FROM FASHION AVE TO MOTHERHOOD + BACK AGAIN. 3 FRIENDS WITH 3 DIFFERENT PERSPECTIVES ON FASHION, BEAUTY AND LIFE.... AND UNLIKE OUR CHILDREN WE LOVE TO SHARE..
I have been dubbed the hippie mama of our trio. And Nicole Richie, hippie mama herself, is one of my top five fashionable mamas. Make no bones about it, there will never be any confusion between Nicole and I. She is a teeny, twenty something waif mama of two....I, slightly larger, thirty something mama of three. Howeverrrrr, we can share a wardrobe finally. As of today, Gilt.com is featuring Winter Kate and House of Harlow 1960 and it is beyond dreamy. Flowy, floral dresses and tops, chunky, statement making jewels, and the shoes....the shoes. She and I also share a love of the wedge heel. As most mothers know, the wedge is key when carrying a toddler, three grocery bags, and being towed by a 90 pound labrador. Or for a night out on the town.
Love the looks, love her style. Now mamas..shop on.
Nicole shares some of her favorites on sale at Gilt.com
Yep. I'll be home in my lucky "Everyone loves an Irish girl" tee, cheering on Beantowns favorite basketball team but my heart..my heart will be at the Garden. Jealous of the fans attending?
It's not haute and glamor everyday is it? But it doesn't have to be sweats and old tees either. True life examples of how we dress in our other "jobs".
Kim on her way to paint the sky...or rather murals. You should see her fabulous artwork!
paper denim cloth skinnies, burberry scarf, ballet flats, simple top + ray bans. Love the paint splatters on the skinnies Kim;) I know I paint in designer jeans! I should be "SHOT instead of "HAUTE" hahahaa! XO Kimberly
me on to my other "job" as car pool, ballet, and soccer mom. and yes. that is a chair i'm standing on-interior decorator would not be one of my jobs, hence the lack of proper full length mirror. moving on..
banana republic tank, banana republic cargos, scarf (??), forever 21 belt, old navy flip flops, random bracelets purchased from random boutiques, cartier watch + pottery barn chair.
At one point I left Florida for a reason. I am still trying to figure out that reason. Boston is my home town, but the weather leaves me grumpy and depressed except for July and August. That's when I do my best work in the closet and that's when my friends notice my personality lighten up and I start getting invited out again. Winter? Blehhhh...
Beach style, boho chic, nautical, whatever you want to call it, I'm all over it. Show me a sundress, and I get weak in the knees. A rockin' pair of shorts? Drool.... And sunglasses? Love me some sunnies!! I may be beachy, but I am most certainly not running around in a pair of bermuda shorts and mock sleeveless top. Oh nononono. And capris? That's an island, not something I wear on my lower half*
There are many mamas who have gone before me and represented the look I would gladly wear day in, day out, 365 days a year. Later I'll link up to where you can get the same looks that work for you and make you feel like the Capri beach queen you meant to be. Minus the short pants.
*a look that just does not work on these legs, trust me on this one. another post for another day..sigh..
So I kind of misplaced my Ray Ban Aviators while in Las Vegas, giving new meaning to the term what happens in Vegas stays in Vegas. Because apparently my Aviators happened in Vegas and stayed in Vegas. So this cheap haute mama needed a back up pair of shades stat! Enter these Cole Haan babies:
Hear the angels singing in the background..19.99 thanks to the lovely TJ Maxx! I love them, but at 19.99 I super dee duper love them!!
Fashion on the island was pretty fun. Lots of different options, boutique wise, and lots of different opinions tourist wise. You have the classics:
the interesting..
and we will just leave the bad in Nantucket because quite frankly who am I to judge? I'm typing this in my workout clothes.
What I do not understand is the facination with preppy boring. Preppy I get. I totally get. I am a child of the '80s after all. Like totally. But come on people.. you're not going to a job interview, it's not casual Friday, it's the island. You're on vacation, at a wine festival, out on the town..yada yada.. I'm all for a blue blazer and..whale pants? Lilly Pulitzer? Love. But let's accessorize. Let's make it your own. Add some jewels (pearls don't count) (nor do ribbon belts). Let's tone down all the "classics". If you want to show your love for Nantucket..yay! But maybe, pick one classic, not say eight? Ribbon flip flops are great on those cobblestone streets, but I have a secret..wedge heels! Leave the heels at home ladies, and enjoy all the height without the agony of broken ankles!
