vintage polka-dot dress. I was impressed by two things:
1. She was wearing a dress (something I never think about putting on when out and about with the kiddo).
2. She was wearing a dress in a winter-appropriate way.
Not only did she throw thick tights on underneath her dress, but she added warm, furry winter boots. And somehow, the whole look works. The key here is to not over-think it.
Also, a dress with a fitted bodice and full skirt is not only easy to move in, but universally flattering - especially for moms with curves. Think Mad Men, think 50's housewife.
Here's how I'd recreate:
Modcloth.com is my favorite source for vintage-looking dresses. Their Be My Valentine Dress, $80, would be a welcome sight on a gray winter day. I would pair this dress with the insanely adorable Knitted Bobby Cardigan, $160, from Topshop.com and the Joan of Arctic Sorel boots that I've had my eye on all winter. They are now on sale for $120 at piperlime.com. While cream cable-knit tights would be cute, thick black tights go with everything, and that's what I would wear with this outfit. Again, don't over-think.
Cute, easy, comfy, and more festive than most of my everyday "mom outfits". Thanks, Jocelyn!
(Confession: My husband actually pointed Jocelyn's outfit out to me. He's such a sucker for a skirt).
I know, I know. It's February. But I was about to post our January mom (late) and realized that we hadn't yet posted our December mom. Sigh. Prior to becoming a mom, I had a slight problem with getting places on time. (I can hear my friends all snorting with derision). Now that I'm a mom, time has ceased to have any meaning whatsoever.
But our December mom is too good to miss. Meet Emily - she's actually Raines' nanny. So not technically a mom, but Em certainly knows how to look cute and be comfortable around the kiddos! I'm always amazed at what she puts together: she could seriously be a regular feature.
In any case, I wanted to highlight a cool trick that she taught me this past December. You know those shirts that come with their own sash? (Or belt, or whatever) Em layered the shirt under a boyfriend cardi, and then used the sash belt over the cardi to better define her waist. Genius!
I love that you could also pull this off with any cute sash belt. Try also a skinny scarf or a man's tie. Just layer a thin boyfriend cardi over a longish tunic, and tie your sash of choice around your natural waist, like Em.
It's a common complaint: You are 6 weeks postpartum, and are proud of yourself for, (A) being out of the house and (B) having showered and applied makeup. As you are strutting happily along, babe in tow, you eventually run into some idiot who says, "So, when are you due?"
This situation happens to us all, and my previous coping strategy was to simply bury the incident deep in my brain, never to be thought of again. But then one of our readers left the following comment:
I have
several tops like these[NOTE: she's referring to the floaty tops featured in our Postpartum Belly Hiding Tops post] that I wore after giving birth in May, and I
was so disappointed and embarrassed when people asked me if I was
pregnant. I wanted to scream...hey, not everyone looks like Heidi Klum
six weeks postpartum. But then I thought maybe it also had to do with
the loose floaty tops I was wearing. Any suggestions for this problem?
I'm pregnant again and want to AVOID this situation in the future!
Sigh. It's best to face this situation head-on. So, is there anything we can do to avoid looking pregnant after we've given birth?
The short answer is: No. Not really. Our bodies just went through 9 months of crazy changes - it's not going to be undone overnight. One O/B told me to think about it this way: It takes 9 months for your body to get that big, it's probably going to take another 9 months for your body to go back to normal. At least. And as someone who got scary-big (click link then scroll down for a pic), I get it.
There are, however, a few strategies worth trying:
Choose tops that skim over the pooch.
While I know that this silhouette can be very maternity-top, you can always rein in the fabric with a banded bottom, like Forever 21's Gale Gathered Front Tunic, $13.80. We also pictured a several of these types of tops in our first and second Hide the Postpartum Pooch posts, if you need more ideas.
Show some cleavage.
Typically, postpartum boobs are still huge, whether you are nursing or not. And if you are nursing, well...they are epic. Nothing makes you look bigger than big boobs, all covered up in fabric. So choose a deep v-neck, cowl, or a large scoop neck. Anything that shows some cleavage. Again, the Gale Gathered Front Tunic does a nice job of both camouflaging the pooch and showing some cleavage.
