Red Soled Momma - Page 55 of 58 - Long time fashion stylist and recent mom Red Soled Momma is a blog about my journey back to glamour after baby & all the wondrous things.

MOMMA PLEASE??? boho baby style

Boho chic has been popularized most recently by one of THE most fashionable mom’s in the world, Kate Moss. Its one part hippie, one part rock n’roll and one part gypsy. Its eclectic, referential, sweet, punk, classic, pretty and effortlessly cool. Furthermore, its a perfect look for our little ones. The bohemian look is so darling when miniaturized for our kids and the more you mix and match color and textures the sweeter it looks. A little floral dress with a faux suede vest and fringed boots, colorful corduroys with a chunky fair isle sweater – youthful yet pulled together it will always be one of my favorite looks. Here are some of my favorite boho pieces for our precious babies.

First for the little ladies:

Zara dress $35.90 available at www.zara.com

Zara boot $45.90 available at www.zara.com

Old Navy vest $7.97

Gap leggings $24.95 available at www.gap.com

Zara bag $39.90 available at www.zara.com

Peek dress $42 available at www.peekkids.com

Zara boots $59.90 available at www.zara.com

Peek vest $58 available at www.peekkids.com

Gap jeans $16.99

Zara dress $42.90 available at www.zara.com

Zara bag $29.90 available at www.zara.com

H&M dress $14.95 available at www.hm.com

H&M boots $19.95 available at www.hm.com

Zara blouse $35.90 available at www.zara.com

And for the little gentlemen…

Gap cords $29.95

H&M cardigan $19.95 available at www.hm.com

Zara shoes $49.90 available at www.zara.com

Zara shirt $29.90 available at www.zara.com

Old Navy one piece $29.94 available at www.oldnavy.com

Zara boot $49.90 available at www.zara.com

H&M pants $17.95 available at www.hm.com

Gap hat $22.95 available at www.gap.com

Zara sweater $35.90 available at www.zara.com

Zara scarf $19.90 available at www.zara.com

Zara boot $55.90 available at www.zara.com

Gap sweater $39.96 available at www.gap.com

Zara pants $39.90 available at www.zara.com

Zara cardigan $45.90 available at www.zara.com

MOMMA TIP… getting the wrinkles out (from your clothes not your face)

Okay, I’m a fashion stylist, what does that mean? Many things, but one of the most important parts of my job is making sure clothes look amazing and one major thing that makes clothes look terrible are wrinkles. As a busy mom I know that time is not in abundance and that sometimes keeping clothes looking neat is not a top priority, so I just wanted to share with you my main trick. Steam. Get rid of that iron. Ugh! I hate irons! They infuriate me and I refuse to ever use one. They ruin clothes by scorching them or spitting that gross brown water on them – and then there’s just the obnoxious factor of having to get the ironing board out and yadah yadah. So, do what my fellow stylists and I do – use steam.

*** I will share the actual steamer that I use BUT – I need you to know my fun, efficient, time saving and INEXPENSIVE tip which is to take your clothes into the shower with you! Not IN the shower but in the bathroom – hang them just outside the shower, turn on the hot water, have a shower, and whilst your bathroom steams up, the wrinkles in your clothes will fall out. Of course, the heavier the fabric the more time it can take – but this is an easy and fast way to prep your clothes while you’re getting ready for the day – and what mom doesn’t love a good multi-tasking tip!

Now, on to the equipment, the Jiffy steamer I am picturing below is the one that I use and the one that I find in every photo studio and location van. It is tried, true and the best. That said, Jiffy also does an amazing hand held (which I am also picturing) which I keep in my kit which is small, light weight and less expensive. That said ,there are tons of steamer options out there at varying price points – these are the 2 that I can solidly vouch for. Extra tip, I put a white ankle sock over the head of the steamer and rubber band it on to make it taught – this helps absorb some of the water and prevent it from spitting all over your clothes (I hate that) and always try to steam from inside your clothes, put the head of the steamer inside the garment and steam along the fabric from inside. Finally, if you’re dealing with particularly delicate fabric like silk make sure to use filtered water (just to be on the safe side) and never touch the head of the steamer to the fabric. Let the steam get to the fabric and sort of guide it along the areas that need attention (the sock will also add an extra layer of protection just in case). Happy steaming!

