I was lucky enough to have a Guest Blogger write for me this week. A big thanks to Katie for reminding us that busy Moms can do it all and look good while doing it! Also, be sure to check out her amazing line of
Chloe + Isabel.
I am a merchandiser with a jewelry company that has found a
reputable spot in the fashion world. The results is that I know about things
like the Pantone fashion colors for Spring 2015. I had never heard the word
Pantone before working for Chloe + Isabel. I have a love for fashion, but the
extent was magazines and shopping my own style. I'm a unique person (as we all
are) and I embraced coming up with my own style from an early age. I needed
a blue, crushed velvet beret for my eleventh birthday. At fourteen I was
obsessed with Audrey Hepburn and wore gigantic, round black movie star glasses
and a scarf to school. A classmate asked me if I was dressing up as an aviator.
I wore Doc Martens when they were trendy, but I was never scared to rock my
style the way I was feeling it. My style was the outward appearance of the kid
who loved old movies, classic books (ok, ANY book), went to musical theater
camp, and was a transplant from West Hartford, CT to a small, Maine town.
Fast forward 20 years. I am a divorced mama to two sweet
cherubs, Liam is almost 5 and Nora is almost 3. I work full-time as a teacher
and along with working as a Chloe + Isabel merchandiser, I have just started up
a wellness coaching business. Busy Mom may as well be my middle name. Or just my
name. Nothing strips away your sense of self like becoming a Mom. I love my
children with the kind of love that has no poetry. I've wanted to be a Mom
since I breastfed my Cabbage Patch dolls. I was a nanny and an elementary
teacher; but anytime you clump a group of people under a one-word umbrella they
become a generalization.
Mom. You see a tired woman with kids hanging off her and
cereal stuck to her shirt. Her clothes are probably yoga pants and a long tee
shirt. Actually, what does it matter? Her style is nondescript, because we
assume she doesn't have time for style. Whether Mom is working out of the home
or trying to get the kids to a playgroup within an hour of the suggested start
time, Mom doesn't have the luxury of seconds it takes to put on a pair of
earrings.
But what if you did take those seconds to throw on some easy
jewelry? What if you had a few staple pieces that were easily accessible and
you knew it would work with pretty much anything you wore? You will accomplish
so many things during the day, even if it's merely keeping your children fed,
but imagine if you had that “pulled together” feeling while you were doing it.
Maybe you're walking through Target with your kids hanging off of the cart and
someone catches that sparkle around your neck and thinks, “Wow, she's one of
those Moms that has her sh*t together. She wears jewelry.” And you can relish
in the fact that it literally took you 45 seconds.
And let me tell you, as a mom who works out of the home,
when I pick my kids up from preschool and the little girls see my sparkly
jewelry...coolest mom e.v.e.r.
There are quite a few reasons that Chloe + Isabel is the
jewelry company a busy mom should shop with. Affordable, nickel-free,
lead-free, hypoallergenic. There is truly something for everyone; the whole
reason for the company name is that there is jewelry crafted for the “Chloe”
and the “Isabel.” Chloe is the trendsetter who takes fashion risks and Isabel
has a classic and refined style. Mix and match between the styles if you are
like me and love it all!
The best part about the jewelry, though, is that it has a
LIFETIME GUARANTEE. Talk about jewelry made for a busy mom! I have, in fact,
had to replace a pair of earrings that my 2 year old daughter found within
reach and (obviously) decided to bash them into the coffee table until a stone
fell out. The jewelry is quality, but not much can withstand the wrath of a 2
year old. Thank goodness for the lifetime guarantee and a customer care team
that provides the fastest and most pleasant experience I've ever had.
What does a busy mom wear for jewelry? I think it depends on
a couple of factors: how old your children are and your personal style. I will
recommend some staples, but if you think you would hate to wear a long pendant
or a sparkly collar necklace by all means, go for the sterling silver pendant.
When you visit my e-boutique (insert link to www.chloeandisabel.com/boutique/katiebrunelle)
you'll see four “collections” at the bottom of my boutique page. I can
personalize these collections so that when you click on one the jewelry I've
chosen for that collection pops up on that same page. I've made things easy for
you and made a “Busy Moms Style” collection.
If you have toddlers you may choose to wear studs instead of
tempting their grabbing fingers with some of the dangly earrings. I,
personally, had a hard time wearing chunky or sharp-edged bracelets when I was
nursing, because of how I held the baby. Once you're past the toddler age I'd
say you're in the clear for just about any jewelry that catches your fancy.
Here are my recommendations for investing in a small,
accessible collection that will make this style thing easy for you.
-crystal headband
When a
shower is not going to be a reality, throw your hair in a bun and add a studded
or sparkly headband.
-small statement necklace
It's not
too heavy or dramatic, just enough to make it look like you added some effort.
-matching studs
When I wear
any sort of statement necklace, large or small, I tend to go for a stud earring
as opposed to a large earring.
-1 pair of drop or chandelier earrings
If you're
skipping a necklace, or wearing a delicate pendant, you may choose a flashier
earring.
-simple pendant necklace
Goes with
just about everything. Quick, easy, and adds a little something without calling
attention to the fact that you are wearing the same shirt you slept in.
-leather wrap bracelets
Easy to put on, goes with just about everything, and looks
so casually cool. If you ever watched Californication they all wore leather
wrap bracelets.
When you have a date night, a party, or a wedding to attend,
see me to style you with a little more sparkle. Moms who work outside of the
home can easily wear any of these options with work clothes as well. I also
have a collection of work style ideas on my e-boutique.
Chloe + Isabel's slogan is: Be confident. Be creative. Be
you.
Find who you are as this new creature called Mom and boldly,
confidently share her with the world.
*Photo Credit: Wylde Photography
