Ain't No Mom Jeans

Mom Street Style: Katie and Batman Rock The Playground

 

Mama's there's so much to love about Katie, I don't even know where to begin.  Those sunnies?  Her backpack?  BATMAN???

 

And let's not forget those shoes. 

We ran into Katie at Clark Park.  She was there trying to run Batman before his nap.  We were doing the same with Superman.  As one would suspect, the superheros sized each other up, then decided to join forces.

But I think Pax was jealous of Batman's mask.  Which I get - I was dying for Katie's sunnies.  Which, it turns out, are a kid's pair from H&M.  Genius!

Katie is wearing a combo of thrift/Old Navy (love that), her scarf is handmade by an Etsy seller I couldn't find (this one has a similar vibe), and her backpack?  It was a gift, so she doesn't know!  I KNOW!  Luckily, the shopping enabler thinks that this backpack is a dead ringer and that this one is pretty close. 

And once I start referring to myself in third person it means it's time for bed.  Katie, it was a pleasure meeting you! Thank you for being such a good sport!

xo,

S

Reader Q | How to Style a Lace Top For Work

Reader Question:

First, let me say that I love your blog! I read it religiously. So much so that my husband no longer asks where I get new ideas from. Thank you for helping me feel kid-friendly, mom appropriate and sexy all at the same time.

Here's my question...I'm looking for some ideas for work appropriate layering of a lace shirt. I am an attorney and need office appropriate wear, but get bored with the same old dark suit getup.
If I can at least make the tops under the jacket interesting, I feel like I win. On non-court days, I have a little more freedom in what is appropriate. I'm 100% on board with the layering a turtleneck.  I tried a t-shirt today.

(wearing:  GORGEOUS lace tee is Lauren Conrad for Kohl's)  

Is there anything else? Would a button down work?

-Suzanne

Answer:

Suzanne - Thanks for writing in!  You obviously read the article (linked above) where I recommended a lace top.  If you recall, I claimed that it was oh-so-easy to style and soooo very versatile and...well.  I see that you are calling me out.  (Nicely, of course.)  Challenge accepted!!  It's time to put my styling where my big ol' mouth is, and attempt to style one up for the office.  Not just any office....but one of the most conservative of work environments. 

(I came up with six possibilities.)

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?  

Reader Question | How to Style Frye Moto Boots - Prettily

Reader Question:

Ladies,

Last fall I fell under the spell of one of your posts and ordered myself a (second...ahem!) pair of Frye boots - these boots, as a matter of fact. I love them. But I didn't and don't know how to wear them. In order to justify the percentage of my nearly non-existent clothing budget that they took, I need to wear them every day of winter and fall for the next approximately twenty-five years. I am plumpish and 5'4. I like to wear dresses and tights and leggings, and find that they look good with the shorter lengths. But I need more outfits! How do I wear them with different styles of jeans? How do I not look too masculine/punk in them? How do I make them look like the everyday shoe I need them to be for me?

Help? Thanks!

Axon

P.S. Love you guys! 

Answer:

Axon, I feel you Mama.  Boots like these really stand up to the babies in all weather, all kid-gunk situations, and they truly are classics.  But you're right, the vibe can be kind of tough, and a bit masculine, or too punk if you don't think out your styling before hand.

My Newest Obsession: StyleMint for Cool, Affordable T-Shirts

Mamas, I've been meaning to post about Stylemint for quite some time now.  However, I owed it to you dear readers, to figure out how to successfully decline the monthly tee from what is basically a modern version of a CD-of-the-month.  But with t-shirts.  But I'm getting ahead of myself.

T-shirts, you may have noticed, are a pretty big deal these days.  This wardrobe basic has come into it's own, and is often the focal point of an outfit.  Much like denim was revolutionized when "Sevens" came into existence, the simple t-shirt is now anything but.  Designers like Alexander Wang are turning out tees that are gorgeously drapy, with interesting little details like rolled hems, a slightly asymmetrical neckline or a flyaway shape.  These new tees manage to retain the casual charm of a classic tee "this old thing?" but they work equally well as part of a dressy ensemble. 

