how to be a stylish mama.
It's no secret that being a mama is hard. It is especially hard because women are generally expected to take on a huge amount of responsibilities, like cooking, cleaning, baby wrangling, plus looking good, making an income, etc. It's SO MUCH. And I'm sure I'm not the only one who feels overwhelmed sometimes. This is why often looking good takes a back seat on the priority list, for a lot of moms I'm sure. Because feeding your kid and taking care of everyone is generally more important than your wardrobe. Obviously. But there's no reason you can't look good and be an awesome mama all at the same time. Right!?
So I thought I'd put together a few of my tips for staying comfortable and stylish, in addition to taking care of everything else.
1. Shop Online.
Shopping online has been a saviour for me. Hunter hates to shop. HATES IT! I can't tell you how many times I tried to take him into a store and he screamed and made it a miserable struggle for me. I can't shop like that! So what I do is buy stuff online that I know I can easily return to store (Zara is amazing for this). So I buy it, try it on, and if I don't like it I just take it back. Do the store employees hate me? Probably. But it's so much more practical for someone who is busy. Just make sure to put a 'baby napping, do not ring doorbell' sign on your door when you are expecting a package...I have learned this because Hunter has been awakened by the UPS guy one too many times. AGh!
2. Basics Basics Basics.
You need basics. And you need them to be comfortable! Buying fussy clothing isn't practical when you're running after a toddler or infant, so I live in sneakers, jeans, leggings, tees, easy knits (and by easy I mean comfy and easy to wash), and loose silky pants. Dresses and skirts aren't something I wear often, because I don't have time to worry about whether I'm going to flash someone when I'm getting out of the car or bending over to help the little guy (if you want the skirt look though, there are some amazing skorts out there). I also try to buy pieces that can be easily dressed up or down, so they look cute with either heels or sneakers, and they work with a number of pieces in my wardrobe. Which brings me to my next point...
3. Buy Neutrals.
I know some of you out there like colour. I am not one of those people. I just can't do it. But neutrals have another purpose other than just being monochrome. When you buy all neutrals, the likelihood that they are going to match one another is high. When I'm buying black white or grey, I know that is will match most of my wardrobe, so then it's just a matter of pairing the right shapes, textures and accessories together to achieve and easily put together look.
4. Accessories & Outerwear.
Statement accessories and outerwear is key. A great pair of sunglasses can really go a long way, and so can an amazing leather jacket or jean jacket. What I've done in the photos above is thrown on something I'd generally wear around the house (black biker shorts and a loose white tee & calvin klein sports bra), with accessories that punch it up a bit. The jean jacket is both practical and interesting, and tied around the waist it gives an otherwise basic outfit a little bit of character. I've also tied my new fave leather choker around my neck, and added these amazing reflective sunglasses. They just add the right amount of fashion forward, without looking like you tried too hard. We were actually on our way to walk some trails by the lake after we shot these photos, so this outfit was super practical for busy days like this with my boys.
Also, as a sidenote, how crazy is this kids hair!? We need to take him for his first haircut but I'm scared. He's not terribly cooperative.
xo
melo