my inner fashionista

i used to look nice. it's true! back before i got married, i used to dress myself in cute little outfits, wear make up, do my hair, and even accessorize! i was never really a hottie or anything, but i looked nice. sometimes i even looked pretty darn good. it was fun to dress in the mornings (or the afternoons, evenings, etc.). then i graduated a married woman and started working, which meant different kinds of clothes. it was a hard transition for me, going from young and "hip" to office drone and i rebelled as much as i could against it with my clothes. we won't go there, though. we'll jump forward to now: stay at home mom to three. the uniform became jeans and t-shirts that were stained and likely smelled of spit up. sometimes i didn't even make it out of my pj's. run to the store in my sweats? sure! my husband's basketball shorts? why not?! what sort of time did i have to spend dressing up, and, honestly, for what?! where did i go that it mattered how i looked? walmart? there's a whole website dedicated to pictures of people who look absolutely ridiculous there, and i was never bad enough to make it on their radar, so was there any real worry?

the past few months, however, i have begun to re-evaluate. perhaps i should be more mindful of what i look like. i even have a whole list of reasons:
1. so my husband doesn't see me as "letting myself go" and lose interest (lets be honest, no one wants to make out with a frump and there could be a cute young thing who does look nice at work who even gets in a shower more than every three days).
2. so my kids aren't embarrassed by me when i pick them up/drop them off (that scene from "hope floats" where she shows up at her daughter's school looking so dreadful that her daughter pretends she doesn't know her makes me cringe).
3. to teach my kids that it is important to present yourself well. it is. we are all judged by the way we look. as much as you want to avoid giving the wrong impression, you want to give the right one as well. and it's especially important that they see me dress well without being immodest so that they know that they can do it, too.
4. to boost my own self esteem. when we dress nicer, we feel better, more capable and ready to face the world.
5. because i miss it. why should i have to give up that part of my life simply because i've aged and had children? it doesn't interfere with parenting my kids properly or getting things done.

there are more, but these were my top few. so, anyway, a few months ago i took on a personal challenge to start dressing nicer. and i have been shocked how easy it really is! it used to take much more time and effort to do it when i was younger. now i can accomplish the look i want in about 30 minutes. it might take more if i have to deal with difficult hair, but luckily messy ponytails and buns are in, as are fun hats. and if i dedicate time to straighten hair once, it lasts about four days, making it even easier. so here is my fashion formula these days:
1. skinny jeans. i resisted these for a while, but finally gave in when a friend pointed out that they are great to wear with boots. i have a shoe fetish and so own about 6 pairs of really cute boots. most of my pants before covered the best parts about them or would be uncomfortable when tucked into the boots. the skinny jeans are a life saver now. they are no more difficult to pull on then any other piece of clothing but look a lot better and give me the option to pull on boots or flats with them.
2. leggings. oh, how i love my leggings. they are the most comfortable thing i think i've ever worn! they are my fall back piece now to be worn with skirts or dresses or tunics and boots or flats and keep my legs looking nice. i can even sleep in them and then wear them to drop noe off at school the next morning! time saved!
3. long t's. they come fitted or flowing and have lots of cute prints or embellishments. great look for comfort, casual, yet still fun. and they cover any body flaws that the tight pants may show....hey, i've had three kids.
4. fabulous jackets. i've always loved jackets. now, they can be used to make an outfit mor age appropriate (blazer or sleek leather), stylish (over very plain), classy, or casual.
5. boots and flats. so easy to make an outfit stylish with the right shoes. i have some pink ballet flats with a black ribbon at the toe that add fun flare to otherwise drab outfits. i have a pair of brown suede ones and black ones that suit any other. and i already told you about my boots. ah, shoes....
6. a wish list piece: the fashion scarf.

any way, these thing are so easy to find, comfy to wear, versatile, and fashion acceptable. so i've gone from plain and frump to feeling good. a necessary change for everyone? no. but a fun one, so why not?