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.

Reader Q | Liberty Print Styling - Not Too Sweet, Please

Reader Question:

Hi,
I'm a new reader and instant fan of your blog :). I have a suggestion for a style challenge I'd like to see on your blog! Liberty prints are all over this spring, and while I love them as a print, I just can't seem to figure out how to style them so they don't look too sweet. Your style has such an edge I think you would know how to do it.

best,
Cortney

 

Answer:

Cortney - I totally get this.  Liberty prints are pretty fabulous, but can easily skew too preppy or sweet.  So....challenge accepted!  Keep reading for how I'm styling liberty prints this season....

Reader Q | How To Style A Basic Nursing Dress For A Wedding (And Stay Warm)

 Reader Question:

LOVE LOVE LOVE your blog - you have helped me a TON! Now, I have a big favor to ask. I'm headed to a wedding in Duluth, in April....which means there could be a blizzard or it could be balmy. I'm going to be chasing a three year old and carrying around (and nursing) a ginormous 9 month old. Thanks to your suggestions on other nursing/maternity items, I picked up this Isabella Oliver nursing dress in French Navy.  It does a good job (with Spanx) of holding in my about 4 months pregnant looking pooch....I feel comfortable in it, but I need shoe and accessory suggestions.

 

Did I mention I am standing in this wedding, and there are NO suggestions in terms of color, etc.? The bride likes my dress.....where do I go from here!? All I have figured out is dangly earrings are out, cause I have a grabber, and maybe wedges would be better for toddler wrangling...Thank you thank you!

 

I've even attached a photo of myself in said dress, so you can see what we are working with ;)

 

Holly

 

Answer:

Holly, you look seriously fabulous.  4 Months Post-partum?  WOW.  

So you need a few options to work with crazy Duluth weather, while toddler wrangling and standing up for the bride?  Gotcha.

The most important one, I think, is the standing up for the bride part.  While there may be no suggestions from the bride in terms of color, I think we should be careful.  While your dress may look great with, say, a hot red pump for date night, I think that's the wrong choice for wedding photos - you don't want your bright pumps competing with the bride in pics.  Know what I mean?

Holly, I came up with a couple of possible looks for you.  They include some subtle accessories, and a way to stay warm(ish) if you find yourself in the middle of a blizzard (which seems likely....Marquette, MI just had a snowday last week).  Warning:  I said warm-ish, not warm.  But you'll look amazing, and won't totally freeze.  Which is the best you can hope for as a bridesmaid, I think. :)

How We Wear It: A Ladylike Cardigan!

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 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?  

 

Mom Street Style: Susannah Glammed Up Her Momiform

Readers, meet Susannah.  She wrote:

Hi Shana - Just wanted to say thank you for the Glam Up Your Momiform post.  I am due to move from Sydney Australia to Hong Kong in about 4 days with my husband and two children… and so almost all of my clothes are on a big boat in the middle of the ocean.  But a last minute surprise farewell at a moderately hip japanese restaurant necessitated that I find something to wear (that wasn't a t-shirt and shorts).  I had read your blog that morning and managed to find jeans, shirt, necklace and pumps.  It wasn't colourful and festive like your outfit - but it did the trick!  

Thanks so much - your blog is really incredibly helpful for those of us who have ZERO interest in clothes shopping but like looking somewhat up-to-date.  I have told countless friends and they have all gleaned something from reading your articles: better jeans, how to wear ankle boots and nursing friendly fashion.

Susannah 

Whoa, girl.  You look seriously amazing.  And the nuetral pallette really, really works.  I'm starting a round of the slow clap right now.  Mamas, feel free to join in:  clap.....clap....CLAP CLAP CLAP CLAP CLAP

Susannah, thank you so much for taking the time to snap a pic and sending it on.  I love seeing how our styling tips get translated...and serve as a fresh dose of inspiration for all of us.

Mwah!

S

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. 

 

Currently Loving: Dark, Straight-Leg Denim (WHA???)

Mamas, I have some new favorite pants.

