All About Mum!

Tags

Cookie Monster, craft, denim, feathers, inner child, loafers, Mums, Nautical, pink, sporty, stripes, yellow pants

Friday is all about Mums this week. Tina (my Mum *waves*) has written to us to ask the following:

In my job I work with lots of mums. All age ranges and sizes. We spend a lot of time playing with young children, so need clothing to be practical and comfy. I wonder if the ABCs could put together some play outfits for mums, something that looks good, boosting mums confidence, yet is also practical for getting down and having fun with their kids. Outfits need to be affordable as these mums have loads of kid related expenses. Maybe some ideas from Target, Kmart, BigW etc….any ideas would be welcomed!

I love this little challenge for a lot of reasons. One: Mums are amazing (most are anyway) and deserve to feel special every minute of every day! Two: it shows that we at ABCs of Style cater for REAL WOMEN doing REAL STUFF! Don’t get me wrong, I like to post about heels higher than Bob Marley and dresses more inappropriate than Lindsay Lohan’s face*! But at the end of the day, fashion needs to be appropriate and affordable. We don’t all have Rachel Zoes budget or Carrie Bradshaws credit card limit** or Blake Livelys ability to trot around in 11inch heels without feel a skerrick of pain***!

So we’ve put our noggins together to come up with a few ‘inspiration’ outfits to inspire our Mums out there to be super fashionable while still being super appropriate!!! I would like to back this post up with the fact that we are just using these pictures as inspiration. I find that with a bit of hunting around in Target, Kmart, Big W, Dotti, Sportsgirl, Cotton On; you would easily be able to find something identical for next to NO MONEY! Check out online shopping as well, I understand that it can be scary, just make sure you read returns policies before you start typing in your Credit Card details. All else fails, email us at abcsoffashion@gmail.com and we’ll find it for you****

*The girl is, what, 23? She looks like she is in her 60’s! Whatever happened to natural beauty? *sigh*
** Would actually really like to know where she banked, i mean, her credit limit must have been through the roof and with 0 interest! Agh!
*** Been there, done that, failed miserably…
**** For a fee of course…. of Chocolates… Ah, not really, just some bloggy love and bragging to your friends about these three totes hot babes will be fine…

Amys Sets:

Once I started, I couldn’t STOP!

Here are 5 sets that I think cover a few types of Mums!

SPORTY MUM!

This set was inspired by a pair of yellow jeans I bought online from Cocolatte for $14.00. I’m never sure if I look good in yellow (i don’t) but I am always willing to take a risk when it only costs me $14!!! Grey shirts can be found anywhere and for a decent buck and look GREAT with yellow. Plus, because they are so cheap, its okay when you get them a little dirty with paint, mud etc etc, if anything, it can make them look even cooler than they already are (I’m pretty much trying to say that my grey shirt, with all its grease stains, is cool!) I highly encourage Mums (and all women) who have to wear pants OFTEN that they experiment with coloured jeans. Im a huge fan and they are very in! Cotton On, Cocolatte, Dotti ETC all have them for cheap! You’ll get a real bang for your buck. Connies are a good price for what you get out of them. They are classics and will never ever go out of style!!!

CRAFTY MUM!

This is probably one of my favourite outfits here. It is super suitable for floor play, easy for cleaning and fun for kids*. I used Zooey Deschanel as inspiration here because, to me, she always looks exceptionally stylish yet so very comfortable!!! Opaque tights go with everything. I love the ones you buy in the super market! Thick heeled ankle boots are great winter months (I picked my pair up in Target for $40.00 and they have seen construction sites and the damage they do! Grown men with toys, I say!) and because of the thicker heel, they give you height while remaining comfy! You can always buy cheap jewellery from places like Diva and Lovisa, but for the super crafty Mum & Kids you could try and make your own (I love jewellery made by kids! I hear Macaroni necklaces are the next big thing!).

*I say fun for kids because kids LOVE fun jewellery. I was sitting on a plane next to a screaming baby once and had made friends with the Mum (everyone else was pulling that FACE they pull when Mums are struggling with loud kids!). I reached over to pass her something so that she could help her bub settle when he saw my bracelet…. He was transfixed for the rest of the flight playing with all the different charms!

NAUTICAL INSPIRED MUM!

Mk, so, I may have gone a little ‘in a fairy land, this is what Mummys wear’ with this one. I was intending to do red jeans and a stripey blue top with loafers (or boat shoes) when the dress popped up! It was too cute NOT to add. The thing I want to highlight above all else in this set is the SHOES! Loafers are so in at the moment and are extremely comfortable! Talk about look super stylish without trying! The handy thing about fashion that flood the market, is that you can find styles to suit any price range. These loafers could be picked up for $10 or $1000 depending on how much you are willing to spend. Walk into a store and you’ll find them in every colour and design you can imagine.

GIRLY MUM!

Ah, the ‘Girly Mum’, also a fave! Maxi skirts are playful and fun without taking away your comfort. They make most woman look a lot taller than they actually are and make a great transitional wardrobe item (Winter to Summer/Day to Night). Slap on some comfy sandals or thongs, your favourite tshirt, some funky jewellery (again, Diva or Lovisa are grouse for finding bargains! Also find your local market and have a look there!) and a out there handbag (which, again, if you look in the right place, you can pick up for next to nothing! Hello Collette!)

THE MUM WHO IS STILL IN TOUCH WITH HER INNER CHILD:

Another favourite here! When I was little I pestered my parents for a cookie monster tshirt for AGES! They gave in. I wore nothing but said tshirt until I grew out of it! So this is my inner child styling this look! You can find cartoon character tshirts from LOTS of places these days. I like Jay Jays, cheap and simple! Boy friend jeans are extremely comfortable and easy to clean. They also don’t look awful with a bit of wear and tear, it can add to the aesthetic of the design on the jean. Aim for a dark denim as lighter denims will make most woman look a lot larger than they actually are. Layer it up with a draped front vest which you can pick up for a cool $12 from Kmart (I got mine from there for that price!). Add some funky jewellery and grab a tote to throw all your stuff into! Top it off with some cool sunnies and your comfiest flats and you’re ready to go!!!

What is your go to stylish but comfortable outfit? Do you attend a play group with your little cherub? Do you let your kids help dress you (or themselves?)? Let us know in the comments below!!!

Amy xo