StyleEye

Party for One!

To party or not to party? That is the question I asked myself for several months leading up to Marcus’s first birthday. I’m always down for a party because it typically presents the opportunity to buy a new outfit and drink vodka with reckless abandon. But a baby’s first birthday is hardly the occasion for cleavage and dancing...or is it?

About two weeks into planning I knew that I was going overboard. I went down a dangerous Etsy rabbit hole of themed/customized party favors, which ultimately led to decoration ideas, and finally manifested into the purchase of 8 bags of organic, non-gmo, candy corn from Whole Foods (which was strictly for decorative use). 

With party scheduled, a monkey wrench was thrown at me in the form of the 10-day weather forecast. I learned that the late-October afternoon we chose was going to be unseasonably 20 degrees warmer than normal. This information would continue interrupt my REM sleep each night with visions of what I might wear! I mean...think about it; late October, roof-top party, 87 degrees, halloween theme (did I mention it was Marcus’s first birthday party?)...what outfit would be seasonally, event, and weather appropriate? 

I got lucky as during trip a to the mall, I gambled that there would be some late summer season attire on sale, and I won! So, I marched to the back wall at Neiman Marcus, and low and behold, under that little red, sale sign, there it was! A silk (seasonally appropriate) maxi-dress (weather appropriate) that was grey with a black, vertical tie-die pattern (event appropriate!). I paired it with some cat ears to appear festive, as every hostess should!

The moral of this tale, if it even needs one, is this: baby birthday parties are all for the parents and in my case, the Moms outfit. I wonder, was it all worth it? It totally was! I looked so cute and so did Marcus (and the cake was to die for).  

As a side note, Marcus slept through most of it, cried during a majority of it and left early...

 

I have to thank the following for making the party so fun for me:-)

 

 

 

• Le Bakery Sensual for the best cake I’ve ever had...ever!

• Natalie from SoSweetPartyShop on Etsy for being the the root of my party-planning adventure

• Eileen Fisher for designing that dress just for me
• Janie and Jack for Marcus’s highly discounted summer outfit and my cat ears
• My husband for not yelling at me for the amount of money I spent ;-)
• Jacque, our amazing nanny, for photographing the event while wearing the cutest outfit you’ve ever seen:

• The weather Gods
• And of course, all of our attendees!

 

DelusionalEye; Bad Outfit Decisions = Good Style Lessons

Image Illustration by:  OXOlaterre

This is a dumb question, but have you ever seen the movie “Clueless?” (I’m going to imagine a resounding “yes” from all of you.) There is a scene where Cher discusses how she takes Polaroids of herself in outfits prior to leaving the house in them. I remember as a 14 year-old thinking, “GENIUS,” but never adopting the technique for myself.

Well, today I’ve learned a very valuable lesson that made me wish I had taken a picture prior to walking out the door...Sometimes, the best liad outfit plans can translate into a style disaster.

#badoutfit #baggyisntbetter #strollingintodelusion

 

My original post for today was going to touch on buying great maternity pieces that you can wear post-bump, however, I saw the photos, and my new post is about a delusional fashionista (me) and how to avoid becoming one. 

Here are my top suggestions for gals who are not living in their ideal body or are postpartum & looking to feel good in clothes:

1. Baggy is BAD. I know it’s cozy but it’s making you look bigger. Refer to the photo below...I looked at this and wondered how I miraculously gained 10lbs after not even having lunch!
2. Belts won’t help...just because you belted it, doesn’t mean you have created anything resembling waste.           #Iswearimnotthisbig...
3. Fitted doesn’t need to reveal flab. Invest in a Yummy Tummy smoothing tank and wear pieces that gently hug your curves and give you shape.
4. If your struggling with a thick mid section, or as dubbed on RuPaul’s Drag Race a few weeks ago “hog body,” no need for a corset, show off your boobs, it’s that simple.
5. And finally, be kind to yourself and smile like George Clooney gave you a 7 Karat emerald cut engagement ring, it will distract from any poor outfit choice!

I can’t believe I’m going to say this, but take a selfie! It will give you a different vantage point, just don’t post it until you’ve established the rules above are in play.

  #atleasthelooksgood

StyleEye Afterbirth

 

I’m back! And I’m carting *43 life-changing lb's and a slew of other “stuff” in a Louis Vuitton Neverfull, as I reclaim my StyleEye. (*18 of those are my baby, you do the math...)

Many new mothers might begin their first post back in over a year with a soliloquy about the magic of motherhood, but I've decided not to bore you with those details.

While Marcus could be a racially ambiguous Gerber baby, (that was a well-disguised brag) I have so much more to tell you about! (Which will likely be coated with antidotes about how beautiful my child is)

For my inaugural post as a mama; I thought I’d share the top 5 ways my style life has changed, and what you'll learn about my “journey” as a MILF thus far.

1. I, unlike Halle Berry & Ivanka Trump, who gave birth in the same month as me, have not, or will be, photographed in a tight outfit captioned with the headline, “Her body’s back after just 5 weeks!!”             
   

2. On EyeBeauty, get ready for breaking news on how many ways to wear your hair in a ponytail, how to cover up the smell of breast milk and my all-time favorite; “Am I willing to wear makeup while gambling on the fact that I’ll probably be too tired to wash my face at the end of the day?

3. How to make leggings work for every occasion! Even black tie events.

4. On EyeAccessorize I’m excited to share how my Stokke stroller has become one of the most expensive handbag I’ve ever owned.

5. How my full-haired, baby boy inspired me to lighten my locks so that people will continue to say “He looks just like you!”

 

Think of the new StyleEye as serving you Vogue meets Sesame Street fierceness.

#nothingfits #agoodreasontogoshopping
 

I’m beyond happy to be writing again, I can’t wait share this new chapter of style and living with you! (I promise, no dirty diaper posts, ever!)