Ain't No Mom Jeans

Reader Q | How To Style A Gingham Shirt?

Reader Question:

Hi ANMJ!

First off, I have to tell you that if it wasn't for you, I'm not sure I would have left the house after baby #2. It wasn't so much the baby weight as it was the overall body changes and new shape. Plus it's so hard to feel sexy after giving birth! Empowered and in love, yes. But sexy? Not until I found your blog. I would read you hourly if you chose to post that often. And my husband has been loving my style lately--major plus!

My dilemma now is that I randomly bought this shirt from j. crew and now that I'm home, I can't for the life of me figure out what I was thinking!

Is there any way to wear this without looking like a prudish Daisy Duke??? You are tops when it comes to wearable, stylish mom clothes and I'm hopeful you can help. Thank you so much--for everything!

With love and gratitude,
Stephanie

 

Answer:

Stephanie - Thanks so much for your kind words!  And I'm loving your purchase.  Gingham shirts are a pretty safe bet.  They'll add a pop of color and pattern to just about any outfit.  The trick (for me, at least) is to prevent a preppy-overload, and, for you, to keep the look far, far away from those crazy Duke brothers.   Gotcha.  Here's what I found:

Reader Q | Can A Pregnant Mama Wear a Casual Maxi Dress To A Wedding?

Reader Question:

Hi, My husband and I are invited to attend a black tie optional wedding in late August in Boston. I will be 35 weeks pregnant with our second and totally unsure of what to wear that will be appropriate and feel comfortable (who knows if the church is air conditioned, but it will be a full Greek-orthodox ceremony, so it'll be long). Some friends have suggested just wearing my black maxi dress from the Gap, but that seems woefully informal. Others keep suggesting things that are strapless. And though my milk hasn't come in, I am a girl who clearly needs straps on a top these days. Big straps. Any advice on shoes that will work for my feet which will likely be a bit swollen by that point would also be welcome!

Thanks!

Sarah

Answer:

Can a pregnant mama get away with wearing a very casual maxi dress to a wedding?  Especially a black-tie wedding?  I've seen this question pop up in forums around the web, and the answers are discouragingly inconsistent.  Some say "Go for it!  You a growing a human!!"  Others are horrified by the thought.

My initial reaction?  Your words of "woefully informal" sum it up nicely.  But...MAN.  35 weeks pregnant?  How ANNOYING to have to buy ANYTHING at that point.  Especially a black-tie dress that will (most likely) never be worn again.  

Happily, one of my oldest and dearest friends was struggling with this exact question.  (Oddly enough, her name is also Sarah.)  She is also pregnant, and needed help finding something to wear to my sister's wedding....also "black-tie invited".  And this is her third and last pregnancy, so trust me when I say that buying a new dress was her last choice.

So.  Just like in 7th grade, we played dress up.  Here's what we tried, what didn't work....and what Sarah ended up wearing to my sister's wedding....

Attempt 1:  Belted and Pearled

Sarah looks very nice here, but there is something about this outfit that still reads too casual for a wedding.  Despite the fact that the belt is patent leather, I think it's causing problems.  And we tried to offset the casual dress by piling on the jewelry.  However, the necklaces are too much, and the bracelet seems like an afterthought.

We both voted no.  Next...

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.

Nursing-Friendly Holiday Dresses

We've had several requests for nursing-friendly holiday dresses.  Which, as many of you know, is easier said then done.  Most festive holiday fabrics (silk, lace, anything shiny) have very little give and therefore are tough to nurse in - even if the neckline is low.  The best nursing-friendly dresses have a stretchy neckline - something with jersey, perhaps, so they easily pull down to nurse.  However, these dresses can often look too casual.  Finding something dressy (or that can be dressed up) and nursing-friendly is key.

(City of Lights dress, $178 and Miramar Dress, $368 both from Anthropologie)

Another pitfall?  The wrap dress.  These often appear nursing friendly, but in reality, many require partial unwrapping for full nursing access to 'the girls'.  Um.  Awkward.

Lastly....bras.  As in, we need them.  Milk is heavy.

So.  If you are in the market for a nursing-friendly holiday dress, keep the following in mind:

1.  Find dresses in stretchy fabrics.

2.  If you want a wrap dress, be sure that it's drapey enough to allow nursing access without having to re-tie.

3.  Be sure you can wear a bra (BTW - a strapless bra is very easy to nurse in...but be sure you have one that fits properly).

Here are some of my favorites for a bit of inspiration.....

 

Librarian Style For Moms

Gang, remember Amy of BiblioMOMia?  Last time she wrote for us, she schooled us in Southern Gal Style.  But she's also an academic working on her PhD in literature.  (SO freakin' cool!!)  So when we recieved Shannon's Mom Street Style submission and read that Shannon defined her style as "punk librarian"...well.  I knew BiblioMOMia would get a kick out of it.  And, if we were lucky, be inspired.

And she was.  And we are.  So here's Amy....

********** 

I might have spit out my coffee when I read “punk librarian.”  So cool!  And, I must say, Shannon totally rocked the edgy nerd vibe in her mix of floral and leather, especially with those amazing purple tights.  The floral dress is definitely something a librarian might wear, but she makes the whole outfit more interesting with the moto jacket and tough boots - yet keeps a quirky feel with the bright tights.  But her email made me start thinking - what is librarian style?  Why do I love it so much?  And how can it work not just in my professional life but in my life as a mom too? 

