I have boys, two of them. I love them with my whole soul, and I truly believe that I am a good boy mama, for a lot of reasons (I like sports and I don’t mind dirt and pretend tea parties cause me to go into a coma). But there are times when I am a little wistful about not having had a daughter.

Because girls have the CUTEST clothes.
Read the rest of this entry »

Business first: I’m thrilled by how many of you have joined WIM’s Work It, Kids! group. Groups like Work It, Kids! are a great way to connect with other working moms, and to get answers to all your pressing questions (sleep! homework! whining!). It is ALSO the key to entering the Work It, Kids! photo contest.

To enter your Wee Fashionista in the contest, join the Work It, Kids! group and then add photos to the photo pool. Winners will be chosen by random drawing on December 29th, so enter early and often!

All of the Fine Print can be found here.

To the mail bag! Whitney is looking for a holiday party dress.
Read the rest of this entry »

I’m all about basics, for everyone, but especially during pregnancy, because you’re trying to balance looking good and making sure everything fits, all without spending your entire year’s clothing budget on pieces that will only be useful for maybe six months, tops.

Did I say balance? I meant juggle.

The secret is to choose a small collection of staples, pieces that are the maternity version of what you would wear if you were NOT pregnant. For some things–tees and yoga pants, for example–look to retailers like Target; if your tees don’t survive the pregnancy, it doesn’t really matter. (But even for lounge wear, please PLEASE buy proper maternity pieces–don’t just make due with your husband’s sweats and tees. PLEASE. I’m begging you.)

If your office is very conservative, it might be worthwhile to invest in one suit and just wear the hell out of it. Look for something with pants AND a skirt; mix and match the pieces like you would a non-maternity suit. And don’t worry about wearing the same thing over and over–after all, you’re pregnant! How many maternity suits can you be expected to buy?

Think also about getting at least one dress, particularly for summer. A shirt dress is a great option because it can go easily from work to weekend. Wear pumps or dressy flats for the office, and cute skimmers for the weekend. Wear it with your suit jacket or a little cardigan ( you don’t need a maternity cardigan, by the way–wear a regular cardigan but DO NOT button). Choose something in a neutral color–navy or black or even white–which will allow you to change your look with accessories.

So what SPECIFIC pieces am I loving right now for the mamas-to-be? Funny you should ask . . .

Japanese Weekend Lux Jersey Polo, Bella Blu Maternity, $54.00

Mod Print Top, Bella Blu Maternity, $42.00

Black Fold Over Pants, Bella Blu Maternity, $88.00

Gap Maternity Roll Panel Modern Flare Pants, now $48.00

Knee Length Ponte Skirt, A Pea in the Pod, $125.00 (jacket and pants also available)

Liz Lange for Target Shirt Dress, $27.99

If you are supposed to go to a cocktail event after work, what are some appropriate outfits to wear? I’m having a bit of challenge regarding this for Thursday night, as I’m heading straight from work to a BlogHer event. I think summer is easy because you can just put on a dress, but in my mind, that’s about it.

Sara is right: a dress is the perfect solution for a day that will begin at the office and end with drinks and dinner. The secret to spiffing your workaday look up for the cocktail hour is accessories. Add a cool necklace or a pair of fancy chandelier earrings, something more elaborate or jingly than you would wear to work; swap your daytime shoes for a pair with embellishment or an open toe, and take your lipstick and cell phone out of your work tote and toss them in a wee little evening bag. And you’re good to go!

Nordstrom crystal chandelier earrings, currently $64.90

Not a dress girl? This works with pants and a blouse or a skirt and tee as well. I like a basic black tee with big gumball pearls for cocktails, or capri pants with strappy sandals. An embellished tank is also a good option; wear a jacket or sweater over it for the office, and then shed the jacket for after hours. A little well-placed bling can set the tone for an evening on the town, and make you look like you’re out for the evening, not on the way to a meeting.

Going out after work doesn’t mean carrying an entirely different outfit with you; change out some small details at the end of the workday, powder your nose, put on a sexier lip color, and you’re good to go. You can also take five minutes to put your hair up (or let it down, or put in a sparkly clip). In five minutes, you can be party ready, even if you are coming straight from the office.

If you will be at BlogHer this week, please come say hello! And for a list of fun things to do while you’re in Chicago, check out Sara’s post at the Chicago Moms Blog.

A dress is the simplest possible wardrobe piece you can own. A really great dress can stand on its own or be worn with a jacket or sweater or shawl; you can change your shoes or your accessories and change your entire look. A great dress can take you from day to evening, and from work to weekend.

If you will primarily be wearing your dress(es) to the office, there are a few rules to keep in mind. Avoid anything very low cut (a deep V neck can be worn for day with a pretty camisole underneath) or very short. The best hem length is just below the knee; when you sit down, the hem will sit just above the knee. Anything shorter and you will be showing clients all your assets. If you get my drift. By the same token, steer clear of dresses that require complicated undergarments; it’s not professional to spend your day hiking up your strapless bra. As a general rule, if the dress requires strapless lingerie, it is probably not office appropriate.

So how do you know what dress IS appropriate for your office? As a rule, you can’t go wrong with a classic wrap or shirtdress, in a basic neutral. However, you can ALSO choose a shirtdress or wrap in a color or pattern; the more conservative style of the dress will balance out the color and pattern.

If you’re going from day to evening, feel free to wear a dressier dress, but look for something that you could wear with a jacket or sweater for the work day, particularly if you choose a sleeveless style. Finally, a more feminine silhouette in a neutral color is a nice bridge from day to evening.

Classiques Entier shirtdress, $198.00

BCBG Max Azria shirt dress, $180.00

Maggie London print matte jersey dress, $98.00

David Meister print matte jersey dress, $308.00

Jones New York Collection silk dress, $159.00

Michael by Michael Kors silk dress, $159.50

Max and Cleo poplin dress, $118.00

All dresses available at Nordstrom.com.