Posted on | May 5, 2011 | 12 Comments
happy friday my sweet friends! first off i’d like to say THANK YOU to everyone who not only voted for me for weeks but also left the sweetest comments on my post yesterday. after a horrid week, you guys really brightened it up. thanks so much. secondly, it’s friday! and today i’m super excited to introduce you to a doll of a lady named Katie. she blogs at Katie’s Pencil Box, where you will go after you finish reading this and subsequently get sucked into reading posts for the rest of your day. truly. it’s that good. in fact, a week or so ago, my friend Danielle featured Katie and essentially said “GO READ THIS BLOG, IT’S SO GOOD” and i pretty much stood up and yelled “YES! EXACTLY!”. it’s like this hidden treasure that needs to not be a secret anymore. Katie is seriously lovely, her photos suck you in and you won’t be able to stop reading. her Max is just the handsomest. please say hello to Katie!
how has your style changed since you became a mom?
becoming max’s mama changed everything about my style…for the good and the bad. early on, with my body and life changing so drastically it was an awkward dance trying to figure out who i was and what i wanted to look like. i think we’re all made up of a stretchy pants/t-shirt mom with a good dose of a heels and lipstick mom. the trick is finding the balance. now that max is older, i can say that i feel like my best self when i take the time to get myself ready…and for me that’s usually a dress and heels…something ladylike. plus you’d be amazed at the admiration you get from a 6 year old boy when you can play soccer all gussied up.
if you’re having a particularly crazy day, what is the beauty/style step you absolutely will not skip?
when all else fails, a freshly cleaned/lotioned face is my go to. you feel like a million bucks even if you’re still in your pajamas at lunch time.
have you ever been mistaken for the nanny?
when max first started preschool, we were the youngest parents there, and usually got some odd or maybe just interested looks. if ever there was a need for a power suit, it would have been then. haha. i definitely was aware that being a young mom made it harder to be taken seriously.
piece of advice for new moms who don’t want to give up their style?
being happy and feeling empowered in your role as a woman and a mama is the best gift you can give to your little one…whatever that means to you. whether it’s taking the time to change in and out of 30 dresses just to go do dishes or still wearing maternity pants 6 years later (don’t judge me). my motto has been that there is no occasion too small to do yourself up in your own way…and if there is no occasion at all then make one! sometimes the biggest kicks come from doing something fabulous for no good reason at all.
ultimately, having babies and being a mama will definitely change your style or approach towards style, but my bet is that it will be for the better!
thank you so much Katie! love the advice.
see you guys sunday for SOS and the winner of my lil’ thank you giveaway!
Posted on | April 28, 2011 | 5 Comments
it’s friday. again! seriously, this month is crazy, it has flown by! today’s mama is a total sweetheart with a fun vintage style. Ivelisse is mama to little Julianna is who is such a doll. she shares the adventures of her and her little family over at her blog, pretty little mustache. she loves thrifting and target so you can see why i like her. she has a fun retro style and i really like seeing the outfits she puts together. go say hello! and check out her new haircut! she just got it cut into a pixie-do and holy cow can she pull it off. although it wasn’t her plan to cut it, it looks amazing and she is rocking it. jealous!
how has your style changed since you became a mom?
I would say it hasn’t changed much at all, and if anything for the better! I dreaded falling into a slump or the stigma of a stay at home mom, wearing sweat pants and a t-shirt. I love playing with colors, trying different styles, and thrifting like a mad woman.
if you’re having a particularly crazy day, what is the beauty/style step you absolutely will not skip?
I like to try new hairstyles and funky bangs. What I tend to forget is that I have curly hair. Well, when I wake up in the morning and my bangs have shriveled, it’s definitely not cute. So, at the very least, I try to do something to my hair, or I throw on a fedora to cover up the naps.
have you ever been mistaken for the nanny?
Yes. When Julianna was a baby, my husband and I went to watch an R rated movie while she napped and I was carded!! So embarrassing. I also get the stares all too often, but I’ve gotten so used to it that I just smile back and purposely do something to imply that I am indeed the child’s mother.
piece of advice for new moms who don’t want to give up their style?
DON’T! continue wearing the things you like!! While I love to experiment with style, I would say that most of what I wear is comfortable. Flowy skirts that are tight at the waist, or loose dresses accessorized with a belt are form fitting, comfortable, and also look cute, especially for spring and summer. If you are scared that your undies will show, wear tights. Also cute flats are a must and go with just about any outfit. Don’t let the fact you’re a mom or the fear of what people may say determine what you will wear or how you should look!
thank you so much Ivelisse!
in the spirit of mama style, would you click for me (again)? i’ve been in and out of the top 10 this week and it would be beyond amazing to end up in there when this thing ends (which is may 5th for those of you tired of listening to me). it means the world to me that you guys have been voting and cheering me on. i’ve said it before and i will stand by it: i have the best readers on the web.
have a fabulous weekend! tomorrow is our March of Dimes walk! thanks to everyone who has donated! we hit our $2000 goal and i could not be more excited about it. see you sunday for SOS and monday for deets on how the walk went!
Posted on | April 21, 2011 | 14 Comments
hello and happy friday friends. i need to know – is it just me, or is this april the fastest month in the history of months? i cannot believe it’s friday again AND almost may. crazytown. so! today’s mama is the lovely Chelsey from The Paper Mama. she’s a stay at home mama to Ruari, wife to Mike and creative force behind The Paper Mama Shop and The Paper Lady. do you like my blog header? she made it. she drew it. she made me into a deer and Harper into a narwhal. so basically she is awesome. amiright? i’m always all swoony over her anthropologie pieces and her great shoe collection. she also is a very honest and sweet person whom i love reading about and her photos are really lovely. please go say hi if you haven’t before!
//hairclip//
how has your style changed since you became a mom?
First off… showers are almost non-existent. Ok… not that bad… But, it’s down to like 4-5 times a week. Before I was a mama I bathed everyday. Makeup everyday. “Real” clothes everyday. I’ll be honest with you all… I pretty much wear jammies or leggings ALL week long. Yup. I love it. SO much easier to chase a baby, err, I mean toddler (when did that happen?) around.
I never wear heels anymore. I just can’t. I’d break my ankle trying to do that with Ruari. The sad part is that I LOVE shoes. A lot. Like, A LOT. I have many shoes… not sure how many… but, lets just say I have a nice collection. I mostly wear heels for my Steppin’ Out photos. ;D. Or, on the VERY rare occasion I do actually step out to a bar or something: heels will be on.
Another change: my dress collection is collecting dust. When I first had Ruari and was pumping milk I couldn’t zip or slip any dress on over the girls…. so, my pretty dresses just had to hang out in my closet. Eventually they started to fit again… But, I don’t wear dresses too much now because I get down on the floor with the babe so much that I don’t want to flash everyone. Well… maybe I do. But, I guess that’s what leggings are for, right? Throwing on some leggings under my dresses has helped. That way I don’t have to cross my legs and sit all lady-like while playing.
if you’re having a particularly crazy day, what is the beauty/style step you absolutely will not skip?
Well, before I had a baby it was always mascara. Now: if I’m having a crazy day I just make sure I have clothes on. That’s the only requirement. But, I do want to change that, and I am. I want to feel good about how I look. So, I’ve been working back to my mascara routine. It’s been a bit hard getting back into the “caring about what I look like mode” but, I’m on my way. Steppin’ Out Saturday has been awesome for that.
have you ever been mistaken for the nanny?
Ha! No. But, right after I had the baby (when my wedding ring didn’t fit) I think I was mistaken for a teen mom. Hee. My mom was always with me when I was out and I swear I got some, “Poor child.” looks. Ha! Funny.
piece of advice for new moms who don’t want to give up their style?
Don’t. Just don’t. Of course it’s not that simple, but tell yourself you wont give up your style. I went through some terrible postpartum depression and just completely stopped caring for myself. I wish I hadn’t let myself go down that drain, but I did. Now I’m building myself back up and am loving it. Yes, your favorite clothes may not fit… but, don’t let it keep you from lookin’ good. I had never had a belly or been overweight before the baby. It’s been very hard to work off extra weight and accept my new body. But for now: Some make up. Some stretch pants. A pretty shirt. And, a shower. For now. I hope you can start that new mom life off with a kick and some lipstick! What? Yes, that did rhyme.
thank you so much Chelsey! you rule.
you guys have blown me away by getting me up to the top 10 (as i write this at least!) at the 25 Top Moms with Style. i have the best readers on the internet and i know that for a fact. thank you all SO MUCH for your support in everything, even the silly things (or things that perhaps seem silly). i hope things like SOS and Mama Style have helped you in some way, and being recognized in any regard for those things really means the world to me. feeling good about yourself and feeling pretty is something everyone deserves. you guys have really helped me to feel comfortable in my own skin. before i babble on and cry or something, just know that i appreciate everything you guys do for me. for reading, for voting for stuff that doesn’t really matter, but mostly just for being here. ::runs away crying::
Posted on | April 14, 2011 | 9 Comments
happy friday! yay – another weekend! friday means yet another stylin’ mama from the web showing off her mama-fashion. today i’m super excited to have the lovely Rachel from Smile & Wave. this lady inspires me so much. she is a mama of two – Sebastian and Ruby – wife, and huge creative force on these here interwebs. she’s a founder of the always amazing Red Velvet Shop and has multiple e-courses that you need to check out. she loves vintage and thrifting (hey soul sister!) and has mad decorating and style skillz. if you aren’t already familiar with her and her blog and all the rad things she does on the world wide web, you need to go change that. please go say hello and thank me later. (and obviously thank her for spreading her awesomeness about).
how has your style changed since you became a mom?
I worked outside the home before having Sebastian (age 4.5) so I took a shower every day and always put the effort in to look kind of charming for work. I threw the towel in for the first six months after he was born and wore a lot of baggy clothes thinking I’d wait to go shopping again until I lost all of that baby weight. I waited and waited and wore sweatshirts in the mean time! I worked pretty hard to get most of the weight off and was feeling good for about eight more months before I got pregnant with Ruby but still hadn’t really figured out my style as a young mom.
Being a fan of vintage home decor, I was surprisingly late to the game in the clothing department. I bought my first vintage dress two years before I actually had the guts to wear it out. I now have a collection of about twenty dresses and various tops, cardigans, and shoes that I’ve committed to wearing a few times a week rather than just hanging out in jeans and boyfriend tees. My friend, Rubyellen, and I have been running a weekly feature called Vintage Here, Vintage There in an effort to share how we incorporate vintage pieces into our daily outfits and to encourage other women to experiment with vintage as well. It’s also great accountability to get a little more dressed up most days.
Having a daughter has really made me want to impress upon her that fashion and personal style can be fun. I want her to have a healthy body image and that includes teaching her how to find her own style. For now I can dress her in anything I want but I’m looking forward to the day she brings me her own fancy selections from the closet.
if you’re having a particularly crazy day, what is the beauty/style step you absolutely will not skip?
If I know I’m going to be out and about I always make sure I have mascara and concealer. Dark circles are not my favorite accessory. 
I also always try to keep my hair from being too frizzy by using a large barreled curling iron to tame the kinky curls and smooth things down.
have you ever been mistaken for the nanny?
Ha! No, but a young guy at Lowe’s DID tell me my freshly washed hair smelled really good the other day.
piece of advice for new moms who don’t want to give up their style?
Know that it’s okay to invest in a pair of Spanx or similar product while you’re working on getting back to your ideal size. Or even if it’s been awhile and that soft part of your belly just doesn’t want to be dismissed. It’s worth it to feel really great in your clothing and it doesn’t mean you’ve lost your sexy. Also, don’t wait more than one season to go shopping again. You need to feel cute no matter how much you have left to lose.
such great advice. thank you so much Rachel! you’re a peach.
click here twice if mama style rocks your world! thank you friends.
« go back —
keep looking »
