Ain't No Mom Jeans

Neon, For Grown Ups

I carry a little man around on my back.  I am responsible for both providing food and wiping butts at regular intervals.  I am - heavily - relied on by two tiny people who yammer at me all day. "Mum! Mum! Mum! Mumumumum!!!" until I hear myself echoing the empty threat of my mother:  "No more 'MUM'!  I'm going to change my name!"

They give me the same strange look that I used to give her.  For all of these reasons (and more...so much more)...I am, officially, grown up.

Here's how this grown-up (who also happens to be ever-so-slightly color adverse) wears neon:

Reader Q | How To Wear Clark's Desert Booties (For WOMEN)

Mamas, in the last few months, I've received several emails/comments about Clark's classic desert booties.  Readers want to know how to wear them, if they are versatile, and most importantly, if they are comfortable.  Reader Amanda wrote:

I was just wondering if you've ever reconsidered getting a pair of Clarks Desert Boots (I just read your post where your husband got them and you decided against them for that reason).  For some reason I'm really drawn to them but I'm not sure how I would wear them.  My first instinct would be to wear them with rolled boyfriend or skinny jeans...but then I wonder if that would look too masculine.  I tried to search for styling ideas and I'm not coming up with much of anything...maybe that means I should nix the idea and buy another style of bootie or ankle boot? 

This email was quickly followed by one from reader Dana:

I've been coveting these for awhile, but I'm not finding much style inspiration on the web. I'm mostly seeing pictures of men wearing Clarks, which of course makes me think that maybe I should just return them and look for a different style of ankle boot.

Amanda and Dana are so right.  If you try to google "desert boot" or even "desert boot women"...hardly anything shows up.  Like...no women.  No women at all.  So.  Challenged accepted!!  (Happily, Clarks was willing to send me a pair, gratis.  Thank you Clarks!!)

But here's the thing:  My plan was to receive the boots, then spend countless hours in front of my mirror, perfecting three/four outfits that best showed off the boot.  If all went well, I'd write some slick article about how best to wear Clark's Desert Booties.  Instead...they arrived.  I tried them on.  I fell in love and wore them everywhere.  End of story.

So.  Instead of some "best of" article...here's the (roughly one billion) ways I've been wearing my Clark's.

Fall Trend: Ankle Booties (And How To Wear Them)

Mamas!  The easiest way to give your old standbys a modern spin?  Yup - the ankle bootie.  These guys aren't new...in fact, two years ago, a very pregnant me wrote an article called The Short Boot Dilemma...where I tried to figure out how the heck to wear the various short boots that were popping up.

Well.  Two years later, I'm happy to say that I've figured it out.  Feel free to applaud.  Two years in the making, baby.  TWO.

Ok.  Here's what's working for me:

Crops, Capris, Pedal Pushers (And the Scary Stuff In-Between)

Ok Mamas.  We promised.  We promised to give explicit detail on the whole cropped pant thing.  Ever since we made this bold (obnoxious) statement in our 2012 Style Resolutions for Moms article:

 

 

 So yes, to summarize:  Dowdy capris that hit at mid-calf:  Bad.  Slim cropped J.Crew pants:  Good.

Right?  Right.

But that's not really all there is to it.  Not all of us (myself included) have gone running out to J.Crew for their adorable cropped pant.  Most of us (me again)....already have some sort of cropped pant/capri/pedal pusher hybrid in our closet.  So what to do?

I pulled my one-and-only pair out of storage for this little exercise.  Here's mine:

Oh good.  It hits at the widest part of my calf.  

 

I....don't....know.  I don't know about these, Mamas. 

But here's the deal:  I really, really really want capris to work.  As Mamas, we often have to fight varicose vein issues, or crazy-pale legs from lack of sunbathing time, and one really can't dispute the practicality of cropped pants for just about any summer activity:  short enough to be cool, long enough to climb, run, jump and cartwheel.

So I went right to the cropped pant source:  My mother.  My mother could outfit a cropped-pant army.  She has been buying cropped pants and capris since....well.  One can never reveal a lady's age.  Let's just say it ends in "ixty-something".  But Mom didn't disappoint:  She has a capri-pant motherlode.  And none of these straight-forward, sophisticated, Jackie-O style pants*.  We're talking capris in suspicious lengths.  Odd colors.  Strange cargo pocket placement.  Cropped pants from Old Navy.  Target.  And even....Younkers.  With brands like Plugg.  That's Plugg with two G's!  Two!  Wanna bet those came from a Juniors section somewhere?

*To be fair, my mother keeps all of her suspicious capris at the lake house.  To be used only for gardening, etc.  She does have her fair share of sophisticated, Jackie-O style pants too.  But it's waaay more fun to make fun of her for those Plugggggs. 

Anyway, I chose three of my Mom's...challenging cropped pant/capri/pedal pushers to try and style (and you can bet I grabbed those Pluggs). But first?  Definition time!  What the heck is the difference between cropped pants, capris, pedal pushers, etc?  

(HUGE thanks to reader Sonja in Portland for this awesome graphic/diagram idea!!)

Sooooo....High Tops? For Moms?

Mamas, have you noticed the whole high-top sneaker trend?  It seems to be growing.  I had peripherally noticed it a while back, but didn't really...well..care.  Until I was totally charmed by Refinery 29's feature of Elettra Wiedemann:

Those are some serious shoes (Monika Chiang sneakers, to be precise).  But paired with black skinnies and a silky blouse...they're cute.  Like...really, really cute, without veering into puppies and kittens cute.  Sleek-cute.

For the first time, uh, EVER, I found myself coveting a pair of serious high-tops. But, you know, not seriously.  Cause...I mean...well...look at 'em!  Seriously?

I just couldn't commit the cash to such a big, dark, sneaker.  At the time, I could think of exactly ONE way those babies would look amazing...and Elettra's wearing it.   

But high-tops continued to pop up on my radar....and Mamas, I actually own a pair (sort of).  Converse high-tops - they count, right?  I typically wear them under something (last seen under my printed Paige skinny jeans)...but buoyed by Elettra's outfit, I resolved to not just wear them, but to show-off the actual High-Top.

But first, my high-top sneaker inspiration board:

Reader Question: Easy Ways To Wear Green For the St. Patrick's Day Party Pooper

Every party has a pooper and on St. Patrick's Day that's me. Seriously.  I love the day:  the parades, the beer, the greasy food - really what's not to love?  But I hate the expectation to wear green, or some stupid button that reads "Kiss Me I'm Irish".   But people get SERIOUS about their St. Patrick's Day outfits.  And the few times I've ventured out without the requisite green (apparently army green doesn't count) I have gotten pinched.  So annoying. 

(I've learned my lesson.  Last year, en route to Denver's parade, I stuck on a greenish scarf.  And earrings!  My earrings have a green stone!  See?  I'm making an attempt...and I love how comfortable R looks.  Snort.  He really, really, really wanted to hold on to that bar.)

So I could identify with reader Beth's St. Patrick's Day conundrum:

Living right outside Boston and having a husband who is 100% Irish (his mom immigrated here when she was 10) means this is a big one for us. Up until now, my kiddos were young and we didn't partake too much in festivities - if we did, I was too tired to care about what I was wearing. 

This year it falls on a Saturday which means all sorts of festivities are going on around here. So what does a mama wear to a parade in the AM and then an adult party in the PM? For the party the invite says to wear "Your best green or festive attire". That is a nightmare for me - I don't like green - my limited (and I do mean limited - waiting for you guys to offer the consultations -but I will save that for another email) wardrobe is mostly neutrals - jeans, and lots and lots of black....somehow I don’t think the hosts are thinking of a black cocktail dress.

Any thoughts are appreciated. I asked my husband for his thoughts and he suggested I just wear my green Hanky Panky thongs under my jeans and call it a day...SIGH...

