Stylin' Mom or Style Bomb?

I have a confession. I am completely and utterly devoted to my black yoga pants. I love them like a best friend, they're there for me no matter how much weight I pack on, and always make me feel comfortable and cozy. I wear them in the summer with flip flops and in the winter with sneaks. If you see me in anything else you can bet I'm counting down till I can change back into them. But, truth be told, I know I rock them a little too often.

My sister, a recovering sweat pant addict, has become a stylist. (Check her out @ stylednw.com, she's awesome!) In exchange for nearly thirty years of unconditional love and eternal devotion, she advises me on the best jeans for my shape and the hot new accessory for fall. While I love it, I also know I'm first and foremost a Mom who will never have enough time to look as pulled together as I used to. So, I'm no stylist, but I do have some tricks up my sleeve to achieve comfort and a passable style for PTA meetings, date night, and running errands.

You'll have to have a few core pieces, but most of them you can find in your wardrobe. The essentials begin with a great pair of dark denim boot cut jeans. They can be dressed up with heels or cute boots, but also look great with city sneakers. Levi's makes a pair with a tummy control panel (hello Mom's! perfect post baby!) and they come in three different lengths. For a school event I'll wear a black tee with it, perfectly slimming, hides the applesauce finger stains and still looks chic. I am a big fan of a basic black tee, but I love to find one with a little detail. A ruffle along the neckline or a flutter sleeve makes it look more purposeful. You can do any color shoe, or keep it streamlined with black. This also works in white for summer, but beware of sticky fingers.

Another essential is a great knee length skirt. Any color will work, but I am devoted to black and denim. A skirt instantly adds femininity, perfect for date night. Tights are still big for fall and winter (thank you God) not only to keep warm but they suck us in! Keep it monochromatic for even more skinny deception or grab that cute black tee and throw a colorful cardigan over it. I can look polished with minimal effort.

My last tip is this; always have a statement piece in your wardrobe. It can be a great shoe, a colorful bag, or a yummy leather jacket. It should be an extension of who you are, if you love the preppy style it might be an awesome argyle sweater, or if you have a little more rocker edge maybe it's an amazing gladiator shoe. Mine are turquoise flats and a beautiful eyelet blazer. If you know it ups your style, wear it every chance you get.

So, if you're like me and the thought of wearing real clothes sends you into wardrobe panic, having a couple of go to outfits makes those unavoidable occasions manageable. Remember to throw the Tide-to-Go in your bag, and relax. Your yoga pants will thank you. Now if you'll excuse, me I have to go change.