#mommysolutions

[9mthslater]

White Hot Mama . . .

As I stood there trying to figure out how I was going to make it through the next 30 seconds without having a complete meltdown, my girlfriend amusingly explained to me that having a toddler and wearing white will almost always be a recipe for disaster!  "They're very active and very messy" she said as she tried to console me.  Of course at this point, I'm thinking to myself, this was information that I so could have used about 3 hours ago as I was thoughtfully selecting my look for the day but, thank you and duly noted for next time. 

That was more than 10 years ago and that particular chocolate chip cookie experience has haunted me since then.  However, when I became a mommy myself, I was determined to figure out how to have it all and fearlessly reclaim my right to wear white with my little one in tow.

So for all of the Mommies out there who are ready to do the same, here are a few creative suggestions:

White Nails.  White nail polish is hot for the summer and Zoya has the best contender hands down.  

                                            Zoya's Purity is a great, easy way to wear white without liability.  This particular shade is a stark white but won't make you look like you just got bored and painted your nails with white out (I totally just dated myself btw).  Also, like with all of the other Zoya colors, your manicure will last the full week without chipping!  Yay!

A cute white handbag.  A white handbag is a great way to pull white into your look without having to worry about lovable little fingerprints ending up all over it before you can get out of the house.  There are tons of styles at different price points in the market, but I personally love Alexander Wang's Diego Bucket Bag.

                                  You can carry it on your shoulder or messenger-like across your body and it's the perfect size for everything that you'll need to get through the day plus a sippy cup or two for the little one.   

A White Fedora.  We've talked about bad hair days and how a fedora can work double duty by solving your bad hair dilemmas and instantly elevating your casual look. Well, I love the idea of stepping it up a notch and incorporating a white version.  This one with the black band and rim is a classic and will totally make you feel like you should be in a random, smoky cafe somewhere in Morocco with Bogie and  Lauren.

Cuffs or Bracelets.  Another great way to wear white without wearing white is to accessorize with a statement piece and Tory Burch's Lucite Cuff is perfect for it.  

                                                                I love it because it can be dressed up or dressed down and once your put it on, you pretty much don't need any other accessories.

Now that you're armed with a little bit more knowledge than I was all those years ago, go out and boldly reclaim your right to wear white without fear of chocolate!  

xo,

K

[9mthslater]

The Pedi is the first thing to go. . .

                                                  For months it was business as usual.  Life couldn’t have been better.  My daughter was growing bigger and healthier each day.  My skin was clear.  My nails were strong and I still didn’t own one item of maternity clothing.  Among other things, my beauty routine included a weekly Friday morning appointment with my chic and utterly hilarious, hair stylist Antonio followed quickly and closely by my weekly mani and pedi with Jin at the nail salon.  My eyebrows were thread every other week by Sanjii and waxing with Marta was on deck once a month. Pregnancy so far was a cakewalk.  I couldn’t understand what all the fuss was about.  

For weeks, I was a hot mess – the hottest! And I couldn’t have that, so I decided to put my big girl panties on (more thoughts on that another day) and figure out a plan.  

One thing I did know at this point was that one beauty adjustment at a time was all that I could mentally manage.  I also knew that I should start with the simplest task first.  So I decided to take it back to 1993 and do my own pedicure.  I wasn’t quite brave enough to take a shot at doing my own manicure.  A pedicure however, was another story.  Surely I could do my own pedicure - right?  I mean I’ve watched salon technicians do them so many times that by now I should be able to do mine with my eyes closed.  Plus, I’d take a not so perfect pedi over a hacked mani, any day of the week.  The next day, I marched down to the mall (baby stroller and all) and stocked up on a few products to help me rise to the occasion. 

The first things I tried and fell in love with were Bath & Body Works’ Smoothing Foot Scrub & Super Rich Foot Cream.  I used the foot scrub in the shower and the cream afterwards and my feet felt like I’d just had a paraffin pedicure. They were amazing and inexpensive – a combination that I wasn’t mad at! 

                                                                                                                             Now, anyone who’s ever had a pedi knows that one of the keys to the perfectly finished product is making sure your cuticles are on point.  Painting your toes with un-manicured cuticles will end in disaster every time!  So, I had to make sure that I did this right.  Cue: Sally Hansen’s Gel Cuticle Remover.  

                                                              I have to say, I was pleasantly surprised. It smelled really good and had these tiny exfoliating beads that really conditioned my cuticles and again – the price was right. 

Smooth feet and clean cuticles – check and check!  Now all that’s left was the right color.  After dealing with the fact that I was doing my own pedicure, mama was in need of a little luxury pick me up, so I pulled out one of my loves – Chanel Le Vernis Nail Colour in Rose Exuberant.

                                                         The first stroke felt like heaven and the thought of not having time to go to the salon didn’t bother me as much once I saw the beautiful, familiar color on my toes. I felt special again and all was well with the world, at least for this week.

Now, I have to be honest and say that although I did a pretty good job and was really proud of myself, mama is not a DIY convert. I dream of the day when I’m able to put my feet up, sit back in that large, yummy massage chair and let Jin work her special kind of magic.