Stylish Mum Uniform

[hollyangel]

After a conversation on another thread here, It made me think how much more an effort it is to be stylish when you are with the kids for prolonged periods of time, as opposed to out working.

So I thought it might be a good idea to share the best fashionable yet practical clothing you've found that help you feel yourself but still allow you to be warm and covered in mud at any point in time!

My best buys have been Spanx leather look moto leggings, Sweaty Betty leggings, M&S jeggings, all worn with either Uniqlo/Gap or M&S cashmere or merino wool oversized men's jumpers.

Coats are key to my Mum style, particularly these days when there's nowhere to go inside! So I bought an ankle length down puffer coat which keeps me warm and dry, I have a fab raincoat for wet Spring days and I wear a loose neutral colour wool coat in Autumn\Spring with bare ankles and either trainers or pumps.

Love to see links to anything anyone has bought recently too.

What's a "mum uniform"? "mum style"?

I think one of the keys for me was investing in appropriate shoes. Good quality, stylish flat boots, flat summer shoes and leather trainers. I previously always wore heels and then when I became a mum I was living in trainers or flip flops. Not a stylish look.

What is your fab raincoat, please?? (My raincoat radar just went off...)

I currently live in a few Hush shirt dresses - I think the style is called the Emmanuelle? - as they're smart enough for Teams meetings but very comfy (no waistband...)

When I'm not working it's ancient Matalan leggings and a sweatshirt that's technically from my nightwear drawer!

I agree re good coats, but I've thought that ever since having kids. I have a couple of bombproof Didriksons parkas, but this year I've bought a lovely duvet coat from Esprit and it's so warm and cosy to wear. It's so much easier to get motivated for a walk when you know you'll be warm! Actually on that note, my other great buy has been cheap touchscreen gloves from Amazon.

@Laquila

Mine was a French Connection one I found in TK Maxx but I've been researching my next one and I just posted this on another thread:

I think for raincoats, the brand name that I see popping up a lot on fashion Instas is Stutterheim. They are very Scandi in a neutral colour like khaki, navy or grey.

I also like Ilse Jacobsen, as someone mentioned up-thread.

My friend bought this M&S raincoat in the navy and it's fab on her.

https://www.marksandspencer.com/ie/longline-wax-look-jacket/p/clp60458725?color=NAVY#intid=prodColourId-60458725

@Cowgran Any recommendations for great flat boots? I find this one really tricky.

I got these last year,

www.dunelondon.com/en-ie/clover-sm-eyelet-detail-ankle-boot-grey-0618510100014297/

but I'm yet to find a more casual flat pair that suits me. All the very chunky ones I see on others are awful on me.

I do like a combined shirt & jumper. If only they could attach a pendant necklace to it as well. Job done.

www.riverisland.com/p/black-double-layer-shirt-jumper-789128?sem=1&cmpid=PLA_Bing&istCompanyId=28d3cba5-6749-43eb-904c-61b8cc01cf80&istFeedId=eb5a25fb-0a3e-44f9-8483-0294b33ad8bc&istItemId=impqlwqxw&istBid=tzwt&utm_source=bing&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=Brand&utm_term=4584894768787657&utm_content=Ad%20group%20%231&gclid=c87ddb1c099e135b58f6bb1af045687a&gclsrc=3p.ds

Sometimes Klass, Roman Originals and Wallis do tops that come with a co- ordinating necklace or pendant.
Although I appreciate these brands are probably a bit staid/ old fashioned.

Up similar style uniform here - I live in leather leggings with huge duvet coat and calf length combat boots at mo. Otherwise, trainers when weather a bit nicer.
The other thing I do is layer a jersey blazer over a jumper so when I take my cost off, I look a bit more put together - I love baggy jumpers too but am very petite so need a bit more definition to not look swamped.
I'm also wearing more tailored wide leg trousers with scoop neck bodies and blazer but then a big wool coat over top not the duvet coat as the dimensions are off. I have a dark grey and a natural colour wool coat.

Definitely helps to get dressed in the morning to have a uniform.

@JMAngel1

I love an oversized blazer worn casually with pumps or white trainers. My favourite is an Anine Bing-esque grey herringbone one I picked up in H&M of all places,It looks like I've made an effort with minimal effort

But I'm not petite, so a blazer under my Winter coat would look insane.

Actually love Anine Bing's style, I've linked an image of the blazer below on her, so glam.

@hollyangel unfortunately I'm probably not that helpful with brands as I'm in Australia. But my favourite pair were from a shop called Hobbs. Just above ankle height with laces and a little frill at the top. They're a few years old now but I've worn them so much and they just seem to get more comfortable.

Gorgeous blazer - H&M do some great dupes.

I wear mom jeans rolled up a bit plus doc martens or sweaty betty leggings and trainers, I also have some actual nice black wellies for messy walks. I live in huge jumpers. I usually wear a hat, either fedora style or a woolly hat. I have very long hair.

Stutterheim is quite expensive. Would anyone know a similar but a more affordable brand?

@hollyangel I love those grey boots that you linked to! Gutted that they are last year, had a quick look and out of stock everywhere it seems. They are lovely!

Do you have links to any of the jumpers you bought? I’ve never thought about buying men’s jumpers before and now I am thinking why not?!

@ZootSuit I love the boots, was so delighted when I found them. They're the perfect height and v comfortable. Keep an eye on eBay for them, they might pop up.

I saw the men's jumper tip on Instagram somewhere, I think it does depend on your build what size you buy, so you might have to try a couple to see what suits you. I've bought this from M&S in black and also this one from Uniqlo in charcoal grey. I've also bought a few pure cotton ribbed thick jumpers in Zara Men and they've been nice and long, so perfect over skinnies or leather leggings.

www.marksandspencer.com/ie/pure-cashmere-v-neck-jumper/p/clp60107900

These images are the kind of look I like.

@doadeer which mom jeans do you recommend? I had some from Next which I loved initially but they seem to have gone a bit shapeless in the wrong places. Ideally I'm after lightish ones with no (or few) rips...I can't pull off distressed!

I love the topshop ones, high waisted. I've never shopped at next so I don't know what they are like in comparison. I also have some from new look which are called something funny like a bum sculpting, but they actually are super flattering

@Cowgran, is that the same Hobbs we have here? I think it's a London based brand, the one here.

Op, I'm very practical and like to look put together, but I don't really do 'trendy' and try to avoid fast fashion. So a uniform is exactly what I go for.

I wear jeans and jeggings from M&S & Uniqlo a lot at the moment. Like you, I have an ankle length, down puffer coat, which is very warm. I have a navy raincoat, with a little bit more to it than just a mac, so it's a good in-between weight coat. On warmer, wet days (like today), I wear that instead of the big coat.

I stick to a smallish number of colours so most things go together ok. I wear leather knee high boots over the jeggings. Straight jeans I wear with trainers, usually turned up. I wear long sleeve tshirts under lambswool v neck jumpers. I have one scarf which goes with both of my every day coats.

In Spring/Summer, if I'm wearing jeans, I only wear straight leg, turned up and ditch the jeggings and boots. Mostly though in Spring/Summer, I wear dresses with trainers and a casual jacket if I need it.

I have had to learn how to shop for my lifestyle as I kept finding I had nothing to wear day to day, but had heaps of lovely things for the office and going out...problem is, I haven't worked in an office for about 6 years now and I very rarely go out, even in non covid times, (I have small dcs). When I do go out, it's just for fairly casual dinner and drinks, usually at friends' homes. So, I don't need endless pairs of heels or dressy dresses really. I have one dress for occasions and one pair of low heels to go with it. It even does for some funerals if needed, (unless they are very formal).

Ah @ParisJeTAime yes now that I think about it you are right.

@parishjetaime, I totally agree. It's just about dressing for the life I have now, rather than
the life I used to have.

@laquila, I love mom jeans with either suede heeled ankle boots or bare ankles and pumps in the summer, but I have never been able to make them really work for casual winter looks. It just never looks right on me.