Ain't No Mom Jeans

Reader Question: Footwear For When It's Too Hot For Boots, But Too Cold To Go Without Socks

Reader Question:

Hi,
I am a mama of twin 5 year old boys.  I have recently found your site and love it!  I work from home so I easily fall into the trap of wearing the same old unfashionable clothes and have also been known to go a day or two (or three!) without showering.  Your blog has really helped me take on a renewed focus on being more fashionable and just feeling better about myself.
 
One area that I continue to struggle with is shoes.  I live in Michigan and find that there is a period of time between winter and spring where I don't know what shoes to wear.  It is not cold enough to wear boots, but not warm enough for sandals or flats with no socks.  I struggle to find fashionable shoes that I can wear with some type of sock, and have them be comfortable.  I need to chase around my boys so comfort is a must.  But I also don't want to look like an old lady in orthopedic shoes.  Can you please help by giving me some suggestions?  

 

Sarah

 

Answer:

Sarah, thanks for writing in!  Growing up in MI myself, I know exactly what you are talking about.  And this transitional weather often drives me crazy, too.   But I've been thinking about your request...and now that the weather in Philly is chilly again I've found myself struggling with the same thing.

Here's what I've been happy wearing...

Booties

I don't typically wear these shoes to the park, but for general errands and outings with the kiddos, I find the heel comfortable enough for baby-wearing.

Note my Smartwool socks peeking out.  Navy denim + navy-ish wool socks = close enough.

 (wearing: Levis skinnies, J.Crew Factory sweater, Madewell plaid shirt, Clarks booties, Bella leopard-print baby carrier. Makr backpack, Salt sunnies)

Cute Sneaks

I'm slowly figuring out the whole cute sneaks + skinny jeans thing.  Personally, I like this look a whole lot better if the skinnies aren't legging-tight.  But that might just be me.  And since I'm not the tallest person around, I roll 'em. 

My converse are high-tops, but this look would work even if a bit of white sock showed.

(Also?  This is a different day....but Raines likes to wear the same thing over & over & over....)

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:

 

Whoa....Skorts?

How do you feel about skorts?  I haven't tried them myself yet, but I get why they would be practical for moms.  And I was tempted, last year, in our article on Denim Minis for Moms, but never succumbed.  So when reader N sent in a guest post on skorts...I was skeptical at first.  But she managed to find such cute ones, I'm now drooling over several.

Here's reader N's take on skorts....

****************

As a kid I remember wearing bike shorts under my dresses to church on Sundays because there was an awesome tree outside the church office and if my mom got busy talking to people (like she always did) my brothers and I could climb it for a few minutes before we had to go home…but I didn’t want to either

a.) not wear a dress/skirt or

b.) have my undies showing!

And now as a mom, I find myself doing lots of running, jumping, and climbing again as I play with and chase my toddler, but I still like skirts and still don’t like my undies revealed to the general public. So what’s the solution?

Skorts!

Yup, you read that right - skorts. A lovely made-up combo word (like spork or tangelo), “skort” means a combination of a skirt and shorts. The ones I recommend for stylin’ young moms on hot summer days are basically a super simple pair of shorts with a skirt over it so that the shorts aren't showing.  At all. 

I personally feel like the ones that only have skirt on the front side are well, pretty lame. (NOTE FROM S: Is this like party in the back and business in the front?  snort)

And there are actually some cute skorts out there.  Like these....

Reader Question: 11 Mom-Drobe Fashion Essentials for Spring / Summer 2011

We've been inundated, over the last few months, with request from readers who want to know exactly what to buy.  Right now.  With budgets ranging from under $200 to much, much more than that.  Figuring out exactly what one needs is a fairly strenuous exercise, dependent on your own personal style and existing wardrobe.  It's hard for me to say, on a personal level, what one person might need.

However.  I've been giving this topic some thought.  And while I realize that everyone has different styles, different needs...there are a few items that I would recommend to *most* moms.  

First of all, I'm assuming that everyone already has a few basics: a pair of jeans they love, basic flip-flops and some long, layering camis (or shaper camis). Good?  Good.

My list then, contains the 11 items that I think can be most easily mixed-n-matched for a cohesive, cute, and functional mom-drobe that's totally on-trend for 2011.  Ready? 

Mom Street Style: Christie's Casual-Cool Ballgame Outfit (Plus Denim Giveaway Winner!!)

