What to Wear When Doing the Mundane

I've been asked what I wear on an average day. For stay-at-home moms our life is full of drop offs, pick ups, trips to the grocery store/Walmart/Costco and every so often a field trip with the kids to a museum, zoo or science centre. It's easy to be lulled into a sense of boredom and sweat pants. I am just as guilty as the next woman of throwing my hands up in the air and saying "why bother ?". Then I go out in public and I wish I had bothered, because I feel shleppy and look rundown and people look right through me. When I put a little effort into my appearance the green grocer wants to help me find the right produce and the stock boys find the item I can't. Even the women at the cash tell me how nice I look. Guess what? I like it. Say what you want it is nice to be noticed for something besides the poor (crazy) lady who has those four kids in five and a half years. I walk a little taller, smile a lot more and life seems fun and I do this for me because I deserve it. That's what we forget as mothers that we deserve that bit of time it takes to be us and to be seen.

Another person who will notice you is your husband. My husband jokes and asks me "What's his name?", and he knows the answer is Ivan (that's my husbands name, we don't know each other that well and you may be wondering). Men are visual creatures and they like to see their women looking pretty, hell I like to see their women looking pretty. My husband always says "Happy wife, Happy life" and he is right.

If you think about it (and you know that I do a lot of thinking about it) it is just as easy to put the good jeans on as it is the sweats. The ill fitting t-shirt should be replaced by a nice top because again it does not take any longer to throw it on. The question is "what do I wear when I am doing the mundane?". The answer is the fabulously simple with some accessories. There are some of us that just do not know what to wear, the whole process becomes frustrating, and that's okay. You just need a reference point and some time to shop and try clothes on. You HAVE TO try the clothes on, you can't just buy something because it says Medium and say Medium always fits. That is a lie! Once you know what will work the shopping will be less intimidating. Some of us will never find shopping fun but for all the effort you should see results.

My mom uniform is jeans, nice flats, a layering top and then a topper (blazer, cardigan, wrap, jacket etc). If you need a refresher check out my post on Four Fundamental Mom Pieces. Right now I am all about the blazer (thank you for this mild February). Blazers are great because they look dressy even if the top you are wearing is not. So when I come home and remove my blazer all I am wearing is jeans with a shirt/thin sweater and I am automatically kid appropriate (lots of time the jewellery comes off as well). Below are a series of photos of what I wore when I am doing the mundane (I have worn this outfit to go grocery shopping and Costco), a trip to the Royal Ontario Museum (ROM) with my family and Muma Mary. I look like I've got it together, what the pictures don't show is that my youngest had a fit during this trip and tried to bite me numerous times, the kids kept complaining how hungry they were and how boring parts of the ROM was and my frustration with them at times (plus I was starving at one point too so I was cranky)...so basically life with kids.

Blazer: Smythe, Jeans: Paige, Sweater: Loehman's, Shoes: Cole Haan, Necklace: Hannah by Design.