Ain't No Mom Jeans

Mom Street Style | Naomi's Indie Mom Style

How’s an artsy mom supposed to translate the “indie” style of her twenties into a mom-uniform functional enough to keep up with the kiddos and worthy of her creative sensibilities?  Naomi got it spot on with mixed prints, a layered look and fab boots.  She writes:

Dear Molly and Shana, 

I've been wanting to thank you ladies for some time now. As a former theatre teacher and current stay-at-home mom of two boys, I've had a hard time switching up my "indie" 20-something style into a 30-something mom style (without looking like a bag lady or fashion victim!). Fashion magazines just confuse me and don't seem mom-friendly, so I googled "mom fashion blog" about a year and a half ago and found aintnomomjeans. I love your down-to-earth instructions and I've learned so much. I still shop at thrift stores and second-hand stores, but I do it more wisely and pair my findings with investment jeans (J-brand!) and great boots.  I wish you guys were around in my 20's. It feels great to leave the house looking good and it's a handy way to channel my creativity. I also find that I don't need to shop as much now that I've found my "mom uniform". 

I've shared your blog with so many women! You're providing a wonderful service to women. 

-Naomi 

We’re loving Naomi’s casual day look and her adorable mix of polka dots and stripe prints on top with her fab J Brand skinnies and flats.  This is a perfect day mom-uniform—by incorporating funky mixed prints in black and white, what otherwise would have been a traditional t-shirt and jeans outfit stands out and looks polished while staying comfortable and functional for a day at the pumpkin patch with her sweet baby boy.

Her rocker-chic date night ensemble hits the mark with a pop of color and pattern from a mustard knit scarf and super-current tribal print dress.  Again, the look is functional (Ms. Naomi definitely won’t freeze in her moto jacket, tights and rockin’ boots) put together, and reflects her indie vibe while staying on-trend and age appropriate.  LOVE.

Naomi, thanks for the kind words and for sending these fab pics.  Keep ‘em comin’, Mamas!  We adore featuring real moms, but we (ok, I) do so loathe stopping you on the street : )!

- M.

Reader Question: What to Wear With Bespoke Olive Flats

Having been an English lit girl and lover of period piece cinema, I'll just confess now that I've oft dreamed of hand selecting a bespoke wardrobe (in it, I sit atop a tufted setee, surrounded by bolts of lustrous fabric <sigh. . . >) , so when ANMJ reader Valerie L. wrote in with the uncommon dilemma of styling her custom made olive green ballet flats (pictured at left), my ears perked right up.  She writes:

I'm an Air Force wife stationed in South Korea right now so I had a pair of shoes custom-made for me - olive green ballet flats.  I like them (olive green is one of my most favorite colors), but they didn't turn out ~exactly~ like I had in my mind. I'm at a loss.  What can I wear them with? I don't want to be too match-y match-y. I feel like it might be a delicate balance and with my luck, I'd go the wrong way.

Please help!  What would you recommend?

No She Didn't!! Leather Pants (...aaaand an alternative for the rest of us)

Mamas:  Have you ever tried leather pants?  I have - years ago (long before Raines came around).  It didn't end well.  The knees stretched out, I couldn't bend (Somebody help!  I dropped a pencil!), and I found my thighs either sweaty (which previously had only happened in Bikram Yoga class) or freezing.  I also walked funny - ramrod straight and uncomfortable.  The soundtrack to my leather-pant-walking would've sounded something like  ernh-ee-ernh-ee-ernh-ee.  I'm sure some girls can carry them off with aplomb....but these are probably also the girls who look cool smoking.  Me?  Not only am I leather-pant-challenged, but I'm afraid of the fire at the lit end of the cig.  Sigh.  Hopeless, I know.

But I LOVE the look (of both leather pants and smoking - yeah, yeah, bad for you, yeah).  But I LOVE it.  Such an awesome rocker/cool-french-girl kind of look.  And while I'm totally over the smoking thing, I'm still craving leather pants. Luckily, faux leather options are everywhere.  From J Brand's waxed skinny jeans (cute, but not that comfy) to faux-leather leggings that do, surprise!!, feel a lot like leggings. 

BTW?  I ran across a pic of one the French Vogue editors rocking her leather leggings at 6 months pregnant. 

(photo credit: Jak and Jill)

Mamas, that's some serious dedication to leather leggings.  Yay, Geraldine.

Encouraged by Geraldine's pic...I bought some faux-leather leggings.  Just, you know, to see.  Strictly for research, Mamas.  We do serious research here at Ain't No Mom Jeans.  But my expectations were very low, so I bought the cheapest pair I could find.  Then rounded up a couple of pics for leather-legging mom-drobe inspiration (which sounds like an oxymoron, I know, but indulge me for a sec).  Anyway, here's my inspiration board for mom-friendly leather leggings:

Shop Your Closet: Spoof a Tie-Neck Blouse

I have been wanting a tie-front blouse for ages.  However, when I typically find one that makes my heart beat fast, it's either a very delicate silk, or more cash than I'm willing to spend.  Like this one, from Rachel Zoe.  It's both silk and $295.  Yay, me!  (I don't do this on purpose, wanting totally unattainable clothing is just one of my specialties.)

 

Anyway, I got sick of The Wants.  And remember those skinny scarves we were all buying a million years ago?  Since I never part with scarves....I still have mine.

There's basically two ways to do this:  

Librarian Style For Moms

Gang, remember Amy of BiblioMOMia?  Last time she wrote for us, she schooled us in Southern Gal Style.  But she's also an academic working on her PhD in literature.  (SO freakin' cool!!)  So when we recieved Shannon's Mom Street Style submission and read that Shannon defined her style as "punk librarian"...well.  I knew BiblioMOMia would get a kick out of it.  And, if we were lucky, be inspired.

And she was.  And we are.  So here's Amy....

********** 

I might have spit out my coffee when I read “punk librarian.”  So cool!  And, I must say, Shannon totally rocked the edgy nerd vibe in her mix of floral and leather, especially with those amazing purple tights.  The floral dress is definitely something a librarian might wear, but she makes the whole outfit more interesting with the moto jacket and tough boots - yet keeps a quirky feel with the bright tights.  But her email made me start thinking - what is librarian style?  Why do I love it so much?  And how can it work not just in my professional life but in my life as a mom too? 

Like “secretary” with its pumps and pencil skirts, “librarian” has definitely evolved into a style inspiration.  Somehow, even adding one or two of these elements makes the whole outfit feel just a bit more bookish - a bit buttoned-up, a bit feminine, a lot intellectual.   Try adding one of these things to your style arsenal!  A little goes a long way, so don’t wear too many of these at once - you’ll look like you’re wearing a costume instead of a cool outfit.  

Librarian Style Elements

• Floral prints.  Sweet and old-fashioned and feminine, floral prints always remind me of dusty books (in a good way).
• Textured fabrics (lace, tweed, leather, velvet).  Very Victorian, and very librarian.  And, most of the time, very soft!
• Librarian shoes (t-straps, oxfords, loafers, granny boots).  If it looks like a teacher might have worn it in 1915, it’s a librarian shoe.  Luckily, there are tons of these styles out right now, to fit every taste and budget.
• High bun.  Have you ever tossed your hair high on your head (and maybe used a pencil to keep it there)?  I dare you to do it and not feel like a librarian!  It’s an easy and flattering hair style for pretty much every face shape, too.
• Glasses.  Ummmm...obviously.  Any kind of glasses, from tiny wire rims to chunky black frames.  Even better if you put them on the tip of your nose and peer over them.
• Structured jackets.  Wool blazer.  Velvet jacket.  Tweed vest.  All of those jackets are definitely librarian-ish.  A flattering and structured jacket is totally feminine, too.
• Funky legwear.  I don’t know why I associate patterned tights and great leggings with librarians - maybe because all of my library science friends in school had great tights?  Either way, they’re often a great way to add some funky and whimsical style to an otherwise classic outfit.

There are a million ways to incorporate librarian style into outfits you’re probably already wearing, and things you probably already own.  A little goes a long way!  Shannon mentioned “punk librarian” as her style aesthetic - it’s amazing what happens when you add floral and leather to the same outfit.  However, it’s just as easy to add some bookish flair to jeans and tees. Here are my favorite options, with some outfit ideas.

 

Fall Mom Uniform: Flares + Crop Tops (Seriously Perfect For Nursing)

IknowIknowIknowIknow.  I know some of you are like, "first bunny ears and now crop tops?? Is S pregnant or has she just lost her mind??"  

And I know many of you have fuzzy memories of baby tees that showed off your flat lil' belly when you pranced around all teenagery-young and cute in your low-waisted jeans. 

I KNOW.  That's not what I'm talkin' about.  Promise.  (And I'm not pregnant.)

So.  Crop tops.  Now, in 2011.  First of all, they aren't tight.  And some of them, by our 80's-child definition, aren't even that cropped (Back when I was young, we walked uphill to school BOTH WAYS and knew how to CROP a shirt...)

So really, what we're talking about is basically a shirt that is rather boxy and swingy and hits somewhere between the hips and the bellybutton.  (Hourglass shapes, run screaming now.)  Kinda like this:

GET THIS:   This shape of top does a decent job of hiding the pooch!  Also, because it's so boxy and swingy and short-ish....when layered over a nursing cami or other nursing-accessible shirt (we call 'em v-neck tees in these here parts) it's perfect for nursing moms.  Just lift and nurse, people.  No belly exposure required.

AND....you can find these babies everywhere, including budget-friendly places like Target & Forever21.  You with me?  

Let me show you this mom-i-form, three different ways:

 

The BEST Scarf Tying Tutorial....EVER

I was pretty happy with my scarf tying skills, until Reader Tamar sent us this little gem. (Thanks, Tamar!!  You know how we luuuv our scarves!!)

Wendy's Lookbook (now my new fav fashion blogger) created this ah-mazing video that shows you 25 different ways to tie a scarf...in 4 minutes.  (YES - she demonstrates all 25 ways in 4 min!)  She uses a combo of fast speeds and slo-mo to help us see what she's doing (fast for the easy part, slow for the tricky parts).  Once the video is done, if you still need help, you can click on any of the 25 methods for step-by-step instructions.

There are seriously no words for how fabulous this video is.  Watch and learn, people.

 

Wow, right?  Consider yourselves schooled in scarves.

xo,

S

 

Whoa....S's New Fav Skinnies Are Under $50. (Even Designer Denim Snobs Will Like These)

(wearing: On S - Levi 535 Denim Leggings, Vintage Havana plaid shirt, J.Crew leopard scarf, Mia Buckaroo boots, Salt sunnies.....on R - Joe's Jeans, Ugg Australia Half-Hitch sneaks c/o Ugg, Grateful Dead tee from Target)

So I picked these up on a whim this past summer.  At Kohl's.  For $46.  Actually, they were less than that (I had a coupon for 30% off).  Then I forgot about them.

Now that the weather has actually turned, I started packing for our weekend in NY a couple of weeks ago.  Mike was in town supporting a Data Without Borders Datadive (read: geeks doing good), so the whole fam (including my mom) was going to NYC to support him.  And...uh...just hang out in one of the coolest cities in the world.  This wasn't a hard-sell, let me tell you.

Wanting to pack light, I brought only one pair of jeans.  And after a marathon try-on sesh at home, guess which ones?  

Yup.  Not the $200 denim that I (so) love...but these $30-something denim leggings by Levi.

Whoa.

I wore these babies all weekend....and they continue to be my go-to skinny right now.  They have a higher rise than most denim (but no so high that I'd classify them as high-rise), they are soft, comfortable, and perfectly stretchy.  The fit is much more legging than denim, so they hug your ankles and tuck easily into short boots.

Best of all?  They look amazing on each friend I've convinced to buy them...regardless of body type (apple, pear, etc).  Everyone seems to love these jeans.  Even my mom. 

So.  Denim snobs, you want to see details?  I know, you want to see the bum.  

It's good, right?  AND these hold up during wear - only minimal bum sagging, even when worn all weekend.

These are Levi's 535 Denim Leggings.  Kohl's carries them for $46, and so does Macy's.  Diver Dark wash is my favorite.

xo,

S 

Reader Question: Styling Cropped Cargo Pants Into Fall?

 

Reader Question:

How would you style cropped cargo pants into fall?  I've been wearing the heck out of a pair of olive cropped cargo pants  this summer. They were from Hot Mama in the spring, and no pics available anymore on their site, but they look sort of like Joie's Generette Pant (pictured).

 

Over the summer, these pants have been a staple of my "momiform," work mainly with a black or a green J crew tank top and some black flat sandals with little leather flowers to girlie up this otherwise somewhat tough look. 

 

Here in Minneapolis there's a chill in the air already, and a girl needs a bit more coverage for the morning coffee/playground/grocery stroll.

 

My favorite shoe for fall - the lace up combat-ish boot - comes off as too literal with the army green cargoes. Sneaks with socks seem a bit dowdy, and there is too much fabric at the legs to tuck into my favorite knee high motorcycle boots without looking like a member of a WW2 German motorbike brigade.

 

But, these pants are comfortable, washable, and crazy flattering. How would you style them to get another couple months of wear?

 

- Abby in Minneapolis

Answer:

Abby - great question!  This is a tricky styling situation!  As you mentioned, these pants are too wide for tucking into boots....and the weather is too cold to go without socks.  (Which I mention only because these pants would look adorable with ballet flats, oxfords or loafers sans socks.  Of course.) 

So.  You want to wear these pants, into the Fall, with warm footwear options.  Gotcha.

Now, I don't have a pair of pants exactly like these, but for this tricky styling situation, I didn't want to rely on a Polyvore collage.  So I "spoofed" your pants by rolling up a slouchy pair of straight-leg khakis.  The color obviously, is different, but I think the overall effect is the same.  Here's what worked for me:

Fall Denim: The Boyfriend Jean...Updated

I know the buzz this fall is all about the flare jean, and I get it - I too luuuve flares.  However, I recently replaced my old boyfriend jeans (which, uh, had literally fallen apart) with these babies:

 

These are like a hybrid boyfriend jean /skinny jean.  The result?  Crazy comfortable, yet they look a bit sleeker than my old boyfriend jeans. 

Not tight, mind you.  Just sleek.