Ok. I admit it. I am a mompreneur and I watch “What Not to Wear”. I know, I know, I should be working on my business or taking the kids to the park. For some reason I’m addicted to Stacy and Clinton. Could it be the humor of the show, or possibly the personalities of the 2 hosts? Is it the $5000 shopping spree in New York they give away? (I can only dream). No, all of that is great, but I think it’s really about my passion for fashion and style. I see fashion as a creative expression of each woman’s personality.
Today’s new breed of mompreneurs are breaking all the fashion rules. They are wearing stylish jeans, cute tees and hiding diapers in designer diaper bags. No longer will they hide their figure with “comfortable clothing”, baggy pants, baggy tees and flip-flops because they think, “Who cares, I work from home?” A big challenge of being a work-at-home mom is to remain a professional and a mom at the same time. Your style will change when you have kids, especially when you transition from a professional wardrobe to a mommy wardrobe. A mompreneur must fit somewhere in between. Mompreneurs are women who love themselves and their kids, but don’t drown in the whirlpool of motherhood. They can be sexy, appropriate and professional at the same time.
It’s time to change your wardrobe from frumpy to fabulous. Go for tailored – get rid of baggy. Ditch the clothing that does not flatter your figure. Mompreneurs don’t go outside wearing sweat pants. The clothes you wear represent who you are and what your business is. You are representing your business all the time. You never know who you may meet in the school parking lot or at you local fast food chain. You don’t want to be distracted from business because you are thinking, “I wish I had put something nicer on!”
As a mom and business owner your day is crazy. You take the older kids to school, the younger to the park. You help with homework and drive to practice. Somewhere in there you mix in business meetings, phone calls and order processing in addition to cleaning the house and dinner with your guy. Your wardrobe needs to be comfortable, washable and wearable to make it easy for you during the day. Choose clothing to compliment and embellish the mompreneur you are. Buy classic pieces that fit right and look great on you!
Here are my top 9 ways for each mompreneur to turn essential wardrobe elements into fantastic outfits:
1. Get a great full-length mirror - you need to see yourself all at once.
2. You must find the perfect jeans. Try on a LOT of jeans to find the perfect fit. If you suck it in and hold your breath to button them up, they don’t fit. Find the right size. Then buy two. One for heels and one for flats. (Hint: Dark denim is more versatile as it can easily be dressed up.) When you hit the jackpot your PERFECT jean can be worn every day. You can never go wrong with a pair of jeans that hugs your curves just right. People will notice how great you look.
3. The basic black dress. A must for every mompreneurs closet. Splurge on the perfect one for your body and choose a classic shape and hemline to show your curves. Routinely add new accessories and shoes to refresh your look.
4. Every woman needs a fabulous A-line skirt. Treat it like your favorite pair of jeans. Wear it with your favorite tees or a sweater, wear a little heel, and pack a change of shoes in the car for chasing the kids after school.
5. Longer length tanks and under tees expand your wardrobe. Use with short shirts, deep necklines and low-rise pants. No more covering, tucking or flashing when you bend over to pick up puzzle pieces off the floor.
6. Add a great pair of wide-leg pants to your wardrobe. Wide-leg pants will give you the illusion of narrow hips and will help balance the look of your body. Buy them in chocolate brown. Brown is a great alternative to black. Wear with flats or heels.
7. Use shoes to complete your outfit. Buy a pair of interesting shoes with a captivating color like red or green. This will add pizzazz to the standard t-shirt and jean. Get a shoe with some heel and make those legs look long. Don’t just buy tennis shoes for comfort. Sneakers come in cool designs and colors to accentuate any wardrobe.
8. Accessorize. Kick up the wardrobe to another notch. Earrings, necklaces, etc. But please, don’t grab your 7-year olds butterfly barrettes or tinker bell charm bracelet.
9. Tees don’t come just in black and white. Experiment with different styles and colors. Find the colors that flatter your skin and make you look healthy and radiant. Stay away from cartoon characters and cutsie sayings.
Every day you should dress as mompreneur. When it’s mommy day on the floor, dress in your cool sneakers, hot jeans and favorite tee. If you have to rush to a meeting or to volunteer in your child’s classroom, you can be confident you will look appropriate for both situations. When you plan a night out with your guy, start off the day with a nice outfit, full-blown hair and make-up. If your day starts off on the right foot, you don’t have to switch from mompreneur to hot wife after the kids are in bed.
The bottom line is to combine your fashion style with the demands of business and motherhood. Wear stylish outfits to take you comfortably from meetings to playground. Remember, you are always representing yourself as well as your business.