Um.  I do like your husband's suggestion, LOL!  But seriously - I would just wear something easy and cute, and throw in a green accessory or two.  Here are a few items that would help poopers like us prevent the pinches without having to store a Luck 'o the Irish!! t-shirt all year long. 

Shop Your Closet: Wear Socks With Your Loafers

Mamas, I have always had a soft spot for geeks.  I, myself, am a geek.  I married a geek.  And, if I do my job correctly, my sons will also grow up to be geeks.  

Go geeks, go.

(wearing: J. Crew sweater, J Brand cropped denim - similar here, Gap leopard-print socks, Sperry woven loafers)

Color Combo I'm Loving: Camel + Black + Tangerine

Have you ever noticed that black pants, while a staple, actually look good with very little?  Black pants are often the default bottom layer in a rather tired work uniform.  Or what we throw on when we want to look dressier, but don't really want to try.  

"I don't know...I guess I could just throw on my black pants."

Right?

So I'm kinda excited about this color combo.  If you haven't heard, the Pantone 2012 Color Of The Year (Which Is A Very Big Deal Hence The Capitol Letters) is Tangerine Tango.  Aka this:

Pretty, no?   I love how it's a softer version of a bright orange, but still retains all of the impact of the bright, bright orange.  Surprisingly flattering, also.

Anyway, this color has been making it's way down the runways for...well, actually, for a couple of years now.  But lately it has been paired up by retailers with camel and black.  The camel adds a richness to the palette, the black grounds it, and the tangerine is fresh and fun.  When paired with black pants, the look is cohesive...intentional.  Not like you just threw on black pants because you weren't sure what else would go.  You can wear black and camel and orange like you mean it.  

Voila...

(photo credits: J.Crew, mytheresa.com)

 

Of course, if you are really lazy (and yes. yes I am), you can just use a pop of orange lipstick to perk up the ol' black & tan.

 (wearing: J.Brand cropped denim, J.Crew sweater, happy socks)

It's amazing what a little Yves Saint Laurent Rouge Pur can do. 

 

The color is "Le Orange", people.  Not orange, but Le Orange.  Not gonna lie, I kinda love that.  Being, you know, so fancy and all (in my striped socks).

xo,

S

 

ps.  We have a new winner for the Ashley Ann Snapshop course...Courtney L?  Shoot us an email!!

 

 

 

Spring Momiform Inspiration: Two Takes on the Trench

  I know I've harped on this before, but a great jacket can make an outfit. While I've been partial to my hunter green anorak of late, let's not forget about the iconic trench.

There are two points to keep in mind when rockin' the trench.  The first is to not over-think it, and the second?  To realize that the belt should never be belted at the waist via the buckle.  Instead:

1.  Tie the belt around your waist, ignoring the fact that it has a belt buckle (example below)

and

2.  Tie the belt behind you so you can wear the trench open, but the silhouette stays sleek.

And the not-over-thinking thing?  All that means is that you should throw your trench on over anything and everything.  Don't worry about matching.  It goes. with. everything.  Even destroyed boyfriend jeans and hubby beater tanks.  (Heck, especially destroyed boyfriend jeans and hubby beater tanks.)

Three Ways to Keep a Classic Style Youthful

Classic style.  It conjures up images of Jackie O's shift dresses, Katherine Hepburn's wide-leg trousers, Audrey's iconic black turtleneck, Ralph Lauren's blazers.  If your personal style is classic, you're in good company. 

However, keeping a classic style both comfortable to meet the everyday demands of motherhood, and youthful can sometimes be a challenge.  Reader Jacci left this comment on our Personal Style Definition article:

"I do think it's awfully challenging to keep classic looking young when you're getting less young (we don't need to say 'old', right?) by the minute...Add classic and cozy together and it can all start looking a little too 50yo English teacher real fast." 

Ummm...no offense to any of my old high-school English teachers...but Jacci makes a great point.  So here are three easy ways busy moms can keep a classic style youthful: