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.
Gang, meet "FashionAddict". She's a fellow blogger who focuses on affordable fashion. If any of you follow her blog, Fashion For The Economically Challenged, you'll quickly learn that not only does she manage to find cute looks at really affordable prices, she is a whiz at shopping her own closet. You'll see how she remixes her favorites over and over. I love that.
While FashionAddict mainly focuses on office appropriate attire, I came across one of her posts that would be especially of interest to moms.
Over the last year or so, there has been much discussion on Ain't No Mom Jeans about the value of skinny jeans. I would dare say that many of you are under the assumption that skinny jeans should only be worn by size 2 gals. While I've always disagreed (I think skinny jeans can be flattering on a range of body types/sizes)....well, for many of you, the love wasn't there.
But a picture is worth a thousand words, no? And no one can dispute that FashionAddict looks great in her skinnies. I love that despite her misgivings, she gave them a try:
For those of you so inclined (and much, much more talented than I am), I found a fantastic DIY option for a cool winter hat with an urban feel. The Cadet Hat, shown, is a free pattern that you can download from Kathryn Ivy. It's listed as a project for "all skill levels", which makes me really curious.
I have these urges to create. To learn how to knit, buy a sewing machine and start making stuff for Raines. I get it from my mother. She would, from time-to-time in a fit of motherliness, drag up some old sewing machine from the basement and start sewing pajamas for my sister and I. Then back down to the basement the ancient sewing machine would go, catching dust until the next pajama fit struck.
At some point, just like Mom, I regain my sense of reality. It's good to know your strengths. We both can cook.
We don't do cutesy in this family. We don't do clothing with puppies, kitties, bunnies, or even happy little hammers with slogans like, "Daddy's Little Helper!" I can't do it. I.....just....can't....do it.
I'm also not a fan of anything too sporty, too preppy, too scratchy, too stiff. I'm starting to sound like Dr. Seuss.
I do not like them on the street.
I do not like them out to eat!
I do not like that cutesy crap!
I do not like them (gasp) heart-attack!
Anywho. These requirements of mine also extend into hats for the kiddo. Perhaps it's because the little man has virtually been bald for his entire life (all two years of it) - even now, through his dandelion fluff hair, I can easily see his scalp. So hats are a way of life.
What I'm looking for are soft, comfy hats with a hip, urban feel. And they are out there - it just takes some looking. Here are my current favorites for babies & older kiddos (both boys and girls).
Has this happened to you?You have an event.Not a fancy
one, but a party or a date with hubs or a dinner with friends you haven’t seen forever,
and you want to look your best.Maybe you
haven’t been out past 6 PM in AGES.Maybe you’re not feeling so hot, maybe you just had a baby or you’re battling
some holiday bulge or are having a freaky existential crisis, I don’t know.But it’s apparently written all over your
face, because when you decide to stop into a boutique to check the price on a
hot little top you’ve had your eye on, you click with the sales chick, who
knows exactly where you’re at (Believe me, she intones, I have kids, too.You need to
take care of YOU sometimes!), and the next thing you know, you’re drooling
at your reflection in a pricey outfit you would never, could never, should
never, even THINK about buying.
But you’re thinking about it.You’re negotiating in your mind: I
could skip the shoes and the designer denim and just go for the top and the
belt.$#!%.The belt is over $200. OK, skip the belt.But the top’s no good without the belt.This will probably still fit fine when I’ve
lost the baby weight. . .I
could wear it a lot. . .like,
everywhere. Everywhere where Prussian blue silk and $200.00 baby-soft suede obi
belts and nearly 4-inch heels is an appropriate mode of dress.Like playgroup.Like the zoo.Like work.Hmmm . . . No, my
story isn’t jiving . . . OK, STOP.Take a deep breath.Think of your
children!Imagine your husband’s face
when he sees the receipt.Thank the nice
lady for her time and hightail your sweet postpartum patootie out of there as
quickly as possible.
Then, if you really do need something to step out in, go look for a piece that will change with your body and is adorable, transitional
and versatile, just like your own bad self.The Splendid
one-shoulder ruched tunic top ($49.00) doesn't look like much at first glance, but it's my new date night MVP for
moms.Anyone can wear it and look hot
and it can be styled up and down, sideways and every which way in between.
The ruching is your post-baby-belly’s best
friend, it’s crazy-good for nursing/pump-n-dumping (on your right side, anyway)
and the one-shoulder cut is current, edgy and sexy without trying too
hard.Oh, and you’ll be comfortable,
ohhh so comfortable, in this buttery soft, whisper thin cotton/modal tee.
Here’s how to wear it.A
blank-slate top like this is a veritable chameleon, so it’s all about the other pieces you choose.If you’re going casual, throw it on with well-fitting straight or skinny
jeans, killer heels, a long necklace and big/dangly earrings.If you need it, make sure that ruching is
nice and bunched up around your muffin top.No one will know what’s fabric and what’s you.
To step it up, wear it with a huge statement necklace—pretty much
anything from our holiday
accessories post or something similar will do the trick.If you want to go dressier, think about tucking
it into a high-waisted skirt like the Milady
Skirt at Anthropologie (if your skirt doesn’t have detail at the waist,
finish it off with a subtly-detailed belt—I love the Belgo
Lux Bow Belt or the Tasha
Multi Chain Belt, both at Nordstrom).
For a second dressy look, consider a pair of fancy
pants or a slim cut trouser and try a more delicate necklace (or none at all) with another mom MVP (for its magical ability
to define a non-existent waist), an obi belt, like the Stitched
Obi Belt at The Limited (please tuck the ends in rather than tying them in a
big honkin’ bow, however) or, my real fav, Cecilia
De Bucourt’s obi belt at Barney’s.
I have a friend's birthday party at the end of the month. We are celebrating at a country bar-- the kind that has a mechanical bull and everything. She is turning 33 (I am 28) and she's the friend who I always go to for fashion advice (since I have no clue when it comes to that). WWYW? (What Would You Wear, haha. :)
Tegan
Answer:
Tegan - Obviously my first thought was daisy-dukes, cowboy boots and a triangle bikini top. I'm thinking pink gingham.
Gang, meet Rumi, the author of the Fashiontoast blog. This blog, if you've never followed it, is one of my go-to blogs for inspiration. It's gorgeous. Her blog is how I want to dress if I don't have to run around at the playground. Or bend over and pick up a kiddo. Or go to work. Think lots of oversized, drapey tops, short hemlines, and opaque tights with complicated killer heels. Bliss.
Mom-friendly or not, her blog is beautiful, and there is no denying that her perspective oozes cool. Last week, she posted a an entry, Roller Skate Skinny, about three absolutely perfect bras. Her bra choices were insanely cool, and perfect for flat-chested moms. Click the pics (or links above) to be taken to her blog.
I know many of you have warned me about the sad state of "the girls" once nursing finishes. And I know that not all women regain their...ahem...previous cup size. So check out Rumi's picks. Not only are they crazy-sexy-gorgeous, but they all have cool straps that can peek out under a tank come summer.
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