(photo credit: T by Alexander Wang at Shopbop)

My issue, however, is that many of these tees are dry clean only, and most have a price point range of $60 - $120.  

Which, OK, isn't horrible for something that you could wear every day.  The price-per-wear works out pretty well.  But the dry-clean thing doesn't work.  At all.

And while I'll admit there are other places to find tees (J.Crew's tissue tees being one of my favs)...when compared with the high-end tees, they don't quite measure up.  There's just a little more style, a better drape, and a few more interesting details in the higher-end tees.  Sometimes, you do get what you pay for.

Enter Stylemint.

I was hesitant, upon hearing about Stylemint's business model, simply because I was burned one-too-many times by the CD-of-the-month clubs as a kid.  (OK - just one time.  But my Mom said, "NO MORE!" and that was that.)  And I'll admit that Stylemint is hardly upfront about how things work.  Here's what they say:

You're in Charge

• It's FREE to look! Get a FREE StyleProfile. Never an obligation to buy!
• Start your membership with your first purchase!
• All T Shirts are just $29.99 each!
• You only receive what you order. We'll email you at the beginning of every month with your Showroom based on your StyleProfile.
• Choose to buy or skip a month in the first 5 days at
  no charge! [emphasis mine]
• Shipping is always FREE!
• Returns are EASY!

 

Ok - so I guess they do infer that you need to do something at the beginning of each month.  But it took me a few months (embarrassing, but true) to figure out how.  HOWEVER....the tees are so fabulous that I almost didn't care.

Mamas, these tees are soft, drapey, and oh-so-crazy-chic.  They are, without exaggeration, the new workhorses of my closet. I've been wearing my Stylemint tees constantly, and the price-per-wear is now shockingly low.   

Here are a few of my favs:

(wearing: on left - J. Brand Houlihans in navy, LOFT skinny belt, Stylemint Abbott-Kinney tee...on right - Stylemint Charlton tee)

I love how these tees are so chic that they work equally well hanging out with the kiddos as they do on date night:

Color Combo I'm Loving: Camel + Black + Tangerine

Have you ever noticed that black pants, while a staple, actually look good with very little?  Black pants are often the default bottom layer in a rather tired work uniform.  Or what we throw on when we want to look dressier, but don't really want to try.  

"I don't know...I guess I could just throw on my black pants."

Right?

So I'm kinda excited about this color combo.  If you haven't heard, the Pantone 2012 Color Of The Year (Which Is A Very Big Deal Hence The Capitol Letters) is Tangerine Tango.  Aka this:

Pretty, no?   I love how it's a softer version of a bright orange, but still retains all of the impact of the bright, bright orange.  Surprisingly flattering, also.

Anyway, this color has been making it's way down the runways for...well, actually, for a couple of years now.  But lately it has been paired up by retailers with camel and black.  The camel adds a richness to the palette, the black grounds it, and the tangerine is fresh and fun.  When paired with black pants, the look is cohesive...intentional.  Not like you just threw on black pants because you weren't sure what else would go.  You can wear black and camel and orange like you mean it.  

Voila...

(photo credits: J.Crew, mytheresa.com)

 

Of course, if you are really lazy (and yes. yes I am), you can just use a pop of orange lipstick to perk up the ol' black & tan.

 (wearing: J.Brand cropped denim, J.Crew sweater, happy socks)

It's amazing what a little Yves Saint Laurent Rouge Pur can do. 

 

The color is "Le Orange", people.  Not orange, but Le Orange.  Not gonna lie, I kinda love that.  Being, you know, so fancy and all (in my striped socks).

xo,

S

 

ps.  We have a new winner for the Ashley Ann Snapshop course...Courtney L?  Shoot us an email!!

 

 

 

Festive Holiday Styling for Lazy Mamas: Four Day-to-Night Outfit Ideas

Cookie swaps, champagne brunches, dinner parties, gift exchanges, kid's pageants and a myriad of other festive occasions.  Sound familiar?  The kind of occasions where you want to look festive and fun...but a cocktail dress would be overkill.  And your definition of "festive" doesn't include this:

 

Although, to be honest, I would totally rock this one with teeny, tiny tuxedo shorts and lace tights:

 

In an ironic way?  Funny, right?  HA HA...ha?