Disguise the Pooch In a Pattern.
Look for patterns that are a bit busy and
asymmetrical. I know that sounds horrible. Admittedly, it's hard, but not impossible, to find busy, asymmetrical patterns that are cute. The goal is distraction.
Florals are huge for Spring, and I'm loving Forever 21's Tropical Floral Top, $15.80. It has a banded bottom, a low neckline, and a busy, asymmetrical pattern to disguise a postpartum pooch. Wow - it hits all three strategies. So if the sight of your fantastic cleavage isn't enough to draw the eye up, all of that floral goin' on will nicely camouflage the pooch.
Try Some High-Waisted Jeans
I know you are thinking, WHAT????? But consider this: your postpartum pooch is very, very soft. It's really just extra skin and lots of...jelly-like stuff. Ugh. But the good news is that it squishes down quite a bit. Zipping it up into a pair of high-waisted jeans helps keep it under control, and gives you a bit of support that will actually feel good 6 weeks postpartum. Really. You want the high waist tight, but not so tight you can't breathe.
These jeans are a bonus for c-section girls: many low-waisted jeans can irritate your very sensitive scar. High-waisted jeans were the only thing I could wear for months (besides sweatpants, obviously), and to this day, there are times when my scar still gets irritated and I pull them back out. Ahhhh....relief.
Just because you have high-waisted jeans doesn't mean you need to show off the high waist until you are ready (read: have lost the jelly-belly). Just pull tops down over the high waist. No one will be the wiser. Since high-waists have been around a while (the fashion mags seem to love/hate them every 6 months), they are currently really easy to find, and often on sale. Personally, I really liked Seven For All Mankind's High Waist Bootcut Jean, $196 at shopbop.com.
Try the Tupler Exercises
WIth many pregnancies,the outmost halves of the abdominal muscles seperate a bit, making it hard for you to regain your pre-baby belly. Doing the right kind of abdominal exercises mays help. Julie Tupler, RN developed an exercise (the Tupler Technique) that can help women pull these muscles back together. Medline has a great interview with Julie Tupler (with her instructions on the exercise), but for a quick synopsis of just the exercise, go to Fit Pregnancy's article.
Wrap Up the Belly
Julie Tupler recommends wrapping your belly in her Tupler Diastais Rehab Splint, $35 (pictured at right), or you could always try the Belly Bandit Bamboo, $66 (pictured at left). Both products pictured are from Becoming Mothers in Boulder, CO. The Tupler Splint helps target the the seperated muscles specifically, while the Belly Bandit helps reduce uterine swelling, water retention and offers back support.
For an even more affordable approximation, you can always try a simple Ace Bandage. Ask the hospital for one before you leave - they'll give you one for free. I wore mind daily for several weeks. I don't know if it reduced uterine swelling or helped with my diastais, but I do know it made life much more bearable, helped support my aching body, and hid the pooch a bit. Next time around I might try the Belly Bandit. It fits nice and low, and looks like a c-section girl's best friend.
So hopefully this will help avoid any awkward, "Are you STILL pregnant? Oops - there's the baby!" situations in the future. But probably not. Just remember: pooch or not, your baby is pretty darn sure you are the most gorgeous thing he (or she) has ever seen.
Meet Serena, the writer of the fashion blog, Style on a String. I've been following her for several months now, and have been impressed with her consistently well edited picks. A couple of weeks ago, one of her entries caught my eye: Oh Beautiful Bags....How I Adore Thee.
Not only are Serena's pick gorgeous, but they are gorgeously large, and most would be perfect as diaper bags. I've never been a fan of the traditional diaper bag (they usually just scream DIAPERS! GET YOUR DIAPERS HERE!), so I've always preferred hunting around for a cool bag large enough for the little man's accoutrement.
One especially inspired option is Serena's pick of photographer's bags, like the Kelly Moore bag pictured here. Totally drool-worthy, and totally perfect for moms!
