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!

 

StyleEye Mama turns 1!

The last three hundred and sixty some odd days have been the longest, shortest, most joy-filled, exhausting and exhilarating days of my life thus far. I’m sure most first-time  mom’s will use similar adjectives to describe their journey into motherhood. For me, these moments, days, and sleepless nights are best articulated with this list of words I had formerly only used to describe a Vegas-vacation or the moment after tasting a cookie-dough blizzard (yes, eating a blizzard can be exhausting!).

I’m not sure “words” can do this past year justice, but my blog going forward will be an attempt at illustrating where I have been and who I have become since I pushed this nugget out of me - without as little as an Advil to ease the physical pain, I might brag ;-).

Today, my son’s first birthday, felt like the ideal day to truly begin writing again. I’m finally ready to share, ruminate, and wax poetic on this new version of my life. 

It is my belief, or perhaps a 365-day drawn out excuse, that I have not been able to write/blog/share because I was not quite sure what I wanted to say. Shocking right? As most know, I have a strong and often bossy opinion. Only now, that opinion is rooted in the follies of motherhood. I had a Freudian slip the other day when I shared with a friend, “I’m ready to tell the world how style has affected my experience as a mother.” 

Thus far I’ve felt the intense excitement of breast pumps, mad love, and stretch mark creams, officially making me the “authority” on nothing and everything. My promise is to recount all of my sometimes-stylish and extremely fascinating (in my humble opinion) experiences that both have led me up to this day, and continue to color the ridiculousness of my life. 

A big shout out to my husband for buying me those Jimmy Choo Motorcycle boots last winter that made me feel like a human during my low-self esteem days. And, a huge “thank you” to my girl Wallace for keeping me sane while trying on clothes in those horribly lit Nordstrom fitting rooms (no one’s cellulite should suffer the scrutiny of fluorescent lights).

Okay...that’s it, let’s do this!

Love, love,

StyleEye Mama

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