Ain't No Mom Jeans

Hip Moms, Prepare To Love Madewell.com (A more affordable, boho version of J. Crew)

Have you heard of Madewell?  It's a new concept store launched by the same folks that brought us J. Crew, and is, in fact, referred to in the media as "J. Crew's sister store".  From what I gather, the prices are roughly 20-30% less than J. Crew. 

What's the difference?  Madewell is a very tightly edited collection of clothing that leans to bohemian, rather than preppy (the look J. Crew is so famous for).  This tight editing makes it easy to shop (there's very little to weed through), and these forgiving bohemian silhouettes are perfect for camouflaging a multitude of post-baby body issues while remaining on-trend and hip.  And the lower price point doesn't hurt, either.

While Madewell stores have been around in select cities, Madewell.com just launched.  And I'm in love.  I'm betting this online retailer will quickly become a favorite.  It's hard to resist items like a perfectly slouchy T in just the right shade of gray (pictured at left), worn with an insanely cute-yet-mom-friendly bracelet that  manages to walk the line between tough and feminine (pictured at right).

And both pieces are each under $40.  Not bad.

Need more convincing? How about....

Reader Question: Craving Cropped Pants

Reader Question:

Okay, so it's now gotten hot where I live and I'm craving a shorter options for pants for work/play with kiddos. But a quick perusal of the stores this week left me swimming in a confusing sea of bermuda shorts, pedal pushers, capris, crops, and on and on. How can I tell what length pant is right for me? Or are they all equally right? I'm 5'9, thoroughly apple shaped, and constitutionally opposed to buying destroyed denim.

Thanks for your help!

Signed,

Confused about pants.
 

Answer:

No pant has greater potential to turn totally croptacular (particularly for those of us with bums and thighs or who are vertically challenged) than the cropped pant.  But done right, cropped pants are incredibly flattering and uber functional for moms.  

Reader Question: Denim Skirts For Moms?

Reader Question:

 Okay so I love love love your blog, your advice, and have a question! This summer I realized I officially hate shorts! With a passion! I hated them prior to the babe and hate them even more now. I do however, love skirts…especially Hard Tail roll-over ones - nothing more flattering on a tummy. My question though is what is a late-20s, mom-on-the-go, appropriate jean skirt? Much like you, I am a self proclaimed jean snob but shelling out $200.00 for AG’s Box Skirt (I’ve been stalking it and it never goes on sale) makes me, well more my husband, cringe. I refuse to do true minis but don’t know how I feel about running around in a denim pencil skirt at the playground. Any suggestions?

Thank you! xoxox

Julia

Answer:

Julia, thanks for writing in, and for your kind words on the blog!! 

The AG Box Skirt you mentioned (pictured at left) is adorable.  But how annoying that it's $200....I can get jeans for that price, and this skirt has roughly half the material!  Boooo!  

So.  You are looking for a jean skirt that is (reasonably) mom-friendly, and less than $200.  Got it.

The "less than $200" part is easy - there are a million options.  Finding something that's mom-friendly is a bit trickier -- I agree that running around the playground in a denim pencil skirt is...well...humph.  Not even sure how to describe.  Too fashion-victim?  Just plain scary?  I mean....you can't even climb the steps to help your kiddo down.  So yeah - I think the pencil-skirt-at-playground scenario is out.

Even if we rule out the denim pencil skirt, I think we have several other cool options.  Here are my favorites:

Worth A Closer Look: Ann Taylor Loft's Spring Line

On the fairly rare occasions I've wandered into Ann Taylor Loft (usually suckered in by a big sale), I've often left feeling underwhelmed.  The clothes were never horrible...just "eh".   Once in a while I'll pick up a necklace or something...but overall, I saw Ann Taylor Loft as a place to be bored.  Nice basics, nothing exciting, nice prices, nice sales, but nothing worth a trip.  Yawn.

So I was very confused, the other day, when I happened to glance over at the Ann Taylor Loft window displays.  For a moment I thought I was looking in J. Crew's windows.  But no - it was good 'ol ATL.  But this time...the clothes were cuter, somehow.  A bit...dare I say it?  Trendy?  (UPDATE:  Ann Taylor Loft, in addition to their new look, is updating their name to just LOFT.)

I suspect that the same re-invigoration that happened to Ann Taylor is also filtering down to the sister, LOFT.  In any case, there are certainly lots to love in LOFT's new Spring line.  But beware - not all of the kinks have been worked out yet, and there were several items that fell short.

