Ain't No Mom Jeans

Reader Question: What to Wear With Bespoke Olive Flats

Having been an English lit girl and lover of period piece cinema, I'll just confess now that I've oft dreamed of hand selecting a bespoke wardrobe (in it, I sit atop a tufted setee, surrounded by bolts of lustrous fabric <sigh. . . >) , so when ANMJ reader Valerie L. wrote in with the uncommon dilemma of styling her custom made olive green ballet flats (pictured at left), my ears perked right up.  She writes:

I'm an Air Force wife stationed in South Korea right now so I had a pair of shoes custom-made for me - olive green ballet flats.  I like them (olive green is one of my most favorite colors), but they didn't turn out ~exactly~ like I had in my mind. I'm at a loss.  What can I wear them with? I don't want to be too match-y match-y. I feel like it might be a delicate balance and with my luck, I'd go the wrong way.

Please help!  What would you recommend?

Two Truly Strange Trends I Can't Get Behind....

Mamas, am I getting old?  I mean...I kinda embraced the sweatpant-in-public trend.  I want to love the silky pajamas in public trend...but...sigh.  It seems a bit much, although I concede that someone out there will look amazing in it.

But seriously Mamas.  Sweatpants and pajamas are nothing compared to the two latest trends to come across my desk.  I keep staring at these pics, thinking I am missing something....

Colorblocking for Accidents

Perhaps it's just me.  But these pants look an awful lot like R's....when he hasn't made it to the bathroom in time.  Cause, you know, he was too busy playing.  And it was something SO totally exciting that it was worth "color-blocking" his pants.  Little did he know how stylish a bathroom accident could be!  Way to go Raines!!  

Oh, J Brand.  You know I love you.  But I just don't get this one.  Maybe the intention was thigh-slimming?  If so....why not try slimming the outside of thighs?  Wouldn't that work better?  

In conclusion:  The rear view

 

Exposed Control Top

So I saw this pic come across my lookbook.nu feed and I thought, "Oh my gosh!  She doesn't realize!!"  And my face turned a little red for her.  I honestly hate when this stuff happens.

 

 

 

And then, further down, I saw this pic:

 And that's when I realized:  It's a thing.

NOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!! 

God, I'm old.

xo,

S

Mom Street Style - Vera's Fav Nursing Cover

When I finally worked up the nerve to nurse my first babe in public (instead of running to the car or planning every outing around feedings), I was daunted to say the least.  And when I faced breastfeeding my second with an on-the-go 19-month-old, the prospect of boob exposure during the regular course of lunging after my toddler terrified me, as does trying to run after a two- and four-year-old going in opposite directions whilst nursing my third bub, so I can absolutely relate to Vera, this week’s fab street style mama.  Vera just had her fourth and was thrilled with the range of motion, not to mention the style, of the DRIA nursing cover S. reviewed last year.

Vera writes:

I just want to say thank you!! I bought the Dria cover after reading your review of it and I LOVE it.  Actually, I am trying really hard not to wear it every single day.  I just had my fourth baby, and despite nursing all my kids until about 18 months, I never used nursing covers - I just thought they were awkward and actually drew MORE attention to the fact that you were breastfeeding.  I had good luck just wearing a cami and a shirt and pulling my shirt up and was pretty discrete about it.  BUT, the Dria is soooo soft and comfy and hides my huge post-c-section pooch, and actually I'm finding that I like being able to nurse in public with it.  Having a very active 21 month old boy, there have been a couple of times that I've been at Starbucks or some place nursing the baby and he decides to do something crazy and I need to react quickly - not something I can do while having my boob hanging out!

Thanks! I'm attaching a pic of the one I got - I love it, even though my hubby is giving me weird looks every morning when I pull it out after trying on fifty other things first LOL!

- Vera C.

For those of you mamas not familiar with the DRIA nursing cover, check it out.  It is the most versatile and fashion-forward piece of nursing gear I have ever encountered, and I don’t think I’ll be shelving it even after I’m done nursing bub #3.  In any of the patterns, it’s a gorgeous, lightweight poncho that’ll kick up the volume on even the most boring outfit.  It covers everything, including you, your babe, the car seat or your stroller, it wads up into a tiny ball, washes well and dries fast and without wrinkles.

Vera, you look amazing in your slouchy boots and nursing poncho! Thanks for sending in your Street Style submission—keep ‘em comin’, Mamas!

- M.

Color Combo I'm Loving: Camel + Black + Tangerine

Have you ever noticed that black pants, while a staple, actually look good with very little?  Black pants are often the default bottom layer in a rather tired work uniform.  Or what we throw on when we want to look dressier, but don't really want to try.  

"I don't know...I guess I could just throw on my black pants."

Right?

So I'm kinda excited about this color combo.  If you haven't heard, the Pantone 2012 Color Of The Year (Which Is A Very Big Deal Hence The Capitol Letters) is Tangerine Tango.  Aka this:

Pretty, no?   I love how it's a softer version of a bright orange, but still retains all of the impact of the bright, bright orange.  Surprisingly flattering, also.

Anyway, this color has been making it's way down the runways for...well, actually, for a couple of years now.  But lately it has been paired up by retailers with camel and black.  The camel adds a richness to the palette, the black grounds it, and the tangerine is fresh and fun.  When paired with black pants, the look is cohesive...intentional.  Not like you just threw on black pants because you weren't sure what else would go.  You can wear black and camel and orange like you mean it.  

Voila...

(photo credits: J.Crew, mytheresa.com)

 

Of course, if you are really lazy (and yes. yes I am), you can just use a pop of orange lipstick to perk up the ol' black & tan.

 (wearing: J.Brand cropped denim, J.Crew sweater, happy socks)

It's amazing what a little Yves Saint Laurent Rouge Pur can do. 

 

The color is "Le Orange", people.  Not orange, but Le Orange.  Not gonna lie, I kinda love that.  Being, you know, so fancy and all (in my striped socks).

xo,

S

 

ps.  We have a new winner for the Ashley Ann Snapshop course...Courtney L?  Shoot us an email!!

 

 

 

Shop Your Closet: Make Boring Sweaters More Interesting By Rolling the Cuffs

You know the boring sweaters that we all have in our closets?  We first introduced the concept of boring sweaters here.  They are typically plain, have a nice fit, and overall are very...nice...at best.  Most are a little 'meh', perhaps.

One easy fix for boring sweaters is to simply layer them over a long-sleeve shirt...then roll the sleeves of the boring sweater back, exposing the shirt beneath.  

One of my clients, B, was gracious enough to let me use a picture of a boring sweater before-and-after:

We first tried pairing the boring sweater with boyfriend jeans (in her case they were boot-cuts that we rolled like boyfriend jeans) and cute boots.  Not bad.

We then added a white shirt and rolled back the cuff of the sweater.  Voila!  Not so boring anymore!  (I'd also add a scarf for bonus style points.) 

This is a great option for strangely patterned shirts, or work button-downs that you'd like to repurpose.  Not much is showing (primarily just the cuffs and collar), so you can get away with almost anything.

However, this look works equally well with a simple long-sleeve tee.  I especially like the look of layered stripes.  Boden has a perfect example:  

(photo credit:  Boden USA - promo pic for their Must Have Jumper)

B, thanks for being a good sport!

xo,

S

 

No She Didn't!! Leather Pants (...aaaand an alternative for the rest of us)

Mamas:  Have you ever tried leather pants?  I have - years ago (long before Raines came around).  It didn't end well.  The knees stretched out, I couldn't bend (Somebody help!  I dropped a pencil!), and I found my thighs either sweaty (which previously had only happened in Bikram Yoga class) or freezing.  I also walked funny - ramrod straight and uncomfortable.  The soundtrack to my leather-pant-walking would've sounded something like  ernh-ee-ernh-ee-ernh-ee.  I'm sure some girls can carry them off with aplomb....but these are probably also the girls who look cool smoking.  Me?  Not only am I leather-pant-challenged, but I'm afraid of the fire at the lit end of the cig.  Sigh.  Hopeless, I know.

But I LOVE the look (of both leather pants and smoking - yeah, yeah, bad for you, yeah).  But I LOVE it.  Such an awesome rocker/cool-french-girl kind of look.  And while I'm totally over the smoking thing, I'm still craving leather pants. Luckily, faux leather options are everywhere.  From J Brand's waxed skinny jeans (cute, but not that comfy) to faux-leather leggings that do, surprise!!, feel a lot like leggings. 

BTW?  I ran across a pic of one the French Vogue editors rocking her leather leggings at 6 months pregnant. 

(photo credit: Jak and Jill)

Mamas, that's some serious dedication to leather leggings.  Yay, Geraldine.

Encouraged by Geraldine's pic...I bought some faux-leather leggings.  Just, you know, to see.  Strictly for research, Mamas.  We do serious research here at Ain't No Mom Jeans.  But my expectations were very low, so I bought the cheapest pair I could find.  Then rounded up a couple of pics for leather-legging mom-drobe inspiration (which sounds like an oxymoron, I know, but indulge me for a sec).  Anyway, here's my inspiration board for mom-friendly leather leggings:

What I've Learned from Japanese Mothers

With only a change in one's perspective the most ordinary things take on inexpressible beauty. When we don't know, we don't judge. And when we don't judge we see things in a different light.

-Karen Maezen Miller, Hand Wash Cold

The language barrier during our time in Japan has been a struggle for me. I'm a social person, a curious person, a talkative person. Many of Dave's teammates have partners but most of them can't speak English any more than I can Japanese. This puts an interesting dynamic on social situations. That dynamic could also be called 'awkwardness.'

Mom Street Style - Julia’s Non-Maternity Wear

After three pregnancies spanning several years and all four seasons, I don’t even want to start thinking about what I’ve spent on items that fit for roughly three months a go.  As a new-mom-to-be in 2007, I was a total rookie, but ANMJ reader Julia, who’s glowingly prego with her first, is taking a more pragmatic (and fabulous!) approach to her maternity wardrobe. . .

7 Style Resolutions for Moms in 2012

Ok Mamas, whether or not you are a resolution person (and I am...in a big, obnoxious way)...I've put together a list of my top 7 mom-style resolutions for 2012.  

So repeat after me:  I, Mama... 

(See? I warned you about my obnoxious thing)

1.  ...will buy one pair of fabulous everyday shoes (or boots).  

And wear them - everyday.  Because shoes matter.  Shoes make the outfit.  But these will not be sensible shoes, oh, no.  These will not be shoes that "match" everything in my closet.  They will not be black because I already have a black bag.  They will not be brown simply because I already have black.

They will be whatever color makes my heart beat fast (and that might be black or brown, but I vow to think outside the shoebox).  They will have gorgeous details.  They will make me happy.  And I won't even think about bringing them home unless they are also comfortable.  I will be incredibly picky, and wait (all year if I have to) until I find the perfect pair.

Mamas, to illustrate, look how even Garnet Hill figured out that gorgeous footwear is the chic-outfit cornerstone.  Both outfits are cute on their own, but the footwear makes them amazing.

 

(photo credits: garnet hill) 

Shop Your Closet: Spoof a Tie-Neck Blouse

I have been wanting a tie-front blouse for ages.  However, when I typically find one that makes my heart beat fast, it's either a very delicate silk, or more cash than I'm willing to spend.  Like this one, from Rachel Zoe.  It's both silk and $295.  Yay, me!  (I don't do this on purpose, wanting totally unattainable clothing is just one of my specialties.)

 

Anyway, I got sick of The Wants.  And remember those skinny scarves we were all buying a million years ago?  Since I never part with scarves....I still have mine.

There's basically two ways to do this: