Ain't No Mom Jeans

Jumpsuits & Rompers: A Mom-Friendly Fashion Trend?

As I wrote in my response to a reader comment earlier this week, I'm simultaneously repelled and intrigued by the jumpsuit/romper trend.  And while I recommended this fab Ella Moss knit jumpsuit (left) only to moms with 24-year-old bodies (because reviewers complained that the thin fabric shows every bump and dimple), I got to thinking: there's has to be a way for normal, healthy women to have fun with this trend.

I mean, what is a jumpsuit, really?  It's a sundress with shorts, crops or pants instead of a skirt.  So this style should be easier for moms to wear--not more difficult.  Example: what would you prefer to be wearing should the demands of your position require you to dash into traffic or tote your toddler kicking and screaming out of the toy section at Target?  I think the answer is obvious.  

So.  Yesterday I went to the mall on a jumpsuit reconnaissance mission.  I tried on the four jumpsuits I could find in under an hour (I'm not super-human--my mom dropped by to occupy the two boys wonder at the mall petri-ground so I could speed shop).  Without exception, even on my 15 lbs+ baby weight (or is it just weight now that I'm six months out?) frame, they were super flattering and hella comfy.  Even a two-toned polyester faux silk shorty romper.  Yes, you read that right.  

Why are jumpsuits so flattering?  Because where you (ubiquitously-speaking, of course) roll, the jumpsuit gathers and where you bulge, it blouses.  A few tips: 1.) try on two sizes--with blouse-ey stuff, you just never know; 2.) keep an eye on the fabric--it should be thick or textured enough to smooth out those medals of motherhood; 3.) especially if you're trying a jumpsuit in a less expensive version, stick to dark colors (you're already working an uber-trendy piece and the fabric will look more expensive); and 4.) when you look in the mirror, ask yourself if the jumpsuit you have on is too young for you (be honest)--sorry chicks, you've arrived at that point in your life. . . 

With all that said, it's official.  I'm a jumpsuit convert.  I think I'll wear them all spring and summer. Here's how:

Short Jumpsuits/Rompers
First up is the short jumpsuit or romper.  They look sooo short, and while they are shorter than skirts you'd see on most moms,for the most part, they're not any shorter than your average short.  They're just much cuter.  OK, so when is the last time you saw anything Dior you didn't love?  And when is the last time you bought Dior?  Right.  Not on a mom budget, or an average mom budget, anyway, but I'll bet you $50 that a darn good knock-off is in H&M by late spring.  Keep your eyes peeled.  Or, if you are the not-so-average mom, high-tail it to Saks for the Dior V-Neck Jumpsuit ($1,550.00), and don't forget the matching lurex socks ($155)--they're freakishly drool-worthy.  This would be a stunning date-night ensemble with detailed tights and bootie heels, or in a knock-off version, dress it down for day with a tank underneath, a brightly-colored flat gladiator and a chunky necklace.  Second from the left is Anthropologie's Warm Season Romper ($118).  I love this toned-down take on the romper--it's sexy without trying too hard--and I can't wait to style it with a pair of gold flat glads and either a chunky retro necklace or a more delicate gold and freshwater pearl necklace.  I'm slightly wary of Anthropologie's Coney Island Romper as it's being sold in the loungewear section, but if it's opaque enough, it's perfect for summer days at the beach and the farmers market (TOMATOES! just popped into my head).    

 

Crop Jumpsuits
Cropped jumpsuits are by far the most versatile spring/summer/fall jumpsuit option out there.  They're easier to pair with a jacket, sweater or blazer, will look great with flip flops, gladiators and wedges and can be accessorized up and down with belts, cuffs and funky necklaces.  My third jumpsuit purchase (in the interest of research, of course, was the Souffle Jumpsuit ($78), also from Anthropologie.  This type of breezy, crepe cotton is one of my favorite spring/summer textures because it's cool and comfortable and it never fails to disguise my thighs.  Look for "interpretations" of the Olivia + Alice cargo jumpsuit ($396), like The Limited's Strapless Jumpsuit ($69.50) in polyester--not a perfect match, but a similar effect for much less.  Another cute strapless is the Express Strapless Jumpsuit ($49.50), although strapless styles are super-nursing-friendly, proceed with caution as chubby hands do tend to turn their mommies into accidental exhibitionists--I've learned this the hard way. . . The Juicy Couture 5 Star Fleece Jumpsuit has the same great lines as the Ella Moss, but in a thicker, more forgiving (not to mention cozier!) fabric. 

    

Wide Leg Jumpsuits
These wide leg options have a more evening/formal feel and can also take you through fall, in the right fabric, with the addition of a jacket or sweater.  If you go this route, have them hemmed to perfection--they seem to run really long--to avoid looking like a witch melting in a puddle.  If you're on the petite side, consider showing a little more skin up top to balance, pay double attention to hemming (take the exact shoes you would wear with the jumpsuit to the tailor) or go with a cropped/ankle-length jumpsuit and a light (gold/pewter/snakeskin/nude) shoe.  How do I love Stella McCartney's V-Neck Jumpsuit (~$1,00+)?  Sooo much.  Great for work, work/hub work parties, your fabulous holidays in Capri, etc., etc.  The Halston Heritage Halter Jumpsuit ($355), which I'm sure will be copied in more accessible versions soon, is perfect for date night, events and weddings.  In cut and overall effect, the Smocked Jumpsuit at Express ($49.50) is a worthy opponent for the Gypsy 05 Gara Silk Jumpsuit ($209). 

   

Well mamas, who knows how long this jumpsuit craze will stick around, so jump on it and have some fun!

- M

Reader Question: What Types of Footwear Can You Wear with Leggings and Skinny Jeans?

Reader Question:

I have recently fallen in love with skinny jeans and leggings.  Heels really aren't my thing and normally, I would wear UGG boots or ballet flats, but some outfits just don't call for the winter boots but I am too cold to wear ballet flats.  Are there any other comfortable, warm choices you would recommend to go with skinny jeans?  Is it ever ok to wear a street shoe, like my slip-on sketchers with socks, with skinny jeans.

Answer:

I love that you are embracing skinny jeans and leggings!!  But footwear for these styles can be tricky.  Let me first try to address which footwear I think looks best with leggings and skinny jeans, and then take on the more specific part of your question about leggings + sketcher sneaks.

Best (Easiest) Footwear Choices With Skinny Jeans & Leggings

1.  Boots

We're talking any shape of boot, with any heel height: flat boots, high heeled boots, ankle boots, knee-high, or over-the-knee boots.  They all work.  In fact, boots of any shape and style work: winter boots, western boots, motorcycle boots, sleek boots, moccasin booties, rain boots, combat boots, rocker booties with chains, etc.  You get the picture.  Whatever you're boot fetish, I'm willing to bet it will look amazing with skinny jeans or leggings.  Be wary of traditional Uggs (I'll talk more about this below).  For a bit of inspiration, check out our November 2009 Street Style Mom, or the pics below (all from shopbop.com).

Lastly, I'm loving the outfit put together (pic below)  by K_Isa_Bella on Chictopia.com.  The socks and lace-up boots look just so cool.  You could certainly use this idea of layering socks and boots with other boot styles.

MVP Date Night Top - Splendid Ruched Tunic

Has this happened to you?  You have an event.  Not a fancy one, but a party or a date with hubs or a dinner with friends you haven’t seen forever, and you want to look your best.  Maybe you haven’t been out past 6 PM in AGES.  Maybe you’re not feeling so hot, maybe you just had a baby or you’re battling some holiday bulge or are having a freaky existential crisis, I don’t know.  But it’s apparently written all over your face, because when you decide to stop into a boutique to check the price on a hot little top you’ve had your eye on, you click with the sales chick, who knows exactly where you’re at (Believe me, she intones, I have kids, too.  You need to take care of YOU sometimes!), and the next thing you know, you’re drooling at your reflection in a pricey outfit you would never, could never, should never, even THINK about buying. 

But you’re thinking about it.  You’re negotiating in your mind: I could skip the shoes and the designer denim and just go for the top and the belt.  $#!%.  The belt is over $200.  OK, skip the belt.  But the top’s no good without the belt.  This will probably still fit fine when I’ve lost the baby weight . . .  I could wear it a lot. . .  like, everywhere. Everywhere where Prussian blue silk and $200.00 baby-soft suede obi belts and nearly 4-inch heels is an appropriate mode of dress.  Like playgroup.  Like the zoo.  Like work.  Hmmm . . . No, my story isn’t jiving . . . OK, STOP.  Take a deep breath.  Think of your children!  Imagine your husband’s face when he sees the receipt.  Thank the nice lady for her time and hightail your sweet postpartum patootie out of there as quickly as possible. 

Then, if you really do need something to step out in, go look for a piece that will change with your body and is adorable, transitional and versatile, just like your own bad self.  The Splendid one-shoulder ruched tunic top ($49.00) doesn't look like much at first glance, but it's my new date night MVP for moms.  Anyone can wear it and look hot and it can be styled up and down, sideways and every which way in between. 

The ruching is your post-baby-belly’s best friend, it’s crazy-good for nursing/pump-n-dumping (on your right side, anyway) and the one-shoulder cut is current, edgy and sexy without trying too hard.  Oh, and you’ll be comfortable, ohhh so comfortable, in this buttery soft, whisper thin cotton/modal tee.    

Here’s how to wear it.  A blank-slate top like this is a veritable chameleon, so it’s all about the other pieces you choose.  If you’re going casual, throw it on with well-fitting straight or skinny jeans, killer heels, a long necklace and big/dangly earrings.  If you need it, make sure that ruching is nice and bunched up around your muffin top.  No one will know what’s fabric and what’s you. 

To step it up, wear it with a huge statement necklace—pretty much anything from our holiday accessories post or something similar will do the trick.  If you want to go dressier, think about tucking it into a high-waisted skirt like the Milady Skirt at Anthropologie (if your skirt doesn’t have detail at the waist, finish it off with a subtly-detailed belt—I love the Belgo Lux Bow Belt or the Tasha Multi Chain Belt, both at Nordstrom).  

 

For a second dressy look, consider a pair of fancy pants or a slim cut trouser and try a more delicate necklace (or none at all) with another mom MVP (for its magical ability to define a non-existent waist), an obi belt, like the Stitched Obi Belt at The Limited (please tuck the ends in rather than tying them in a big honkin’ bow, however) or, my real fav, Cecilia De Bucourt’s obi belt at Barney’s.

Happy date night!

- M 

 

 

 

What We're Reading This Week: Fashiontoast Blog (Pretty Bras For Flat Chests)

 Gang, meet Rumi, the author of the Fashiontoast blog.  This blog, if you've never followed it, is one of my go-to blogs for inspiration.  It's gorgeous.  Her blog is how I want to dress if I don't have to run around at the playground.  Or bend over and pick up a kiddo.  Or go to work.  Think lots of oversized, drapey tops, short hemlines, and opaque tights with complicated killer heels.  Bliss.  

Mom-friendly or not, her blog is beautiful, and there is no denying that her perspective oozes cool.  Last week, she posted a an entry, Roller Skate Skinny, about three absolutely perfect bras.  Her bra choices were insanely cool, and perfect for flat-chested moms.  Click the pics (or links above) to be taken to her blog. 

 I know many of you have warned me about the sad state of "the girls" once nursing finishes.  And I know that not all women regain their...ahem...previous cup size.  So check out Rumi's picks.  Not only are they crazy-sexy-gorgeous, but they all have cool straps that can peek out under a tank come summer.

Enjoy!

xo,

S

 

Can I Wear a Flowy Shirt With Dressy Shorts?

Reader Question:

Can I pair the dressy satin shorts with a flowy sleeveless blouse for a holiday party? I live in Florida...

Answer:

Yes!  Especially if you are lucky enough to be enjoying the sunshine at this time of year, dressy shorts with fab heels and a flowy little top are a perfect choice for a holiday party!  Be careful of the length - your top should end at least 4-6 inches above your shorts.  In other words:  make sure you can still see the shorts.  Else, you'll end up sporting a Lady Gaga no-pants look.  Not great. 

Depending on your body type (and your shorts) you can also experiment with tucking the shirt in. For some great examples, check out the Dressy Shorts post on The Fashtastic Blog.

Also, there's another great photo for inspiration here.

Happy Holidays!!

xo,

S

Paper Thin Cover-Ups for Cooler Summer Nights

When you gotta, go, you gotta go.  And my girlfriend's daughter, Aubrey, had to go.  Poop, actually.  Which she pointed out to her mother in a very matter-of-fact voice that only a recently potty-trained three year old can muster.  After an initial moment of panic, "You have to POOP?  Now?" Aubrey's mum, Sarah, recovered and dug a hole in the sand.  Aubrey looked hesitant.  "It's a sand potty." Sarah reassured her.  Then, in a whisper to me, "What will I do with the poop?" 

There are so many things I love about this picture.  The sand potty itself, Aubrey sitting there enjoying the view, and the fact that she is dressed in nothing but a tshirt and winter hat.  Welcome to summer in Marquette, MI.

Sarah and I were both born and raised in Marquette, MI, and try to get back there every chance we get.  It's one of the most wild, beautiful places in the world, but the 80 degree summer days are often tempered by a string of 50 degree days.  And once August hits, you can count on even cooler nights.  Ugg boots have always made perfect sense to me - it's COLD on the beach. 

So.  As the dog days of summer give way to chilly nights, what is the best way to show off your tan while avoiding goosebumps?  Try a paper-thin cover-up.  Ideally, you want a cover-up in a color and style that goes with most of your summer staples.  Throw it on over your tanks tops, shorts, summer dresses, etc.  My current favorites are below.

Mom Street Style - July 2009 Mom

Summer is two-thirds over.  Let me take stock:

Daily Ice Cream Cone?  Check.

Flip-flops covered in sand?  Check.

Bubbles blowed?  Check.

Made strawberry jam, gotten sick on Smores, lost bikini bottom playing in waves, built sandcastles, watched a parade?  All check.

But I haven't yet gone canoing, or waterskiing or had grilled peaches or counted the stars. Sigh.  There's only a month left - I better get busy.  

  The end of July always gives me reason to pause - summer is almost over.  I take August on like a job.  And perhaps because of the heat, perhaps because I find myself more focused on campfires, swimming, and fireflies....I ease up on things like makeup, washing my hair, or what I'm wearing.  I tend to wear the same 3 outfits in rotation, just adding a sweater for cooler nights, with my hair in a ponytail and an SPF lip balm.  August should be easy.  And our July mom is wearing a perfect outfit to take on August - one that looks much better than my usual August rotation but one that is just as easy.

Jennifer, our July mom of 3 boys (pictured above with her oldest son, Jack), is wearing a swingy, cotton, navy tshirt dress from Target.  She paired it with a colorful Vera Bradley bag, a simple silver Tiffany necklace and nude flip-flops (and you know I love how nude shoes elongate the legs!).

Can You Wear Dark Jeans in Summer?

Reader Question:

Hi,
Can you wear dark jeans in the summer?  I have been thinking about this for a while and was hoping you might be able to shed some light on the subject.

Answer:

Absolutely!  The super saturated color of dark jeans look fantastic with a bright white top, or any of summer's bright colors.  Dark wash jeans are flattering, and add polish.  Your outfit will always look a bit dressier with dark wash jeans. 

A few styling ideas...

Best Strapless Bras for Moms with Post-Nursing (aka Saggy) Boobs

Pregnancy is tough on a body.  One of the perks, however, are the boobs.  They are fantastic.  Large, perky, able to mesmerize men with just a hint of cleavage.  At around 6 months pregnant, my boobs literally rendered my husband speechless with joy.  Unfortunately for him, my boobs were also too sore to be touched, breathed on, glanced at, or thought about.  "Stop looking!  Stop thinking about looking!"

Nursing boobs reach even more epic proportions.  Immediately after giving birth, my boobs reached heights that would clearly save me from drowning.  But what goes up must eventually come down.  And whether you nursed or not, most moms I know are lamenting the fact that their girls are starting to migrate south.  This problem can often be solved with a fantastic push-up bra, but, as one of our readers, Esther, asked, "what can moms do when they need a strapless bra?"  Must we face up to the fact that our choices are either:  1.  use those horrible clear plastic bra straps (which fool no-one, BTW) or 2. reach a zen-like state where our sagging boobs are something to be proud of - we are MOTHERS, hear us roar, etc, etc.  Not that I'm anti-roaring.  But I don't like either of those choices.

So, we at Ain't No Mom Jeans went to the experts.  We asked two owners of very fabulous, drool-worthy lingerie stores - both known for amazing customer service and specializing in bra fittings - to weigh in on this problem. 

Mom Street Style - June 2009 Mom

Meet Corey, our very fashionable June mom.  I ran into Corey while shopping, and was immediately struck by the perfect balance of sexiness (those legs!!) and sophistication in her outfit.  All finished nicely with a Vuitton bag, which never hurts. 

Corey pulls off short-shorts with ease, and adds a little height to her small frame with a pair of ever-so-slightly-wedge-heel flip-flops.  High heeled flip-flops can be tough - so many of them look made for teenagers, but Corey's are nice and sleek and therefore work for moms.

In order for moms to pull off short-shorts, it requires good legs, and getting the right proportions.  Showing so much leg should be offset by a slightly more conservative top.  Corey's is perfect.  Not only do the nautical stripes lend a bit of French-girl sophistication, but the higher neck and A-line shape get the proportions exactly right.  The shirt skims over the waistband of the shorts making her look nice and thin (I doubt that Corey is hiding a post-baby belly but the key here is that you COULD hide one) and the overall effect is a fantastic, flirty little outfit.