Ain't No Mom Jeans

Found: Cute Mid-Height Wedges - Lucky Brand Bree

Pre-babes, as a 5'4" (and 5/8ths!) chicky, 3-1/2"+ heels were a near-daily part of my wardrobe.  I loved the colors, the patterns, the bows, the peep toes, the purposeful clickity clack of my gait and (of course) how they made my legs look, but most of all, they made me feel like I was the height I was actually born to be. . .  But as a heavily pregnant soon-to-be mom, somewhere in the middle of an ice lake/parking lot in January, it occurred to me that my heel habit might in truth be a borderline form of child abuse.  What if I slipped and fell on my cute round belly?  What if I tripped whilst baby wearing?  Or was unable to dash after my toddler due to a footwear malfunction?  Thus began my slow acquiescence to flats and (gasp! so much worse!), mid-height footwear.  

While my true tastes run more in this direction. . . 

   
 
Cynthia Vincent Luella ($400)
MICHAEL by Michael Kors Carly ($130)
GAP Lace-Up Denim Wedge ($98)

I now know that to pull these 4" and 5" platforms off, exclusive of girls night out and date night, I would need to be accompanied either by my husband or a nanny for the duration of any outing.  Not practical, no . . . especially considering we don't have much of a budget for "help."

Alas, I've hit gold in the mid-height heel department.  The Lucky Brand Bree Wedge ($89) is my new summer casual, appointments and running errands with the kiddos, go-to shoe.  It's an incredibly flattering and comfortable mid-height heel with a padded footbed, supple, non-chaffing leather and a grippy rubber sole.  With studded details and woven leather, the look is all together current and doesn't totally scream sensible mom shoe.  On first glance, I wanted more woven leather, but when I tried them on, I realized the lower cut is really flattering at this heel height and works to elongate the leg as much as a heel an inch higher would.  I picked these puppies up on sale at Macy's on Saturday and already I've worn them with a short dress, cuffed denim and rolled slim cut utility pants.  Love.  Them. 

Cynthia Vincent, I'll see you in a few years, when I'm not wearing any humans on my body and my kids start listening to direction (that will happen, right!?!?).

- M.  

Reader Question: How to wear nude pumps?

Reader Question:  

Hi!

 

I found your website this past January and have really enjoyed it! I only wish you would write more! But, being a mom of a 27-month-old girl and a 11-month-old boy, I can imagine why you don't.

 

I have a style question for you. I have been seeing nude pumps show up a lot on the red carpet, and on the feet of those who are more stylish than I. It seems like it would be really wearable (neutrals go with everything, right?) but I'm worried that perhaps I don't know the right way to rock them. Have any suggestions or advice on how to wear neutral pumps? Also, any ideas on where to get a good pair in time for wedding season?

 

Thanks,

-Rachel

Answer:

YES!  Nude pumps are everywhere and we’re convinced this comely trend is here to stay for a while.  We love nude pumps (and platforms and flats and sandals) because not only do they make your legs look miles long, they’re total mom-brainers (i.e., your exhausted, multitasking brain can rest assured, once you’ve selected the perfect pair, that they’ll compliment virtually anything you put on with them).  

Reader Question: No More Jeans or Leggings! Any Other Mom Uniform Ideas?

Reader Question:

What are your suggestions for moms other than wearing jeans or legging daily? Thanks!

Cindy

Answer:

Oooo...Cindy.  You are pushing me out of my comfort zone.  As you may have guessed, I'm a big jeans/leggings girl.  But never fear, there are so many great options out there that I could drone on at length.  In fact, one could argue that this entire website is built around the concept of helping moms find their own daily uniform.  Let me highlight three easy options that are readily available now: the chino, the cargo, and the linen drawstring pant.

Reader Question: Cute and Comfy Shoes for a Trip to NYC?

Reader Question: Please Help! I am going to NYC for the first time for a weekend trip in three weeks. Can you recommend some cute and stylish yet comfortable (oxymoron,yes?) shoes that I can walk around in all day? Thanks!-Jen 

Answer:  NYC is a tough one as a tourist.  You want to look edgy and up-to-date, but New Yorkers walk, on average, two miles a day, and tourists probably walk more.  So, to get the absolute most out of the city, footwear choices have to be spot-on.  