Ok.

My point: There are a few styling tricks that I turn to all Holiday season long when I want to look "festive".  Really, I should've named this post, "Captain Obvious' Tips For Festivus Style"...cause there is nothing earth-shattering here.  But if you are busy (yes), tired (oh, yes) and prone to faking illness *cough* instead of venturing outside when the temperature dips (hi have we met?), then here are a few ideas for getting your holiday groove on.

Mom Street Style - Maggie's Cream and White In Winter

I ran into Maggie outside of the Starbucks in Wayne.  Maggie was there with her youngest (who was NOT into being photographed, LOL), and was hard to miss in her gorgeous winter white against a sea of dark clothes.  

I'm always a bit hesitant to ask for a photo out here in Philly....people aren't *quite* as accommodating on the East Coast as they are in Denver....but so far, everyone has been great (I'm clearly over-thinking the stereotypes).  And happily, Maggie was no exception. THEN I found out she had moved from Denver herself a few years ago.  LOL!  Of course.

Maggie is wearing a peacoat by Calvin Klein, Lilly Pulitzer cords (so Mainline of her!), Frye Western boots, and J.Crew gloves.  (She told me the maker of her scarf, but my iPhone so helpfully auto-corrected whatever she told me to "Gansu it scarf", so...uh....good luck with that.) 

To recreate?  Throw on shades of cozy cream and white with wild abandon.  Varying the textures is a great tip for rocking a monochromatic look.  Maggie nails it with the wool coat, cords, and knit scarf.  She looks both chic and cozy.

Thanks, Maggie!  It was so nice meeting you!

xo,

S

5 Very Cool Ways to Wear a Puffer Vest (And Hide A Poochy Stomach!!)

Try saying this three times fast:  Perfect Post-Partum Paunchy-Pooch Puffers!  Perfect Post-Partum Paunchy-Pooch Puffers!  Perfect-

I'll stop now.

(wearing: On S - J.Crew puffer, Madewell boiler shirt, Levis denim leggings, Mia Bukaroo boots, H&M hat, LOFT skinny belt.....On R - Joe's Jeans, Puma sneaks, Crewcuts v-neck tee, Splendid hoodie, Oakley flannel, 77kids hat....On Little P - Gap flannel-lined jeans and camel jacket, Old Navy hat, Robeez fur boots)

Anywho.  The point is that puffer vests provide some major pooch control.  If you can find a puffer that you can juuuust barely zip up - that's the perfect fit for pooch-taming.  The side view, if you are truly post-partum, will be slightly thicker.  My pooch is almost gone (unless I eat, then Hello, food baby), and so the side view is still not the best:

Fall Play-Clothes for Moms: Cords

I've been wearing cords for years. Decades, actually.  How long exactly?  Without completely revealing my age, I'm pretty sure my first pair of cords were, in fact, bell-bottomed, and looked surprisingly similar to these:

Ahhhh....nothing screams Fall in the 1970s!!! like a woodland-creature / mushroom motif on a sweet pair of chocolate brown flare cords.  Ya know?

Actually, these are still pretty sweet.  If you'd like to rock these cords, be my guest.  Some things just never go out of style.  Besides, if you paired these bad boys with some nerd glasses and a wide-brimmed hat, the street photographers would be all over you.  

I'm not that brave.  

But cords do deserve some mom-love.  Like our first, nostalgic pair of cords, cords today still make rockin' good play clothes....for moms and kiddos alike.  What else feels like a sweatpant but wears like teflon?  Not. Much. 

Let's hear it for corduroy!

(wearing:  On S - Salt sunnies, JBrand Mid-Rise Stretch Cords in Toffee, J.Crew sweater, Frye Buckle Carmen boots...on R - Joe's 5 Pocket Jeans, Distinction v-neck tee, Ugg Halfhitch sneaks c/o Ugg Australia)