Pulling it All Together

My sister recently told me that she has started hanging her girls' separates as outfits so that they're a no brainer in the morning, and so that all those cute, miscellaneous tops and bottoms get worn. I think this is a good idea for busy mommies as well. I don't wear 90% of the things in my closet, and mostly it's because I'm too busy or too tired to put the pieces together. But, as I mentioned in an earlier blog, I am tired of my low-maintenance look and want to bump it up a little.
Today, for a day in Chicago with Eva, our baby (our toddler Lola spent the day with Grandma), I managed to pull off a look that said "hip mom" to me, and it involved layering, something I rarely do because I don't think I have time for it and I've never considered myself all that good at it. And it worked! And I felt like one of those stylish women who layer, who actually put thought into their outfits! I wore my skinny Paige Premium Denim Blue Heights jeans in a vintage grey wash, my pink/white/gold lurex long sleeved Alice Temperley for Target (yes, Target, and I love it!) tee, and a cropped white cotton sateen jacket from BCBG with pastel striped ribbon bows on the buttons that picked up on the stripes in the shirt. The shirt peeked out at the hem and the sleeves, and it looked really cool. Which got me on this kick - I need more jackets and snug cardigans.
I wandered into J. Crew, a store whose preppy polo-in-every-color style had never really appealed to me before, but this time, it was different. As the helpful sales guy told me, they're going in a new direction, and it's fabulous! There were several metallic linen pieces that I just adored, including a pair of platinum linen bermuda shorts. I also loved the Martinique jacket, which is oatmeal silk trimmed in raffia, the chic gold cotton Soleil d'or jacket, and whisper thin silver lame shirt. (This is why my shopping fast doesn't start until next month - I knew I'd be spending a day in Chicago!). The jewelry was also amazing, including these bold enameled flower cocktail rings and chunky cuffs. Unfortunately, with a crying baby circling the mall in the arms of my saintly husband, I barely had time to look, much less try on, but I did walk away with a couple of items: the Candace sweater jacket in Sweet Orange link and the glitter dot cuffed linen shortslink. Love them! I also picked up slim leather headbands in gold and silver and a couple of neutral clips that look like they might actually hold back some of my thick hair.

My Top 10 favorite things at J. Crew(to look forward to after my shopping fast ends):
1. Soleil d'or Jacket:
LINK
2. Martinique jacket: LINK
3. Stardust Sequin Cardigan: LINK
4. Colorful sweaters, particularly the snug summerweight cashmere cardigans and the printed cardigans: LINK
5. Whisper lame slim shirt: LINK
6. Jeweled starburst cocktail ring: LINK
7. St. Tropez cuff bracelet: LINK
8. Taffeta Rugby Skirt: LINK
9. Martine two-color satin heels - I adore these, and they're so classic. I want them in every color combo! LINK
10. Metallic linen tunic top: LINK

Fighting with Fine Hair

My 2 year old, Lola, has super wispy, baby-fine hair, a complete shock to her thick, curly-haired mama. It is so different from my own hair that I am completely struggling with it. I have tried a number of hair barrettes to keep her long hair out of her eyes and to give it a little control, but none of them would stay in her hair. The worst ones are the metal kind that simply slide into the hair, and slide right back out again. The best, so far, had been the plastic clips. I even invested $10-12 in these special no slip hair bows. The clip part is lined with velvet, but since they don't clip in place, the hair just slides out of the other side. I had almost given up on finding anything that would keep the hair of a very active toddler in place through a full day of play. Until yesterday. We are visiting my husband's family in Illinois, and we went to Shopko to pick up diapers and wipes. He spotted these barrettes, and since he shares my frustration with Lola's current hair accessories, he pointed out that they said they have a no-slip grip. They're made by Scunci, and they're called the Angel (name of the style) with No Slip Grip. On their website, they had a variety of these grippy barrettes. I was skeptical, especially since they were so cheap, but we decided to give them a try. And THEY WORKED!!! They were unbelievable! They literally did not budge from her hair the entire day, through a 2 hour nap, running around in the backyard with her cousins, etc. The secret is that they actually clip and lock into place, rather than simply sliding in, and that they are lined with a rubbery material that doesn't allow the hair to slide out. And they're gentle - they won't damage or tear hair. Too bad they're a little plain, with just a simple strip of pearly color. I've decided to take Lola's cute barrettes, the ones decorated with curlicues and felt flowers and bows, and attach them to these simple Scunci barrettes and create these little hair accessories for her. They're perfect, and they're cheap!

