In this post, we’ll be covering my tips on how to dress stylish as a mum, but also keeping things practical for this season of life.
Being a mum is a full-time job. Often I feel as though there’s little time for myself, especially now that I’m chasing around a toddler all day. But I’ve made a real effort recently to make sure that I have a wardrobe that doesn’t compromise on style and makes me really happy.
The type of outfits I’ve been wearing recently are those that really feel like they reflect my personal style, they’re either classic looks or slightly on-trend whilst also being really comfortable and suitable for this season of life that I’m in.
Just because we’re mums now, doesn’t mean we have to compromise on style and comfort.
So below I am sharing my tips with you so that you can also master the art of stylish and practical mum outfits. Even if you’re not a mum I’m sure you’ll still get value from this post as well, especially if you like to dress well but also comfortably.
So there will be 6 steps I’m covering:
1. Comfort & pieces I currently reach for
2. Embracing White Fearlessly
3. Accessories
4. Creating a versatile wardrobe
5. Self-care
6. Staying true to yourself.
Okay, let’s get started.
How To Dress Stylish as a Mum
1. Start with Comfort
Ok, so we’re going to start with comfort because I think at the end of the day that’s the number 1 thing we all want when we’re getting dressed as a mum. We want to be comfortable so that we can move easily through our day.
I have personally made an effort to find my most comfortable jeans (yes comfortable jeans do exist), as well as comfortable trousers, loungewear, dresses, shoes, and layering pieces.
Let’s talk about these in more detail, as well as a few items that I personally love to wear at the moment.
Jeans
The most comfortable jeans that I own tend to have a little bit of stretch in them. I often pair my jeans with oversized shirts and chunky trainers or a sandal.
Other Trousers
Other trousers I love as a mum are my wide-leg linen trousers, my stretchy black flares, and my knitted trousers. I love my wide-leg linen trousers because they’re simple yet stylish and are a beautifully made piece. I can wear these trousers with any old T-shirt, vest top or shirt and it looks like I’ve made a real effort when I actually haven’t!
My tip here would be to focus on building your own staple trouser collection that you find to be comfortable yet stylish too.
Shoes
My winter go-to shoes as a mum are chunky trainers, or flat boots. Both of mine have really good support and good grip at the bottom. (Not risking any slips or falls holding/chasing bubs in winter!)
My summer go-to shoes at the moment are my birkinstocks and chunky black sandals, easy to slip on, and I get good support from both of these.
Overshirts
Overshirts are a big part of my current mum wardrobe, they are a really easy light layer and give an element of cool to my outfits.
Dresses
Dresses for me have been a game-changer for feeling put together as a mum, but hardly having to put in any effort. I have a bunch of dresses that I like to call my ‘throw-on dresses’. In mild weather these as my go-to.
I mostly wear midi dresses and maxi dresses so that there are no issues when bending down to play with my son.
However, I do often wear mini dresses and to help with the bending over issue, I recently got some nude anti-chaffing women’s boxers, to wear under my mini dresses. They’re made from bamboo and they’re so comfortable. I’d highly recommend them (see video below).
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Loungewear
Loungewear items I wear around the house are also a top priority for me now as a mum. I slowly started to care more about my loungewear when I began working from home back in 2020, but it’s been even more important to me now that I’m a mum.
If you spend a lot of time at home with your kids, I’d encourage you to think about what your loungewear looks like and if you could improve your style in this area. Just because you and your kids are the only ones seeing you like this (and maybe the postie when they come to door), it’s still really important to dress for yourself.
Put together an at-home outfit that matches and makes you feel cute or luxurious because that’s really important for your mental health. Our outfits can have a huge impact on our mood, so spend some time making your loungewear and pyjamas something you love.
Activewear
Activewear can be really comfortable, and I don’t think there’s anything wrong with wearing activewear during the day if that’s what you’re feeling. But my advice would be, to try to make an effort to make your activewear outfits really stylish.
To do this, think about what’s on trend with activewear at the moment. For me and my personal style, I’d add some sort of cap if I’m leaving the house, maybe some white ribbed socks with chunky trainers, and an oversized sweater.
2. Embrace White, Fearlessly
Whoever said white isn’t for mums clearly is just lazy with stain removal. Yep, I said it.
Don’t limit your wardrobe during this time of your life because you’re scared of stains. White outfits or soft-coloured outfits can look stunning, and there’s no reason you can’t enjoy them even with a little one in tow.
The key is to have a stain removal plan in place! I have this little Exit Stain Removal Bar, with a toothbrush in my laundry, this gets out a stain really well. Otherwise, if I’m out and I get a stain on me I’ll just get water to it straight away and try to blot out as much of the stain as possible.
Tip: Baby wipes are great stain removers!
Baby wipes are fantastic at removing stains, so if something happens while you’re out, grab some water and your baby wipes!
For 10% off use code emilyelizabethmay10.
3. Accessories are your best friend.
Accessories can transform any basic outfit into a stylish one. Even if you’re in a hurry (which we often are as parents), accessories are easy add-ons. You can wear jeans and a T-shirt, and look more put together with some accessories. So let’s talk about my must-have mum accessories.
My Must-Have Accessories:
- Earrings & Necklace: Earrings and a necklace are it. Honestly, you can wear a paper bag and put on earrings and a necklace, and that paper bag will look significantly better! I have my go-to’s for earrings and necklaces, usually a pendant necklace and hoop earrings. But for the past month I’ve tried something different which has just made dressing every day such a breeze. I’ve actually kept on the same earrings and same necklace the whole time I was away on holiday and I have continued to wear them since. I wear them in the shower and to bed, they don’t come off. This diamond necklace and these small huggies. Every morning when I put on an outfit, I look up in the mirror and go, oh cool that looks nice, and I’m ready to go. It’s such an easy way to skip the hassle of taking things on and off if you’re in a rush. Maybe every month you can swap them around for different pieces. But the bottom line is, don’t skip jewellery. I also have a few dainty rings that I keep on all the time. And every now and then I’ll put on bracelets. But only if I’m going out somewhere, I feel that in my everyday life, bracelets just get in the way a little bit, but that’s just me.
- Stylish Nappy/Diaper Bag: I personally just use hand-bags, as my nappy bag. I have a black tote and a beige tote bag and I alternate these. My brown bucket bag is also big enough to fit the essentials. These for me just feel a bit nicer than a traditional nappy bag.
- Sunglasses: Perfect for hiding tired eyes. Need I say more.
- Some sort of hat: A hat makes any basic outfit shine pretty quickly. Also fabulous for hiding dirty hair.
4. Creating a versatile wardrobe
Creating a versatile wardrobe is key. You want to make sure getting dressed in the morning is a breeze, if you choose one t-shirt it can easily be matched with any of your trousers and vice-versa. There are so many tips for creating a versatile wardrobe, but let me just leave you with a few important ones…
- Figure out your colour palette: having a colour palette that you stick to, is an essential first step in creating an overall wardrobe that can easily be mixed and matched
- Invest in neutral basics: usually having neutral basics makes it easier to mix and match. This doesn’t mean you can’t have colour. But I’d recommend starting with basics, then slowly and thoughtly adding in colour.
- Perfect your layering pieces: A layering piece can instantly transform your look, cardigans, blazers, light jackets and over-shirts.
- Invest in timeless items: timeless items are really easy to style. Find what timeless items work for YOUR personal style.
5. Don’t Forget Self-Care
Taking care of yourself is the best way to feel confident and stylish as a mum. So it’s time to develop your own beauty routine that’s quick and effective. This will look different for everyone. But here are two tips.
Quick Beauty Tips:
- Effortless Makeup: Figure out your minimal makeup routine that enhances your natural beauty. For me, sometimes if I’m going makeup-less, I just like to curl my lashes and brush my eyebrows (+ SPF!)
- Hair Tip: Have your own dirty hairstyle go-to look, and always have dry shampoo.
6. Stay True to Yourself
So this has to be said, don’t forget to stay true to your personal style. Being a mum doesn’t mean you have to abandon your previous fashion preferences, you just need to think about how you can adapt them to your new lifestyle.
For example, continue to wear the same colours you love, just think about the fabrics and cuts of items and if they will be a practical piece for you going forward.
If you used to wear heels because you enjoyed how they made you taller, think about maybe investing in some chunky trainers or platform trainers to give yourself that height back but remain practical.
Heard of lazy styling?
Something I like to talk about often in my content is lazy-styling. I have made a whole YouTube video on lazy-styling tips, which I think would also be really helpful for you to check out (see below).
Last thoughts to dress stylish as a mum…
Being a stylish and practical mum is all about finding a balance that works for you. Not every day is meant to be stylish. We know our mood and energy ebbs and flows, so be gentle with yourself and go with that natural flow!
With these tips and a bit of creativity, you can develop your go-to outfits so that you can look stylish and effortless going forward.
Go ahead, embrace white, and conquer your day in style!
If you have further tips to add please leave them in the comments below.
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