Winter / Spring Mom Uniform Idea: Boyfriend Jeans + Sweatshirt + Girly Accessories

 Yesterday we showed a mom-uniform outfit idea based on a blousey dress (courtesy of reader Amy), and today we have another mom-uniform outfit idea coming in from our reader Esther!  (Esther, BTW, is the insanely talented children's clothing designer Chinny Chin Chin that we profiled last year.)

Esther, typically addicted to a large black parka at this time of year, was inspired to swap it out after reading one of our End of Winter Outfit Ideas.  I'm so glad she did.

I'm head over heels in love with Esther's outfit.  By now most of you know my long-standing love affair with destroyed boyfriend jeans (really, there is nothing more comfortable)...and Esther manages to up the comfort level even further by pairing hers with a comfy sweater and Ugg-like boots.  A gorgeous scarf, a cool spring jacket and movie-star shades completes this drop-dead cool look.

NOTE for other Ugg boot wearers:  Notice that Esther has rolled her jeans to hit at the top of the Ugg boots, instead of attempting to stuff all of that fabric into the boots.  Perfect.

Esther is pregnant, and I love that this look can work for both pregnant and not-pregnant moms.  Esther's "pregnancy denim" is actually Converse jeans from Target.  (Esther - would you leave a comment telling us about the rest of your fabulous outift?)

So...inspired by Esther, I came up with another version of her mom-uniform idea.  But since I'm optimistically thinking Spring, I put together a slighty warmer-weather version:

Items in this set:
Women's sweaters - merino - Merino boyfriend sweatshirt - J.Crew, $70
Gap Petite Military anorak, $70
Gap Petite Destructed easy straight jeans (light wash), $70
Women's shoes - ballets - Patterned classic ballet flats - J.Crew, $120

Forever21.com - New Arrivals - Accessories, $13

I'm loving the drape and ease of J. Crew's Merino Wool Sweatshirt, but any thin, drapey sweatshirt would work.  (FYI:  These kinds of sweatshirts are also amazing with tiny little skirts or shorts for date night - just add high heels).  I just bought an army green jacket like the one above (which is actually on sale for $44, BTW) and I find that I'm wearing it everywhere.  There's a lot of casual boyishness going on in these outfits, which makes them the perfect foil for girly accessories.  Add a pretty scarf, like Esther, and once the weather is warmer, swap out your Uggs for pretty printed flats.  I'm also into ribbon-tied bib necklaces for moms.  Not only do they look very, very cool with a simple sweatshirt, but the kiddos can pull on these things all day with minimal risk.  With Spring and it's widely ranging temperatures, having a pretty little something layered under the scarf ensures you're always lookin' good.

xo,

S

Mom Street Style - February 2010 Mom

One of my dear friends was visiting from Minneapolis last week.  She and I grew up together in the beautiful (but oh-so-cold-and-snowy) Marquette, MI.  Despite my background, I spent the entire weekend cursing the weather gods for all of the snow and cold that suddenly blew into Denver.  My friend, on the other hand, wasn't fazed in the least.  She pointed out that Denver was still about 20 degrees warmer than our hometown (or Minneapolis for that matter) and that Denver didn't get "real" snow.  Just something fluffy that more closely resembles the fake snow they use on stage.  Certainly nothing you can make snowballs out of.  And this stuff often melts at the first sign of sun.  A far cry from our hometown, where the last snowbanks sometimes finished melting in June.  So yes - I've gone soft.

One of my favorite things about living in such a climate as Denver is the ability to wear ballet flats.  I've always loved the Audrey Hepburn inspired outfits that involved ballet flats and slim little capri pants...but the reality was that in Michigan, ballet flat season lasted approximately 6 weeks:  From the beginning of September (after the summer thunderstorms and muggy heat stopped) through mid October (before the first snowfall).  Not practical.

All of this, by the way, is my way of apologizing to our Northern readers for our February Mom.  Get ready for severe ballet flat envy.

I love Nicole's outfit, pictured at left.  I love the rolled jeans and ballet flats, I love the sophisticated black and white palette with a pop of color (pink!!), I love that she's carrying a fancy bag full of diapers instead of a diaper bag.  

Nicole is really wearing a glorified (and sophisticated) take on the basic t-shirt & jeans mom uniform, and her outfit is a great example of using a fabulous coat to dress up your t-shirt and jeans.

A note on Nicole's jeans:  Nicole is wearing CJ by Cookie Johnson's Faith jeans, $117 at Nordstrom's.  These jeans have a higher rise, but due to a special waistband, they won't gap at the waist.   Nicole tried to claim these jeans were her version of "mom jeans"...but if all mom jeans were this hot, the name of this blog would be different.  