Jiffy Esteam hand held steamer $61.83

MOMMA’S MATERNITY MONDAY

This is for all the expectant momma’s out there! I know when I got pregnant one of my biggest fears was maternity clothing. Hideous, cheap, frumpy… I couldn’t face it. I fought it throughout my pregnancy stretching out my clothes and living in leggings and oversized sweaters. I only wish I had known what I know now… Maternity has gotten chic!! Seriously! There’s no longer need to be fearful of your maternity wardrobe, in fact, you’ll wish you could continue wearing it post baby (actually you will continue to wear some of it post baby – 9 months to put it on and 9 months to take it off is a general rule of thumb). Now you can join glamorous expectant celebrities like Kate Winslet, Gwen Stefani and maybe even Kerry Washington (if the rumor is right) by embracing your growing bump. This will be a weekly feature so tell all your expectant friends about Maternity Monday. I know how daunting it can be to style your body when it’s no longer your own and I am here to lend a helping hand. Here are this week’s top maternity must haves:

Asos top $35.60 available at www.asos.com

Hatch pants $208 available at www.shopbop.com

Asos dress $44.50 available at www.asos.com

New Look sweater $39.14 available at www.asos.com

Asos jeans $53.39 available at www.asos.com

Asos coat $142.38 available at www.asos.com

Asos top $56.95 available at www.asos.com

Topshop sweater $92 available at www.topshop.com

Maternity dress figure hugging New Look Asos

New Look dress $32.02 available at www.asos.com

Maternity dress red figure hugging Top Shop

Top Shop dress $50 available at www.topshop.com

H&M cardigan $29.95 available at www.hm.com

Gap jacket $128 available at www.gap.com

MOMMA MUST HAVE… the little black dress (fit and flare)

Okay, so this is the first of MANY little black dress posts I will be doing because (truth be told) it has been and always will be the instant answer for everyone’s what should I wear question. I am focusing this post on mini black dress options with a fit and flare silhouette at every price point. From no price limit to under $50 there is an option for everyone and you won’t be disappointed… The fit and flare silhouette gives a classic hour glass shape showing off the curves we love while concealing the bits we like a less… Dark colors always give a slimmer more elegant look which is why the little black has long been a fashion staple and probably always will.

For those with no price limit…

Victoria Beckham dress $2395 available at www.netaporter.com

Under $500…

Sandro dress $285 available at www.sandro-paris.com

Under $100…

Closet dress $74.75 available at www.asos.com

and under $50…

Asos dress $35.60 available at www.asos.com

MOMMA LOVES… a little lace

When was the last time you wore lace? It certainly seems a bit dressy or fussy for running around with your toddler or even going to work but not anymore. Lace has been everywhere on the runway, redcarpet and of course in stores… but its not necessarily fancy. Its decorative, yes, but its used sparingly and more as a way to add a bit of style to an otherwise very practical item of clothing. A lace panel in a sweater, a lace ruffle on a t-shirt, or a bit of peek-a-boo that enables that item of clothing to take you from day to night. It may sound crazy but that little bit of lace can get more mileage than you think – from the park, to the office to dinner… There’s an easy way to dress it up or down with a bit of styling. Throw a blazer on and you’re ready for the boardroom, pair it with boyfriend jeans and its perfect for a trip to the park, add heels and its time for a night out on the town. I’m a believer and here are some of my favorite lace adorned pieces (and I threw in a couple little lace dresses as well since it is holiday season coming up):

Zara jumpsuit $99.90 available at www.zara.com

Maje top $165 available at www.maje.com

Alice and Olivia dress $400 available at www.netaporter.com

Zara top $69.90 available at www.zara.com

Topshop top $76 available at www.topshop.com

Asos dress $67.63 available at www.asos.com

Sandro top $340 available at www.sandro-paris.com

H&M top $17.95 available at www.hm.com

7 for All Mankind jeans $189 available at www.revolveclothing.com

Clu top $170 available at www.netaporter.com

BB Dakota dress $98 available at www.shopbop.com

Marc by Marc Jacobs top $128 available at www.shopbop.com

Ella Moss top $128 available at www.shopbop.com

Jimmy Choo shoes $1250 available at www.netaporter.com

Zara lace back sweater $59.90 available at www.zara.com

Three Floor dress $286 available at www.shopbop.com

little black dress lace Diane Von Furstenburg

Diane Von Furstenburg dress $365 available at www.netaporter.com

MOMMA KNOWS… beauty tips for tired eyes

So, yes, sleep is no longer a given. I’m lucky if I get 4 hours straight without my little man waking up and wanting to come into our bed (where he likes to sleep horizontally between us kicking one of us while head butting the other). There is no question, the eyes are the windows to how much or how little we’ve slept the night before. So here are my beauty go-to’s for tired eyes…

1) EYEDROPS: Having been on set with some of the most amazing makeup artists in the world I noticed they often had these incredible blue eye drops which take the red out of eyes instantly and better than any other product out there. They are french and whenever I was in France I would buy it in bulk… well, I have found them here on Amazon and make no mistake – these are a GAME CHANGER!