Ten minutes is a precious commodity in the life of a new
parent.Think of all the things you can
do in that very short period of time: shower (!), check your email, pay
your bills, empty the dishwasher, call your best friend, clear the drain of all that hair you're shedding, paint your toenails,
savor a cup of coffee or tea . . .But where on EARTH will you find ten minutes
for all of these gloriously luxuriant activities I speak of, you ask?Where indeed.You need the right toys for your kiddo, ones that will enable her to
play independently for short (~10 minute) periods of time.Toys that will engage and stimulate him and make
your life about a thousand times easier, both in the short term and in the long
run. In time your peanut’s attention span will grow and he’ll be able to play independently
for longer periods of time—an important life skill he’ll need.
Aren’t you the chick who spent $125.99 on a ridonculous
play mat when you already had a $40.00 version you really liked? You might
ask.I could say I bought that play gym
as research for this blog, but in the interest of full disclosure, the truth is
I still have plenty of room for mistakes in the area of baby accoutrement.BUT, I’m telling you that, beyond a shadow of
a doubt, and after watching my boys play with the same stuff over the last two
years, I have 100% mastered toys for the 0-6 month set.
I’ve whittled the seemingly endless list of useless baby gadgetry
I’ve purchased down to the essential toys that actually get played with, and
I’m confident these items are close to, if not all, the toys you’ll need for
your kiddo, up to about 5 or 6 months.
Amazing
Baby Blanket Teether Bear - $13.00 This sweet little bear is a great at-home and car toy.It crinkles, squeaks, has multiple textures,
rings for easy grasping and teether paws.
Baby Buzz’r
- $13.95 This toy is a tender, low-key version of baby shock-and-awe.It doesn’t have independent play staying
power, but watch as your fussy little or gal becomes mesmerized and contentedly
quiet, buying you the few moments you need to check out at the grocery store or
finish a phone call before an all-out meltdown.
Baby
Sweet Dreams Crib Mirror - $8.99 I’m a huge fan of mirrors for babies. I have lightweight shatterproof mirrors above
both my sweet-peas’ dressers and a mirror in my 5-month-old’s crib.Mirrors are fascinating to the little ones
and help with language and social skill development.
Babyville
Activity Toy - $15.95 The only thing babies love more than their own reflection is
another baby.The Babyville Activity toy
has several pictures of diverse cuties, funky and interesting octopus arms with
different textures and ribbon and teether tabs.
Infant-Stim
Mobile - $19.99 The high-contrast and interchangeable images on the Infant-Stim
mobile are a big with hit the 0-6 month set.I can’t count the times I’ve entered the room of both my eldest and
infant son to catch them looking up and laughing or smiling at this mobile,
something I’ve never seen happen with designer mobiles that are appealing to
older folks.I change one of the images
at least once a week and watch as my little guy looks at his mobile with new
eyes, a terrific exercise in observation and memory for his developing brain.When we traveled with my eldest, I’d pop a
few of the cards in my carry-on for a compact, durable on-the-go toy.
Peek
Rattle & Teether - $9.99 A small set of soft blocks are a must.Little people need interesting objects that
are light enough for them to handle but cool enough to hold their
attention.I like this set because they
are made of high-contrast color fabrics and have little windows with other
interesting objects, like a rattle ball, rings and bell, inside.
Really
Big Oball - $16.99 I love the Really Big Oball for tiny babies and older kids
alike. Our tiniest man just hangs out and manipulates
it, looking pretty impressed with himself.I think he gets a kick out of handling something so big, but it’s light
and grasp-able enough for his Lilliputian guns.By the same merit, when his big bro’ punts it across the room, it
doesn’t hurt too much when it connects.
Squish
Classic - $12.04 If you only buy one toy for your 0-6 month old, this should be
it.To observe first my oldest and now
my youngest little man playing with this delightful toy is to witness sheer awe
and absorption.Luv luv luv that it squishes
flat, making it a stellar travel toy, too.
Twist
and Fold Activity Gym - $43.59 As far as I’m concerned, this is the best and cheapest activity gym
out there, and I
have owned three.Moms of little
chicks: do not, not for even for a second, consider purchasing the “girl” pink
vomit version of this gym.The “boy” version
is totally unisex enough.
Congratulations on your new bundle, and enjoy your 10-minute break,
dear mamas!