 

Yup.  They're a clean, dark wash.  And nope:  they're not coated or patterned, embellished or embroidered.  They are just....plain 'ol denim.  And not skinny!  (Shocking, I know.)  They have a straight leg and a mid-rise.  They practically scream WE ARE NOT EXCITING!

And I realize that dark, clean denim seems like an odd choice, given that brights and patterns are now an everyday basic.  But I think the simplicity is exactly why I was drawn to this pair.  With all of the colors and patterns out there, these almost feel...fresh?

 

NYFW Recap: Nina Skarra, and My (Short-Lived) Stint as a Street Style Photographer

Do you remember my friend Brent, of Urban Fieldnotes?  He managed to score tickets with a plus one to a NYFW show.  Aaaand guess who he asked to be his plus one?

I obsessively starting planning My Outfit.

But there was a catch:  Brent is a street style photographer, not a fashion blogger.  So his plan was to attend the show, but then spend the rest of the day outside doing his street style photog thing.  And since I was tagging along for the day...."Shana, dress warm" said Brent.  "It's going to be 30 degrees, and after the first four hours of being outside, you'll really get cold."

oh.  Wait - four what? 

 

And that's the story of how I ended up at my first NYFW in a puffer coat. I did, however, wear a pretty dress underneath (as well as three layers of tights & leggings).  I felt...you know, cute and comfortable, if not photo ready.  

I think "photo ready" is over-rated anyway.  From what I could tell, it involved way too much bare leg for 30 degree weather (says the mom).

Pair These Seven Pieces With Boring Basics To Nail That Pesky "Dressy-Casual" Look

Mamas, this article was inspired by a question I received from Martha.  She wrote:

I recently discovered your blog and I am loving the inspiration to step up my mom style a bit, and ideas for putting more personality into my basics. I'm realizing, though, that I have a weird gap in my wardrobe. I have plenty of casual mom clothes (jeans, basic tees and sweaters, comfy shoes). My work wardrobe for a casual but conservative engineering office is jeans, cords, or cotton pants, "boring sweaters", and flats or conservative boots. And I love the rare opportunity to rock a cute dress and strappy heels. But for some strange reason, even before I had kids, I've struggled with what to wear for a dressy-casual night out, like to a restaurant or parties with other "grown ups". 

It's true!  Dressing way up is easy: dress, shoes, clutch, done.  Wearing yoga pants is easy.  But nailing the dressy-casual vibe in an effortless way is tough.  It's easy to go overboard and end up with something that feels too fussy, too "done".  Or, on the other side (like at a business casual office) you end up wearing all solid-color basics.  Snore.  

In the past, I've done both.  Neither is fun, neither feel like "me".  But there are a few pieces that I find myself reaching for time-and-time again, whenever I'm in the dressy-casual zone, be it work or Play* related.  Keep reading to see both the list, and how I'm mixing up my own pieces.

(Play = Big Girl playtime and involves cocktails, play = kiddo play and involves dirt)

 

Stylemint Nicholls Blazer | Mango Lace Tee | Ann Taylor Floral Blouse | M Missoni Skirt | Topshop Check Trousers | Steve Madden Instantt Ankle Booties | Calvin Klein Pumps

 

 

Keep reading for a full explanation of the list, as well as some example pics of how I've been mixing pieces like these...

Reader Q | How To Style A Camo Vest

Reader Question:

 

Hi Shana and Molly,

 

I discovered your blog a month or so ago and have worked my way through most of your archives. I've recently lost about 50 pounds (after having two children) and am starting to become more interested in making myself look nice.

 

Anyway, I may or may not have bought this camouflage vest from Target recently. 

 

I don't know what I was thinking. I had Shana's camo pants in my head and was thinking of the military trend and... it just happened. Now the question is what do I do with it? Return it? Wear it over a neutral tee? Under a jean jacket? Both?

 

Thank you so much for writing such insightful, entertaining posts. I will be more careful when considering trendy pieces next time!

 

 - Jill

 

Answer:

Hunh.  Jill, this camo vest has been on my mind lately.  Initially, when I first read your email, I didn't love it...but...well...it's growing on me.  The vest is growing on me!  And I always like a challenge.  So: I thought I'd try styling it up for a final verdict.  And you know what?  I think this vest could work!