Ain't No Mom Jeans

Confession: I Hate Thrifting. (But I'm Trying To Change My Ways)

I've walked into thrift stores only a few times in my life.  The whole setup isn't really my thing.  I hate digging through huge piles of stuff, I have a bloodhound's sense of smell (mold especially kills me), and I find itchy clothing depressing.  I don't care who made it in what decade, I'll take a new jersey knit over vintage polyester any day.   

I do own some vintage pieces, though.  I'm not totally immune to their charms.  All of mine were passed down from my mom.  I wore Mom's old Calvin Klein cut-offs all through high school and college, her sexy red maxi dress when I was pregnant (the only time my boobs were big enough to fill it out), and you may recall seeing her sparkly prom purse on the blog from time-to-time.  But here's the deal:  They were my mom's.  I didn't have to go scrounging through bins, worry about smells, or wonder about a stain.  They all came with stories - familiar stories, stories that are now part of my family lore.

But thrifting...it's intimidating and impersonal and smells bad.  Yet it's cheap.  SO cheap.  And it's better for the environment.   

As a tree-hugger who is not independently wealthy...yet (snort)....if I'm really serious about reducing my own personal environmental impact (and saving some cash along with those trees), I need to take another look at how, and what, I consume.  I'm all about CPW (cost per wear) and buying fewer, better quality items...so how can you go wrong with quality at $3.99? 

I'm assuming, of course, that quality can be found for $3.99.  Because Yentine said so, more or less.  And she's pretty much the thrifting expert in my little online world.  

So keeping Yentine's first tip in mind (HAVE A GOOD ATTITUDE, which may have been the root cause of my past failures)....I went thrifting.  At the Goodwill in my tiiiny hometown, population 25,000.  If you ever wanted to set a thrifting bar low, go to a small, isolated town with an overabundance of non-ironic Carhartt.  But unlike Philly, in my tiny hometown I can park without fear (the PPA is NO JOKE) and I have free babysitters (thanks, Mom!).  

My thrifting trip was....hunh.  Successful?  Keeping an open mind, I did end up trying stuff on, and even walked out with an item or two.  To prove I was there illustrate, I took pics.  

1 Piece, 3 Easy Ways For Mamas: The Bandage Mini

Now before you start rolling your eyes, I do realize that a short, tight mini skirt doesn't, at first blush, sound like something you'd throw on while kiddo-wrangling.  I get that.  But, if you recall Em's wise words in How to Rock Skirts With a Toddler Underfoot:

Short skirts can work...but watch the flowiness.  The shorter the skirt, the easier the wind flips it up...or the kiddos will want to hide in it.

With a bandage mini, there is no flowiness.  Literally ZERO.  And they are miraculously flattering on multiple body types:  Wear 'em high to show off curves, or low around your hips with a voluminous blouse to hide a pooch.  Also?  They can be had for cheap.  For reals cheap.  I have two.  My big splurge (Target) was $14.  But my Forever 21 number?  $7, Mamas.  Seriously. 

I think the keys to wearing these skirts while playing with the kiddos are:

• Keep it casual (you only paid, like, $10 for the thing)
• Wear swimsuit bottoms underneath for major playtime

If you've been following my instagram feed (@shanachristine) you've already seen my pink Target mini at the Bryn Mawr farmers market.  Here are three other ways I've been wearing it:

1. As A Beach Cover-Up....When You Want Something Outfit-y

 (wearing: Target skirt - similar, Gap factory top, J.Crew bikini, Reef flip-flops)

Whether you are running errands before/after beach-going, or headed out to a pool party with a confusing dress code, bandage skirts are pretty awesome as a swimsuit cover-up.  Pair with a top in a similar hue, and it feels almost like a dress.

And if the skirt gets wet at the beach?  It's cheap. Nobody cares.

Mom Street Style - Kristen's Shorts 'n Polka Dotted Fall Pumpkin Patch Outfit

We try and keep up with our Mom Street Style submissions.  But sometimes we get behind.  And sometimes we get so behind that I've hung onto a pic for almost a year, just to make sure we're not showing Mom Street Style flip-flops in February.  

But I cracked up when Kristen's email hit our inbox a few days ago.  Shorts and flip-flops?  And it's almost November?  Clearly, despite my wanting very badly cold Fall weather (and hotcocoafuzzysweaters andboots) ...we're not the only ones feeling the heat.  Goodness, even in NY this past weekend (our fun little family train trip) it was downright hot during the day. 

Kristen wrote: 

Hi ladies! I'm a 30-yr-old full-time working mom of Wynn (15 months) and a huge fan of your blog!

