Dear reader: have you ever considered the rule of thirds with regard to your flat footwear? How about the sheen and texture of your shoes in relation to your tights? Have you recently scrutinized the curves of your feet and how your flats accentuate them, either elongating or shortening your leg, depending on their fit? No? Mmm hmm. . . I didn't think so.
Neither have I, and I suppose that's why I've been largely unsuccessful at pairing flats with skirts and tights. Not that I've tried that hard. I either a.) spit and curse my 5'4" (and 5/8ths!) height, then put on a pair of heels instead, or b.) spit and curse my 5'4" (and 5/8ths!) height, then opt for trousers.
"How many times have you put flats on with a pair of tights and just feel ... off? You either look barefoot, cut off at the ankles, or weighted down and a bit shlumpy. I think we've all been there. . . " the genius behind Blue Collar Catwalk sagely writes. Kyla has pondered these questions and she nailed the formula in her recent post Flat Out Lovin' It Part 2 - Flats With Tights. At 5'3" with a 30" inseam and looking as smack-down fabulous as she does, Kyla's definitely the go-to-gal on this subject.
Check out her post for the most insightful analysis of flat-wearing (with skirts and tights, no less!) heretofore and for some amazing styling tips that will inform your fall through spring wardrobe.
Silly me. I had assumed that only mums would be interested in trying to make Dansko clogs fashionable. So imagine my surprise when the Style Bakery fielded this question from one of their readers:
I'd like to know how to look fashionable wearing Dansko clogs.
They are so comfortable... but I'm transitioning from high heels and
want that chic look. Is it possible?
And after our own internal Dansko debate on Ain't No Mom Jeans (found at the bottom of the Cool, Winter Slip-On Shoe post), I was curious to see how another, not-necessarily-mom-focused style site would handle the Danskos. Would it be bloody? Snarky?
Style Bakery's response was actually very diplomatic and graceful. It should not go unnoticed, however, that their primary recommendation was to invest in a pair of honest-to-goodness clogs, which is (in my opinion) a far cry from the Danskos. Furthermore, they urge their readers to try wearing their Danskos with the same kinds of outifts one would wear with actual clogs: skirts, dresses, skinny jeans.
This advice is exactly opposite of our guidance in the Cool, Winter Slip-on Shoe post. If you recall, we recommended that you hide those Dansko babies under a nice bootcut jean.
So now I'm re-thinking: how bad are the Danskos? Readers -- would any of you ever pair your Danskos with a dress or skinny jeans? For now, I'm sticking to my bootcut denim recommendation, but am open-minded. Some styles need time to grow on you.
You know, like a fungus.
xo,
S
ps. The Style Bakery did find a pair of Danskos that resemble real clogs, as well as some fantastic clog options at various price points. Read their full response here.
Rookie Moms asked us to guest post on easy ways to make moms feel sexy...just in time for Valentine's Day!
When the topic of sex (or sexy) comes up, I always find it helpful to chat with my husband. Not only does he always have an opinion on this topic, but it is usually something very simple and to the point. When asked what “items” a mom could wear to look sexier, his response (after the eye-roll) can best be summarized by the punch-line of the old joke: “Show up naked. Bring beer.”
But….the problem, as I see it, is that sexiness is just as much about a feeling as it is about a certain look. Yes, we can show up naked (with beer), and we love that you guys just look past poochy stomaches and saggy boobs and merely focus on the fun that’s about to start….but for us (or me, at least) it’s not so easy. I need to feel it.
Click here to read the rest of the article and to see our easy tips on adding a little something-something to your wardrobe.
Also check out the "sexy police" link at the bottom of the article. Double bonus points to any of you that can actually rock this look. LOL
When my
brother and I were growing up together, it was him and me, against the
world.We were a team, and although we invariably
drove each other bananas at some point on any given day, we were sister and
brother, through thick and thin.That’s
all there was to it.No discussion.Together we felt bigger, stronger, more
secure, and, best-of-all, we always had a friend through cross-town moves, new
schools, every-other-weekend visits with our father and on family
vacations.So. . . as a sister and newly-minted
mom-of-two, I’m always looking for ways to reinforce the importance of the sibling
relationship because I know whata life
line it can be.
Right
now, with two-year-old and 5-month-old boys, that motherly prodding comes in the
form of obsessively pointing out and exulting images of happy brothers in
magazines, songs, pictures and books. Me: WOW! Look at those brothers! They are having sooo much fun! He's too little now, but soon you'll be having a blast with your little brother! Which is why my new favorite sibling book
is What
Sisters Do Best/What Brothers Do Best, by Laura Numeroff with
illustrations by Lynn Munsinger.This is
a flip-over book that has the story of what sisters do best and illustrations
of sister/sister and sister/brother pairs on one side and identical text with different
illustrations of what brothers do best on the other.
This isn't a book on par with childrens' classics like Seuss, Goodnight Moon, or even The Going to Bed Book, but it is a simple, straightforward and illustrative jumping-off point to talk to the apples of your eye about the perks of siblinghood and all the things they can do together one day. I think it helps my big boy, when he's looking with total bewilderment (see right) at this little attention sponge who, though adorable, only rolls over when he's angry, to know that some day they'll be able to do lots of things together,
like climb trees, ski and help each other out. And, should a little chic come along some day, we'll be all set with the flip side about sisters.
Rookie Moms, one of our all-time favorite mom blogs, asked us to guest post with the general theme of "sexy" in time for Valentine's Day. First up: sexy jeans.
Are your jeans sexy? Or are they screaming, "I'm a mom with a saggy, saggy bum!!" Apply the hand-grab rule and find out.
Gang, meet "FashionAddict". She's a fellow blogger who focuses on affordable fashion. If any of you follow her blog, Fashion For The Economically Challenged, you'll quickly learn that not only does she manage to find cute looks at really affordable prices, she is a whiz at shopping her own closet. You'll see how she remixes her favorites over and over. I love that.
While FashionAddict mainly focuses on office appropriate attire, I came across one of her posts that would be especially of interest to moms.
Over the last year or so, there has been much discussion on Ain't No Mom Jeans about the value of skinny jeans. I would dare say that many of you are under the assumption that skinny jeans should only be worn by size 2 gals. While I've always disagreed (I think skinny jeans can be flattering on a range of body types/sizes)....well, for many of you, the love wasn't there.
But a picture is worth a thousand words, no? And no one can dispute that FashionAddict looks great in her skinnies. I love that despite her misgivings, she gave them a try:
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.
Caro, the author of one of my very favorite blogs, It Looks Good To Me, waxes nostalgic on the denim-on-denim trend. Denim on denim can be tricky, but so comfortable and chic when done well. I especially love a super-soft chambray shirt paired with darker jeans.
In her blog, Caro shows several denim-on-denim pics for inspiration (including this one from The Sartorialist), as well as recommendations on how to recreate this trend. Not only is her recommendation spot-on, but it is oh-so-affordable.
Lastly, I wanted to point out that this picture shows a really great way to wear boyfriend jeans in the cooler months. As I mentioned in yesterday's post, I typically reserve my boyfriend jeans for warmer weather. However, I love the idea of slipping a taller boot underneath.
Yet another New Year's Resolution: take a few more fashion risks (but still mom-friendly, of course!).
For the last two weeks, Ain't No Mom Jeans has been focusing on easy ways to look festive for the Holidays. All of our advice has been surrounding the principle of investing in one fab Holiday item and mixing it in with your current comfy basics.
Blogger Emily Schuman of cupcakesandcashmere.com, is the Guest Blogger for December on luckymag.com. Her most recent post, Cupcakes and Cashmere Holiday Survival Guide: One Key Piece, beautifully illustrates the same technique of festive Holiday dressing we've been discussing here. Her pick? This gorgeous Vena Cava skirt, pictured at left. In her post on Lucky Mag, she shows how she was able to style this skirt three different ways.
Her post is a great inspiration for easy-but-glam holiday style!
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.
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