The Mommy Dress Code

Every mom, especially stay-at-home moms go through a fashion funk. Perhaps some of us - ahem - me, stopped at fashion funk and stayed a while. I'm working it out, y'all.

I think I'm doing okay for myself these days. I'm more of a cazh type. I like my flip flops in the summer with light sneakers on the side for when the opportunity to chase the occasional child may arise. In the winter, well, it's whatever fits around 2 pairs of wool socks.

So, the other day, at the gym, I noticed my pal - we'll call her DesignDiva - (wink wink) has really consistently stepped her wardrobe up with fancy things like cute summer dresses, and sweet wedge sandals. And she was all up in her accessories even dorning dangly earrings.

I say to her, "You're developing a pattern. You're ruining the curve for the rest of us in mommy attire."

To which she replies, "I've been experimenting and it turns out that when I've got my make-up & hair done. When I'm all put together, my kids listen better."

I'm pretty sure if I walked out and told the kids to get in the car authoritatively while wearing a strapless summer dress with hihg-heeled sandals and earrings no less, they would a) laugh at me and then b) ask me where I'm going with daddy and if a babysitter is coming over. For sure they damn sure wouldn't have done what I asked, which was get in the effn car! But they would tell me I looked beautiful. They do that already.

Besides, wearing a strapless dress would only confirm a wardrobe malfunction since there is nothing but my shoulder blades to hold it up. And really, wearing heels, at 6'3"? I'm gonna say no on that one.

DesignDiva did have a great point, though. It really makes sense. Tshirt, jeans and flip flops, with no makeup and hair in a tiny pony tail that keeps falling out gets no respect - especially from 5 year olds. The construction guys don't even bother looking.

When I quit work, I was so happy to get rid of my work wardrobe, and liberate from the dress code. They frowned on flip flops and I had to get a doctors note to wear sneakers when pregnant with twins, but WHATEVER! Indeed, there is a mommy dress code too. We owe it to ourselves to feel good. I owe it to my kids too, because I make them wash their face and brush their teeth. And I fight daily with Lucy as to how and why we're doing her hair that way. So, why not put up or shut up, right? It wouldn't hurt to brush my hair and throw on a little lip gloss each day for Ricardo's sake too. When you look sloppy, you feel sloppy, you act sloppy.

So, mommy will perk up, and dress up. Maybe even iron. Okay, that's way too far. It's summer, I have my limits.

That's how I roll.