I thought I might have made you proud during our trip to the pumpkin patch this weekend. I had a few challenges: I wanted my outfit to reflect the Fall season, but it's still 85* here. And of course, it had to be suitable for chasing a toddler around. Enter a flowy, forgiving blouse (Old Navy), crisp cuffed black shorts (bebe), and a toddler-friendly piece of jewelry -- a coral and gold cuff (local boutique). Add some stylish flip-flops (Tory Burch) and I was ready to chase Wynn through the petting zoo!

Thanks for always posting such great inspiration. I'm gonna read as long as you write!

Love,
Kristen

 

Kristen, you look ah-mazing.  We are so, so proud.  Yay, you!!  And MAN - Old Navy (of all places!!) has been killing it with their flowy tops this fall (I wrote about my favorite here). And let's all take a moment to sigh in bliss over shorts and flowy tops mom-i-forms.  Ahhhhh....

I know, I know - I'm a horribly predictable shorts-lover.  I can't help it.  Like Gaga, I was born this way.

And Kirsten, you were obviously born fabulous.  Thanks for writing in!

Ummm...BTW, Kristen is in FL, so I'm not sure if they ever get sweater-weather, but this outfit sure is reflective of the crazy Fall we've all been having.  For those of you who are actually experiencing a cooler Fall (or want to rock an outfit like this into winter), this outfit would look amazing with tights, boots, a chunky scarf and parka.  I'm thinking something like this...

 

Wintershorts by aintnomomjeans featuring motorcycle boots

 

 

And YES - I love black and navy together.  

xo,

S

Mom Street Style - Lisa's Perfect Almost-Fall Playground Outfit: Flips-Flops and Poncho

Lisa, from Being an American Mom, sent in this spot-on Fall transition outfit.  Lisa wrote:

Your post on the Fall Nordstrom sale inspired me to go get the Caslon poncho sweater in green.  

Today it was starting to feel more like Fall here in California and I was taking the kids to the playground so I grabbed the sweater and layered it over a gray tank and paired that with my Kut from the Kloth denim crop pants that I won in your contest!  You can see I am wearing flip flops because it was in the low 70s today, but I will definitely "winterize" this outfit by wearing a long sleeved t-shirt under the sweater and boots with the jeans.  

Anyway, I loved this outfit because it was so comfortable and yet I felt stylish!  And I was chasing my 14 month old around the playground, I could run around easily.  Perfect!

Wow!  Lisa - you look gorgeous!  Love the jeans, love the poncho, love the necklace, love the flips.  This is pretty much the definition of stylish, mom-friendly outfits that we strive to achieve here on Ain't No Mom Jeans.

Nicely done, Lisa.  Thanks for sending in the pic!!

xo,

S

ps....Congrats to TheRingChronicles, the winner of our Champion giveaway!!!  Shoot us an email and we'll get you your new workin' out gear!!

 
And in case you missed it, as part of the giveaway, we asked readers to leave a comment with their favorite brownie recipe....OH MAMA.  It is quite the collection.  There are links to FAH-bulous sounding brownie recipes, a couple of actual recipes (thanks to Beth and Juliana B), and some amazing sounding mix-ins:  coffee, chocolate chips, cheesecake, mint, orange extract, pepper (Ooo....creative, Barbara H, very creative!!), gluten free options, and a bunch of shout-outs to the Ghiradelli and Duncan Hines box mixes.  Best. Giveaway. Ever.  This one will just keep on givin'.....a HUGE thanks to all who participated!!  I'm going to have a long, happy (and fattening) winter trying all of these out....

Mom Street Style: Jen Rocks a Cool Skort (and my fav combo: blush + white)

Some people complain about their in-laws....but I'm not one of them.  Gang, I got really, really lucky.  Mike's whole family is amazing (Yup, his mom included), and his sister Jen is one of my very favorite people...EVER.  Crazy fun, honestly kind and a total bad @ss.  

She's also adorable and stylish and perfectly rocks a beachy, casual vibe each summer.  I featured her two years ago also.

This year she was wearing (just coincidentally) my current favorite combo blush + white.

Then, I found out that her cute skirt was actually a skort.

THEN I saw the back....

Southern Gal Style For Modern Mamas: Madras!

Readers - Do you know BiblioMOMia?  She is a fabulously fashionable mom blogger (and academic) who always leaves honest and thoughtful comments for us at Ain't No Mom Jeans.

We love her.  So when Amy took us to task last year for hating on Southern gal inspired critter flip-flops...we listened. And boy-oh-boy, are we glad we did.  Keep reading for a Southern Mama's perspective on fashion.  Love it.  Thanks, Amy!!!!

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

Are you hot yet?  Yeah, me too.  I was raised in the cradle of the American South, which often felt more like an armpit by August.  I now live in DC, and it’s absolutely disgusting by the end of the summer.  Heat and humidity like you wouldn’t believe (like S is discovering over in Philly!).  Time to put the hair up and the sunscreen on, here below the Mason-Dixon line.

