I had been doing quite a bit experiment with my wardrobe for the past couple months. Recently I feel like my look had been slipping away into a typical Midwestern soccer mom. I would go to work wearing a conservative khaki pants and a black blouse or wear jeans and t-shirt that was too tight for me and show my jelly belly. Nothing is really exciting; I’m blending in among the crowds. I used to be pretty fashionable during my early twenties. Now that I’m a mom, I feel like I have no reason to be fashionable and pretty. Plus I have to be very cautious about money. Then I realize it is very important to take care of ourselves, be sexy and pretty for our hubby and create sparks all over again. I feel more confident and excited when I get up in the morning thinking of what I should wear today.
First, I need to learn what to wear or not to wear. It’s been a while since I pay enough attention on fashion, I need to be re-aquinted again with the world of fashion. So I borrowed two books from the library:
In this book, Isaac Mizrahi picked a group of random women with different body types, petite, big bust, not-a-size-two, very tall and skinny, older lady (but young in spirit) and many more. I have to tell you though, the outfits that he put together for the ladies are around $300, which is pretty much almost equal to my grocery budget. But the important thing is I learn a lot about what I like in fashion and how to wear them according to my body type, such as:
- I’m 4′11″, which means you will never see me wearing a bold floral print maxi dress that is in fashion these days, because I’ll look like a walking comforter. I should also avoid mini skirt or crop pants and pick vertical stripes to elongate my body. Plus size women should wear high waisted belt to create a waist line. There are tons of useful tips for people with different body types and sizes.
- Never ever ever wear the same designer from head to toe. I don’t care if you’re the next heiress of Queen of England, just don’t do that. It’s tacky.
- Don’t be afraid to play around with accessories. I learned how to tie scarf in french style.
- Your outfit should be comfortable and represent who you are. Don’t wear gladiator shoes just because it’s in fashion but you hate it! My biggest fashion no no for me are animal print and bright neon or colorful print legging. They are just not my taste! I like to keep the majority of my outfit in conservative style, but give a splash of current trend here and there, e.g. in shoes or bags.
How to Be a Budget Fashionista: The Ultimate Guide to Looking Fabulous for Less
In this book she teaches everything you need to know on how to wear designer clothes or designer inspired clothes on a budget:
- Sample sale, outlet, consignment stores and thrift stores are great places to find brand named outfit. You can also go with stores that sell designer inspired clothing at fraction price, such as H&M, Forever 21, Charlotte Russe, etc.
- If you plan on buying designer products, get the ones in classic style. Therefore, you don’t feel bad if what’s in fashion now becomes fashion paux in a few years.
- Try to mix and match your style. Try to avoid wearing current trend outfit from head to toe, e.g. head band, statement jewelry, maxi dress and gladiator shoes. It’s just too much!
Below is the result of what I learned from those books plus a compliment from my co-worker who said I looked really pretty that day… : )
Top: New York Co. $3 from Goodwill
Skirt: Ann Taylor $12, from consignment store
I also threw a necklace from my personal collection (don’t remember where I got it from) to complete the look. However, keep in mind that you should also take care of your body. You can wear designer outfit from head to toe, but if you have those extra pounds, it will not look as flattering as it can be. I’m nowhere near my ideal weight, but I’m getting there. The most important thing is, I feel good about myself!
Tags: fashion, fashion trend, parenting blog, parenting tips, the mom blog, the mommy diary
