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mom-style-related stories
Multitasking Workout Wear - Yoga Pants for the Gym and Beyond
Admit it: when you're a stay-home mom, the temptation to spend the entire day in your pajamas can be overwhelming. Thank goodness for yoga pants, which are actual clothes and not pajamas. Otherwise we might never get dressed.
Instead of defaulting to that pair of sweatpants that you swiped from your husband when you were pregnant, put on some good looking yoga pants to drive the baby to preschool (or third grade -- we won't judge). Choose a pair that fit properly and flatter your figure, no matter what your size or shape.Old Navy is a great place to shop for yoga gear; they have a wide range of styles and sizes at prices that are easily affordable. The pants pictured here have a cool fold over waist band, which lets you customize the rise; adjust them to cover your mommy tummy perfectly. This pair is slim through the hip and thigh and flared below the knee for a traditional yoga look. Available in black and dark sea blue, for $19.50, this style comes in sizes XS to XXL.
Keep in mind that yoga pants are essentially athletic wear; don't try to dress them up by pairing them with ballet flats or loafers. Wear your yoga pants with athletic shoes, like a simple pair of Keds tennis shoes, or with athletic-inspired flats. Or even with your actual running shoes -- if you're not running, you might as well get some use from those shoes.
Five Spring Trends to Wear Right Now
Fashion magazines are full of spring trends right now, but outside the driveway is full of snow, and the only clothes that seem worth buying are the ones that keep every inch of you covered and warm. Instead of pining for warmer days and fewer layers of clothes, start wearing springs best trends now -- give your winter gear a fresh new look.
Runway trends don't often seem practical, but if you look past the wafer-thin models with their impossibly high heels and impossibly small thighs, the runway can be an inspiration for everyday. Shop smart for trendy pieces -- watch for cool jewelery and bags at places like Target, and use color to wake up the everyday.
Some of this spring's trends aren't meant for everyday wear but others are perfect for busy moms. Here are our five favorites, with tips on how to work them now and later.
Michelle Obama's Inaugural Gown - Setting the Tone
Just For Moms, Life & Style, Mommy Musts
As preparations for President-Elect Barack Obama's inauguration swing into full force, we're all wondering one really important thing -- no, no, I don't mean which campaign promises the President will tackle first. I mean what will Mrs. Obama wear to the swearing in and -- more importantly -- to Tuesday night's round of inaugural balls?
You know you're curious.
Mrs. Obama has made a name for herself as a fashion icon, despite not employing a personal stylist; she chooses her own outfits, telling Jay Leno that she bought her J. Crew outfit herself at the company's web site. "You can get some good stuff online," she told Leno. The simple sun dress from White House|Black Market that she wore to host The View sold out immediately; the store has brought the dress back into their stock for spring of 2009, because customer demand was so high.Why do women love Mrs. Obama's clothes? Her look is accessible, for one thing; she shops at stores that you probably see in your local mall, rather than at high-end designer boutiques that don't exist in normal American cities. When she does wear designer, she chooses lines that are reaching out to average consumers. On the final night of the Democratic National Convention, Mrs. Obama wore a Thakoon cocktail dress (pictured at right). The designer has since partnered with Target for a line of clothing that is available in stores now. The next time you're shopping for groceries, you can pick up a blouse in a pattern very similar to the new First Lady's dress.
We're expecting a lot from Mrs. Obama's inaugural dress. After all, the First Lady's ball gown often sets the tone for her husband's presidency.
New Hair, New You!
One of the first things people tell a pregnant woman is this: do NOT cut your hair before the baby comes. No matter how good an idea it might seem in your eighth month of pregnancy to test out a pixie cut, don't do it. You'll be sorry.
Maybe. But maybe not.
Changing your hair is a simple way to change your look; just this week, Heather Mills -- who is still bouncing back from a bitter and public divorce from Beatle Paul McCartney -- rolled out a new 'do. Her golden locks are now short and platinum blond, which is a big change. Says Mills, "I'd actually been thinking about cutting my hair for quite a while. I hope now this is a fresh beginning."
Her new cut is flattering and sexy, and perfect for a mom who is starting over.
Mommy Hair
Heather Mills
The ex- Mrs. Paul McCartney, 40, recently showed off a chic new bottle-blond pixie. "I hope now this is a fresh beginning," she said.
Nicole Sweet/FilmMagic
Jessica Alba
Jessica Alba recently lost her long locks in favor of a more Honor-friendly mom do. But even this practical wash-and-go look retains Alba's trademark sexy waves.
Jennifer Garner
Jennifer Garner's sleek locks prove that simple is still chic. To get Jennifer's look, pull growing out bangs under longer layers and anchor with a bobby pin; keep makeup clean and fresh.
Kate Winslett
Keep hair soft and natural, like Kate Winslett. Air dry wavy hair, scrunching with your hand, for slightly shaped waves. Don't fuss too much with this, though -- just let your hair do it's thing.
Courtney Cox
Want a little more structure in your curls? Take a page from Courtney Cox and roll damp hair in velcro rollers; air dry, fluff with your fingers, and you're off to playgroup. So easy.
Brooke Shields
No time to shower? Brooke Shields shows you how to work second (or third) day hair. Spritz roots with a dry shampoo and slide on a skinny headband; tease the crown for a fun retro look. Easy and practical and still a little glam.
Reese Witherspoon
Reese's sassy layered bob is a classic Mom Cut -- simple and unfussy, but still totally stunning. Best for thick, straight hair, this cut can be air dried until it's just damp; finish with a blast from the hairdryer to seal the cuticle and give it shine.
Victoria Beckham
No time to style? No worries! Pair Posh's spiky pixie cut with some big sunglasses and you're out the door. Use a wax or pomade to spike the edges, or just let a good night's sleep take care of it for you.
Kate Hudson
A ponytail is a classic mom-on-the-go look; dress yours up by imitating Kate Hudson's look. Pull your pony low on your neck and leave some chunky pieces in the front to frame your face. Twirl the front pieces around a curling iron for a little extra definition.
Liv Tyler
Instead of the ubiquitous pony tail, opt for a bun -- Liv Tyler's not-so-perfect updo is absolutely perfect for busy moms. Use your fingers, rather than a brush, to comb hair back; secure with an elastic and bobby pins. Slick on some lip gloss and you're set.
Laundry Helpers for Busy Moms
Oh the laundry! It just never ends. And as soon as you get all caught up, you realized that while you were washing and drying and folding the kids were outside playing in the mud, and it's time to start all over again.
It's hard enough to get everyone dressed in clean clothes every day -- keeping them that way can seem like a monumental task. And inevitably, your own clothes wind up covered in coffee or peanut butter or mysterious kid goo. No wonder so many moms are wandering around in rumpled sweats.
Fortunately, with the right tools, though, laundry can seem a little easier, at least some of the time. The trick is to have an arsenal of simple products that let you cut corners and still look great. Here are our favorites.
Five Tips for Smart Sale Shopping
This won't surprise anyone: sales of women's apparel were down 20% this holiday season from last year. Clearly, we all decided to spend our money on the kids instead of on ourselves -- after all, the economy is terrible and there's only so much cash to go around.
Smart shopping is always admirable, but don't use the bad economy as an excuse to schlep around in worn out, ill-fitting pieces. Instead, take advantage of the slow retail season to make the sales work for you. Sale shopping is a simple way to spiff up your wardrobe without going broke, and this year the deals and steals are everywhere. But in order to get the most out of your sale shopping, you need to shop smart. We have five tips for making your post-holiday shopping work for your closet and your wallet.
Investment Dressing
We're all trying to spend smart right now, especially when it comes to our own wardrobes. Mom tend to put their own closet last on the shopping list, because unlike the kids, we're not constantly outgrowing things. But that doesn't mean we need to settle for worn out sweats and suits from ten years ago. A dress can change your entire look, particularly if it's a dress that can go from day to night, or that you can both wear to work and on the weekend.