There are lots of things about Southern Girl Style that are hard to understand:  Ribbon belts and monograms.  Vera Bradley.  Pearls with polo shirts.  Maybe one day I’ll try to explain some of those, too.  But if there’s one thing that a southern gal knows how to do, it’s dress for the heat.  In the South, women don’t sweat – we glisten.  And my mama would be horrified if I “glistened” too much in public!  But, she’s never walked a toddler to the Metro in the blazing sun, or walked all over the city pushing a stroller in this god-forsaken humidity.  When the end of the summer rolls around, and you’ve sweat through everything else in your closet, I have a simple answer for you:

 Madras.

Mom Street Style: Melanie's Sophisticated Navy and White

Gang, meet Melanie.  She had biked to Lower Harbor Park to catch a cool breeze before dinner.  Impressively, Melanie biked down, pulling a chariot, while wearing white trouser pants and a button-down.  She's my new hero.  

You know I love the navy + white combo.  And I'm also loving the wicker basket on her bike.  Wouldn't a straw diaper bag be so cute with this outfit?

Melanie's trouser pants and top are Calvin Klein, her sunnies are Oakley's and her flops are Tevas.

Wanna see how we met?

 

Awwww....little Ava was so adorable.  Pax wasn't quite sure what to do when faced with a baby his size who so outpaced his own social development (ah, boys).  They had the baby version of this conversation:  

Ava:  Pax, here - let me get that hair off your face.  

Pax:  Wha?

Ava:  There.  That looks better.  Don't you think that looks better?

Pax: Um -

Ava: Isn't this a beautiful night?  What could we do on this beautiful night?

Pax:  Uh-

Ava:  I think we should crawl around and feel the grass between our fingers.  Really feel it.

Pax:  NOM NOM NOM

Ava:  No, Pax!  Not eat the grass!  Feel the grass!  Can't you feel it?

Pax:  NOM NOM NOM

 

Boys crack me up.

xo,

S

 

Summer Styling: 9 New Ways To Style Shorts and a Simple Tee / Tank

Shorts, especially denim shorts (which we talked about styling last summer), look best with something other than a t-shirt or simple tank.  A silk blouse, an embroidered tunic, a button-down, even a structured jacket or blazer - these are the pieces that pair best with shorts - denim or not.   All You Need Is Style nailed it. Voila...

 

Fabulous, no?  But not necessarily the first thing I reach for when I'm facing a day of hauling/chasing two small boys around in summer heat and humidity.  

My uniform, these days, is almost always shorts and a tee.  Or a tank.  But this uniform can get B-O-R-I-N-G fast, especially towards the end of summer.  And sure...throwing on some jewelry can help...but I wanted something different.

Soooo....here are a few ideas (and a bit of style inspiration) of easy, mom-friendly tweaks to a simple shorts-and-a-tee momiform.  Try one.  Try two.  Try 'em all.  If, however, you manage to get all of these ideas into One Glorious Outfit, you must send us a pic.   

How To Wear Denim Cut-Offs (without looking like a teenager)

 Whether you call them Daisy Dukes or cut-offs, denim shorts never really go anywhere.  They just hang around, in the background, and just when you think they are over...BAM.  Here they come again.  To illustrate:  Two years ago, I used this pic of my mom as our August 2008 Mom for a casual-chic, 70's beachy look.  This look is even more relevant today.

What has changed, however, is that two years ago, denim shorts were just starting to gain momentum once again.  They were initially accepted as casual-chic beach wear, but are now being seen as a valid clothing option in their own right. Denim shorts can now be found in restaurants.  Out shopping.  At the movies.  All in a cute, fashion-forward way.

Is this trend for moms?  I say YES.

Even pregnant moms, obviously!  In the above photo, I'm wearing Gap Maternity's Denim Shorts(that I cut and destroyed), Isabella Oliver's Fully Ruched Cami, Jessica Simpson Metallic Flats, an old Fifi Tee navy shrug, and Stella & Dot filigree earrings.

How to Pack for a Summer Post-Partum Road Trip (Or For Anyone Who Wants to Be Really, Really Comfortable While Traveling)

Reader Question:

Hello! I just had a baby 3 weeks ago. We are driving to Arizona June 30th to visit family. It will be a long road trip, with baby and my two other boys ages 6 & 8. My question is …..what do I wear?! I am severely postpartum and about a size 16/18 right now. My belly is still pretty flabby ( from my 8 year old? Haha) I want to be comfortable, but I refuse to  wear yoga pants or maternity gear! After following your site for awhile and agreeing with your style…I am hoping you can lend some advice!! I am usually very good at packing and putting together outfits, but this soon after baby has me mystified ;)
 
Shannon

Answer:

Wow, girl!!  A road trip, several weeks postpartum, with two boys and a baby!  Impressive.  Let's see if we can't figure out some insanely comfortable, yet stylish outfits for you to pack.