With so much of your energy and time having to be put into being a mum, it can be difficult to find the time or the motivation to change out of your sweats or your easy-to-throw on work outfit. However, as the old saying goes, when you look good, you feel good. It is worth putting the time in for yourself to get dressed if it makes you feel more comfortable and confident in yourself. Try these quick and easy styling tricks to help you look like a million dollars, without having to give up the comfort you need to chase children around.
Add Accessories
Accessories are a simple and speedy way to elevate your outfit, and you can choose accessories that can fit any budget too. A pair of pretty earrings and a necklace or a few bracelets can dress up just about any look in under thirty seconds, whether you’re wearing a summer dress or a pair of jeans and a plain T-shirt. Wrap a nice scarf around your neck to look chic instantly. A little cover-up, blush, and a sweep of lip gloss can do more to make you look put together than a designer outfit, and does more for a tired mum too!
Go With A Heel
Everyone looks better when they wear a heel, so if you feel comfortable in heels and need a little bit of a confidence boost, put a pair on. Heels are flattering because they are slimming and help to lengthen your legs. Obviously, stiletto heels are not exactly ideal or the most sensible choice for the days when you are busy with mum duties, but there are plenty of options out there for comfortable shoes with a chunky, one to two-inch heel that are both practical and still really cute. Stacked booties are on-trend for fall, and are the perfect option for this tip. They’re stylish, but still comfortable, and very versatile so can be worn with lots of outfits.
Buy Some Boots
Put on a pair of leather boots and your look, even if you’re wearing a very simple outfit, will be immediately elevated. You can wear a pair of trendy flat boots with just about anything. You could also choose some more trendy options, like an over-the-knee boot to wear with skinny jeans or an ankle boot with a small heel. Boots are very versatile and always look chic.
Choose Dark Denim
Even mom jeans can appear to be more stylish when they’re in dark denim. Choose a cut for your jeans that is flattering to your body type, and make sure you buy the right size. Jeans should feel slightly too tight when you first put them on, and will then fit perfectly as the denim softens. If skinny jeans don’t do anything for you anymore, don’t worry about it. Having children can change your body a lot, and you’ll look better if you’re comfortable. A boot cut does a better drop of balancing out a pear shape. Jeans with some lycra in them will hold their shape better over time, which means they will keep fitting you well even if you lose or gain a few pounds. Whichever you choose, go dark, and they’ll look smarter.
Carry A Cute Bag
We have come a long way in terms of the baby gear that is available and how stylish it is for mums who still want to look cute. It’s no longer the case that all mums to young babies need to carry hideous pastel nappy bags covered with cartoons of fluffy sheep or baby rattles, unless you want to, of course! Nowadays, the bag that you have to use to carry around everything that your baby needs can even be a fashion statement all of its own. There are lots more options out there now, especially online, for more stylish options. Choose a modern style in a pattern that you love and in a colour scheme that will look good against your coat. Check how it looks with your coat, as you’ll often be carrying it while wearing outerwear.
Go Fitted
If your body has changed through pregnancy, it can be hard to embrace your new shape. If you’ve put on a little weight or aren’t used to your new shape yet, you might think that wearing things like a baggy shirt will hide all the lumps and bumps that you don’t feel good about. In fact, wearing baggy, shapeless clothes can actually make you look bigger than you really are. Instead, choose a top that flatters your new figure. For example, if you’ve got great cleavage now, go for a v-neck. If you’re not comfortable, you don’t have to choose form-fitting clothes, but something that defines your curves more is ideal. You’ll look slimmer, and feel great.
Banish The Sweats
Stick to this rule to avoid looking like a rumpled mess and feeling like an unmade bed. Set yourself the rule that if you wore it to bed, you will not wear it outside of your house. If you wore it every day in the last few months of your pregnancy, don’t wear it ever again, even if it still fits. That particular piece of clothing is undoubtedly stretched out and ready to be retired. There’s nothing wrong with having some comfortable clothes, like cosy sweats, to wear when you’re relaxing at home or even if you’re just nipping to the corner shop, but change before you go out. You won’t feel good if you go out looking like you just rolled out of bed. Even if you just swap your sweats for some jeans, and leave the rest of your outfit the same, you’ll feel more put together.
Cover Up With A Cute Coat
Everyone can win when it comes to coat shopping. Coats can be very flattering, and they’re snuggly and cosy to wear. Choose a coat that will be practical enough for everyday wear, but that also looks smart enough to be worn out for a casual date night. Choose something that won’t show dirt from being grabbed by small, sticky hands, and a shape that will go with anything. A pea coat is a very classic style that suits everybody, a military-style is very comfortable, and a puffer in a bright colour will look great paired with a pair of dark jeans and some boots.
Rock Some Layers
Add another level of style to your look with some layers. Fashion stylists have been using this trick for years to make models look more fashionable. To get your layers right, you could try topping a cute, but plain, tunic and leggings with a vest and a long, dangly necklace. You could let a lacy tank top peak out of a simple shirt and jeans outfit. Don’t worry about getting everything to be really matchy-matchy. In fact, you should aim not to match too perfectly. Just make sure that you keep your layers thin and streamlined so you’re adding style but not extra bulk.
Get Good Hair
Treat yourself to a great haircut that will flatter your face and will look really good without too much maintenance. You don’t want something that needs a lot of time and effort in the morning. With the right cut, you will be loving your hair every time you look in the mirror. If you can, splurge on some highlights or colour to get really great hair. If you aren’t sure what would work best, ask your hairdresser for some advice.