Wear It Well

No matter the outfit, the best accessory to add is CONFIDENCE, supermoms!  So, even if you have to dig a bit deeper than you thought, find your self-confidence and wear it well!

Accessorize, Accessorize, Accessorize!

I just got back from a trip to Santa Monica, California, a great, small city on the coast that is a stone's throw from Hollywood and Los Angeles. I loved the great outdoor spaces like the bikepaths and the beach...enjoyed the hot sun tempered by the cool ocean breeze...indulged in favorite foods infused with a westcoast twist. Mostly, though, I experienced a whole new level of appreciation for fashion...OMG, the women out there looked amazing!

We stayed just off the 3rd Street Promenade, a large, outdoor pedestrian mall that was generally teeming with crowds. Sitting at a table at an outdoor eatery or strolling the mall, it was a visual feast to see the cowboy or biker boots with skirts, the lacy tanks with a flowing cardigan, gladiator sandals of every color and design paired with a strappy sundress, fishnet leggings peaking out from under a black pencil skirt, Uggs with jean shorts paired with a casual tee and chunky scarf, and on goes the list of ensembles that were so trendy, edgy, soft, sexy!

Just as I was about to run out and change my whole wardrobe, I caught myself...what would people think, if I showed up in anything flashier than a black tee and jeans? Really, these were outfits straight out of fashion magazines, not stuff that people actually wore in real life, right? How did they manage to take these fashion risks and seem so comfortable doing so? And that was when I understood how they were pulling it off...they had accessorized their outfits with a heavy splash of confidence!

It wasn't so much the bold looks themselves but the way in which these women carried themselves...they had it going on, and they knew it! From the dropped-back shoulders to the raised chest to the gentle, feminine sway of hips, they moved with a self-assured swagger...their outfits were just outside expressions of their inner strength and glow. I began to realize that it wasn't about the outfit itself, but it was about the way in which the wearer carried herself that made the whole thing work so beautifully. So, maybe I'll find funner sandals to replace my plain flip-flops...add a more colorful sweater, other than my usual black, to my collection...layer a fun scarf over my usual plainer outfits. But, no matter what I choose to wear, I will be sure to top off my outfit with a good dose of self-confidence!

Step Away From the Maternity Wear!

Seriously, girl?!! If it has been more than 6-months, since you gave birth, you owe it to yourself...and, probably, to your spouse, too...to ditch the maternity clothes and get back into normal-people wear. Yes, I understand your old shirts don't hide your tummy roll as well, and that it is super uncomfortable to feel squeezed into every pair of pants and jeans that you own. But, this can change, if you care enough to make the effort. So start exercising, eat better, get more sleep, schedule in a little more personal time, revamp your wardrobe with some larger sizes, if need be...do something other than wallow around in clothes that fit like something your husband lounges around in on football Sundays! Hiding will get you nowhere, my dear...

Little Things

Shhhhh, we're about to get a little personal here! It's the little things, my friend...and that includes the condition of the little things you don everyday (almost everyday, anyway...for some of us, ahem, it should be everyday), under your clothes...yes, your little unmentionables! Panties, bras...I can guarantee the condition, style, and color of these little things has an impact on just how super or not you feel about yourself. So, if you are wandering around in a limp bra and stretched out undies, do yourself a favor and stop now! Head to Victoria's Secret for a free fitting and some serious personal shopping sans children. No, it doesn't have to cost a fortune to do this...time it with a sale (their semi-annual one is going on right now, matter of fact). Find a couple of nice bras and some undies in fun styles and colors that you can mix and match with your cute, new, uplifting bras. Give them your phone number and email and wait for the coupons to start rolling in to build on your little collection...believe me, with coupons, I can't remember the last time I spent money on panties or paid full price for a bra.

Start off your day with a MATCHING set on and admire the sassy, sexy, pulled-together reflection in the mirror! Feel your chin tilt up a little?...feel yourself stand a little taller?...feel a secret smile play across your lips?...feel a little swagger coming on? Good!...those are the little things I'm talking about...