Ain't No Mom Jeans

How We Wear It: The Basic V-Neck Sweater

Mamas!!  We're starting a new monthly series called How We Wear It, where *we* show all of the different ways we're rocking a wardrobe basic.  And by "we" I mean...all y'all.   If there was One. Thing. you readers communicated LOUD AND CLEAR via our survey, it's this:  You want to see a wider range of body types represented here on ANMJ.  

So.  I'll show you how I've been styling my old standbys, and so will Cam.  And then, dear readers, we want to hear from YOU.  You can play along via our Linky party at the bottom (you can sign up at the bottom of this article or on Cam's page), you can send us a email (send it to either Cam or I), upload a pic to ANMJ's Facebook page, or use Instagram with the hashtag: #howwewearit.  As reader pics come in, I'll be keeping this page up-to-date.

Ready?  

Shop Your Closet: Pile on the Plaids (Even if they don't match)

Trying too hard almost always backfires for me.  Like when I try to match.  In any way.   I end up looking too matchy-matchy or just...off.  And feeling horribly uncomfortable.  My best outfits are often the ones I just threw together.  So when I came across the following Gap ad...well. 

Unknown Gap Stylist, thank you for saving me from myself.

I love this idea.  And really, with all of the mixed prints lately...why not?  Especially when you can anchor the look with rockin' black denim.

 (wearing: Stylemint Waverly Shades, $30, and Lola skinnies in black,$60, J.Crew flannel - similar style, J.Crew men's wool plaid scarf - similar, MIA Buckaroo boots, now sold out, but here are ones with a similar fold-over for only $109)

 

Throwing a plaid scarf over a flannel is obviously taking the easy way out.  So this past weekend, when shopping with my mama (yay!) I doubled up on plaid flannels:

Skinny denim haters, this outfit is for you

(wearing:  J.Crew flannel - similar style, Cropped plaid from Vintage Havana - similar here by LNA, Mother Denim "The Drama' High Waist Flares, $220, Dansko Rhianna boots, a few sizes are available here for $107, or try the Nakita boot, $195 for a similar heel and studded toe, my fringe bag is old...here's a similar one from Threadsense.)

So in summary, when it comes to super-soft cozy flannel...more is more?  Yeah, baby.  Color me plaid.

xo,

S

Shop Your Closet: Pair Bootcut Denim With Off-The-Shoulder Tops

Readers Lauren, Ginny, Maggie and Kendra called me out recently (in the comments section of this article) for always showing so much leg.  Lauren started the chain with this comment:

So many of the looks and trends you feature and recommend are leg-centric. Which look great on lots of ladies, just not me. And, I suspect, on lots of other moms. Any shorts with a less than 10" inseam, booties of any kind... so not working on me. Nothing, and I mean nothing, turns perfectly fine legs into shorty tree stumps like booties.

So...what can you recommend for a little excitement this fall that is NOT shorts or booties?

 

 It's true.  Sigh. I love me some short-shorts...and some ankle booties.  It's totally where my head has been lately.  But I get that this look is not for everyone - especially Mamas with shorter legs.  

So.  If you are looking for a leg-lengthening style...look no further than bootcut denim.  IknowIknowIknow!  Bootcut denim, one could argue, is the new mom jean.   But don't freak out!  Pretty much anything goes these days (and if you're interested, here is are my full thoughts on the topic of skinny vs flare vs bootcut).

I suspect many of us have a pair of bootcut denim lurking in the back of our closets.  To make them feel fresh again, try pairing them with something a bit trendier on top.  Something that mixes in a decade other than the 90's or early 2000's.   Something like...an 80's off-the-shoulder top, perhaps?? 

(wearing: Rich and Skinny Bootcut denim, Dansko Rhianna boots - almost sold out...these are similar, and an old top from Anthro.  Here's a similar one...or this!  For less!)

I actually pulled this top out of my Send To Goodwill pile.  I was going to donate the thing because every time I put it on (previously only with skinny jeans) I always felt too Flashdance-fabulous.  Like I was one sweatband away from dancin' fo-or my life.  

Take your pass-ssion (spin-spin) and make it happen (big leap then crouch-and-pose!)
Pictures come alive, you can dance right through your life.....

