Ain't No Mom Jeans

The Best Way To Wear Danskos This Fall...

Yup, you read that right:  Danskos.  As in the much-hated (at least previously, by me), much debated (here and again here - and don't miss the reader comments), mom-shoe.

And what brought about my change of heart?  Two things:  first of all, Danskos came out with a version that looks like an actual clog, styled enough to make - dare I say it? - my heart beat fast (I'm such a sucker for a camel shoe)...and the recent trends that give a nod to '70's fashion at its best.

Mom, if you're reading, dibs on your old leather fringe vest.  As soon as I have this baby, I'm wearing that vest out & about!  With, possibly, some new, crazy-comfy Danskos.  Yikes. 

So my perfect Fall Dansko outfit?  Voila....

New Style "Rules" For Moms, Part 1

This article is the first in a two-part series based on "rules" I've applied again and again when doing style consultations / closet clean-outs with moms....

If ever I had a mom uniform....the outfit pictured at left is it.  I've been wearing it for years:  JBrand skinny jeans, brown tall-ish boots, cute shirt (or sweater layered for cold) and some kind of moto-styled jacket in sweatshirt or sweater material.  And, of course, black/brown & navy all mixed together (I've never been picky about this...and now I don't have time to be).  I think it all works - I honestly wear this outfit (or a version of this outfit) almost daily once the weather turns cold.  And I love it still.

But after several years of wear....it's time to branch out a bit.  And while trends, in recent years have been all over the map....there's a few constants that have started to emerge.  And as I've been doing a few more "closet clean-outs" with friends and other moms...I'm finding that these constants are passing many of us by, unnoticed.  The problem?  Ignoring trends year after year after year is exactly how you wake up one morning, 20 years later, with a permed mullet and legwarmers wondering why everyone else looks so different.

I'm not a huge new trend devotee...but staying somewhat current (and still being true to your own personal sense of style) is the sweet spot to aim for.

So while I normally hate the word "rules" (they just beg to be broken)...here are two of the most essential style "rules" for moms: 

Splurge: A CPW Analysis of J Brand Houlihans

We’re always talking about it here at Ain’t No Mom Jeans: cost-per-wear (CPW), or the cost of an item of clothing over its first year of use.  "Splurge" is our new section dedicated to styling must-have items to get the most out of your investment.  First-up, this years’s hot ticket: J Brand Houlihan skinny cargos.

First I must tell you that I tried to avoid the J Brand Houlihans at all costs.  Even though I thought they were adorable, and I was smitten by their name (saucy Army nurse Hot Lips Houlihan from M*A*S*H is a long-time fav of mine), I really didn’t want to spend the money on a pair of cargo pants.  But they stalked me.  Mercilessly.  Through the internet, on the street, at almost every store I went to, even in the New York Times!  They wanted ME. 

Gross But True: Why Post-Parturm Moms Will Love American Eagle's Boy-Brief Undies

One of my friends was complaining the other day about how no one really tells you all of the crazy stuff that happens while pregnant.  She was rather indignant, having just come from a third trimester pregnancy check-up where she had just been checked for strep...in an area...ahem....not normally checked for what I always think of as strep throat.  "You can get strep down there?????" she wanted to know.  "Since when??? And WHY does NO ONE tell you these things BEFORE you get pregnant?"

So in the spirit of full disclosure, I'd like to chat a bit about Aerie's (American Eagle's line of underthings) fabulous boy-brief.  This brief is cute, comfy, comes in a tons of different patterns, and sells 5 for $25. 

But the real reason I draw your attention? For post-partum use.

Styling the Bump: Third Trimester Tips (And Loads of Style Inspiration!)

This post is the last in a series of posts on styling the bump through all stages of pregnancy.   Also check out Styling the Bump: First Trimester Tips (How to Style, What to Buy) or Styling the Bump: Second Trimester Tips.

By the time I got to my third trimester, the realization was just sinking in:  I was pregnant.  And the baby?  He's growing.  There were no more strange looks, no mistaking my belly for extra muffins or a tumor...whether I was ready or not, the baby was coming in three (or, in my case with babe #1, two) short months.  Yikes.

And this time around?  I think I had belly amnesia.  Cause I'm surprisingly HUGE.  But looking back (pic of me on NYE with babe #1)...I think that this is simply how I look during the third trimester: a little girl with a huge, huge belly.

(Which is what I would've said yesterday, given the chance, to the man who yelled out of the car, "Lady, that baby is gonna FALL right out!")

So what do you do when styling a bump of epic proportions?

Not.  Much. 

My philosophy in these situations is simple:  if you're going to do it (and there's no going back now) then rock it.  Own it.  Flaunt it.

What Goes in a Diaper Bag? (And a Few Cute Picks)

I know all you 'been there, done that' moms are laughing at this question, but I have to tell you that the answer was only silence and blank stares when, while watching me shop online for the perfect bag, my husband asked me this question. He asked because I was begging for his opinion on bag after bag with many different features and options, and he was probably trying to be practical and helpful by looking for details. But my lack of an answer made me realize that aside from the diapers listed in the title of the bag, I have no idea what the hell goes in a diaper bag.