Another thing I've found that works: Goody makes these tiny clear hair elastics that are ouchless. They come in a pack of, like, 100 for $1, so they're pretty much disposable, and they really work to keep ponytails and pigtails in place!

My next quest? To find a children's hair styling product that is natural, safe and effective for keeping all those little wispy hairs of hers in place.

Baby Lust: Random Stuff I Love

There's nothing I love more than shopping, except, of course, my babies. These are some of my favorite recent purchases!

1. Crochet Tea Set: An adorable round teapot and two cups made entirely of crochet. I got this in the silver and the red/white polka dots! I love how whimsical and unexpected they are, and I think they will look great in Lola's room. $68 each LINK

2. Trumpette Baby Socks: For some reason, my little Eva has a hard time with shoes. Her feet are too small for most of the ones I have for her, and the ones that do fit she kicks off before we even leave her room, so I make do with these adorable socks. They come in Mary Jane, Ballet and Pixie styles, among others, and they keep her toes warm and looking adorable. $19.95 LINK

3. At-Choo Pewter Bubble Wands: I bought these as favors for Lola's 2nd birthday, and I just think they are so charming. They come in several different styles, and I think every little girl deserves something this beautiful and special. LINK

4. Muzzy Language Course from Early Advantage: I'm obsessed with raising a trilingual baby (English, Arabic, and French) and this system of DVDs makes it fun to teach a baby a second language. $199 LINK

5. Crayon Apron: This is currently my favorite gift for little girls - a pretty pink apron that holds 24 crayons. It's so girly and practical at the same time. $24 LINK

Now that it's summer

You know how sometimes you can miss the most obvious solutions? Recently, while giving Lola her daily application of sunscreen, I got some in her eyes. I tried wiping it off with a wet towel, applying eye drops (next to impossible on a squirmy two year old), etc. I couldn't convince her to stop rubbing her hands, which already had sunscreen on them, into her eyes, so she kept making it worse, and it took a couple of hours before her eyes felt normal. I felt awful! After this incident, I started devising ways of applying sunscreen to a tiny, rapidly-moving face, including using a foundation brush (since it doesn't absorb the product, and I could pretend I was applying makeup to her face, which she'd love), or using a towelette, etc. Then a couple of days later, I saw my sister applying sunscreen to her toddler's face, but she used one of those solid sunscreen sticks. Hello??? Why hadn't I thought of that? The thing is - I sort of had - but I'd forgotten again, and for the past year or so I had been doing it the hard way. A toddler's tiny face is so hard to navigate with a conventional cream - a stick just makes sense! Here are other sunsmart ideas that can make your life a whole lot easier!

1. Invest in some UPF50 clothing for yourself and your little ones. Look for styles from Coolibar, Gymboree, Sea Folly, One Step Ahead, and Land's End.

2. Swap your regular daytime body lotion for a sunscreen (they all contain moisturizers) or a body lotion with sunscreen, like Lubriderm Daily Moisture Lotion with SPF15.

3. Swap your regular hand lotion for a sunscreen, and keep a tube in the car.

4. Sunscreen towelettes are expensive, come in small quantities and are really hard to find! Make your own. I bought a package of baby wipes (you can use generics for this if you want to), let them dry out, and then poured a bottle of liquid baby sunscreen (the kind in the pump spray bottle, not the aerosol, obviously) into the wipes container. The wipes absorbed the sunscreen and I had easy to apply sunscreen towelettes. (You might need more than one bottle of sunscreen depending on the quantity of wipes.) You can even stick a couple in a Ziploc bag or small wipes case and keep it in your diaper bag.

5. Invest in great sunglasses and a hat with a UPF factor. They're everywhere now. I bought a sun hat for Lola from Gymboree, and one for myself from the Luminescence Catalog. It's glamorous and practical. Can't beat that!

No Shopping?

Today, I've decided that, for the entire month of June, I am not going to buy anything but necessities. And that, as much as I might feel otherwise, shoes are not a necessity. Not when you have a couple hundred pairs collecting dust in your closet because you have two babies and never go anywhere. So basically that means I'm limited to groceries, diapers, and the occasional gift. This decision came about when I thought of how much time I actually devote to shopping. Now that Eva goes down at around 7, I spend every evening either online or at the mall, buying, buying, buying. And don't get me wrong - I love it, and I'm not going to stop shopping forever, although one month really does feel like an eternity. I just decided that there are other things I could be doing with that time - organizing my house, updating my babies' journals and working on their baby books; writing my next book, blogging... What could I do with a couple of extra hours every day? I plan to find out! And I'll keep you posted...

Living with Less?

Today, at our morning playgroup, my friend Jean mentioned that she always wanted to post comments on my blog, but she stopped herself because they were all of the "Do you really need to buy that?" variety. A few weeks ago we'd had a conversation about living with less, paring down, teaching our children good values, etc. Unfortunately, shopping is such an innate part of who I am, that I can't imagine doing without it. Instead, I plan to donate one item for each item I buy. This new resolution fits nicely with my current need to do a complete closet overhaul. But before I begin, I need to know how much shopping I actually do. So, following is my shopping log for the last couple of weeks. For each one of the items mentioned, I am going to give away one item in the same category (except for food). A shopping log will also let me see what I'm actually buying, and how much time I put into shopping. So here it goes, straight from the receipts in the bottom of my purse. (I'm almost afraid to find out!)

April 29: Gift for Kevin's mom, $154
April 29: Flowerbomb fragrance and bath oil for me, $260
April 30: Silver plated pewter bubble wands for Lola's party favors, $175
May 2: Clothes at Maui Nix, $124
May 2: Ralph Lauren Sunglasses, Sunglass Hut, $222.59
May 2: Flowers for Lola's birthday party, $80
May 2: Macaroons from Williams Sonoma for Lola's birthday party, $50
May 2: Balloons for Lola's birthday party, $80
May 3: Food from Publix for Lola's birthday party, $300
May 3: Lola's birthday cake, The Pastry Studio, $150
May 5: Miscellaneous items, including groceries, toys, and outdoor coffee table, Target, $340
May 12: Outdoor planters and rug from Grandin Road, $444
May 5-14: Shorts from Theory, Trina Turk, Catherine Malandrino, Tibi, and Tory Burch (I was on a shorts kick) and J. Brand Pencil Leg Jeans: $350 (some were on sale!)
May 7: Repetto gold ballet flats, $80 (on sale!)
May 10: Juicy Couture bathing suit for me, $160, and 2 dresses for Lola, $50 (sale!), Nordstrom
May 12: Three pairs of shoes for Lola, Zappos.com, $184

Baby Lust: The Product Edition

As the Beauty Mommy, I'm as obsessed with products for my babies as I am for myself. I use only the best quality products on my babies' delicate skin, usually from natural lines. Some of the top lines of baby skin and hair care products include: Little Twig, Noodle & Boo, Original Little Sprout, Burt's Bees, Earth Mama Angel Baby and California Baby. Here are my top picks:
1. Noodle & Boo Conditioning Hair Mist: This super-fine conditioning mist is perfect for Lola's baby fine hair. It easily removes tangles without weighing her hair down, adds shine and smells wonderful. We use it every night after her bath.
2. Earth Mama Angel Baby Shampoo and Wash: This foaming mousse is my husband's top pick for washing Lola's hair and body. (He is in charge of her nightly bath). He likes that it's convenient and easy to use, and that her hair seems much more manageable afterwards. And I love the herby scent!
3. Original Little Sprout Scrumptious Body Cream: This just smells like baby - there's no other way to put it. It's velvety soft, edible, and just scrumptious - like the name says. I'm obsessed!
4. Burt's Bees Shampoo & Wash: I have to say I'm a fan of all of their baby products, from the yummy-smelling Buttermilk Baby Lotion to the equally delicious Apricot Baby Oil. The shampoo bar and bath bar are great for travel. Right now I am loving the Baby Bee Shampoo and Wash for Eva. It smells amazing and has a really mild gentle lather.
5. California Baby Super Sensitive No Fragrance Baby Wash: I used this in the first couple of months of Eva's life. It's super gentle yet very cleansing. Lola also loves their bubble baths, and I also use their gentle bug repellent spray on her legs before she goes outside. A great line that I used to have to buy on the internet, it's now available at Target.

A few more mommy fashion must haves

Okay, so I left a few items off my earlier list of fashion essentials, and here they are:

Leggings: Comfy and super-sleek, leggings can keep you from risking indecent exposure in a too-short dress, or lengthen the line of a tunic. When paired with the right top, they're flattering on everyone. My favorites are from Three Dots. They're a little pricier than your average legging, but the quality is unbeatable. LINK

Tunics:From slouchy to sleek, a tunic is essentially a long top or a short dress. Whether worn over leggings or alone, they're fun and flattering. This one, from Anthropologie, is an unexpected twist on the trend. LINK

