Saying No to The Mom Uniform
The Obsession.
I’ve recently become obsessed with fashion blogs like Clothed Much, The Sartorialist, & The Daybook and I read this one post about developing your own style.
It. Was. Miraculous.
For the first time someone actually said out loud that it was okay to not like trendy.
I have always kind of struggled with this inner fashion battle. Part of me wants to own designer items just because they are the current “IT” thing: i.e. True Religion jeans, Coach bags, etc. But then I have to ask myself, do I really even LIKE those items? Hmm…
A Brief History.
High school was exactly the same way. (I don’t even want to remember anything I wore before high school because it will just make me cringe.) Once I got a part time job and had a meager income to spend, spend it I did. On lots of clothes from the Gap and Abercrombie and American Eagle. Which was so dumb. Those clothes were way overpriced for my budget and all I seemed to care about was having clothes that were trendy, and apparently looking just like everyone else. Sure I wanted to look cute too, I guess.
For some reason I am drawing a blank on the things I wore in college. I know I didn’t care as much about being trendy and just bought clothes I liked and that were cheap. I looked fine, I guess. Good enough to go on a few dates and attract my very handsome husband. 🙂
The Mom Uniform.
And now that I’ve graduated and had two children, I have officially graduated to the place where style goes to die…the Mom Uniform. You know it. The boring Target shirt thrown with some jeans. And just maybe that shirt is slightly stained. And maybe you ‘mix things up’ by wearing some sort of Downeast layering tee with it. Shoes are flip flops, always flip flops. Clothes have become a necessity, something to essentially cover up nakedness and a lumpy figure, as opposed to something that can boost your self-confidence. When do we ever get time to shop for ourselves? We think about the options…1) drag your kids to the store and either chase them around the store or strap them in a stroller where they whine the whole time while you try and find something quickly to make the whole experience overwith or 2) Stay home. Eat.
Decisions, decisions…
What is Style?
I’m tired of not knowing if something is ‘styish’ or not. I want to find my own style and not question myself time and time again. I keep dreaming of how I want to decorate my dream house and am totally drawn to the whites of Life in the Fun Lane. But I love pops of color too, far more than she has in her house. I need to discover my style. And I need to stop spending money on crappy clothes that I buy out of necessity. I need to say No to the Mom Uniform.
Challenge of 2011.
My challenge for 2011 (other than the endless weight loss challenge) is to discover my style. And I want you all to discover yours, too! I’ll keep my eyes out for things that I like and don’t like and post them. And I think that this will help me to figure out what I like, no matter what any one else says is cool. I will like it. I know what you’re thinking, “Isn’t this a craft blog? I’m getting confused…”
Don’t worry.
I won’t force my style on you. I’ll be creating a new separate blog just for this journey to my style, so you can read about it there. I’ll have pictures of outfits I wear or pictures of things that I like (cuz let’s face it, I have a LONG way to go before I will look fashionable.) I’ll keep you updated on it as I go.
Have a great weekend…I’ll be in the car for a good 12 hours!
I too am trying to step up my mom style!!
I can't help but wonder what my style would be if money weren't my hurdle. I tend to buy what is on the clearance rack. It is cute…but there are things I stare at with my googling eyes but look at the price tag. I don't tend to spend more then $20…ON ANYTHING.
Good luck on your style journey!! I've tried before to break out of my mommy rut, but I'm always stymied because there really are few clothes in the stores that are appropriate for mommies. Honestly, I think that's why so many of us adopt that boring "mommy style." I don't want to dress like my 67-year-old mother. I don't have a career. I don't want to dress like a real estate agent or PTA mom. But I also am no longer 15, nor do I want to dress like I'm going out to the clubs on a Saturday night. So I just head for the t-shirt display at Target each year and pick out an acceptable uniform in 5 of this season's colors…
–Anne
One thing I learned during my image consulting training was that there is a difference between style and fashion. What is stylish doesn't not necessarily have to be fashionable, and vice versa. I suggest you check out conselle.com–my friend Judith is the CEO and founder of Conselle and she is amazing. You'll learn a lot!
Good luck on your quest–it's sometimes a constant balancing act, but it can be done. 🙂
Yeah, I definitely have the mom uniform. But I'm not really in the mood to change it…for me, it has to do with budget, too. It's much easier to buy a couple $7 or $9 tees at Target than to get something a bit trendier.
Ha! I couldn't agree more with this post. Although my mom uniform consists of fleece and sneakers. This is b/c I never know when I can work out and at least I'm dressed for whenever it happens. Also, being a mom means crawling around on the floor, playing, picking crap up–basically a "work out" all day long.
The funny thing for me? The past two years I was pregnant (so wearing maternity) and then broke and refusing to buy clothes b/c I was trying to lose the baby weight. Now I walk into stores and I feel like everything I own is so out of fashion. Things have changed so drastically in only 2 years! Oh, and none of these trends (jeggings, big knee boots, long tops) look good on me: short, pear-shaped, long torso. UGH!
So, I will happily follow your style journey, and hopefully it'll rub off on me!
I have a lot of shirts from Target. So I am with you! (though I think you do have great style already) A website I like is frugal-fashionistas.com but it's really about copying someone else's style. Anyways, it gets me to think outside the box. See you soon!
This is wonderful! I have fallen to the frumpy Mom Uniform too and I'm only 29! Eeek!! I need to remember that it does matter what I look like when I enter the grocery store. And no, it doesn't have to say Coach. keep us posted, please!
I wish you well! I never buy "trendy", I always shoot for "timeless"; pieces of clothing that are never "out of style". There are so many trends coming back that I'm totally staying away from. For instance: skinny jeans. They didn't look great when I wore them 15 years ago, and I'm not buying any today.
Oh me too want to say No
I struggle with this too, always have! In high school I spent almost every day in a "hoodie" and jeans, or a skirt and tennis shoes, if I really had to dress up. That was my style, I guess, but I looked a little ridiculous. In college I had a job where I HAD to dress up: dresses WITH nylons every.single.day. I grew to really hate that. So, when I got my first real job and had to put together a business casual outfit for the first time, I panicked. I tried to look like everyone else for awhile, but face it, it totally didn't work for me. I'm not willing to spend that much or take that much time. Now, I work in an office where I am the only girl, and I think I'm slowly finding what works for me. But it is slow. I look forward to your new blog!