I ran into Christie and her totally adorable son down by Coor's Field, heading into a sports pub for a drink/dinner/whatever.

Let's stop, for a moment, and take note:  Red shoes on kiddos are possibly the coolest thing ever.

Back to Christie:  I love everything about Christie's outfit.  It's basically the most mom-friendly outfit possible (I actually wear something like this to the park...or as reader Vanessa would call it, it's my "parkiform")...but Christie makes it perfect for a casual night out / ballgame by playing with the accessories. 

Sweet shades? Check.

Cool hat?  Check.

Oversized clutch?  You bet.  (This is exactly why all men need their own version of a diaper bag, BTW.  When we go out as a fam, Mike's often carrying all the baby goods in his TimBuk2.  I'm carrying something cute. )

Want to re-create?  Of course you do. 

The Best Nude Shoes For Moms (Everything From Flats to Date-Night Wedges)

 

Nude shoes are easily my top pick for Spring and Summer.  They go with everything, lengthen your leg line, and will never go out of style.  Never.  Or as Raines would say, "NEVER!!!" (dramatic pause) "EVER!!!"  (usually about bedtime).

Both pairs of my nude sandals are from...ummm...2002? 2003?  And while one was purchased in suede and no longer looks nude (I clearly need to clean out my shoe closet) and the other now has a broken buckle (wow - really need to clean out shoe closet)...the point here is that you and your nude shoes have a long, satisfying relationship ahead of you.  This is a purchase that you will literally wear out.

And...as many of you are already guessing...all of this blathering is because I'm trying to justify these gorgeous Chloe ballet flats.  Sigh.   They are my shoe perfection.

Here are a few (ok - quite a few) nude shoe picks, whether you are looking for an everyday, wear-everywhere flat, a flat sandal, a not-too-crazy wedge heel, or (because I couldn't resist) a few totally fabulous sky-high sandals. 

Gorgeous, Wear-Everywhere, Pooch-Hiding, Nursing-Friendly Tops For Spring and Summer

While I'm still totally addicted to my pooch-hiding sweater, I do realize that once the temps warm up, I'm going to need a new alternative.  The hunt is on! Or...was on, rather.

On a quick shopping trip right before I took the boys to Gulf Shores, I stumbled upon two gorgeous pieces that are pooch-hiding perfection. 

They are effortless, cool (from both a temperature and style perspective), and best of all?  No shaper cami required!

Voila...

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:

Mom Uniform Inspiration: Styling Bright Denim

Winter, I'm done with you.  I want Spring.  I want bright flowers peeking from the ground, I want sunny skies and 70+ temps.  I want bare arms.  I want color.

Chances are, I'm stuck with several more weeks of cold (while Denver is having a warm spell now, March always breaks my heart)...so in lieu of warm winds and swapping my snowboots for sandals, I'm really feeling brights. Specifically brightly colored denim.  (Specifically the pair of coral red Gap skinnies M found on the clearance rack for under $20.  But I won't.  I promised.  Avoiding "twinsies!!" is becoming harder and harder for us.)

So if you'd like to add a little pop of color, keep reading.  I found a few gorgeous pics for inspiration, and as always, we play around with making them oh-so-mom-friendly.

Bright Denim + Dark Neutrals

I love Vanessa Jackman's pic from London's Fashion Week.  While black and yellow can be fraught with peril (what goes 'buzz buzz'?), Shu Pei (pictured) pulls it off perfectly.

Translating Your Styleboard to Mom-Uniform Possibilities: Amanda's Example

 One of the comments we received on our Determining Your Personal Style article was from reader Amanda.  She wrote:

"I started this today but got a little stuck. The pictures speak, but they say so many different things. Sometimes "that's beautiful," "she's beautiful," or "wow, that look would really work for next week's baby shower / wedding / playgroup / family function." I think I should be focusing on the whole look, pictures where I can truly say "that's ME," or "that could be me." Worried this might land me in the same rut I've been in for years though ... help!"

Once you've chosen your favorite pictures, translating them can be tricky.  Amanda was kind enough to send over her quick-n-dirty styleboard, and it's gorgeous.  It's also a good example of what complicated creatures we are.  Unlike the old Sesame Street, "one of these things is not like the other..." we are not trying to eliminate the outliers.  Our personal styles are often made up of seemingly disparate ideas.  Putting it all together is what makes personal style, well...personal.

Sooo...using Amanda's style board as an example, I've created three possible mom-uniforms.  Here's her styleboard: