I have a mom who stands out in a crowd. She may be over fifty, but she looks (and acts) a whole lot younger. While searching the mall for her Mother’s Day gift, I was inspired to write this piece about my mom’s wardrobe and her favorite clothes.
The classic black dress is a staple in every woman’s wardrobe. “There’s a lot you can do with a black dress,” my mom says, “I wear a lot of accessories.” For work, simple gold hoop earrings do the trick, or she’ll pair her black dress with a strand of pearls when she wants to look “hoity toity.”
My mom found her favorite dress at a little boutique and instantly fell in love with it. It was pricey, but it the fabric hugged and hid all the right places. It also goes great with her tiered pink and white pearl necklace that she loves. My mom wore this dress for one year for Easter and always brings it on vacation. “It’s very easy to pack, it’s summery, and it’s very comfortable.” she says.
During spring and summer, my mom lives in gaucho pants, capris, and bermuda shorts. Her black gaucho pants are stylish, yet sophisticated enough for work. “A pair of black gauchos can take you from the office, then out to dinner.” she says. My mom’s only tip for wearing gauchos: don’t pair them with flats.
When she’s aiming for comfort, my mom puts on her cargo shorts from Express. “You don’t have to worry about them hiking up your ass!” she says. The crinkled fabric and hemline that falls just above the knee make the shorts stylish, yet appropriate for momwear.
“These things make me look so thin!” my mom says as she pulls her black bermuda shorts from her closet. “And I even got them at Penny’s.” My mom wears bermuda shorts with flats, heels, and wedges. Because they’re so versatile, she likes to have fun with them. At night or at the office she’ll wear her bermuda shorts with a flowy top, or she’ll pair them with bright tees for daytime. 
“Tankinis are good for the mature mother.” my mom says – although I wouldn’t consider her a “mature” mother. Nonetheless, swimwear can be tricky for moms. Bikinis are usually too revealing, and many moms fall victims to awful one-pieces with built in skirts. Tankinis show just enough skin and won’t give you funny tan lines.
When it comes to shoes, my mom’s collection is pretty impressive. She has it all: strappy sandals, pointed-toe heels, flip flops, sneakers, and even cowboy boots (if only we had the same size feet!). She has dressy shoes in brown and black, which are perfect for important business meetings and dinner dates. She loves her comfortable Kenneth Cole Reaction sandals, with their low heel and slip resistant sole. Her beige Anne Klein heels are more difficult to walk in, but still adorable. My mom wears them with her favorite coral dress. “They make the outfit.” she says.
“Believe it or not, these are Easy Spirit.” my mom says, pointing to a pair of black sandals with silver buckles. Her casual footwear is cute and comfortable. When she’s laying by the pool or going to the grocery store, she likes to wear her cheap (five dollars!) flip flops from Wal-Mart. The turquoise beads match a lot of her spring and summer outfits, which always make her blue eyes pop. For a sexier look, my mom wears black sandals by Nine West. “They’re harder to balance,” she admits, but my mom has always been a firm believer that beauty sometimes requires a little sacrifice.
I love my mom’s style because it’s not ordinary, yet it’s not over-the-top either. She’s stylish without being flashy. Although she calls me her “fashion consultant,” I actually learned a lot about fashion from my mom, who always made sure I didn’t look too ridiculous when I walked out of the house. My mom and I have a great relationship, and our mutual love of fashion and the shopping addiction in our blood only make us closer.
Sundresses. When I’m in a rush, I throw on a breezy sundress with a pair of sandals or flats, add a dash of accessory, and I’m ready to go. Layering a tank under a sundress with a deep neckline is also one of my favorite looks. Sundresses are simple, but stunningly flattering – not to mention, super comfortable. I always find cute, cheap sundresses at Forever 21 and Delia’s.
Bohemian skirts. I’m a bit of a hippie when I’m dressed down, so I live in flowy, boho skirts when the weather is warm. They look great with flats, sandals, and wedges and make perfect beach cover ups. I try to wear bohemian skirts with hemlines just below the knee because longer skirts accentuate my short stature and shorter skirts inevitably lead to wardrobe malfunctions.
Bermuda shorts. Initially, I was skeptical of bermuda shorts. In a day when capris and gaucho pants dominated my wardrobe, I was reluctant to give them a chance. To me, they looked boyish – like something Avril Lavigne would wear during her skater girl years. I finally gave bermuda shorts a shot last summer in the American Eagle dressing room. I expected to hate them, but they were surprisingly flattering and I instantly fell in love with the length. They’re great paired with t-shirts or tank tops and can even be sexified with a pair of stilettos. I’m addicted! I have solid colored, striped, and plaid bermuda shorts and I can’t wait to add more to my collection this season.
Lucky jeans. I love love love Lucky Brand. Their tie dye prints, peace signs, and boho theme perfectly reflect my style. I love everything from their fragrances to their accessories to their swimsuits. And don’t get me started on their jeans! I have four pairs of Lucky Jeans that I practically live in. The tattered and patched embellishings, sandblasted washes, worn in denim make Lucky jeans my ultimate weakness. 
Tees. Gotta love your basic tees. Plain, printed, bold, and muted, T-shirts are simple enough to wear with anything. I’ll wear my Beatles tee with a flowy skirt for a carefree casual look, or accessorize a plain tee with tiers of necklaces to create a little spunk. Tees comfy and casual enough to wear everyday and are versatile enough to be dressed up or down. My XXL t-shirt from Pat’s Steaks (the absolute best place to get a cheese steak in Philly, by the way) was completely unwearable on my petite frame, so I used my sewing machine to transform it into a cute tee that fits in all the right places.
Flats. I wear flats with everything. Metallic flats, leopard print flats, and pointed flats are just a few pairs in my shoe collection. My mom gave me Michael Kors flats for Christmas and they’ve been my favorite ever since. In chocolate brown, they’re dark enough to wear for fall or can be paired with whites, brights, and cream for spring. And they were a total steal at Macy’s for $70.00.
