A lot of times when I take pictures to post here for What I Wore Wednesday, it’s on a day that I have somewhere to go. I look better on those days and feel a little more picture-worthy. Although I don’t wear a lot of sweats and do generally try to dress well each day (because it makes me feel a little bit better about the fact that I’m covered in sand, food or spit up), I definitely have my days where shorts and a top are the staple – especially when it’s 90+ degrees in Colorado like it has been lately.
Let me stop for a moment and point out that I do not judge you if yoga pants and sweatpants are your go-to. You do you, mama.
That being said, I do think that getting ready and putting some effort into your appearance can greatly improve how you feel about yourself and how you tackle your day. It’s just something I’ve found to be true for myself. For this reason, I do my best to avoid wearing a mom uniform (i.e. in a basic tee, shorts and flip flops or yoga pants when I definitely have NOT been to the yoga studio all day) and try to put some thought into my outfit. I’ve found that the best way to do this is to edit my closet and remove the temptation to go generic.
For example:
- I don’t actually own many t-shirts and my short selection is limited.
- I buy a lot of dresses, because it takes virtually zero thinking to put together an outfit when all you have to do is throw on a one-piece.
- I try to make it a rule that I only wear flip flops to play outside with the kids or to take the trash out (this gives me more reasons to buy cute sandals to wear in their place – huzzah!).
Anyway, this outfit was worn on an average day. I was running errands, it was hot, and I wasn’t feeling all that glamorous. But I also wasn’t feeling super shabby or like a mom thanks to some of the details.
{ Sidenote: cutting all your hair off helps avoid wearing the “mom ponytail” day in and day out, too! Obviously not something everyone would go for, but it works for me! }
This Anthropologie top (bought on clearance) is nice and light on hot days, and the detail (seaming, buttons, etc.) and fabric make it a little more interesting than your average tee. Instead of throwing on sandals, I gave the outfit a little character with some oxfords (close-up shown here). The final touch was a crochet flower ring and some earrings. Overall this is a totally basic look, but not incredibly boring.
Mission “don’t-dress-like-a-typical-mom-even-though-you-are-one” accomplished.
Should I have made that a hash tag (#dontdresslikemom)? Is that what the kids are doing these days? Bah. I don’t know.