Right about now, I'm starting to ache for Spring. Which means that I tend to view Denver's eternally sunny skies optimistically: the sun is out, therefore it's warm, right? No. Not by a long shot. Add to the mix the fact that magazines are filled with Spring fashion coverage, boutiques have winter items on super sale and window displays are showing the most fabulous little gauzy dresses, tops and sandals. BOOOOOOOO.
I could seriously use some fashion inspiration. So Molly and I asked a few boutique owners and a personal shopper at Nordstroms to put together some inspiring looks to help us get through the winter. First up? Stacy McElhany, mom of Emerson and owner of Violet Boutique, Denver.
When Stacy asked us what kind of outfit we were looking for, I told her to put on something inspired. And Stacy's outfit (pictured) is certainly inspired, with a very unlikely source of inspiration: Dick Van Dyke in Chitty Chitty Bang Bang.
NOTE: Emerson took one look at her mum and declared that she did look like "that man". Mission accomplished!
I love that Stacy effortlessly rocks the boyfriend denim trend (with socks! My favorite!), the denim-on-denim trend, the ankle-bootie trend, and the long cardigan trend without looking contrived.
Ideas To Takeaway:
Try layering a vest under a long cardigan, or even layering a paper-thin cardigan (buttoned up) under a bulkier cardigan
Try wearing your boyfriend jeans rolled up, with socks and ankle boots for cool, effortless vibe.
Throw on a brooch to glam up boy-inspired outfits.
Experiment with men-inspired neckwear. Stacy's silk scarf almost seems like an ascot, and I, inspired by Stacy, wore a white shirt, men's tie and a buttoned, vneck boyfriend cardi with jeans the other day. I ended up getting quite a few compliments. It's unexpected and fun.
For a cohesive look, keep the color palette to a minimum. Stacy's basic colors are shades of black, shades of denim, and white.
Most of the items Stacy is wearing have come from her store at one point or another. Her boyfriend jeans (It's Ellie jean) will be available at Violet this Spring. She's also wearing a Grandpa cardigan by Cullen, Denim Vest by Pink, Rebecca Taylor White Blouse, Blowfish Booties, Ralph Lauren Trouser socks, Adina Reyter hoop earrings, and a Vintage Replication brooch.
If you have more questions for Stacy, or would like to order from Violet, call her at 720-932-1655.
Hmmmm....I always forget about movies as fashion inspiration. Winter is the perfect time to snuggle up with an old movie. And be inspired. Dick Van Dyke? Who knew?
Can you imagine
having a job where you don’t even get a chair to sit in?Where you’re required to sit on the floor,
demonstrating your brilliance by building complex structures out of wooden
blocks and operating small machinery without even a cushion or back support?And when you do get to sit on the peculiarly oversized
furniture, you have to hoist yourself up, throw one leg up to your ear and claw
and scratch your way into the seat.Then, as you sit there, finally resting your back, you realize that you
can’t even bend your flippin’ knees.Such
is the plight of your average 2-6-year-old. No wonder they’re cranky by 5 o’clock.
Enter kids’
furniture, which I never, not in a million years, thought I would purchase
until I noticed my dear boy throwing himself into every tiny chair he encountered,
whether at friends’ homes or in stores.What
I found during my research was that kids’ easy chairs have a way of being
either a.) insanely hideous and unworthy of even your lowliest design sensibility,
or b.) particularly expensive.
Until recently,
the best affordable contemporary/transitional seating option for kids was the
Pottery Barn kids’ chair, which has rolled arms, a number of festive fabric and
personalization options and retails for about $120.00. But what I wanted, and what Monte Designs
delivered on, was a kids chair that would provide a comfy place for the boy
wonder to snack and flip through books but that would essentially blend in with
my living room décor so I didn’t have to hide it whenever we had guests.
The Monte Designs Cubino Kids
Chair, which retails for $109.00, is neither a.) nor b.). It is covered in a very well-tailored, clean-lined and removable slipcover
that’s made of washable, stain- and water-resistant micro suede in eight modern color options.I chose (courtesy of Grandma & Beba--thank you!) the brown and orange to
compliment my chocolate brown micro suede sectional.Huck luv luv luvs this chair, as evinced by his obvious relief when he first sat in it (pictured above), and so do I.
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