Like “secretary” with its pumps and pencil skirts, “librarian” has definitely evolved into a style inspiration.  Somehow, even adding one or two of these elements makes the whole outfit feel just a bit more bookish - a bit buttoned-up, a bit feminine, a lot intellectual.   Try adding one of these things to your style arsenal!  A little goes a long way, so don’t wear too many of these at once - you’ll look like you’re wearing a costume instead of a cool outfit.  

Librarian Style Elements

• Floral prints.  Sweet and old-fashioned and feminine, floral prints always remind me of dusty books (in a good way).
• Textured fabrics (lace, tweed, leather, velvet).  Very Victorian, and very librarian.  And, most of the time, very soft!
• Librarian shoes (t-straps, oxfords, loafers, granny boots).  If it looks like a teacher might have worn it in 1915, it’s a librarian shoe.  Luckily, there are tons of these styles out right now, to fit every taste and budget.
• High bun.  Have you ever tossed your hair high on your head (and maybe used a pencil to keep it there)?  I dare you to do it and not feel like a librarian!  It’s an easy and flattering hair style for pretty much every face shape, too.
• Glasses.  Ummmm...obviously.  Any kind of glasses, from tiny wire rims to chunky black frames.  Even better if you put them on the tip of your nose and peer over them.
• Structured jackets.  Wool blazer.  Velvet jacket.  Tweed vest.  All of those jackets are definitely librarian-ish.  A flattering and structured jacket is totally feminine, too.
• Funky legwear.  I don’t know why I associate patterned tights and great leggings with librarians - maybe because all of my library science friends in school had great tights?  Either way, they’re often a great way to add some funky and whimsical style to an otherwise classic outfit.

There are a million ways to incorporate librarian style into outfits you’re probably already wearing, and things you probably already own.  A little goes a long way!  Shannon mentioned “punk librarian” as her style aesthetic - it’s amazing what happens when you add floral and leather to the same outfit.  However, it’s just as easy to add some bookish flair to jeans and tees. Here are my favorite options, with some outfit ideas.

 

Styling An All-Black Outfit (Including the LBD) For Holiday Parties

(wearing: Vince Cashmere Ruffle Tunic, currently on sale at Neiman's Last Call, Joe's Jeans Skinny Cargos in black, Nine West TheLineUp bootie, my mom's prom purse, an old glittery necklace, and Stella & Dot's Glint Flower Earrings.)

I don't know if it's the state of my post-partum pooch, general exhaustion (no amount of makeup can hide my tired eyes in these pics), or a heightened sensitivity due to the crazy, crazy year M has endured...but I'm having a bit of trouble mustering my normal level of enthusiasm for holiday parties.  And while I'm usually drawn to all things sparkly and glam, this year I'm sticking with an old (and fairly unimaginative) standby:  all black.

So how to make the LBD (little black dress) or...even worse, an all black outfit look like something party-worthy, as opposed to a tribute to Johnny Cash?

(I do love Johnny, though.)

Can Sequins Be Worn Past New Year's Eve?

Reader Question:

Hi!  I bought a couple of fun tops for the holidays, and my question is - can I wear sequins after New Year's? I have a friend's 30th coming up, and wondering if I can still pull it off. Thanks!

Answer:

I have a tendency to ignore traditional fashion "rules" (I wear white after labor day, mix black, brown and navy, wear gold and silver jewelry together) so take my advice with a grain of salt...but YES.  Not only do I love sequins as a going-out look year-round, but I love mixing them into daytime looks.

EX:  I met my friend Amber for lunch the other day, and she was wearing a little sequined cardigan underneath an army green fatigue jacket.  [Sigh of bliss]  I also love a little scarf with sequins for dressing up a plain daytime outfit. 

But back to your question.  For going out, fun sequin tops will always look amazing with jeans and killer heels, but I'm also loving sequin tops with man-style trousers.  And killer heels (but you knew that already). 

For inspiration, here are some old photos from jcrew.com.  J.Crew has been rocking the high-low look lately, combining sequins with casual khakis, jeans, etc. 

Holiday Styling Tips For Moms: Yay Sequins!

If your favorite color is sparkle, sequin, or shiny, this look is for you.  The glitz factor is sky-high this season, and nothing feels more festive than a shimmery little something-something.  Besides, all of these shiny, glimmering fabrics will draw the eye right to them....and if done correctly, will distract from the rest of the boobs/ribs/hips/butt disaster. 

Also, if you haven't typically been a glitzy-glam-girl in your previous life, keep in mind that these types of tops are able to make jeans and a simple tank party-worthy.  That means you can wear a pair of jeans, a comfy tank, and your high heeled boots (with thick Smartwool socks)...to a party.  And still look amazing.  Really.

What We're Reading This Week: AOL's Article on Stealing Michelle Obama's Style For the Holidays

Regardless of your politics, I think most will agree that it's always more fun to have to have a First Lady who cares about fashion.  And  lately, Michelle's been hitting some out of the park. 

While we won't all be going for a gorgeous Naeem Kahn number this holiday season (sigh), I'm loving the article on AOL's shopping network, Steal Michelle Obama's Style This Holiday.

They have some great dress finds, as well as an overall aesthetic that's slightly different that what M and I usually focus on.  

xo,

S