Ain't No Mom Jeans

Mom Style Translation: Khakis Paired With Pops of Neon (and Animal Print)

I love this pic that Streetstyle Aesthetic snapped during London Fashion Week:

While I would love to lounge around in my high heels and silk ruffled top carrying everything I need in a bright clutch (sigh)...it's sooo not gonna happen.

However, this girl is rockin' it.  And her color choices are nothing but totally inspired. 

I love the loose definition of a suit here - khaki pants and army green jacket, paired with the bright pops of color.  And animal print shoes?  They are just off enough (yet match enough) to work.  Perfectly imperfect.

To make this outfit mom-friendly...well, it's easy:  Swap the heels out for flats, the clutch out for a larger bag, and throw on a washable yellow top.

Per usual, I have a little collage (below) to translate this into a mom-friendly look.  However, I thought it would also be fun to try and see if M and I could use this pic as inspiration for our own outfits, using what we already have in our closet. 

Here's what we came up with:

The Key To Cool Layering (Hint: Think Three)

Spring fever has hit pretty hard.  But despite our collective longing, Mother Nature rarely responds.  And if you are in Marquette, MI?  Hello, snow. 

Even if you are dealing with snowdrifts, the easiest way to deal with a bit of Spring fever is to infuse a little dose of Spring into your outfits.  We've talked already about gorgeous trench coats, and bright pops of denim...but one way to feel Spring-y and stay warm is by layering.

Layering, however, is not throwing a cardi on over your t-shirt.  Well, technically, it is...but a cooler way of layering is to follow the rule of three:  Wear three tops*.

*tops - a loose definition.  Tops can be dresses, vests, actual tops or even a big fun scarf.  Two tops and a scarf is kind-of cheating in this layering game.  But will still look great.

The rule of three keeps you a bit warmer, and...even better?  It makes any outfit just. so. cool.  It requires a bit more thought, however.  At least for me.  But the end result is effortless style.  Look at your fav fashion mags or bloggers - some of the coolest looks follow the rule of three. 

Wanna see?  I found some really great inspiration, and came up with a few tips to keep in mind:

Mom Street Style: Viani's Sophisticated Babywearing Outfits

  For some reason, when babywearing is the order of the day, I tend to reach for my denim.  I almost always go casual (as evidenced by my own mom-style babywearing uniform).

Not so for reader Viani, who was nice enough to send in these pics of her so-very-sophisticated babywearing mom-style. 

Viani is wearing  a maternity dress by Nest (LOVE that she is still getting use out of cute maternity duds), an FCUK long cardigan, puma boots & leggings from nordstrom.  Fab sunnies by Kate Spade.  So. Crazy. Cool.

First of all, why NOT wear maternity clothes??  To be honest, half of my maternity wardrobe doesn't look anything like maternity...we spend so much money on this stuff, let's wear it! 

And secondly, Viani's dress and cardi are both long and sleek, so they would be perfect for layering under her Balboa carrier without worrying about hemlines creeping north.  (A concern voiced by Lane in her article on babywearing style).

Lucky for us, Viani also sent in another outfit, one that she wears in chillier weather.  Voila:

40% Off J.Crew Factory This Weekend! Here's What We're Coveting...

From now until Sunday, J.Crew Factory has 40% off all merchandise.  Aaaannnd...it just so happens that I was in a J.Crew Factory store last week, doing a marathon try-on session.  (And there's plenty for post-partum and nursing moms to be excited about.)

Here's what I'm loving:

This dolman striped top has a crazy-flattering fit.  While you can't nurse in it, the top will hide a slight pooch.  I love the mix of stripes with that gorgeous zebra print jacket and pop of color.  A light-wash jean feels perfect for Spring.  And you know how I feel about nude shoes.

Factory1 by aintnomomjeans featuring j crew jeans

 

 

Next outfit: 

What Moms Wear: Tysie's Take on Transition Outfits (Two of Them!!)

I LOVE reader Tysie's translation of the J.Crew military jacket + maxi dress look we featured here.

Notice that she pulled a summery dress into rotation with dark tights, tall boots, and a military-inspired shirt. 

Notice also that she used a cool leather belt in place of the usual fabric tie.

Notice also how crazy-adorable her daughter Lilah is.  Holy Moly.  If I could only look that cool in fur boots....

Aaaand..lucky us...Tysie sent in another pic!  Shorts!

Yeeeeessssss.

Reader Question: Creating a Mom-Friendly, Size 14 Wardrobe For Under $400

Reader Question:

Hello,
I can’t tell you how ecstatic I am to have come across your blog.  I desperately needed some help in the fashion area.  I kept trying to buy things on sale that never really worked. I have about 50 million questions for you but will try to narrow them down.  I would LOVE to know your suggestions for a size 14. (Why is it that the greatest jeans stop at size 31 or 32?) If you only had $400 to spend what would your top picks be? Can a bigger person wear the gap soft pants you featured? And someday if you are bored maybe you could suggest the cutest most stylish scrubs? (At least 2 pockets is very helpful.)   Again I am super impressed and grateful for your blog.  It is wonderful to see your personality shining through.  I wished I lived in Denver so we could hang out. Thanks so much.  Hugs XOXO Leslie

Answer:

Leslie, thanks for writing in!  Let me start with a few suggestions for curvier gals, then go into some of your specific questions.  This is by no means a comprehensive list, it's just a few things I always start with when working with curvier moms.

(A further disclaimer: Regardless of actual size, body type is the most important factor when finding flattering clothing.)

That said, here's where I would start:

Try It! Wear Your Long Cardigan As A Dress

You know how when women live together their menstrual cycles synch up?  Well....no sooner had I jotted down a note in my idea file, "try wearing long cardi as a dress"...than Em (our much-loved nanny) showed up in this little number.

Whoa.  We're sartorially synching. 

But seriously - let's discuss.  The looong cardigan?  Try wearing it as a dress.  It can be a bit body-con, but there are a few ways to work around that.

First of all, Em nails it by buttoning up her boyfriend cardigan over leggings and topsiders.  Then tones down the body-con nature of this outfit by finishing with a lightweight army parka. 

Here's another view of her outfit:

My Spring Babywearing Uniform

I've been wearing the heck out of this outfit.  It's comfortable, goes virtually anywhere thanks to the wellies, and looks good with or without the jacket.

The backpack as diaper bag concept we first explored here... and I'm happy to report that it works as well as I'd hoped, especially when babywearing.  Pax is a chunk (85th percentile, baby) and babywearing with him is a whole different ballgame (R, my first, was in the 5th percentile).  So YES - carting around a diaper bag with the weight equally distributed on my shoulders has been crucial.

But let's talk about the jacket. 

How To Wear Belts (Fall and Winter Edition)

We have been promising, for quite some time, to do an article about belts.  We've received numerous questions and comments about types of belts, belts and body types, and what to wear with belts. So it's time.  Time for some belt-love.

While I'd love to give you a few simple rules for rocking the belt...it's just not that easy.  Even different body types (curvy, pear, boyish) can have so many variations on a theme that coming up with a set of rules for belts is almost impossible.  Whether or not a belt looks good often has more to do with the distance between your ribs and your hip bones and what else you are wearing, than a rule that says, "short moms shouldn't wear belts" (because many of you can).

Instead, I offer up a belt exercise, a selection of cute belts, and loads of inspiration.  So if you want to rock the belt (and you should - it's a great way to make an outfit instantly stylish), here's how to get started:

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: