Ain't No Mom Jeans

Styling a Comfy Printed Maxi Three Ways (Reader Q)

Reader Question:

 

Hello,

I am so glad I came across your blog via the Rookie Moms site. I need this fashion kick in the butt to get out of my yoga pants. I feel I often find great pieces and then get them home and don't know what to do with them.   Case in point, I just ordered this skirt  and am super excited about it, but am I limited to a white tank? If you could give me another recommendation, I'd really appreciate it. 

Thanks!  

 Jenn

 

Answer:

I took one look at this skirt, Jenn, and immediately contacted the designer (via Etsy, love that!).

It's on-trend, gorgeous, yet as comfy as sweatpants.  You should be super-excited about it!  Nice. Pick.  Ms. Krista over at Satin Stitch Designs was kind enough to send a skirt over to me so I could style it up here.  (And psst!  Each is custom made, so no hemming required.  That is much appreciated by this short Mama.)

Jenn, since you are writing in looking for ideas, I'll skip over the obvious stuff like the white tank you already mentioned, or a black tee, or chambray shirt, or even a denim jacket...right?  I mean...any of those would be fabulous with this skirt, but since you took the trouble to write in, let me see if I can do something a bit more interesting.  Here we go.

How We Wear It: Sneakers

Mamas!!  This is our new monthly series called How We Wear It, where *we* show all of the different ways to rock a wardrobe basic.  And by "we" I mean...all y'all.   If there was One. Thing. our readers communicated LOUD AND CLEAR via the 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 an email (send it to either Cam or me), 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 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.)

Fresh Ways To Wear Tall Boots

All last week, Superman, Raines and I were relaxing oceanside in Gulf Shores.  We had gone down to visit my parents, who, since turning sixty-something have become devoted snowbirds.  

My parents didn’t want to move to Florida, but they turned sixty, and that’s the law. - Jerry Seinfeld

Also?  Weather channel. To say I returned home well informed about the snowstorms swirling about the country would be an understatement.

Anyway, fearing the worst, I had tall boots on the brain, expecting that we'd all be tromping around in snow up to our eyeballs.  Nope.  None, nada, nuttin'.  

But still.  I haven't worn tall boots all season, and I was (shockingly) in the mood.  So here are a few tall boot outfits for early Spring/Late Winter:

A Maternity Workwear Capsule Wardrobe For Spring (and an ASOS Giveaway)

Maternity workwear.  Isn't that phrase just so...depressing?  Ugh.  It conjures up images of schlumpy, black, ill-fitting suits and those awful maternity button-down shirts.  (shudder)

We can do better, Mamas.  

I threw together a small Spring capsule wardrobe for working mamas-to-be.  And it's almost completely post-partum friendly, and much of it is pumping-friendly.  But best of all?  Maternity workwear (blaaaah) has come such a long way that not only would I happily(!!) wear any of these pieces NOT pregnant, but most are pretty. darn. affordable. 

 

Spring Mom-Uniform Update: Try a Bandage Mini

It's March.  Know what that means?  Sigh.  I'm about ready to burn my skinnies.  Like, literally burn them.  As a sacrifice to the weather gods to BRING ME SOME SUN ALREADY.  I mean, it feels like Spring...in my heart.  BOOOO

As a sanity saving measure, I'm wearing a skirt.

Mom Street Style: Yay for Puffer Vests in Pregnancy and Post-Partum!

Goodness.  Could Grace get any cuter?

 

After our recent article on puffer vests, Grace wrote:

I was SO excited to see your post on puffers following your post on maternity coats because vests have been a wardrobe staple/workhorse for me all winter. I had my third baby on December 30th and didn't want to buy a maternity coat (so I didn't) but lived in a slew of vests (some puffy and some faux furry) that I found on eBay (all for less than $10!). Hopefully I'm not the only pregnant lady that looks pregnant around the lovely handles (which is why I was so convinced I was having a GIRL .... not the case!) but a vest really helps that situation out so very nicely.

Um.  Wow.  Pregnancy induced love-handles?  Yeah.  I knew them well.  You make a really, really good point, Grace.  

TMRDNL: A High-End Designer For Moms? (And At Crazy-Affordable Prices)

Ok Mamas - it's my last shopping enabling post of the year.  But I must warn you:  This one will be especially hard to resist. 

Have you heard of TMRDNL?  It's the line designed by Tamar Daniel, an Israeli- British-American fashion designer who happens to live not far from me.  I had the opportunity to meet with her and see her line...and oh, my.  We're talking ah-mazing stuff.  Like...machine washable, scrunch down into a suitcase and still look amazing stuff. 

 

Tamar's design philosophy is one that us Mamas will relate to.  A mom herself, Tamar describes her collection as a "call to arms for dynamic real women, whose days are full of many facets, and whose outfits need to transition from boardroom to playgroup to date night and back again as seamlessly as they do. A versatile mix of easy, thoughtful pieces, the collection is truly a wardrobe for living."

