I’m at a strange time in my fashion life. Which is to say, I don’t have a fashion life. Well, to be more specific, I am unsure how to approach fashion as an adult, and particularly as a mother. In college, fashion was so exciting, and trying out the newest trends made me feel so cutting edge and bold. Clothes were an outer expression of the inner me during a time in life when meeting people and impressing those people was high on my list of daily endeavors. Adorning oneself with clothes and jewelry was also fun for the simple reason that our bodies all looked pretty top notch during that time of life. We looked good, if not terrifically underdressed.
A few years after college ended, all my “going out” shirts found themselves dusty and out of date, so they found a new home at Goodwill, and I refilled my closet with the kind of clothes I needed most: work clothes. Now I happen to work from home with children, so “work clothes” for me means clothes that allow me to run, crawl, sit cross legged, and be covered in various body fluids. Essentially, glorified pajamas.
Well, here I am as a thirty-year-old mama of two, and while I wouldn’t ever overcome the embarrassment of being seen in public now wearing what I wore in college, I’ve come to realize that my fashion life is not over. In fact, maybe it’s just beginning.
In college, fashion was mostly for others, to fit in, to impress, to be sexy or alluring, and to be noticed. Now? Fashion is for me. It’s to feel good, to do good, to be confident. I know this motherhood role is not about appearances. We’ve got so many more important things to think about that what we look like isn’t often going to come first, and rightfully so. Still, I am proud of where I am in life and want my appearance to reflect that. Yet, here I am with a closet full of pajamas. I need help.
I’ve been making baby steps in my adult wardrobe revolution. If you’re looking for some mom-closet tips, here is what I’ve learned so far:
Tips for Revamping your Mom Closet
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Stick to your own rules.
My rules include only wearing clothes that I would be proud to show my children and never ever wearing uncomfortable shoes. You might have different rules about modesty or comfort or style or trends, but think for yourself about what is important to you.
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Buy a little at a time.
If you go on a big shopping spree and completely overhaul your closet all at once, all of those clothes will essentially die at around the same time. Instead, add just a couple new things each season to spruce up what you already have.
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Don’t go overboard on a single trend.
You might super love those onesie jumpers right now, but fill your whole closet with them and you’ll soon look like a 2014 catalog and it won’t be 2014 anymore. Trends are fun, but we all know exactly what year we wore which fad, and so will everyone else. Classics are classic for a reason.
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Accessorize!
Scarves, necklaces, headbands, shoes, purses…these pieces help tired mamas feel like they’re trying a little harder than usual. You might still be wearing your practical, comfortable mom clothes, but add some jewelry and some sassy shoes, and you’ve got yourself an outfit!
Looking for some ideas? Check out these cute photos of some of our Iowa City Moms Blog contributors modeling some fashion trends from local retailers during Downtown Iowa City’s Fashion Week! Click on each picture for more details about the outfit!
Mamas out there, what do you think? How do you navigate dressing like a practical mom and still wanting to feel like an attractive woman? Do you have any fashion rules that you follow? Any good advice for fellow mamas who need to revamp their closet?
