Ain't No Mom Jeans

How To Wear Belts (Fall and Winter Edition)

We have been promising, for quite some time, to do an article about belts.  We've received numerous questions and comments about types of belts, belts and body types, and what to wear with belts. So it's time.  Time for some belt-love.

While I'd love to give you a few simple rules for rocking the belt...it's just not that easy.  Even different body types (curvy, pear, boyish) can have so many variations on a theme that coming up with a set of rules for belts is almost impossible.  Whether or not a belt looks good often has more to do with the distance between your ribs and your hip bones and what else you are wearing, than a rule that says, "short moms shouldn't wear belts" (because many of you can).

Instead, I offer up a belt exercise, a selection of cute belts, and loads of inspiration.  So if you want to rock the belt (and you should - it's a great way to make an outfit instantly stylish), here's how to get started:

An Easy Method To Determine Your Personal Style

It's funny how early our own concept of cool starts.  My sister bought R those sweatbands (pictured) last summer...and he insisted on wearing them everywhere.  Even to bed.  And still sometimes pulls them out, over 6 months later.  For some reason, R thinks those sweatbands are Just. So. Cool.  To match his cool sweatbands, he'll add a swagger to his step.  I don't know why he decided that Target sweatbands [with sports motif, groan] are cool...but far be it from me to burst his cool bubble.  The concept of cool is a very personal one...and one that can start as young as two!

I bring this up because I believe that understanding what you think is cool [not what you're told is cool] is the most critical step when attempting to define your personal style. 

Personal style is nothing more than your concept of cool + the realities of your daily life.

Yes?  Ok.  Now why do we care?

What We're Reading This Week: Do You Have Sexy Jeans? Here's How to Tell (on Rookie Moms)

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.

xo,

S

Mom Street Style - December 2009 Mom

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. 

xo,

S

Holiday Styling Tips For Moms: Yay Sequins!

If your favorite color is sparkle, sequin, or shiny, this look is for you.  The glitz factor is sky-high this season, and nothing feels more festive than a shimmery little something-something.  Besides, all of these shiny, glimmering fabrics will draw the eye right to them....and if done correctly, will distract from the rest of the boobs/ribs/hips/butt disaster. 

Also, if you haven't typically been a glitzy-glam-girl in your previous life, keep in mind that these types of tops are able to make jeans and a simple tank party-worthy.  That means you can wear a pair of jeans, a comfy tank, and your high heeled boots (with thick Smartwool socks)...to a party.  And still look amazing.  Really.

Mom Street Style - September 2009 Mom

There are few things, fashion-wise, that I like better than a great mix of high-end and budget-friendly items.  Leave it to our September Mom, Becky, to put together such a look. 

Beck is one of my dearest friends, and someone who lives by her own set of rules.  Her first rule?  "Happy, Happy, Happy!"  (You need three Happys, she says, in case life or toddler tantrums or anything else tries to tear down your first two).  And her second rule?  Nothing too fancy.  Instead, she uses classic, iconic accessories to add interest and a rich-girl feel to an inexpensive tailored outfit.

Don't be fooled - Becky's outfit looks tailored, but is really just an inspired take on the classic t-shirt-n-jeans mom uniform.

Mom Street Style - August 2009 Mom

If anyone has doubted that stripes are having their moment, just scroll back through our Mom Street Styles - we've seen a plethora of cool moms in stripes lately.  However, what I love most about this look (in addition to the twist on the nautical stripes) is that it shows a great way to wear our summer camis well into Fall.

Meet O.E. (a childhood nickname from when her younger brother couldn't quite pronounce Anne Marie).  She's our August mom for wearing killer denim, doing the layering thing perfectly, looking well-rested and relaxed, rocking the hoop earrings and having a cool nickname.  What's not to love?

First things first:  The denim is William Rast.  For those of you that haven't tried them, William Rast denim is butt-lifting at it's best.

November 2008 Mom

Amanda, our November mom, understands the power of perfect proportions and flow.  While many recommend that if you wear something wide on the bottom (EX: wide leg trousers on Amanda) then you need to wear something slim on top.  While that is a safe approach, I actually think it’s more interesting (and stylish) to wear a piece on top that echos the flow of the pant.  How to get this look right?  Let’s use Amanda as an example:

 Her trouser jeans are nice and wide, and hemmed to the perfect length.  Because of the great lines and tailoring, they look pretty dressy.
 Amanda’s shirt hits right below her hip bones, and the slight A-line of the shirt echos exactly the flow of the trouser jeans.
To keep the outfit looking cohesive, the dark print of the shirt is in the same color tone as the jeans.  Matching your color tones or intensities is a great way to make sure your outfit goes together without looking too match-y match-y.  (NOTE:  This rule can certainly be broken, but it’s a good rule of thumb.  And one I taught to my husband after I caught him leaving for work wearing pale green and dark red....don’t even get me started.)

Fall Denim Part 3 of 4 - Destroyed Jeans

I am too old to dress like a teenager.  I have been for several years now.  It started when I hit age 27.  I realized that certain styles no longer looked quite...right.  Despite the fact that I’ve never really looked my age, after I hit 27 I no longer wanted to look teenager-y.  Young is OK, illegal is not.  This is an important point to make, because I’ve often heard fashion experts say that ripped or destroyed denim should be left to the younger set.  I disagree.  How you wear this kind of denim makes all of the difference in the world.  And this fall, destroyed denim is back in a big way.   I love this look for moms -- done correctly, it manages to give you a slightly edgy look, like “Yes I am a Rock Star, now watch out before I run you over with my Bugaboo”.