One thing I’ve noticed after living in the suburbs is the tendency of fellow moms to, as my brother-in-law says, “pack it in.” Hey moms, just because you have a house in the suburbs or have become a mom doesn’t mean you should give up on how you look. You may not be wearing mom jeans but chances are you could be taking better care of your physical appearance and by extension, your general well-being.
I am by no means a fashionista or great beauty but there are small things I do that I wish other moms in my nabe would experiment with. For example, I get my hair cut and colored on a regular basis but I also try to get my hair blown out as often as I can manage because I am a mess with a blow dryer - having good hair is half the battle. I also like to get manicures and pedicures every few weeks or more often because I am a klutz with nail polish. And once in a while, I’ll get my brows and lip waxed or threaded (fewer bumps). If you can’t afford to have these things done by a professional, learn how to do them yourself. All of these things take but a few hours every few months and even if you’re home with the kids all day, Daddy can manage once a month for a few hours so you can take care of business. And you can always trade babysitting with a friend so you can attend to these personal things.
Fashion-wise, my number one pet peeve is the mom uniform of sweat or yoga pants- unless you just came from the gym or yoga studio, who are you fooling? Yes, they are comfortable but so are my pajamas and I make sure I take them off before I leave my home. Instead my uniform is a pair of jeans or solid skirt and a solid t-shirt with a flattering fit and cool sneakers, sandals or flats. It really doesn’t take that much longer than donning yoga pants and you don’t need to spend a lot of money on them. Oh and I know it’s easier buying clothes for your kids but should probably buy new clothing for yourself every five years at least, and definitely within 6 months after giving birth if you’re a different size than you were pre-pregnancy.