Innoxa Gouttes Bleues eyedrops $28.99 (for 2 boxes) available on Amazon

2) UNDER EYE CREAM: look for one that helps moisturize, reduce the look of fine lines and lightens dark circles. This one from Clinique is brilliant.

Clinique even better eyes $39.50 available at www.sephora.com

3) TWEEZERS: invest in a truly great pair of tweezers – I could not live without my Tweezerman tweezers – clean brows immediately brighten the area and give an over all more manicured look. I believe that the eyebrows are the window frames to the face and having a clean brow can change your entire look from tired and worn to fresh faced and rested.

Tweezerman tweeters $22 available at www.sephora.com

4) EYE BRIGHTENER: the YSL Touche Eclat is THE luminizing pen that just brightens the orbital area. It is tried and true and has been around forever (because it WORKS). It can be used in many areas (under brows corner of the eye, under eye, even between brows and alone the nose to add contouring if needed) – it adds light and radiance for an over all more rested appearance. From years of working in fashion, I don’t know a fashion editor, makeup artist or model that doesn’t keep one of these in their bag at all times.

YSL Touche Eclat $40 available at www.sephora.com

5) CONCEALER: There are so many great brands in every price bracket (the key is to find the right shade for your skin tone and one that doesn’t dry up or look cake-y). For me, there is only one. The concealer that in undoubtably the best in the business (as confirmed to me by my celebrity makeup artist friends time and time again) is by Cle de Peau. It is pricey (because its the best) but it lasts a long time and I could not have gotten through the last 16 months of sleepless nights without it… If I wear no other makeup I still wear this.

Cle de Peau concealer $70 available at www.neimanmarcus.com

6) WHITE EYELINER: This may sound insane but I line the inner rim of my eyes with a white eyeliner (warm it up on the back of your hand first to soften the pencil so it glides on easier). The white helps conceal the redness from lack of sleep and adds additional light to the eyes. Just how black liner can close the eye and give that sexy smokey cat eye affect – the white liner (again on the inside rim of your eyes) makes the brighter and whiter. You can also add a bit to the inside corners of the eyes which makes the eyes look bigger and more radiant as well.

take the red out of eyes white eyeliner Makeup Forever eyeliner

Makeup Forever eyeliner (in white) $17 available at www.sephora.com

7) EYE LASH CURLER: Another way to open your eyes is to lift and curl those lashes. Shu Uemura is universally known to be the best eye lash curler and I’ve been loyal to mine (I think I’ve had 3 or 4 now) over the last 15 years. Beautifully curled lashes just open up the eye and give you a bit of extra glamour when you just feel like crawling back into bed.

Shu Uemura eyelash curler $20 available at www.shuuemura-usa.com

8) MASCARA: Distract with amazing lashes! Eyes look brighter next to your beautifully curled and mascara-ed (is that a word?) lashes. Maybelline’s Great Lash has been THE tried and true go-to mascara that you can find in every singe makeup artist’s kit. Its inexpensive and after all the years that it has been around still holds up against all the expensive designer mascaras out there. Mascara just adds that bit of extra polish to tackle your busy day after your sleepless night. Just because you feel like a zombie doesn’t mean you have to look like one…

Maybelline Great Lash mascara $6.09 available at www.soap.com

MOMMA PLEASE??? superheroes and princesses

Since the beginning of time kids have enjoyed playing dress up… and as long as there have been stories of superheroes and fairy princesses, these have been the go-to characters little boys and girls have loved to dress up as. We often laugh at how our son, Max, looks like a young Clark Kent (Superman curl and all) and this year I was hoping to dress him as superman for Halloween. Sadly, the costume I wanted didn’t come in his size… so we went with Spiderman. Thus, in honor of Halloween and all the kids out there getting dressed tonight as their childhood heroes, I wanted to feature some of my favorite superhero and princess themed clothing (added bonus – it’s a lot less of a battle getting them dressed in the morning when their outfit features one of their favorite characters!)

first the princesses:

H$M t-shirt 2 pack $17.95 available at www.hm.com

Disney puffer jacket $39.99 available at www.target.com

Disney sleepwear $34 available at www.diapers.com

Couture Clip tutu $28 available at www.shopkitson.com

Disney t-shirt $12 available at www.oldnavy.com

Disney ballet flats 19.99 available at www.target.com

Snurk Girls duvet and pillow set $80 available at www.jcrew.com (not clothing but WOW is this cute!)

and the superheroes:

Old Navy sweatshirt $24.95 available at www.oldnavy.com

Old Navy t-shirt $16.94 available at www.oldnavy.com

Junk Food hat $24.95 available at www.gap.com

City Threads onesie $14.40 available at www.diapers.com

Batman sleepwear $13.49 available at www.target.com

Superhero sweater $22.99 available at www.gap.com

Junkfood t-shirt $22.39 available at www.diapers.com

MOMMA NEEDS… the wedge sneakers

I am not a sneaker girl. I have never been an athlete, always did everything I could as a kid to get out of gym, and was baffled by the hiking culture in LA when I moved here, so clearly I am not going to be anyone’s fitness role model… I am a high heel girl… since I was in school I was obsessed with them. I would practice, practice, practice around the house and breeze the hallways in my high heels – walking in heels really became my sport… That said, I would TRY to find cute sneakers. It seemed like something everyone should have in their closet and the practical choice to wear for those long days standing on set or running around on appointments, but I just couldn’t figure out how to make sneakers look cute… And then Isabel Marant came on to the scene with her wedge sneakers and I couldn’t figure out if I loved the look or hated it. I liked the idea of having the extra height while still being comfortable. I even kind of liked the bizarre contrast of the chunky shoe with skinny jeans but I also thought it looked a bit ridiculous. So, I decided to go for the Zara version of the wedge sneakers and I’ve never looked back. My lord are they comfy!! I could run up hills while carrying my baby, I could schlep all those heavy garment bags around town, I could even go out to dinner with my husband and feel as though I looked pulled together. These shoes were life changing! The number of compliments I got were off the charts – oddly, mostly from men!! Seriously, even my Fedex guy commented “hey, are those the Isabel Marant’s? They’re hot.” I was pretty floored… and impressed by his fashion knowledge. And so, as fall approaches once again, I’ve dusted off my trusty Zara sneakers and I am looking forward to another cold season in comfort… I have even been contemplating making the jump and going for the Isabel Marants… These wedge sneakers exist at every price point and I have selected some of my top picks below…

Isabel Marant sneakers $695 available at www.netaporter.com

Zara sneakers $99.90 available at www.zara.com

Chloe sneakers $760 available at www.netaporter.com

Aldo sneakers $90 available at www.aldoshoes.com

H&M sneakers $49.95 available at www.hm.com

Steve Madden sneakers $160 available at www.nastygal.com

Ash sneakers $300.79 available at www.asos.com

MOMMA NEEDS… the ultimate jackets

I am a jacket girl. I cannot have enough jackets. I have a particular addiction to blazers (but that addiction shall be highlighted in a future post) but today I am talking about the biker jacket. The idea of “biker” jacket might strike fear into the hearts of many of you, but I’m not talking about some Harley Davidson heavy utilitarian jacket – these biker jackets are form fitting, incredibly designed and beyond special. I dreamt for years of a Rick Owens biker jacket which my husband surprised me with 2 years ago and it is still (and probably always will be) one of my most treasured items. These are the jackets that transform your jeans and t-shirts in to an outfit. Dressed down or dressed up every one of us needs a gorgeous motorcycle style jacket in our wardrobe and there are SO many to choose from this season. Here are just a few of my favorites:

Yigal Azrouel jacket $1490 available at www.intermixonline.com

McQ Alexander Mcqueen jacket $1045 available at www.netaporter.com

YAS jacket $391.56 available at www.asos.com

Helmut Lang jacket $1195 available at www.netaporter.com

Zara jacket $99.90 available at www.zara.com

Phillip Lim jacket $950 available at www.netaporter.com

Top shop jacket $85 available at us.topshop.com

Karl Lagerfeld jacket $335 available at www.netaporter.com

Nasty Gal jacket $88 available at www.nastygal.com

Rick Owens jacket $2575 available at www.netaporter.com

H&M jacket $49.95 available at www.hm.com

MOMMA LOVES… the skull motif (for us and them)

So, in honor of Halloween week, I wanted to do a post featuring one of my favorite trends (which has been around since the beginning of time) the skull motif. The punk movement made skulls rock and roll and over time they have become a mainstream style staple. This is largely in part to Alexander Mcqueen using the skull motif repeatedly in his high end designs. We can now find the skull print not only in the expensive market but at all price points for both ourselves and our mini-me’s. Everything for clothing to accessories to jewelry and even furnishings – skulls are here to stay and they’re a great way to inject a bit of edge to your look and a bit of humor into theirs. Here are some of my favorites:

First for us…