Moms Need Accessories

So we are in Chicago this weekend (American Girl trip for my oldest, and visiting our best friends). Fabulous trip. In my efforts to pack appropriately I surveyed everything I had initially laid out to see what should be packed and what could be left. I having the genetic material that causes me to pack half a wardrobe for a three day trip, I find it most effective to lay things out first to try and visualize the outfits, fill in gaps and weed out extraneous pieces. As I reviewed my choices, I realized that accessories were just as important, if not more important, than the actual clothes themselves. A plain black shirt dress is just a dress, but add a striped scarf and bright pair of ballet flats and you have a modern mom's weekend on the go outfit. This is perfectly appropriate for grocery shopping, running errands, lunch with friends and even a casual dinner with your lovely family. Pair it with a few long necklaces, heels, or peep toe patent leather embellished wedges and it's perfect for a night on the town. Same thing with jeans. The right shoes and jewelry can help you go from looking like a mom, to a stylish woman with kids. Slight linguistic distinction, huge practical difference. Throwing on a scarf and a cute pair of flats does the same thing for me that my manicures do. It makes me feel put together and like I still have a sense of myself, while being a mom at the same time. I feel better, I look better, and I carry myself with more confidence. I'm not saying to wear three inch heels while grocery shopping. I'm just saying that taking five extra minutes to add a little splash of style to an otherwise basic outfit can make a world of difference in how you look and feel!