Sing it, Sister.

 

But here's the bad news:  Tamar is moving on.  It turns out that designing an entire line is a ton of work (no kidding). And Tamar has something new and exciting in mind.  Personally, I'm heartbroken.  With gorgeousness like this...

...TMRDNL will be missed.   

But here's the silver lining, Mamas.  Tamar still has a few pieces in stock.  And they are taking up precious room in her storeroom.  You know where I'm going with this, right?  She'd like some help cleaning things away for the new year.  So pieces that typically retail for...oh...let's just say that they typically retail for prices that I cannot afford...are currently available in the $25 - $125 range.

Seriously.

Even better, Tamar is generously offering Ain't No Mom Jeans readers an additional 20% off with the code ANMJ.

Now...what to buy?

Well.  My most-worn piece to-date is the Intrigue Jacket, pictured above. It's machine-washable, nursing-friendly, and insanely comfortable.  The sleeves are made of a soft knit, so you have full range of motion for picking up the little ones - it feels like a comfy sweater.  Mine is a size larger than I typically go for, so it can be easily layered (even over another sweater, like above).  But when I wear it alone, the drapiness is such that it never looks too big!  This piece is seriously amazing.  It is currently retailing on Tamar's website for $99, and also comes in a longer (trench) version for $125.  The trench makes a gorgeous dress, especially for work.  (Easy to pump in, I'll bet.)  

Ready to see more? Ok...

Holiday Style: Add Drama With a Maxi Skirt

I mean really.  With a big, swooshy skirt and a glittery bag, how can you go wrong?

 

(wearing:  Ann Taylor skirt - similar at Urban for $40, Ann Taylor cropped sweater - try this slightly sheer, cropped sweater sweatshirt by Betsey Johnson on sale for $27, J.Crew glitter bag - similar) 

 

But here's the genius part of the maxi-skirt-in-winter:  You can wear juuuust about anything underneath.  Including fleece-lined tights.  Or, say...winter running tights.  Or heck - even fleece skinny sweatpants!  As long as they tuck nicely into tall boots...no one will be the wiser.  (Unless, of course, your little one likes to play hide-and-go-seek in your skirt.  Then there's a chance that someone will awkwardly learn your secret.  There are always risks, Mamas!)

And most of these swooshy skirts look fabulous with a cozy sweater.  Curvy gals, look for a fitted sweater, or something that belts.  Poochy mamas can try a boxy cropped sweater (like above) or something slim through the hips but loose on the pooch.  Like this one:

(wearing: Patterson Kincaid Tiered Maxi Dress which rocks at pooch hiding - here's another tiered one currently on sale for $152, an ancient Esprit sweater vest - while this one is similar, I'd probably try something like this)

 

This outfit isn't quite as dressy...but neither are all holiday festivities.  I wore this exact outfit to a Mother's Tea at Raines' school.  He had requested that I show up looking "like a princess."  Sigh.  How is princess culture so pervasive???

But anyway, this is actually a maxi dress, not a skirt.  I just layered the dress over a turtleneck and added a cozy vest.  And yes - I'm rocking some major warmie legs underneath.  I just have to beware of bears.

xo,

S

Reader Q | How To Wear Clark's Desert Booties (For WOMEN)

Mamas, in the last few months, I've received several emails/comments about Clark's classic desert booties.  Readers want to know how to wear them, if they are versatile, and most importantly, if they are comfortable.  Reader Amanda wrote:

I was just wondering if you've ever reconsidered getting a pair of Clarks Desert Boots (I just read your post where your husband got them and you decided against them for that reason).  For some reason I'm really drawn to them but I'm not sure how I would wear them.  My first instinct would be to wear them with rolled boyfriend or skinny jeans...but then I wonder if that would look too masculine.  I tried to search for styling ideas and I'm not coming up with much of anything...maybe that means I should nix the idea and buy another style of bootie or ankle boot? 

This email was quickly followed by one from reader Dana:

I've been coveting these for awhile, but I'm not finding much style inspiration on the web. I'm mostly seeing pictures of men wearing Clarks, which of course makes me think that maybe I should just return them and look for a different style of ankle boot.

Amanda and Dana are so right.  If you try to google "desert boot" or even "desert boot women"...hardly anything shows up.  Like...no women.  No women at all.  So.  Challenged accepted!!  (Happily, Clarks was willing to send me a pair, gratis.  Thank you Clarks!!)

But here's the thing:  My plan was to receive the boots, then spend countless hours in front of my mirror, perfecting three/four outfits that best showed off the boot.  If all went well, I'd write some slick article about how best to wear Clark's Desert Booties.  Instead...they arrived.  I tried them on.  I fell in love and wore them everywhere.  End of story.

So.  Instead of some "best of" article...here's the (roughly one billion) ways I've been wearing my Clark's.