One Mom’s Fashion Dilemma

I have never really considered myself a fashionista. Or, fashionable in any sense, really. I think when I was in college was when I was best at putting outfits together, but even then I never really felt like I was “in style” or dressed in an eye-catching way; I was just very well coordinated from head to toe (jewelry included). 

Unfortunately, this is not something that has changed as I’ve gotten older. I buy pieces I think are cute and then try to put them together to create outfits. Sometimes I feel like they look nice, but then I look at other women and think that they just look so stylish and I don’t. I’ve also struggled with finding clothes that look good on my body type and that feel age appropriate. I’ll see certain clothes and love them, but think I can’t wear it because I’m not thin. 

Last month was my birthday and teacher appreciation week, and I received Target gift cards for both. I decided that when I went shopping I was going to be very intentional about choosing clothes that were out of my comfort zone and that felt more fashionable and in style than what I normally wear. This included trying clothes that I would normally avoid because I don’t think they’d work on my body type/size. 

I went into Target armed with my gift cards, my cell phone, and a positive state of mind. Why the cell phone? So I could text pictures of every outfit to my sister and my best friend to get their thoughts, of course. 

Here is what I ended up buying…

1. White Tank and Pink Shorts

I NEVER wear pink. I tend to navigate towards always wearing blue, black, and white. Sometimes red. That’s pretty much the extent of the colors in my wardrobe. So when I saw these shorts in Target, I decided to be brave and try them on. I grabbed this cute white tank to go along with it and decided I really liked it.

I asked my sister and best friend what they thought, and if they were age appropriate. I also wanted to know if the shorts looked too short or not. I’m VERY self-conscious about my thighs so I tend to buy shorts that are a longer length or just wear Capri’s and hide my thighs altogether. These pink ones are shorter than I normally wear, so I wasn’t sure about buying them. But, both my sister and best friend gave the approval so I decided to get them.

2. Bright Peach T-shirt

While this is just a t-shirt, it is very far removed from any color that I normally wear. I tend to stick to more muted colors, so a bright peach is a stretch for me. However, I do like the way it looks, so I’m happy with the purchase. In the picture I’m wearing it with my jean shorts, but I also have a pair of black ones that this shirt pairs well with. 

3. Blue Baby Doll Dress

I thought this dress was so adorable when I saw it hanging on the rack. And, bonus, it has pockets! I don’t own any dresses with pockets, so that was a huge draw for me. The problem with this dress was that I wasn’t sure if I was too old to wear it. As in, is this dress made for some cute skinny blonde in her twenties versus a thicker brunette in her early forties…So, I asked my trusty fashion consultants, and they both agreed that I could pull it off. (I showed my husband this one as well and he also agreed.) So, into the shopping cart it went!

4. White Bohemian Puff Sleeve Dress

Another dress with pockets! I chose this dress because, while it’s a simple dress, it’s not the style I would normally wear. It has a higher waistline, is very flowy, and has the puffed sleeves with a design on them. But this dress is also super comfortable and lightweight. Perfect for summer!

I’m not sure if these outfits will really make me more fashionable and in style, but I feel great wearing them. For me, that’s a big deal. 

How do you pull off fashion as a mom?