<<inset S's dance solo here>>

For the record:  I do have a whole dance routine for that song.  Choreographed by moi, age 7.  If you are interested, I would be willing recreate on YouTube. (no, you crazy people, NOT really) 

But here's the thing:  The bootcut denim saves the top.  Instead of skinny jeans and legwarmers, bootcut denim actually makes the top feel modern and fresh again.  At least for those of us old enough to remember wearing off-the-shoulder tops the first time around.

Anyone recognize this pose?

All I need to do is lose the pants, add some heels and then...I AM. MUSIC NOW.  My 7-year old self is in ecstasy.  

MWAH!!

S

 

 

 

Fall Trend: The Denim Jacket (And 3 New Ways Mamas Can Rock It)

Mamas, the denim jacket (which is, arguably, a classic and therefore always cool)...is having a moment so big, it feels like a new trend.  I'm sure you've seen it paired with statement pants (red skinnies or printed denim, perhaps?), and we've covered to death the denim-jacket-over-casual-dress-and-boots combo (here and here and here - and it's still good, BTW)...but I'd like to highlight the three new ways I'm loving my denim jacket.

Our Readers Weigh-In! The Comfiest (and Most Stylish) Shoes For All-Day Exploring

Back in February, we posted this Facebook question to our readers:  

What are the shoes you reach for when you know you'll be walking around all day long? These would be the shoes you bring to explore a new city, or when you're out exploring your own city. Any thoughts?

And Mamas, you didn't let us down.  Since the summer travel season is almost upon us (and a looong weekend just around the corner) we thought this would be the perfect time to reveal your picks for the most stylish and comfortable shoes for all-day toolin' around (in any climate).  Each pair of shoes in this article has been rigorously tested -- by you.  

Here's the list (starting with warm-weather picks and getting cooler....)

Shop Your Closet: Solve the Keep-or-Toss Problem With a Picture (in other words, a high-waist denim failure)

Mamas, sometimes the key to shopping your closet is knowing what (and when) to purge.  You just can't make good outfit choices with a closet stuffed full of unflattering, ill-fitting items.  But when something has sentimental value...it can take us (or at least me) a loooong time to say goodbye.  But man, pictures sure help speed up this process.

I've written before about high-waisted denim for post-partum moms.  It's a strange strategy, to be sure, but my old high-waisted Sevens served me well after each baby was born.  Of course, I never showed off the high-waist (which included a jelly-belly squeezing out of the top), wearing them instead with my favorite pooch-hiding sweater.  

You'd never know they were high-waisted.

But my pooch is starting to shrink (albeit very slowly), and high-waisted denim is great choice for all of the shorter tops we're seeing this season.  And tucking a little tee into a pair of high-waisted denim is such a cute nod to the 70's.  

So I busted them out.  You've actually seen this outfit before....but not the a full body shot.  Why?  'Cause I hate it.

What's the problem?  Oh...so, so, so many things.  But let's just start with the fact that I look like a munchkin and go from there:

This outfit has so much potential.  But those pants....sigh.  Those pants.  It's time to say goodbye.

But goodbye was made infinitely easier by finding an awesome pair of high-waisted denim on sale at Nordstroms.  Hello, Mother Denim.  Look at the difference:

Hats Are Tasty: Dansko Giveaway Take 2

UPDATE 3/30/12: Jennifer Hughes, you're our Dansko giveaway winner. Email us at aintnomomjeans@gmail.com so we can get these to you.  Congratulations!

I’ve got to tell you, Mamas.  Hats are not only pretty and comfortable—they are tasty too!  We here at Ain’t No Mom Jeans have been snacking on hats (or crow) a lot lately because there’s been some talk surrounding a certain comfort footwear brand—namely Dansko—on this blog: they’re soooo comfortable, but a thing of shame, to be hidden under scrubs, Chefwear and boot cut or flare denim.  Dansko has responded to our biased banter with not one, but now TWO generous giveaways for our readers.  I submit for your approval (and mine) the Dansko spring footwear line.  It is fab under flares and it is worthy of skinnies and skirts.

When Dansko approached ANMJ for another give away, I was wary.  I perused their spring line and was delighted by what I found: stellar details with seventies-inspired braided and tooled leather, brass nail heads, rich colors and fresh designs.  I was torn between the Mirabel line Tori, Tru or Tasha, and the Rio line Randi, Rowena or Ryder, and I was shocked to find six pairs of crazy comfortable but heightening (I am not a woman of stature, after all) sandals that I would not only accept as a consideration but would definitely buy in a store at full retail.  It was a difficult choice, but I finally decided on the Rowena and I’m so glad I did.