Mother's Day Gift Guide 2010

  It is so hard to believe how quickly time flies by.  It really does seem like just yesterday my little guy was born.  I'm constantly being surprised by all of the things he can do.  I'm surprised by the sight of his long little-boy legs running, jumping.  What happened to chubby baby thighs? I'm surprised by his newly developed sense of humor, by his serious little looks, by the way he senses when I need a hug.  He is growing in so many ways.  I am just so proud.

This Mother's Day, relish in all that you have accomplished: the sheer number of diapers you have changed, the corrections (and distractions) you have provided, the socks you've put back on (and on and on), the hugs and the encouragement you have given, the jokes you have shared, the tears you have wiped away - these are but a small number of ways you have demonstrated love.  Simply put, we have taught our children how to get along in the world, we have taught our children how to love.  Certainly no small feat.  We are so proud of our children -- we should be proud of ourselves, too.  So congratulations, Mamas.  It is truly is a thrilling ride, no? 

After such a long, hard winter, I think most of us are ready for sun.  For this Mother's Day, get ready to embrace summer with a few little tokens that will help the men/women/children in your lives express their appreciation for all that you do....or just go and spoil yourself.  Here's to a great summer.

I'm having a St. Bart's moment.  Which would be, perhaps, the ultimate Mother's Day gift.  Which is not, however, what my husband has in mind.  So in lieu of actually going to St. Barts, I'm craving gauzy little cover-ups, comfy jeweled sandals, delicate little necklaces, gold bangle bracelets, and something that smells oh-so-yummy, but crisp and fresh at the same time.  You too?

Surprisingly Hard to Get Right: The Basic Flip-Flop

I love flip-flops.  If the weather in Denver would fully cooperate, I would wear them year-round.  The flip-flop, is, in my opinion, the perfect shoe.  And the absolute perfect shoe for moms.  It's comfortable,walkable, playground and pool friendly, it's easy to slip on and off, and when chosen correctly, it looks just as good with a pair of workout pants as it does with a dress.  Seriously.  The Holy Grail of shoe, if ever one did exist.

Ain't No Mom Jeans produced the Hopscotch Hustle, a mom and baby fashion show, last Sunday (pics and more info coming).  Since we were attempting to create gorgeous, yet mom-friendly outfits, we told our mom models to bring a "cute pair of flip-flops" to their fittings.  We ended up seeing roughly 30 pairs of...very interesting flip-flops.  So I did a bit of research...and it turns out that there are only a few pairs of cute flip-flops on the market.  There are tons of gorgeous, uncomfortable sandals attempting to market themselves as flip-flops and there are tons of tacky-yet-sooooo-comfortable flip-flop choices, but only a few pairs that manage to blend the cute and comfort factor correctly. 

So when we at Ain't No Mom Jeans say to "throw this little number on with a pair of flip-flops"...exactly what kind of flip-flops are we talking about?  Let's discuss:

What Target Does Best: Spring / Summer Picks

I have such a love-hate relationship with Target.  I even went so far as to call Target "mom crack" in a previous post.  But, eventually, I'm drawn back in.  Usually after issuing some ultimatum. 

To M:  "I am NEVER going to buy clothes at Target again!  I'm serious - it's my New Year's Resolution." 

Ultimatums usually get me in trouble.  Like my "I will never co-sleep" ultimatum, or my "My kid will NOT be a picky eater" ultimatum. (Yeah, right.)  The list goes on, really.

So true to form, despite my "resolution" this year, I have just returned - VICTORIOUS - from Target, loaded with all kinds of insanely cheap-yet-adorable clothing.  Sigh.  I'm back in love.  For now. 

The Liberty of London for Target Collection helped woo me back in, but it wasn't the only source of temptation under those fluorescent lights.  A perfect romper (thanks to M's post I have a full-on romper addiction), look-alike Hunter Rainboots, and a perfect tiny cross-body bag -- all under $20!!! -- sold me. 

Here are my favorite picks for Spring / Summer:

Reader Question: Help, I'm Pregnant and Going to Disney World, I Need Cute Comfy Shoes!

Reader Question

Hi there!  Love your blog!

I am going on a trip to Disney World in late May (God help me) with my husband's family. Our 2.5 year old will be along for the trip, and I will be about six months pregnant.

I am trying to find comfortable, breathable shoes to wear for this trip, that are also cute and stylish. My feet are wide to begin with, so pregnancy swelling+Disney crowds+heat and humidity will probably turn them into Fred Flintstone feet.

I'd appreciate any suggestions you can come up with. I'm feeling desperate.

Shani

PS: This trip was not my idea.

Worth A Closer Look: Ann Taylor Loft's Spring Line

On the fairly rare occasions I've wandered into Ann Taylor Loft (usually suckered in by a big sale), I've often left feeling underwhelmed.  The clothes were never horrible...just "eh".   Once in a while I'll pick up a necklace or something...but overall, I saw Ann Taylor Loft as a place to be bored.  Nice basics, nothing exciting, nice prices, nice sales, but nothing worth a trip.  Yawn.

So I was very confused, the other day, when I happened to glance over at the Ann Taylor Loft window displays.  For a moment I thought I was looking in J. Crew's windows.  But no - it was good 'ol ATL.  But this time...the clothes were cuter, somehow.  A bit...dare I say it?  Trendy?  (UPDATE:  Ann Taylor Loft, in addition to their new look, is updating their name to just LOFT.)

I suspect that the same re-invigoration that happened to Ann Taylor is also filtering down to the sister, LOFT.  In any case, there are certainly lots to love in LOFT's new Spring line.  But beware - not all of the kinks have been worked out yet, and there were several items that fell short.

Winter / Spring Mom Uniform Idea: Boyfriend Jeans + Sweatshirt + Girly Accessories

 Yesterday we showed a mom-uniform outfit idea based on a blousey dress (courtesy of reader Amy), and today we have another mom-uniform outfit idea coming in from our reader Esther!  (Esther, BTW, is the insanely talented children's clothing designer Chinny Chin Chin that we profiled last year.)

Esther, typically addicted to a large black parka at this time of year, was inspired to swap it out after reading one of our End of Winter Outfit Ideas.  I'm so glad she did.

I'm head over heels in love with Esther's outfit.  By now most of you know my long-standing love affair with destroyed boyfriend jeans (really, there is nothing more comfortable)...and Esther manages to up the comfort level even further by pairing hers with a comfy sweater and Ugg-like boots.  A gorgeous scarf, a cool spring jacket and movie-star shades completes this drop-dead cool look.

NOTE for other Ugg boot wearers:  Notice that Esther has rolled her jeans to hit at the top of the Ugg boots, instead of attempting to stuff all of that fabric into the boots.  Perfect.

Esther is pregnant, and I love that this look can work for both pregnant and not-pregnant moms.  Esther's "pregnancy denim" is actually Converse jeans from Target.  (Esther - would you leave a comment telling us about the rest of your fabulous outift?)

So...inspired by Esther, I came up with another version of her mom-uniform idea.  But since I'm optimistically thinking Spring, I put together a slighty warmer-weather version:

Items in this set:
Women's sweaters - merino - Merino boyfriend sweatshirt - J.Crew, $70
Gap Petite Military anorak, $70
Gap Petite Destructed easy straight jeans (light wash), $70
Women's shoes - ballets - Patterned classic ballet flats - J.Crew, $120

Forever21.com - New Arrivals - Accessories, $13

I'm loving the drape and ease of J. Crew's Merino Wool Sweatshirt, but any thin, drapey sweatshirt would work.  (FYI:  These kinds of sweatshirts are also amazing with tiny little skirts or shorts for date night - just add high heels).  I just bought an army green jacket like the one above (which is actually on sale for $44, BTW) and I find that I'm wearing it everywhere.  There's a lot of casual boyishness going on in these outfits, which makes them the perfect foil for girly accessories.  Add a pretty scarf, like Esther, and once the weather is warmer, swap out your Uggs for pretty printed flats.  I'm also into ribbon-tied bib necklaces for moms.  Not only do they look very, very cool with a simple sweatshirt, but the kiddos can pull on these things all day with minimal risk.  With Spring and it's widely ranging temperatures, having a pretty little something layered under the scarf ensures you're always lookin' good.

xo,

S