I went searching for this answer with a two-pronged approach. First, I did the most obvious thing and Googled it. And obviously I'm not the first person to wonder this because there were LOTS of results. The lists ranged from basic, everyday needs to what I can only guess are the supplies you would take in a diaper bag if it were an Armageddon type situation. Secondly, I called and e-mailed a few mom friends. New moms and veteran moms had a lot of overlapping answers, and each individual had a tip that reflected their personality, lifestyle and mothering habits. Great. If you want what seems like a really comprehensive list, I'd consult this site. Or this one. If you're more of a minimalist, try looking here. And plan on winging it, since that seems to be the back-up to every well-planned parenting scenario.

Once the question of what to fill the bag with was answered, the hunt for the bag raged on. There are TONS of really practical bags out there, but if I'm honest I will admit that something in me had this dream of finding a diaper bag that didn't look like a diaper bag. That functioned the way I needed it to, but made me feel like I was somewhat still stylish and true to myself despite the reality. If you aren't that worried about carrying a diaper bag that looks like what it is, you are a better woman than I am.

Found! Crazy-Cool Tees For Toddlers...Most Under $8

Ummmm...what the heck, Target?  Who knew that lurking among the racks would be such cool tees?  For so cheap? 

While these picks all came from the boy's section (I checked the girls' section also...waaaay too many licensed characters and "princess" themed stuff for my taste), I would dress a little girl in any of these tees in a heartbeat.  For example, just add a cool plaid or pleated skirt with leggings to the nerd shirt, $6.99, pictured above.

Or try a tutu and tights with any of the other picks.  Insanely cool.

And moms of boys?  There is not a brightly colored dinosaur or truck in sight.  And no Paul Frank, either.  In fact, had these shirts come in bigger sizes, I would've purchased some for my husband.  

Styling the Bump - Second Trimester Tips

This post is the second in a series of posts on styling the bump through all stages of pregnancy.   Also check out Styling the Bump: First Trimester Tips (How to Style, What to Buy).

I think most of us, now moms, would accurately identify myself in the picture above as pregnant.  But a week or so after this pic was taken, I took a ballet class in London.  During plies, the instructor came over and tried to correct my form, attempting to tilt my tailbone down further.  He'd watch me through narrowed eyes, "Hmmmmm...."  By the time we got to rond de jambes, he couldn't take it anymore:  "You need to start laying off the muffins in the morning!" he said in a loud whisper.

I was shocked....but more embarrassed for him, really.  The rest of the dancers in class were rather outraged, and all very supportive.  But I think this story clearly highlights the dilemma of going into your second trimester:  something is clearly goin' on down there....most people just aren't sure what.  By the end of the second trimester, it'll be extremely obvious you are pregnant...but getting there takes some work.

If you recall, my three tenants for successful bump styling are:

Trimester One - Hide the Bump

Trimester Two - Work the Bump

Trimester Three - Flaunt the Bump

So let's work it:

Reader Question: What to Get a One-Year-Old and The Secret Toy Closet

Reader Question:

Hello Ladies,

I know I'm a bit early but I know the question will inevitably come up and I'll be scrambling for ideas to give two sets of Grandparents and various Aunties and Uncles who all don't want to send a duplicate gift since we live overseas. And the other problem, myson's first birthday comes just 4 days after his first Christmas. Can we say gift-o-palooza?

Any suggestions would be appreciated, but if you haven't the time, needn't fret; I've put out some emails to some Moms as well.

Thanks Ain't No Mom Jeans! Keep up the great work

Kind Regards

Nell

Answer:

Pshaw!  We always have time for reader questions, Nell—we love them!  Thanks for writing in—it makes us feel soooo popular : )

What first jumps to mind is books, books and more books, but I'll cover toys here and we'll do a round up of best books by age at a later date.

As luck would have it, Little Lou celebrated the big 0-1 two days ago, so I just finished the scramble for one-year-old gift ideas and it’s fresh in my head.  Little Lou is my second, so I feel like I have some perspective on what kids this age will actually play with, and since S. and I both have January babes, I’ll let you in on a well-tested method we’ve both employed for combating gift-o-palooza: The Secret Toy Closet.

Styling The Bump - First Trimester Tips (How to Style, What To Buy)

 

 

This post is the first in a series of posts on styling the bump through all stages of pregnancy.

While pregnant with my first...if I look back honestly, I didn't love being pregnant.  I spent much of my first pregnancy feeling fat, did enjoy a too-brief period of being cute-pregnant, and then quickly skyrocketed up to scary big.  Add to all of this my desire to remain professional-looking at work (despite my co-worker's crazy comments), and the fact that on my petite frame, my belly looked like another person.  Who was trying to eat me.

Once Raines was born, the weight did indeed fall off...but that's hardly the right data point to use.  The weight, it turns out, isn't the problem.  The problem is the belly.  Or maybe the cellulite. Or just gravity in general.  In any case, things are different now.  So when I got pregnant for the second time, I kept my expectations low. 

But I've been pleasantly surprised.  This time around, not only have I learned a thing or two, but I'm also desensitized to my ballooning silhouette, and my belly now just makes me look pregnant, not like something is trying to eat me. (Although, I still find it annoying that people already are asking if I'm due "any day!"  I still have a week left in my second trimester, people!  C'mon!) 

In any case, what I've learned from my own two pregnancies, as well what I've learned while styling pregnant moms for the Hopscotch Hustle (Weecycle's annual fashion show) can pretty much be summarized into the following three rules:

Trimester One - Hide the Bump

Trimester Two - Work the Bump

Trimester Three - Flaunt the Bump

In this article, let's talk about the first trimester.  It can be a toughie.