Jeans and a tee shirt

Like I said before, in my previous life, I was a teacher.  It was a lot easier to dress to stand in front of a classroom all day!  Standing on my feet all day imposed the only limitation - I needed comfortable shoes!  A typical stay at home mom day includes chasing children, cleaning, cooking, working out, and running errands.  Finding outfits that can stand up all of these activities and kid-dirt...well, it's no wonder yoga pants are so popular amongst SAHMs.

For what it's worth, I have nothing against yoga pants -  they are comfortable and flattering.  I've seen some SAHMs pull together very cute looks with yoga pants and I will blog about them sometime in the future.  But to pull it off well, even a yoga pants outfit requires some effort and care.  A jeans and a tee shirt outfit can be easier to pull together and look much more polished.

I can hear some of you saying that this is what you wear almost every day, you didn't need to come to a blog to find out that jeans and a tee is an outfit that works for a SAHM.   It's true - most mom toss this outfit on at least one time a week A few details, though, will elevate this look.  Today, let's focus on jeans.  The wardrobe of a SAHM should include at least two pairs of flattering jeans.  When you go jeans shopping, find a store that carries many brands, like Lord & Taylor, Macy's, or Nordstrom.  If you have limited time or know that you want to stick to a certain price point, check out the usual suspects - Gap, Banana Republic, Old Navy.  They've got tons of stylish jeans, too.  If you are plus sized, Lane Bryant has a good selection of very current looking jeans. 

Good Fit

No matter what your weight, jeans that fit your body are going to be more flattering.   And with stretch, they can hold the parts you don't like in  and accentuate your best features.  Look for jeans with just a little bit of stretch.  I think that 97% cotton, 3% lycra is a good balance - it's enough that  they'll stretch and fit your body, but not so much that you'll start the day in a size 6 and end the day in a size 10. 

Wash


Light wash jeans are coming back in style, and they do look nice as a very casual jean particularly on younger women, but I think that a dark wash is more versatile and sophisticated.  Other washes, like black or gray, are also an interesting addition to your wardrobe.


Skinny vs. Boot Cut

Just a few years ago, skinny jeans were edgy, but now they are totally mainstream and very versatile.  My jeans wardrobe includes a few of both in different washes.

Skinny Jeans

Like it or not, skinny jeans are here to stay.  A lot of women are intimidated by them, but every body type can wear them.  For mamas with straight bodies and few curves, I say go for jeans that are marked as skinny.  Hourglass or pear shaped moms should stick to jeans that are described as straight legged.  The difference is in the leg opening.  Skinny jeans will have a leg opening that hugs the calf, while straight legged jeans are a little more forgiving in that area.  If you've got hips, they'll create a more straight and lean leg line.  If you are larger on the bottom than the top (like me!), a dark wash will help to de-emphasize your butt and thighs.  If you are self-conscious about your thighs, wear them under longer tunics or short dresses in place of leggings.

Boot Cut Jeans

If the styles in Paris are any indication, boot cut jeans will soon be overtaken in popularity by skinny jeans.  I hope I am wrong because that will be a shame.  Skinny jeans are really versatile, but boot cut jeans are super flattering for just about every body type.  A dark boot cut jean with stretch can take off a few pounds and for those of us who have thighs that are proportionally smaller than our calves, a boot cut creates balance.  Let's keep the boot cut alive!


Rise

Rise refers to the distance between the crotch and waistband of pants.  Thank goodness the low, low, crack bearing, muffin top creating rises of a few years ago are gone. The rise is going back up, hopefully not to the dazzling, belly-button covering heights they once achieved.  If you are young and have a flat stomach, feel free to wear low-riders, though I think very low rise jeans will soon look dated.  Most moms will do well with a mid-rise jean - it's high enough to hold in any traces of mummy tummy, will avoid the dreaded muffin top, but it's low enough to look current.

Length

Length can be tricky for SAHMs - most SAHMs I know wear flats most of the time, but still have occasion to don a pair of heels.  Having jeans hemmed so they break just a hair below the mid-foot will allow you to wear them with flats and a low heel. It's always nice to have a pair of jeans that are specifically meant for taller heels, too.

Next post - The Tee Shirt!