Shop Your Closet: Wear a Dress With Pants

Yup.  We're here again.  Anyone as old as I will remember this trend quite clearly.  First we donned dresses over bootcut denim, then gravitated to skinnies.  Remember?

Now...I'm really liking dresses over flares.

There's such a fab 70's vibe going on (still), that a flowy dress over flares just feels...right.  

10 Tips For Keeping Your Mom-Drobe Looking New...ish

After our article on quality vs. quantity in a mom-drobe....many of you asked us to do an article on the proper care of our clothes.  If we're going to invest in quality basics, how do we best take care of them, given the general grime/dirt/food/paint/snot/spit-up that moms face every day?

 

Uhhh...good question.  Here's my far-from-perfect method that's been working OK so far:

1.  Get Good Boots (or shoes)...and Take Good Care of Them

Boots (or even great flats) can seriously make the outfit. This is one area I recommend spending money on.  Get 'em, then wear the heck out of 'em. Boots can tromp through mud.  Boots can play at the park.  Boots can get dirty.  (Ummmm...one caveat:  Don't get light-colored suede.  These boots will not tromp through mud or play at the park.  These boots are just for shopping and ogling at parties.  These are not everyday mom boots.)

Every summer, however, it's time to give your boots some R&R.  Bring them to a cobbler.  Have him fix the heel, re-cover the sole if necessary (he'll be able to advise), and do a full clean and polish.  If your boots are really in tough condition, let him do a whole re-conditioning treatment. This service will cost you anywhere from $20 - $70, depending on the condition of your boots.  NOTE:  the only time I spent close to $70 was when an ancient vintage pair needed cracks repaired, etc.

Getting good boots and taking good care of them is SO worth it.  High quality boots, when well taken care of, will last you decades. You'll be measuring your price-per-wear in pennies.

Shop Your Closet: Layer a Tee Over a Blouse (or Button-Down)

My least favorite thing about Denver?  These guys:

Super-sized Miller Moths.  They are almost as big as these guys:

I swear! Really!  And I'm terrified of them.  Terrified.  

Where I come from moths are tiny little things, much smaller than a butterfly.  So imagine my surprise upon moving to Denver to find that my house, almost every Spring, would be invaded by these furry bird-like moths.  That swoop at my head and get tangled in my hair.  [shudder]  The worst, however, the absolute WORST, was that these things would lurk in my shower, just waiting to pounce.  Once, I was happily showering away, reached for the shampoo bottle and BAM!  A Miller Moth jumped out and flew - through the shower spray -  straight at my chest.  I was wet, of course, from the shower, so he stuck there.  Stuck. To. My. Chest.  I shrieked some inhuman kind of scream, clawing at my chest and tried to run and open our shower door and ended up doing all of it at once so I ended up just smashing my head on the half-opened shower door and knocking myself - still screaming - on my bum.

It - the moth - was still there. On my chest.

Somehow - I don't quite remember how exactly - I ended up getting the thing off of me, leaping out of the shower and running naked and crying into the living room.  Where Mike was calmly sitting.  SITTING!!!!  He looked up in surprise as he saw me crying.  "Didn't you hear me???????"  I sobbed.  "Geez Babe," he said.  "I heard a scream but it was, you know, just your moth scream."

He heard a few other screams then, if my memory serves.

But now, happily, Raines takes care of most bug problems when Mike isn't home.  And while Miller Moths are terrifying, they are not nearly as damaging as the fleet of teeeny tiiiny little moths that have eaten their way through many of Mike's sweaters and a few of my own.  And since I'm totally adverse to using chemicals in the house, I haven't been able to totally get rid of them.  Sigh. Any advice?

My point, however, is that one of my old standbys, a cream cashmere tee, has now been put to rest.  RIP cashmere tee.  I would wear my old cashmere tee like a sweater - over button-downs or blouses.  Like this, actually:

(photo credit: J.Crew)

Fabulous, no?  So I'm saving my pennies to replace it.  But in the meantime....I was wondering if I could use any other kind of tee?  Must it be cashmere, or even sweater-like?  For example, I have a silk tee, bought on super-sale at Banana that I use for work primarily because it covers the pooch nicely: