How often do you look in the mirror and absolutely love what you’re wearing? Shouldn’t you love what you’re wearing? Does what you’re wearing tell the story you want to be told? Is it possible to always have your own personal style even if you’re a mom?
Yes, you’re a mom. Yes, you’re busy, and yes you can look amazing and be stylish every day. Fashion and style are not just for models and social media influencers. They’re for stay at home moms, working moms and everyone who wants to express themselves through their clothes and outfits.
SEE: How you can get dressed fast and look amazing in the morning.
As a mom of two young girls, a wife, a full-time educator and a part-time blogger, I have many responsibilities and habits that take up significant space in my consciousness. So you may be wondering where consideration for personal style fits.
Here’s my secret… there is always room to be stylish
My Personal Style Journey
One day I was preparing to give a presentation for some funders at my school, I was wearing a cream crocheted top that was see-through with a floral cami underneath, and some basic regular-fit navy trousers. Prior to my presentation my supervisor came up to me and asked if I had a change of clothes.
I’m sure you can imagine how I felt during that conversation. I headed straight to the bathroom and took a hard look at myself in the mirror. Granted my supervisor didn’t have the right to make me feel that way about myself, but it was the wakeup call that I needed.
I took a long hard look in the mirror and realized what my clothes were telling everyone around me. They screamed, “I don’t care!”
After this unexpected intervention, I very much began to care. That day started me down a path. My personal style path. The path that has me known as the fashionista at my job. The path that has co-workers asking me for style advice.
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Fashion and Style Tips for Moms
So if you’re a mom who wants to upgrade her style, where and how do you start?
1. Start with you
I know that may make you want to roll your eyes, but it’s the truth. Discover what you like and don’t like. You can do this by looking at fashion on Pinterest boards or by searching on Instagram. You can watch television and look at magazines. Basically, begin to get a feel for what resonates with you. I would suggest finding a way to save the ensembles that you do like.
For myself when I started on my personal style journey, I realized that I didn’t like excessive or extravagant clothes, nor frilly or artsy clothes, but I did like clothes that are neat and comfortable.
2. Understand your style type
Do you like to wear athletic wear? Do you prefer to wear jeans and relaxed apparel all the time? Do you like patterns and prints? Are skirts and dresses your thing? Are you drawn to the laid back vibe? Understanding your style type is the key here.
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3. Build your own style
Once you understand your style type you can begin to build your own authentic personal style. There are lots of informative articles and videos out there about, specifically, how to do this. Here’s one of my favorites.
So upon my research, I identified that I like the classic chic style, but I also like to be comfortable in what I wear particularly concerning my footwear. Consequently, my personal style is smart casual. This means I love to pair vests or blazers with jeans and/or shorts and then complete the look with a pair of crisp sneakers or loafers. From time to time I will throw on a comfy pair of pumps to take the look up a notch, but I don’t do it too often!
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4. Go shopping
After you have developed your personal style, now comes the fun part. You get to shop, armed with the understanding of your personal style. Begin to discover brands that specialize in your style. Be sure to stock up on your basics, which are the building blocks to any good wardrobe. Don’t feel like you have to purchase an entire wardrobe all at once. Go through your closet and find pieces that work within your style palette and then add new items as you see fit.
Let’s be honest the shopping part was my favorite part of my style transformation. In fact, it still is. I enjoy how selective I am when I shop, now. I don’t just purchase anything that catches my eye. Now, I consider how, if at all, does this piece fit in with my wardrobe; or if I will be able to wear it multiple ways with different outfits. Be sure to only buy clothes that you feel great in. Buyer’s remorse is a sad, sad thing!
5. Plan your outfits
Why would you want to plan your outfits? As a busy mom, the last thing you want to do is spend endless amounts of time staring at your closet considering what to wear to work or to run to the store. One way to plan your outfits is to take pictures of yourself in different outfits and create your own boards or portfolio if you have the time. There are apps out there like Stylebook that will help you in organizing your photos. But if you don’t have the time to do this, or you simply don’t want to, then there are other ways to apply this tip. Pinterest can be really helpful here. There are tons of fashion boards on Pinterest. You can even find boards that are specifically for your personal style. Think of pinners as your personal style curators. Here’s a clip of my style board.
Basically, I get up in the morning, think about my day and everything I have to do. I consider the weather forecast, and then I mentally scan through my outfits. Sometimes a good one pops up, and I’m ready to go. Other times I feel stuck, and I don’t have time to stare at my closet trying to figure out what to wear. This is where Pinterest really helps. I have already created boards entitled My Style. These boards have dozens of pins that are organized by weather and or occasion. I scroll through my boards for a bit of inspiration, and then I’m ready to get dressed.
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6. Be consistent and confident
This is my final tip for moms out there. Your style is exactly that…yours. So own it, wear it, and rock it. The more you do this the more your personal style will begin to speak for itself. You will begin to feel more confident in how you express yourself with your ensembles even if you’re just picking up your kids from school.
Presently, I’m no longer in the classroom. I train teachers and speak at educational conferences across the country. My work speaks for itself, but so do my clothes. I have had people attending conferences comment to me that they were waiting to see what I was going to wear. Others have stopped me in the middle of a workshop just to inquire where I got my pants! I’ve come a long way from that day when my supervisor poo-pooed all over my clothes. I wear what I feel comfortable and confident in and rock it like a Mom!
I hope that these tips will inspire you to find your personal style and passionately pursue it. Remember you are an incredible mom and be sure to let your style echo that for all of us to see.
About the Author – Cynthia Bell
Cynthia is a lifestyle and learning blogger at cynthiasmindset.com, with an interest in empowering moms. She lives in Valley Stream, NY and loves helping others to develop a learning mindset towards the things that they are passionate about. When she’s not teaching or blogging she is watching sports, as she is a huge sports fan. You can find her on Instagram, Twitter, and Pinterest.
2 Comments
This is an awesome article. Thank you for sharing. I’m a full-time working mom and when I think of my sense of style it’s “blah.” My husband is extremely into fashion and loves unique styles which of course he would enjoy seeing me in. I think my thing is the patience of shopping – I just don’t have it. This read has allowed me to see fashion in a different light. It doesn’t have to be something complicated. Thanks for these tips which I find informative. I will apply and use as a guide to assist me in re-vamping my style so that I add that “wow” factor back!
I’m glad you find them helpful… and wish you the best of luck in getting back your ‘wow’ factor. Thanks a lot for stopping by 😉