SCHOOL IS OUT, UH OH.. WARDROBE LOOK OUT!!

SCHOOL IS OUT, UH OH... WARDROBE LOOKOUT!!

1. 

It's that most wonderful time of the year again, when school is officially out. For most moms like myself it's truly a BITTER SWEET feeling. It's definitely a time to celebrate not having to make those dreadful school lunches and putting an end to all spring extra curricular activities, that took over your life and had you going like a mad chicken. yeh!!!! However, whether you are a stay at home mother or not, carving the time in an already tight schedule to look presentable and "somewhat put together" is now even more challenging . We already had a tiny time slot allocated to personal hygiene and wardrobe, but now that time has been reduced, if not removed for some. 

"How the heck are we suppose to look well put together, when we have children who demand every bit of our time and energy?". For those working moms, your schedules may not have changed, however there is now that added stress of keeping your kids occupied throughout the summer months with babysitting , camp or planning day trips. Now don't get me wrong, although it's busy and stressful time of year for all moms, we must stop and cherish the moments and memories being made during the summer, while embracing the little time we have with our kids, while they still want to be around us.

So I've dedicated this blog today to answer this indeed question, of how we can look "presentable" or "we'll put together" in such a small time frame. Whether we've got 5 or 30 minutes to get ready, we have to begin by wanting to make this change. Once we have decided that we are ready to vamp up or improve our current look, then we must make a conscious effort to make it happen. My favourite life motto is, "where there is a will, there certainly always a way!!!!"

This is to all those moms that want to take their wardrobe or personal appearance to the next level this summer without having to truly dedicate more time then what they can afford. If you are one of those moms who is tired of looking run down and sleep deprived and want to learn a few new tips and strategies on how to mask those realities and look polished in a jiffy, then this post is for you.......

Tip #1
PLAN AHEAD!

Like everything in life, when a plan is set in place, the success rate is always a lot higher than flying at the seat of your pants or simply going with the flow. Add wardrobe assembly to your nightly to do list. After making those camp lunches, cleaning up from dinner or watering those potted flowers, take 5 minutes to put together a complete outfit for tomorrow's day. Whether it be, a trip to the zoo with kids or an unplanned meeting at work with the boss, plan out your clothing ahead of time, down to the shoes, belt, jewelry and hair accessories. The same goes for your little children. If the time is spent at night planning the next days look, hopefully with their help, then your chance of having any wardrobe malfunction or unnecessary tantrum is minimized if not diminished. Leave the morning time for necessary tasks, like breakfast and personal hygiene . Try this and you will find your mornings will run more smoothly and you will wake up more refreshed and ready to take on the day st hand .

Tip#2 

Wake up a tad earlier!

Try to set your alarm and wake up an extra half hour earlier before your kids!! I know if my kids are in my bed before my eyes open, my morning will start off on the wrong foot . I am now scrambling to get them dressed which leaves me very little time to put something decent together for myself .  Adding that extra 15 or 20 minutes to your morning before kids awaken, allows you to enjoy your morning "perk me up" whether it be a coffee or an energizing smoothie, while taking that time to try on that outfit you had put aside the night before and still have extra time to make any wardrobe changes. Also not to mention, maybe even adding that mascara, bronzer and lipstick which would really make you feel energized, alert and ready to start your day.

Tip #3 

Bad hair days? 

• Don't worry, there's always a fix to any challenge that prohibits us from not looking presentable . Whether it be bad roots or uncooperative hair, a fancy beaded cap or a floppy hat can hide any hair malfunction. 
• Another winning solution would be to throw your hair back in a fancy ponytail or a tight bun with some texturizer hair cream. This, with some added bright lipstick and some silver/gold hoops will instantly boost up your look and take it up a few notches. The focus will be then taken away from your bad hair day and re-channeled to your face and jewellery.

Tip #3 

Tired of that boring work attire? 

• Add a colored belt and matching coloured pumps to a simple classic shirt and slacks to jazz it up. 
• Add a gorgeous summer scarf from Stella and Dot or a floral or colored blazer which will guarantee to add pizazz to your summer look, not to mention keeping you warm in those ice cold air conditioned offices. 
• Jewelry is always a winner to any boring outfit. For those of you that don't love the bling, some classic studs or pearl earrings or a layered dainty necklace from Stella and Dot or Ardene will do the magic.  
• If a you are looking for a chic look, add a statement or bib necklace to any t-shirt and jeans and thats a recipe for success.

See.... it doesn't take much to add sparkle and shine to your wardrobe and make it go from blah to awesome!!!

Tip #4

Do one minute makeup?

• If your eyebrows are your most powerful facial feature, spend your time brushing and filling them in. Add a tinted brow gel to give them a overall clean look that will last the day.
• If your eyelashes are pale, take that moment to add a good mascara that will give you that great affordable look without having to spend money on fake eyelashes.
• Use a bronzer on your cheekbones to give you that sun-kissed look that makes you appear more alive and refreshed while hiding any skin pigmentation or unwanted acne. 
• Adding a nice bright lipstick to your lips, takes away the emphasis from your tired eyes, while drawing in on your full coloured lips.

Tip#5

Fake a shower!!

If you only have 10 minutes and you don't have time to shower, you do have time to fake it. Quickly, wash your face, then wipe your body down with baby wipes to remove any odors. Cover your body with lotions to hide any smells and also add moisture and shine to your skin.

• If you are still concerned that you smell, spray a spritz of your favourite perfume into the air, then walk through it 
• Remove any makeup remaining on your face with makeup remover
• Make sure to apply moisturizer to your face, hands and body
• Don't forget to apply deodorant!! That could be a deal breaker when you are meeting with a friend for lunch or an impromptu sales meeting with the boss

I hope these tips will help all you moms out there this summer, to achieve a more refreshed and well put together look on a time constraint. After all, there really is no excuse to look BLAH... and if we really want to change, we must make the effort. 

A little effort that seems like hopeless failure, may turn into glorious success. It is effort which matters most!

Anil Sinha

Enjoy your summer mamas, and please feel free to leave comments. I would love to hear from you any suggestions on future topics.

Fashionably Yours, 

Liana