Shorts: They're back, and now they're easier to wear than ever. Slouchy styles are the trendiest, and look great with espadrilles. Not loving your thighs? Bermudas are the look for you. Either way they're clean, effortless and stylish. My sister has this pair, from the Victoria's Secret catalog, and they're adorable on her. LINK

Great Style on a Budget

I have a very successful aunt with a great sense of style, and she has a very interesting rule of thumb when it comes to shopping: Everything she buys is either very expensive or dirt cheap. I have a similar philosophy. For example, some of my current favorite pieces include a boldly colored skirt by Zac Posen and a safari-style khaki romper from Old Navy. So, on that note, I will prove that inexpensive doesn't need to look cheap.
My favorite tip: Remember that department store sales offer a great opportunity to land some deals, and the prices end up being comparable to a discount store item. The price gap between discount and department store is narrowing, in every category from cosmetics to clothes. At a department store sale, you get much better quality without having to pay for it. While researching shoes at Target for my recent newspaper column, I discovered faux leather pumps for $30. I would never spend that much on a pair of cheaply made shoes, when I can go to my favorite department store and get real leather pumps that are much more stylish and comfortable for the same price, on sale. So think outside the usual locations when bargain-hunting.
How do you know if you've landed a true bargain? The price doesn't matter - you'd want it no matter how much you had to pay. (Don't buy anything just because it's cheap. That's a true waste of money). And it looks like you spent a lot more than you did.

Here, a few great inexpensive finds that are currently in stores:

1. Shirtdresses and rompers (short jumpsuits) from Old Navy's Urban Safari collection: Cute, trendy and very affordable, especially now that they are on sale for $14.99. If they're sold out online, check your local store. That's how I found my romper for $12.99. LINK

2. Target's winning over fashionistas by offering limited-time lines from top designers, giving the budget-conscious a great opportunity to buy some high style for a song. Right now, all the pieces from hip design duo Jovovich-Hawk is on clearance, making it even more affordable. LINK

3. Kensie embellished dresses: This fresh, fun line offers adorable, but less expensive takes on the now-iconic retro dresses by Karta. And, at about one-third of the price, this is a fun trend you can afford to indulge in. LINK

4. a.n.a. separates from JCPenney: This line features modern, casual chic at down to earth prices. Love this top, which looks much more expensive than it is.LINK

5. These classic gorgeous evening shoes from Macy's are by Oscar de la Renta, and the huge sale makes them very affordable! LINK

My Top 7 Fashion Essentials

In my own take on the Cookie column entitled "The Uniform," these are my hip mommy wardrobe staples. These clothes are proof that you don't have to give up practicality to look fabulous!

1. Great jeans. Right now, I am obsessed with skinny jeans, because they have a couple of advantages over my bootlegs. They give me curves where none exist, and, you can wear the same pair with heels or flats. With flats, they just look cool and scrunched up at the bottom. Try that with a pair of bootlegs! Plus, the stretch makes them super-comfortable and easy to move around in. My favorites right now are by Paige Premium Denim and J. Brand (the Pencil Leg). LINK

2. Flowy tops: Even though I've lost the baby weight, my stomach still protrudes more than I'm comfortable with, so I love blousey, flowy tops and tees from Anthropologie and Nanette Lepore. They look great paired with my jeans, and I can easily nurse in them as well. Love this one: LINK


3. Jersey dresses: I probably have two dozen of these, ranging from trendy cotton ones picked up for a song at a mall store to nicer ones from Diane von Furstenberg and BCBG. Stretchy and comfy, they're feminine, effortless (what's easier than throwing on one piece!), and they don't wrinkle! LINK

4. Repetto flats: I've owned ballet flats in every price range, ranging from a $30 pair from Victoria's Secret to the classic Chanels with the quilted toes, but nothing beats Repettos. The French dancewear company makes the hippest, most comfortable ballet flats ever - they mold to your foot. It's like wearing slippers that happen to look gorgeous! I'm loving this style right now: LINK

5. Flip Flops: As simple as they appear to be, I think it's hard to find a good flip-flop. Great looks aside, my one requirement for a flat shoe is that it is comfortable (which I do not consider a priority for heels, by the way - they just have to look good). And not all flip flops meet this basic requirement. And while basic Havaianas will do for the beach, when I'm landlocked I prefer them with a little more style. My current favorites are from Cole Haan and Tory Burch. LINK
And these, from Kate Spade, are even worthy of a night out: LINK

6. Wedges: They're stylish, they're fun, and they're a lot more stable than stilettos. Espadrilles in particular are cute and versatile - you can wear them with shorts or with a dress to church. My faves are by Christian Louboutin (naturally) and Oh... Deer! Right now, though, I'm eyeing these, from Prada: LINK

7. Feminine cardigans: I'm not talking frumpy, slouchy grandma cardigans here. I'm talking snug, girly, and a little bit glam. I'm always cold, so I look for fitted cardigans with great details: jeweled buttons, gorgeous prints, appliques etc. My faves are from Charlotte Tarantola, Anthropologie, Blumarine, and Tracy Reese. This one is my most recent purchase: LINK

Baby Lust: The Fashion Version

More on mommy fashion tomorrow, but for now, I'm going to focus on clothes for the little ones. This idea came to me courtesy of my friend Jenn Haughey, who, when asked what her baby gear essentials were, threw in a few items of clothing, including:
"A bit overdone but the most practical seasonal shoes - crocs and Uggs
-- my kids have always refused socks!
A girl's white sweater (Gap or Lily Pulitzer) for instant relief of airconditioning or chills."

So here's my own take on this list:
1. Pedipeds: LOVE these! They come in a foolproof sizing system for the first two years (6-12 mos, 12-18 mos, etc) that somehow works. They are super soft and comfy, inside and out, so your baby can wear them without socks - key in Florida. They are adorable, with classic mary jane styling and some funky, trendy colors and patterns. For under 2s, they are super flexible so your baby's feet can develop properly. And now for over 2s, they come with traction (Pediped Flex) so they can avoid spills. Finally, they're alot easier to put on than Robeez.

2. Like Jenn, a white or off-white cardigan. Lola's usually come from Ralph Lauren or Gymboree. The AC is always turned way up in Florida!

3. Cute jeans: Right now, I'm going to order a pair of True Religion jeans with a rainbow on the pocket for Lola. I always have a few stray, but adorable, tops that don't go with anything else. She just looks so cute in jeans and they protect her legs when she is running around.

4. Diamond stud earrings: Call me crazy, but I pierced Lola's ears almost as soon as she was old enough, at 6 months, and I'm about to do the same for Eva. (Mine were pierced at birth. Seriously). Grandma gave her a gift of adorable tiny diamond studs, and she wears them always.

5. A diaper bag outfit: This isn't a specific look, of course, but I always pick one of my least favorite ensembles and stick it in the diaper bag as a backup outfit. It has to be very packable, comfy, and it helps if it doubles as pajamas for those rare full days out when she crashes in the car on the way home. Leggings and a top are perfect, since I don't consider these items cute enough for regular wear. : )

Dressing My Age

I had a humbling experience on Friday. My in-laws were visiting, so we all decided to go out for the afternoon: Lola, Eva, my husband, his parents, myself and Adeline, our French au pair. While the rest of the group had a late lunch, Adeline, Eva and I went to a local surf shop so I could try to find the Juicy bikini I wanted. (They didn't carry it, so I just ordered it from Nordstrom). I was in the mood to shop, and Eva was happy in the Baby Bjorn, so I grabbed a couple of dresses from a line I'd never heard of called Lucy Love. Apparently, it's sort of a surfer chick brand. Anyway, the dresses were the same style: a cotton/modal jersey with thick straps, fitted at the bust and then flaring out below; one was printed with tiny hearts, while the other boasted a really pretty floral. Comfy, cute, and casual. Perfect for hanging out and nursing Eva, I thought. When Adeline saw them, she raised her eyebrows in surprise. Her French accent added an air of authority to her words: "Isn't it..." she paused, searching for the word. "Young?"
Ouch.
Without missing a beat, I said: "I'll just wear them around the house." But I sulked over those words all afternoon. Adeline wasn't being unkind; she doesn't even know how to be. She was just being honest. This got me thinking about the subject of age appropriate clothing. In a time when 40 is the new 15 and stars like Halle Berry and Jessica Alba can be found sporting the same styles, it's hard to know what is age appropriate and what isn't. Infants wear Juicy Couture and rock star tees and look more mature than their mothers, who run around in rompers and short-shorts. It's a confusing time.
I've always loved casual clothes from the juniors' departments because they fit me better, but I try to choose wisely. There are things that I wore a few years ago that I would feel utterly ridiculous in - because they're too funky, too sexy, or too - I'll admit it- young. I have to remind myself that just because my body hasn't changed significantly (at least not when clothed) in the last 20 years, that doesn't mean I can still dress the way I always have. So, over the next few days, I'm going to be addressing the issue of what to wear at what age. What works, what doesn't, and how to pull it all together. I'd love to hear your thoughts!