Raise your hand if you are a busy mom. Raise your hand if your mornings can be full and nonstop! Raise your hand if, when you actually get a free moment, you would rather do something else than stand in front of your closet trying to figure out what to wear.
Friends, this post is for you!
Today I’d love to make it easy for you to get dressed QUICKLY while still looking CUTE. We’re going to talk about 3 outfit formulas you can rely on when you don’t want to spend more than a few seconds thinking about what to wear. The outfits are comprised of some of my most used fall staples, and having these kinds of pieces in your closet will always allow you to look cute in a kid-friendly outfit without needing to put much thought into it.
For this post I’m partnering with Lily Jade again, which is a company that not only creates chic, high-quality diaper bags but also really aims to care for moms in the challenges and joys of motherhood. Their Instagram feed (
HERE) constantly uplifts and honors mothers. I had the joy of hanging out with the founders of the company at a conference last year, and they were soooo fun and loving and genuine.
Lily Jade bags are super versatile and will take you beyond child rearing years. They have tons of different designs in different colors, but they’re all sophisticated yet kid-friendly. (See them all
HERE.) It doesn’t matter what my outfit is–I know I can grab this bag while running out the door and it’ll go perfectly.
In the outfits below you can see how well it goes with everything!
1. Long Sleeve Tee or Sweater + Puffer Vest
This works with any long sleeved tee, including button ups, and when it’s colder you can do it with a long sleeved sweater. I prefer using a top with pattern or a sweater with some texture on the front, like
THIS or
THIS . Plaid or printed button ups are great too! I think elements like pattern or texture create more visual interest without needing to put much effort into your outfits. However, this combo will of course work with a solid long sleeve tee or sweater as well!
I’ve already professed my love for this puffer vest. I got this in both navy and white last year. Puffer vests were always either too bulky or too thin for me, but this is a perfect balance. I found it was surprisingly flattering, especially as something that is puffy! TONS of you have told me you bought this after I showed it last year and love it as well! Glad they’re back this year!
I’m normally size S/M and got this in S. Find them
HERE in 6 colors. Also, see other outfits with this long sleeve + vest combo
HERE (navy vest),
HERE (white vest) and
HERE (herringbone vest).
In addition to the puffer vest, some of my other fall staples are riding boots, jeans, and a striped tee. Below I linked to 2-3 great options for all of those staples. (And remember, this outfit formula can work with long sleeved button ups and pullover sweaters too!)
Shop for the Look:
Bag: c/o Lily Jade (exact)
Watch: c/o JORD
2. Jersey Dress + Cozy Scarf
I know many moms who do not think of dresses as a “go-to” piece for everyday child wrangling. Rather, they think of dresses when they want to get dressed up. If that’s you, I want to convince you otherwise! A dress won’t necessarily work for playing at the park, but I’d totally choose one for almost any other activity. Jersey dresses are so freaking stinking comfortable. The material is soft and stretchy, and it allows you to move around without ever having to adjust your clothes. Like, you never need to worry about pulling up jeans or pulling down your shirt. A jersey dress is just nice and loose and moves with you. They also tend to be CHEAP, so you won’t be sad if it gets stained.
You can wear them with more layers when it’s colder, like a cozy cardigan, a utility jacket, the puffer vest from above, or tights. I opted for a blanket scarf to add warmth. Plus, accessorizing is key to taking a plain dress and turning it into a cute outfit (as shown in Part 5 of the
Building a Remixable Wardrobe series). For footwear, you can wear these dresses with ankle boots like I did above, with riding boots, or with low profile sneakers.
The dress above comes in 3 solids and 3 prints. I got it in maroon and in the black print seen on Instagram
HERE. I’m normally size S/M and got this in M. I’m 5’6″, but this is also available in Tall and Petite.
And if you are looking for help with ankle boots, see my recommendations
HERE.
Shop for the Look:
Scarf: c/o ModCloth (exact)
Bag: c/o Lily Jade (exact)
Watch: c/o JORD
3. Button Up Shirt + Oversized Cardigan
For a long time this combo probably made up 90% of my fall and winter outfits. Or at least it felt like it! When it works, it works.
This works with any button up and any oversized cardigan. It’s glorious! I have several oversized cardigans (tan, maroon, and black/white herringbone) and just mix and match them with all of my button up shirts (plaid, gingham, polka dots, and chambray). Plus, this is totally nursing friendly. (See all my nursing friendly outfits HERE. You can also do button ups with the puffer vest from earlier for more nursing friendly options.) BOOM. You’re welcome.
Below I linked 3 options for oversized cardigans that don’t all come in tan, but if you want to stock up your cardigan collection you should check them out. They all come in a variety of colors.
Also, I LOVE how so many of the Lily Jade bags turn into backpacks. When Addie was a newborn it was so helpful having my hands free. I regularly wore her in a baby carrier in the front, wore this LJ bag on my back, and still had both hands free for whatever I needed. It might sound cheesy or like I’m exaggerating, but it seriously made me feel a little invincible. Haha!
Shop for the Look:
Top: Nordstrom (similar, similar, similar)
Cardigan: Old Navy (similar, similar, similar)
Jeans: Nordstrom (exact, similar)
Boots: Target (exact)
Bag: c/o Lily Jade (exact)
Hopefully this gives you a handle on some key pieces you could add to your closet that will mix and match and make you look cute with barely any thought this fall! If you need a list:
- a) patterned long sleeve tee
- b) puffer vest
- c) great pair of jeans
- d) riding boots or booties
- e) jersey dresses
- f) cozy scarves
- g) plaid/gingham/printed button ups
- h) oversized cardigans
- i) a super versatile bag that holds all your kids’ stuff and looks cute with any outfit you throw on
For more style tips for moms, check out 6 Ways to Elevate Your Mom Uniform and 6 Kid Friendly Pieces for Office to Weekend. And see all my nursing friendly outfits HERE.
Thank you to Lily Jade for sponsoring this post and supporting moms through all stages of life!
