Working mom outfit idea: Turn your shirt into a jacket

By IN More Fabulous Fridays, Personal Style

Shirt as a Jacket

Image collage site Polyvore is a great tool for discovering your personal style–and finding outfit ideas. Today’s More Fabulous Friday features a look to try from Polyvore.

This weekend chic look is deceptively simple; it starts with a plain white T-shirt and khaki pants, two items almost every woman already has in her closet.

More Fabulous Fridays: Wrap up your work week with a working mom style treatAdding an olive front-pocket shirt on top as a jacket with coordinating touches of orange takes this everyday outfit into a breezy look perfect for running errands or just running about.

You can recreate the look with your own white tee and khakis (keep them slim-fitting on top to avoid adding bulk to your midsection). Add a button-front shirt on top to act as a jacket, such as one in a dark color or denim, then brighten up with colorful accessories.

  • Fab mamas: What do you wear with your white T-shirt and khakis?

Get fabulous. Be fabulous. Declare your right to discover and manifest your personal style with the Fab Mama Style Manifesto.

Working mom outfit idea: Kid-friendly weekend chic

By IN Personal Style, Try This Thursdays

Relax

A great source of outfit ideas is adapting stylish combinations others have already created. One way to do this is to break the source down into outfit components, like this.

Try This Thursdays: A weekly series bringing you something new to try in your working mom style life.This outfit might be weekend chic, but the components are all kid-friendly, from a long and loose skirt you can run around in (with a pattern to camouflage stains and spills), to toddler-chasing flat sandals and a big bag to stash diapers or emergency boo-boo kits.

Today’s working mom outfit inspiration pieces are

  • Long, loose knit skirt
  • Solid color tank top
  • Denim jacket
  • Flat sandals
  • Slouchy tote bag

[Outfit Level: 2/Weekend Chic]

  • Try this today: Like this look? Try recreating it with similar items from your own closet. Or search Pinterest or Polyvore for other outfits featuring patterned skirts and denim jackets.

Get your style mojo back with “No More Yoga Pants: How to Dress Better, Shop Smarter and Reclaim Your Style,” the personal style transformation system that will guide you through the steps from “nothing to wear” to Fab Mom. Sign up to get special access to the sneak preview (and a discount code!).

Core Wardrobe outfit idea: How to wear a pencil skirt

By IN Personal Style, Work It Wednesdays

Core Wardrobe working mom outfit: How to wear a pencil skirt

The Core Wardrobe is a list of essential pieces that form the building blocks from which you can create outfits for any occasion. Today’s outfit features one of the Core Wardrobe items, a pencil skirt.

One reason a pencil skirt is such a wearable part of a basic wardrobe is that its simple, straight lines allow it to pair with either an equally streamlined top for a sleek overall look, or to balance out the volume of a looser blouse or even a blazer.

Work It Wednesdays: Working mom outfit photosIt’s also an ideal choice with a tunic top like this one. Worn with a fuller skirt, such as an A-line or pleated skirt, the overall silhouette would have too much volume. On this day, I tucked the tunic in, but it would work equally well worn over the top of the skirt.

I get even more wear out of this pencil skirt since it’s made from a denim-like chambray fabric; anything I could wear with jeans I can dress up by wearing with this skirt instead.

Because this tunic top has unusual details–grommet cut-outs lined with mesh–I decided to play up the edgier aesthetic with metallic silver ridged tights and ’20s style heels.

It’s the outfit I imagine myself wearing to art gallery openings :)

  • Fab mamas: How do you rock a pencil skirt?

Top: Amé
Skirt: Banana Republic, also seen here, here (similar)
Tights: Target (similar)
Shoes: Indigo by Clarks, also seen here, here (similar)
Necklace: Wilow Stil, also seen here, here (similar)
Working Mom Outfit Level: 4/Client Meeting

Learn more about the Core Wardrobe and how to build outfits with it in Step 6 of “No More Yoga Pants: How to Dress Better, Shop Smarter and Reclaim Your Style,” the fun, easy-to-follow style transformation system. Join the Style List to be the first to hear when it launches (and get a discount code, too).

[Affiliate links disclosure]

The Core Wardrobe: Essential skirts for every outfit

By IN How-To Tuesdays, Personal Style, Style

The Core Wardrobe for Skirts

The Core Wardrobe is a list of the classic, fundamental clothes around which you can build outfits for any occasion. Each week in this series we’re exploring another clothing category. Today’s Core Wardrobe category: skirts.

The Core Wardrobe for skirts

The goal here is to have the minimum number of skirts in simple silhouettes and neutral colors–grey, black, tan or navy–that can be paired with almost any kind of top you might own.

How-To Tuesdays: Style advice and answers for working momsA slimmer skirt, like a pencil, pairs with larger volume tops and a swingy skirt, like an A-line, works with slim blouses or sweaters. Either can work with a blazer. And look for a length just above your knee; this tends to be the most flattering on every body.