Lastly, check out little Caroline in her matching black-white-pink outfit and rainboots.  Sigh.  Little boy clothes are getting better....but this is a whole different category of cute.

xo,

S

End of Winter Outfit Inspirations: Nordstroms Part 2, Coffee and Museum

In order to beat the winter blahs, Ain't No Mom Jeans hooked up with Leisa Payton, a Personal Stylist at Nordstroms to glean some ideas of how to mix up our winter clothing with a little dose of Spring.  Also, don't miss Part 1, a perfect little playground or play-date outfit.

For the next bit of winter inspiration (pictured again on Becky at left), Leisa chose a soft range of neutrals, paired with bright pops of colors, and finished off with light-colored leather accessories.  The light gray boots and soft caramel bag are surprisingly versatile, and will only look better with age.  I love this slightly dressed up (but still easy) look for when I'm headed downtown for coffee and a museum.

Becky is wearing a Phillip Lim blazer, Vince straight-leg jeans, Frye boots, gloves and scarf by Nordstrom's own brand and a Marni bag.

Ideas To Takeaway:

• For an infusion of Spring into your style, try a monochromatic pallet of soft neutrals: gray, beige, white.  This works best when you mix contrasting textures.
• Add pops of color with winter accessories (scarf, gloves, hat)
• Turn any scarf into an infinity scarf:  Leisa  tied the ends of the scarf together and wrapped it three times around Becky's neck.  (For a true infinity scarf look, just wrap it twice).
• Try the new short flat boot in a light color.  They look amazing with jeans now, but will look equally amazing in warmer weather with skirts or shorts. 
• Instead of a diaper bag, try a butter-soft leather messenger.  It's just plain cool.

Leisa, thanks again!

To contact Leisa, please visit her at the Cherry Creek Nordstroms in Denver, or email leisa.a.payton@nordstrom.com.

xo,

S

Reader Question: What Types of Footwear Can You Wear with Leggings and Skinny Jeans?

Reader Question:

I have recently fallen in love with skinny jeans and leggings.  Heels really aren't my thing and normally, I would wear UGG boots or ballet flats, but some outfits just don't call for the winter boots but I am too cold to wear ballet flats.  Are there any other comfortable, warm choices you would recommend to go with skinny jeans?  Is it ever ok to wear a street shoe, like my slip-on sketchers with socks, with skinny jeans.

Answer:

I love that you are embracing skinny jeans and leggings!!  But footwear for these styles can be tricky.  Let me first try to address which footwear I think looks best with leggings and skinny jeans, and then take on the more specific part of your question about leggings + sketcher sneaks.

Best (Easiest) Footwear Choices With Skinny Jeans & Leggings

1.  Boots

We're talking any shape of boot, with any heel height: flat boots, high heeled boots, ankle boots, knee-high, or over-the-knee boots.  They all work.  In fact, boots of any shape and style work: winter boots, western boots, motorcycle boots, sleek boots, moccasin booties, rain boots, combat boots, rocker booties with chains, etc.  You get the picture.  Whatever you're boot fetish, I'm willing to bet it will look amazing with skinny jeans or leggings.  Be wary of traditional Uggs (I'll talk more about this below).  For a bit of inspiration, check out our November 2009 Street Style Mom, or the pics below (all from shopbop.com).

Lastly, I'm loving the outfit put together (pic below)  by K_Isa_Bella on Chictopia.com.  The socks and lace-up boots look just so cool.  You could certainly use this idea of layering socks and boots with other boot styles.

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

Strategies to Avoid Looking Pregnant Once You've Given Birth (Plus an Exercise To Banish Post-Baby Belly)

It's a common complaint: You are 6 weeks postpartum, and are proud of yourself for, (A) being out of the house and (B) having showered and applied makeup.  As you are strutting happily along, babe in tow, you eventually run into some idiot who says, "So, when are you due?"    

This situation happens to us all, and my previous coping strategy was to simply bury the incident deep in my brain, never to be thought of again.  But then one of our readers left the following comment:  

I have several tops like these [NOTE: she's referring to the floaty tops featured in our Postpartum Belly Hiding Tops post] that I wore after giving birth in May, and I was so disappointed and embarrassed when people asked me if I was pregnant. I wanted to scream...hey, not everyone looks like Heidi Klum six weeks postpartum. But then I thought maybe it also had to do with the loose floaty tops I was wearing. Any suggestions for this problem? I'm pregnant again and want to AVOID this situation in the future!

Sigh.  It's best to face this situation head-on.  So, is there anything we can do to avoid looking pregnant after we've given birth?  

The short answer is:  No.  Not really.  Our bodies just went through 9 months of crazy changes - it's not going to be undone overnight.  One O/B told me to think about it this way:  It takes 9 months for your body to get that big, it's probably going to take another 9 months for your body to go back to normal.  At least.  And as someone who got scary-big (click link then scroll down for a pic), I get it. 

There are, however, a few strategies worth trying:

Choose tops that skim over the pooch.

While I know that this silhouette can be very maternity-top, you can always rein in the fabric with a banded bottom, like Forever 21's Gale Gathered Front Tunic, $13.80. We also pictured a several of these types of tops in our first and second Hide the Postpartum Pooch posts, if you need more ideas.

Show some cleavage. 

Typically, postpartum boobs are still huge, whether you are nursing or not.  And if you are nursing, well...they are epic.  Nothing makes you look bigger than big boobs, all covered up in fabric.  So choose a deep v-neck, cowl, or a large scoop neck.  Anything that shows some cleavage.  Again, the Gale Gathered Front Tunic does a nice job of both camouflaging the pooch and showing some cleavage.

Disguise the Pooch In a Pattern.

Look for patterns that are a bit busy and asymmetrical.  I know that sounds horrible.  Admittedly, it's hard, but not impossible, to find busy, asymmetrical patterns that are cute. The goal is distraction.  

Florals are huge for Spring, and I'm loving Forever 21's Tropical Floral Top, $15.80.  It has a banded bottom, a low neckline, and a busy, asymmetrical pattern to disguise a postpartum pooch.  Wow - it hits all three strategies.  So if the sight of your fantastic cleavage isn't enough to draw the eye up, all of that floral goin' on will nicely camouflage the pooch.

Try Some High-Waisted Jeans

I know you are thinking, WHAT?????  But consider this:  your postpartum pooch is very, very soft.  It's really just extra skin and lots of...jelly-like stuff.  Ugh.  But the good news is that it squishes down quite a bit.  Zipping it up into a pair of high-waisted jeans helps keep it under control, and gives you a bit of support that will actually feel good 6 weeks postpartum. Really.  You want the high waist tight, but not so tight you can't breathe.

These jeans are a bonus for c-section girls: many low-waisted jeans can irritate your very sensitive scar.  High-waisted jeans were the only thing I could wear for months (besides sweatpants, obviously), and to this day, there are times when my scar still gets irritated and I pull them back out.  Ahhhh....relief.

Just because you have high-waisted jeans doesn't mean you need to show off the high waist until you are ready (read:  have lost the jelly-belly).  Just pull tops down over the high waist.  No one will be the wiser.  Since high-waists have been around a while (the fashion mags seem to love/hate them every 6 months), they are currently really easy to find, and often on sale.  Personally,  I really liked Seven For All Mankind's High Waist Bootcut Jean, $196 at shopbop.com.

Try the Tupler Exercises

WIth many pregnancies,the outmost halves of the abdominal muscles seperate a bit, making it hard for you to regain your pre-baby belly.  Doing the right kind of abdominal exercises mays help.   Julie Tupler, RN developed an exercise (the Tupler Technique) that can help women pull these muscles back together.  Medline has a great interview with Julie Tupler (with her instructions on the exercise), but for a quick synopsis of just the exercise, go to Fit Pregnancy's article.  

Wrap Up the Belly

 Julie Tupler recommends wrapping your belly in her Tupler Diastais Rehab Splint, $35 (pictured at right), or you could always try the Belly Bandit Bamboo, $66 (pictured at left).  Both products pictured are from Becoming Mothers in Boulder, CO.  The Tupler Splint helps target the the seperated muscles specifically, while the Belly Bandit helps reduce uterine swelling, water retention and offers back support.  

For an even more affordable approximation, you can always try a simple Ace Bandage.  Ask the hospital for one before you leave - they'll give you one for free.  I wore mind daily for several weeks.  I don't know if it reduced uterine swelling or helped with my diastais, but I do know it made life much more bearable, helped support my aching body, and hid the pooch a bit.  Next time around I might try the Belly Bandit.  It fits nice and low, and looks like a c-section girl's best friend.  

So hopefully this will help avoid any awkward, "Are you STILL pregnant? Oops - there's the baby!" situations in the future.  But probably not.  Just remember:  pooch or not, your baby is pretty darn sure you are the most gorgeous thing he (or she) has ever seen.  

xo,

S