Sound impossible? It's not -- you just have to be creative. Don't assume that a dress has to be worn on it's own all the time; think about ways to layer a dress (under a cardigan or jacket, over a blouse or tee), and about what all the shoe and hosiery options might be (pumps, flats, boots peep toes). Mix and match and make your dresses work for you.
Here are five terrific dresses, all from White House|Black Market; four will work equally well for day and night, and one is the after-five dress that every mom should have in her closet.
Celebrity Moms - Get Their Look
Just For Moms, Life & Style, Mommy Musts
Imagine being a celebrity mom, with a stylist on call to make sure that your hair and clothes were perfect all the time. Wouldn't that be terrific? Most of us don't get a personal stylist, but that doesn't mean we can't look like Hollywood's hottest celebrity moms.
You can get their look just by making a few simple tweaks to your own closet. Because looking like a celebrity isn't about buying the same brand names; it's about paying attention to the details -- color and shape and fabric. It's about wearing clothes that flatter you and no being afraid to stand out in a crowd.
Here are five of our favorite celebrity moms and the little details that make their look one you might want to test out yourself.
Stuff Mom's Stocking with a Warm Hat
Let's face it: Moms are hard to shop for. They're always asking for practical things, but you know that what they really want is something pretty. What if you could give Mom something pretty AND practical this year?
Hats are back right now, which is good because Moms spend a LOT of time out in the cold, sitting at sporting events and shuttling kids around and just doing Mom Stuff. This year, give her a really lovely hat, one made out of something soft and warm and bright. And toss in a can of Static Guard, just in case -- you don't want her terrific hat to ruin her hair.
Here are five of our favorite hats, for moms of various styles.
What to Wear to Thanksgiving Dinner (Don't Let the Turkey Upstage You)
Thanksgiving can be a tough day to dress for; if you're cooking, you want to be cool and comfortable (and honestly, machine washable). But if you and your family will be guests in someone else's home, you need to an outfit that allows you to wrangle kids, indoors and out.
Oh and you need to look nice because someone is going to suggest taking a family picture at some point during the day.
How can you marry practical with stylish and also leave room for an extra helping of pie? Simple -- choose pieces that are functional and comfortable and then dress them up with accessories.
The easiest thing to wear for Thanksgiving day (or any day, really) is a dress; a dress is so very simple (one piece and you're out the door!) and can be functional and pretty all at once. A dress also gives you ample eating room (and yes, that matters) without binding.
If you're going to have to build snowmen or take a long nature hike with the kids, layer your dress over wool tights and boots; pile on a big sweater for extra warmth. If you will be somewhere warm this year, pair your dress with flats and a light cardigan for outdoor adventures. Or -- even better -- opt for the traditional gendered division of labor and send the men to supervise outdoor play while you stay inside and keep an eye on the turkey and visit with your sisters-in-law.
If you're more of a jeans-and-a-sweater mom, even on Thanksgiving, you can still dress that up; add a little bling to your outfit, to make it more special. A big pretty pin dresses up a cardigan, while a necklace is great over a tee. And fancy earrings will show up well in photos, making you look festive and pretty. Pull out the big guns for Turkey Day -- those gigantic pearls you never wear, or that pin you inherited from your grandmother. Thanksgiving is a celebration, so why not be festive!
What should you avoid for Thanksgiving dinner? Anything that doesn't fit well to start with, particularly through the waist and hips; anything dry clean only, especially if you will be helping with the dinner or tending to wee children; anything that looks schlumpy and frumpy (no sweatshirts or yoga pants -- try harder, please). This Thanksgiving, put as much effort into dressing yourself as you put into dressing the turkey -- you'll be glad you did when you see that family photo.
Recession Style - Five Shop-Smart, Look-Good Tips
The economy is on everyone's minds these days; when we asked you what your biggest style challenge is, you overwhelmingly said that it was your budget. Balancing a family's needs with your own style is tough, particularly since, as moms, we almost always default to the family first. Our kids look great and we look terrible.
Well, no more. Looking chic and stylish doesn't have to cost a fortune -- in fact, it doesn't have to cost anything. You just need to get organized and shop smart, and we're here to help.
Start by cleaning out your closet -- take everything out and try EVERYTHING on. Get rid of anything that is too big or too small or too dated; inspect everything for stains and worn spots. Make repairs to pieces that need them, and toss everything that is beyond repair. Don't keep anything that you are not actually going to wear. Be ruthless -- there's not point in wasting valuable closet space on clothes that don't work for you just because you're worried that they might be useful at some point in the future -- or worse, because they were useful at some point in the past. Your closet needs to be full of things that you are wearing today, not things you wore ten years ago.
Once your closet is clean, you're ready to start filling in the gaps -- we've got five tips for getting even the most basic Mom Closet up to speed, without spending a fortune. Read? Let's shop!
Michelle Obama changes the way moms dress
Admit it: one of the most fascinating things about the Presidential election was what everyone wore on the campaign trail. No, not the men -- the women! We all know about Sarah Palin and her $150,000 closet makeover, but the real winner in the style contest was Michelle Obama.
Mrs. Obama's style is simple and chic; she often repeated pieces and outfits during the campaign. She told Jay Leno that she shopped at J. Crew, and the dress she wore to host The View came from White House | Black Market. In other words, she's shopping at the mall, just like the rest of us.
Well, not just like the rest of us.
Mrs. Obama has a great figure, but she's not skinny; she has curves and she chooses her clothing to flatter her figure. She also makes her clothes work for her, because on the campaign trail she often had to go all day and then keep going into the night. She also uses color to her advantage, choosing bright shades that make her stand out in a crowd. Finally, Mrs. Obama has a way with accessories, adding a bold necklace or bright pin to many of her outifts.
Here are five specific looks we've seen recently and ways that you can get Mrs. Obama's style on your own.
What's YOUR style challenge?
Moms have an unending list of things to take care of every day -- the kids, the house, the groceries, the job, the friends, the husband ... some days, it's a miracle we even get a shower, never mind getting dressed up.
And so we wind up spending our lives in yoga pants and baseball caps -- you know, when we're not dressed for work and trying to keep the kids from touching us while saying things like, "These are Mommy's NICE clothes, sweetie, and she doesn't want peanut butter on them!"
No wonder we wind up hating our closets. Fortunately, Mom|Style is here to help.
What are your biggest style challenges? What do you wish you had hanging in your closet? What are you constantly looking for when you shop? What can Mom|Style do for you? Over the next few weeks, we'll find solutions to your fashion dilemmas -- tips for dressing various body types and pieces you can take home with you.
In the mean time, get in your closet and start getting rid of the things that are really not working -- you know what they are: anything pilled or stained or too small or too big. Toss them! And get ready to discover a stylish new you.
Your turn -- what's YOUR style challenge?
Give winter the boot!
It's the classic cold-weather dilemma: how do you balance looking stylish and staying warm? And how do you do it while running after small children?
It's possible, we promise. You just need the right boots.
Boots are back this winter, which is great weather for those of you who live where the snow never lets up. But instead of dragging out those same old snowboots from ten years ago, take a look at some of the super cute (and super practical) options we've found for you. All five are affordable and practical, and all five will have you longing for cold, wet weather.
Well, maybe not the wet part. But they will certainly get you in the mood for winter.
How to hide the Mom Muffin
Ah, the muffin top -- long after the baby is no longer a baby, many of us are still walking around with a little reminder of our pregnancies, rolling over the top of our jeans. Short of a tummy tuck, what's a mom to do?
Skip the surgery -- if you choose the right clothes, your roll will virtually vanish. Look for mid-rise, high-waist jeans and trousers; don't buy anything that doesn't fit perfectly through the waist. If you also have a hard time fitting your hips and thighs, opt for pants that fit whichever part of you is the biggest, and have the rest tailored -- you'll be glad you did.
Look for tops that float away from your midsection, and for necklines that draw attention to your face. Look also for structured pieces, rather than floppy or clingy fabrics.
We've found five examples of pieces that will take the muffin out of mom -- each is a perfect illustration of the shapes you want to look for as you shop.