  • Pencil skirt. The workhorse of the work wardrobe. If your office dress code is mostly Level 4, you’ll want something lined in a fine fabric, like wool or linen. Level 3 ladies might choose a cotton. [Outfit example here.]
  • A-line skirt. A flattering silhouette. You can find A-line skirts with pleats and without. As with the pencil skirt, where you’ll wear it most often will dictate how dressy to go.
  • Denim / chambray skirt. In whichever silhouette you prefer. This is a more casual skirt option to round out your wardrobe, especially if the first two are office appropriate. A cotton khaki skirt is a good alternative here.

As with any category, this recommended list of basics is just that: recommendations. It starts with pieces that are most universally wearable and flattering, but your personal style is the ultimate guide.

Would you rock a miniskirt with anything the A-line skirt could be paired with? Add it to the list. Wouldn’t be caught dead in a pencil skirt? Try pleated or A-line. Is boho your vibe? Think maxi skirt.

  • Fab mamas: What would you include on a list of basic skirts for every wardrobe?

Learn more about the Core Wardrobe and get a detailed, comprehensive checklist of what to buy in “No More Yoga Pants: How To Dress Better, Shop Smarter and Reclaim Your Style,” the step-by-step personal style transformation system. Join the Style List and be the first to get a sneak preview (and an early discount code, too)!

The Core Wardrobe: How to build your wardrobe foundation

By IN How-To Tuesdays, Personal Style

The Core Wardrobe: Essential garment building blocks for every wardrobe
“Core wardrobe.” “Wardrobe essentials.” “10 (or 15 or 20) items every woman must own.”

These phrases are talking about the same thing: your wardrobe foundation. After all, the foundation is the best place to start building something new, including your wardrobe.

This foundation, or Core Wardrobe, is a list of the classic, fundamental clothes around which you can build outfits for any occasion.

Think of it like a set of basic building blocks for style.

How-To Tuesdays: Style advice and answers for working momsSome lists include only a few items, while others are more expansive. The Frantic But Fabulous Core Wardrobe identifies foundational pieces for different types of clothing because we fab mamas often need to create outfits at a range of Working Mom Levels.

For this series, we’re going to look at the Core Wardrobe for selected categories:

In each category, we’ll look at the shapes and styles to start with — and talk about how to vary them for your own personal style and preference.

  • Fab mamas: What are your wardrobe essentials?

Learn more about the Core Wardrobe and get a detailed, comprehensive checklist of what to buy in “No More Yoga Pants: How To Dress Better, Shop Smarter and Reclaim Your Style,” the step-by-step personal style transformation system. Join the Style List and be the first to get a sneak preview (and an early discount code, too)!

2 quick ways to get your skin ready for spring (and summer, too)

By IN Less Frantic Mondays

18'' Detachable Long Handle Natural Boar Bristle Brush

Warmer weather–whether it reaches you in spring or the start of summer–means more bare skin. And more bare skin means more lotion and sunscreen.

Less Frantic Mondays: Tips and tricks for getting dressed and creating working mom outfits with less hassle and more fun.Even though the air isn’t as dry as it was in winter, exfoliating first can help lotions and creams sink in better.

These 2 quick tips will get your skin ready for spring (and summer, too)

  • Dry brush your body. Have you heard of this yet? It first came across my radar from Smart, Pretty and Awkward. You use a body brush to exfoliate before you get in the shower. It’s quick, it’s easy and devotees say it clears up skin problems, too.
  • Use a washcloth on your lips. Sounds weird, I know. But if you have rough or chapped lips, just give them a rub with a dry washcloth or even a damp one and voila, your kisser is much smoother.

I’ve used the second method, but not the first so I’m curious to hear what your experiences are with either of them.

  • Fab mamas: How do you get your skin ready for warm weather? Have you tried either of these ways?

Get fabulous. Be fabulous. Declare your right to discover and manifest your personal style with the Fab Mama Style Manifesto.

[Affiliate links disclosure]

Working mom outfit idea: Gingham–it’s not just for picnic tables

By IN More Fabulous Fridays, Personal Style

Variations On A (Gingham) Theme

 

Image collage site Polyvore is a great tool for discovering your personal style–and finding outfit ideas. Today’s More Fabulous Friday features a look to try from Polyvore.

More Fabulous Fridays: Wrap up your work week with a working mom style treatToday’s inspiration is not just one, but four different looks–each one demonstrating that gingham isn’t just for picnic tables or Dorothy.

Each outfit idea feels fresh and just right for spring.

You can create any of them by starting with a gingham check button-down shirt in a bright, fun color. Then look for bottom pieces in complementary colors, or even stripes.

  • Fab mamas: Do you have gingham in your closet?

Get fabulous. Be fabulous. Declare your right to discover and manifest your personal style with the Fab Mama Style Manifesto.