5 Easy Ways to Style Up an Outfit in Your Hurried Every Day Fashion
I talk a good game.
But at 6 am, I’m hitting the same snooze button as the rest of us. My baby is teething, one of my toddlers is in a nightmare phase, and the other toddler is sneaking into our bed nightly. This is not an equation for a “seize the day” mom. My morning goals start with getting into a standing position, then getting that miracle drug/ aka coffee going, and finally dragging my children out of bed. My criticals do not include fumbling for accessories and deciding if that avant-garde top can work with those cropped flared jeans I’ve been working up the courage to try. On an ideal day I can upgrade my outfit later, but it’s not happening when I should have given myself an extra 15 (okay- 30) minutes to get my kid to school on time. Throw in that the temperature is dropping and a simple slip dress and sandals won’t do? Forget it.
In theory, and theory only- these items should be a faux-pas for me as a self-proclaimed no pajama mama. They’re as comfortable as pajamas. They’re as easy as pajamas. I have to put as little thought into them as pajamas. But the key here is that they’re not pajamas. They’re cool, chic, cozy, and comfortable. My second favorite 4C’s.
Below find five style categories that can dial up the plainest of outfits during the fall and winter. Convey the fashionista you are at heart, while maintaining the comfort and effortlessness you yearn for on a typical mom morning. I have also featured fashion finds in these categories that are basic enough you can wear them on repeat, but stylish enough your look has purpose. Throw on a lazy neutral outfit like a tee and jeans, and one (or more!) of these basic but jazzed up go-tos, and you’ll be fashionably set- no midday outfit change required!
5 Comfortable Easy Ways to Style Up an Outfit & My Favorite Finds!
The Cardigan: Sure, sometimes I’m tempted to throw back on my oversized cush robe as I run out the door. I’m human. But that’s really not on brand, so I’ll settle for an oversized cush cardigan. Some aren’t too far off from a robe anyway, but infinitely more socially acceptable.
The Leggings: I said it. I’m all about leggings. But they don’t need to be the boring, thin, wow I really didn’t need to see that much of you leggings. Legging have been having their hayday for a while now, and with that comes lots of options on the market. I keep my leggings black- easier to style and slimming- but playing with textures and hardware details can give purposeful style to the queen lazy fashion article.
The Booties: At 5’2 a good portion of my outfits would be vastly improved by the lift of a heel, but I am not sure my morning would be. As a mom I am shopping for shoes that I can slip on, drive in, and drag my not yet awake feet in- so it is all about that chunky low heeled bootie for me. I also want my every day shoes to work with a multitude of outfits, so I stick with neutral colors and differentiate with subtle embellishment, material, and novel cut details.
The Pullover: Snuggle up in a lazy drown-me soft fleecey-pullover? Sure, indulge yourself! No need to look like you’re about to go muck the stables though! We are seeing the runways coming through in pullovers this season. Try a bold print, trendy fit (think cropped!) or a dramatized fluffy texture.
The Scarf: Erase the image of a tattered wool scarf billowing in the wind, revealing nothing but a frost bitten nose. The right texture, the right print, a scarf can be the only accessory you need to make your outfit. Scarves are a favorite motherhood accessory of mine- not only serving as a fashion moment when played right, but they are size inclusive and work with changing bodies. They are also clutch for a cold child or to use as a nursing cover in a pinch!