For those of you who have never had the luxury of visiting the island, it's full of gorgeous people. Like there's something in the water gorgeous (and it's an island, so there's a heck of a lot of water if you catch my drift...). So as my civic duty to my lovely hosts-the locals of Nantucket-and the friendly tourists of Nantucket the haute mamas hope to share with you our versions of Nantucket prep.
Is it possible to physically fall in love..I mean be swept off your feet by a pair of sunglasses (make that multiple pairs)? Shoes in every heel, color, leather? Clothing! Clothing...sigh.... Restaurants? Hotels? Because my heart is still pitter pattering about all that I took in during my 5 day stay in the glamorous Entertainment Capital of the World!
I have not been to Las Vegas in ten years and much has changed. They've upped the ante and glam is the game. From top notch hotels, Aria, the Bellagio, Encore and Wynn and of course the Four Seasons.5 Th Avenue look out, there isn't a name missing here, Harry Winston (Hear that? I just gasped a little), the N's (Neimans and Nordy's), Chanel, Herve Leger, Hermes, Louis Vuitton (the Louis store at City Center..there are no words..) and fret not, there is even a whole mall filled with the more reasonably priced stores we all know and love-Bloomies, Macy's, Zara to name a few. Name a store and it's there.
Every top chef is represented-Keller, Serrano, Batali,English (you know I have to give a shout out to my Boston boy). Whatever you are in the mood for, be it In-N-Out Burger, or Le Cirque, it's within a five minute cab ride!
Everywhere you look the look is what it's about. The Aria is absolutely breath taking, by far my favorite eye catcher of a hotel. Captures Vegas in a non traditional but up and coming way-sexy and modern. Aria is but a part of City Center Las Vegas, hotels, dining and shopping! It also houses Desperate Housewives Eva Longoria Parker's restaurant Beso and club Eve, both absolutely the epitome of glam! Beso was delish! And the chandeliers were made out of crystals from the 2009
Oscars! Even the bathrooms were totally glammed up.. (Is it bad that I took a photo of the potty room? Gold sinks people!! Faux leather walls..)Like she's not gorgeous enough, she's got the hot Tony Parker and now these fabulous dining and night club establishments?! Truly haute!
Fashion was on display and it was so fun to mix it up and play dress up at night. Clearly as a mother in a small town, dressing up for dinner isn't something I'm accustomed to doing. Red Robin has a fairly relaxed dress code from what I've noticed.. So like Kim said, I mixed it up, broke out my highest heels, and shortest skirts and had fun! I love to dress up and dress up I did.
I received the absolute best spray tan ever courtesy of probably the most beautiful girl ever at the Wynn hotel spa. I begged and pleaded with her to tell me the names of some of her celeb clients but due to confidentiality agreements, she couldn't share her names. So instead I made her sign a confidentiality agreement (Oh yes, I did..). What she did share, and I will share with you, my fellow mamas, is a simple self tanner she recommends to all her clients, celebraties, and regulars like moi. The secret:
Ex-foliate and use every other day (color Medium!) and you can attain the look of a secretive celeb tanner! shh..don't let the paparazzi find out!
Everything this trip was first class, especially the accommodations, the ultra luxe Wynn hotel. Steve Wynn outdid himself, and I was amazed to see him, not once but twice on the hotel property clearly keeping an eye on his investment-his hotel guests. Now that is a class act.
I had a wonderful time with my relatives! I am so blessed to have such a fabulous group of people to call my family. We ate, we drank, we laughed, we gambled, we laughed, we danced, we laughed..you get the picture. What's really glam is a good laugh with people you love and who love you back. Mission accomplished. Vegas style.
Forget everything I said about color yesterday, and let's go metallic today. Golds and silvers can go with nearly everything in your closet and add a touch of glam to even the simplest swim suit. Just because you're at the beach doesn't mean you can leave the accessories at home! Au contraire-have fun! I know you're slathered in sun block so no tan lines to worry about from all those stacked bracelets, plus who needs an excuse for a fun sun hat? Peruse the goods my self tanned friends-there's something for everyone here..
Hard to believe but here in the Northeast it could be a mere 3 more months before we see the sun.
So maybe that's a little sarcastic but in all honesty the truth is you have two choices. Get caught like a deer in headlights on that first sunny, 80 degree beach day, or gently ease into summer starting now. I like to take an organized approach, and think ahead. Some things to start thinking about:
-Bikini waxing and/or hair removal. Not fun. Must be done. Repeat after me..Must.Be.Done.
-Exfoliation. Oh winter dryness, you have not been kind.
-Selftanning. I do not sun tan. At all. Period.
There are no words.
However, I am a huge fan of the Mystic tan. A well bronzed friend introduced me to this genius invention and I've been a huge fan ever since. Let's face it, stretch marks/cellulite/5 extra lbs. look a gazillion times better tan. Skin cancer never makes anything look better so please stick to a bottle or a spray. hint:Start self tanning now. Don't beleive me? Think it's easier to hide mistakes/streaky legs in a swimsuit or under pants? Not that I'd know.
-Pedicures. Here in Boston there's always a surprise 80 degree day in April where everyone whips off their Uggs + SURPRISE! no one's been tending to their toes..It's a sad day.
-Bathing suits! The fun part. No, really. It's not pretty, all the time, but once you get the right fit and color, you CAN and WILL feel good. (PLEASE read Kim's post about embracing your curves!)
-A rockin pair of sunglasses. Go large and in charge. Who wears makeup to the beach and/or pool especially if you're schelpping 3 kids, and 47 lbs of kid beach gear.
-the part no one wants to hear..stop picking from your children's plates. cut back on the wine. walk more. trade that latte for water. do not keep m and m's in your house under any circumstances. they are NOT for the children no matter what you tell yourself. eat lots of vegetables. then eat more. and on the first day of summer when you are rocking the big glasses, fake tan, well fit bathing suit, and svelte bod, you can toast your friends at 3 haute mamas for your beach prep boot camp!
cheers mamas!
Kate
Kate is right on Haute Mamas!! It is time once again!!
However, If you are a Haute Mama in our hometown of Mattapoisett we have just hit a temporary detour to Swimsuit Bootcamp. A much anticipated Chinese Food Restaurant just opened up...... DAMN YOU!!!! YING DYNASTY!!! Okay, I will make one stop and order all my favorites and then..... I will drop... give myself 20 and then move on!!! hahaha!!!
I wanted to touch on swimsuits once again. If you have read my blog before you now know my size swimsuit and have learned that I am curvy!! What I have learned through the years is that it helps a lot to invest in a really good swimsuit. Big names like Gottex, Anne Cole, La Blanca to name a few... they are sold in department stores and I always have good luck finding these names at TJMAX and Marshall's. They use the best fabric and they fit you like a glove. No saggy bum's or saggy boobs!!! YUK!!!! I know I feel a bit more confident when I am in a well made swimsuit. If well cared for you can also get a few summers out of them as well!!
Below is the Mystic One Shoulder by Gottex. Very flattering on a lot of bodies!!!
Pair your swimsuit with a great coverup, Loreal Sublime Glow Self Tanner, shades and BOOM BOOM POW!!!! You are one Haute Mama!!!! One great tip to take a quick inch or so off your waist always remember good posture!!
I have to admit Kate..... I still apply the makeup for the beach with all bazillion of my kids!!! Always and Forever!!! :-) Life is short!! GLAM it up!!!!!!! So remember this.... when you are well put together and ready for the warm weather no one will notice any of your flaws they will be impressed by your sense of style!!! You can breathe that collective sigh of relief and smile!!!!
XOXO Kimberly
Haute Mamas Check this out!!!
Sephora Sun Safety Kit ($95 Value)
This set contains: - 0.14 oz Murad Essential-C Eye Cream SPF 15 - 0.23 oz DDF Ultra-Lite Oil-Free Moisturizing Dew UV Moisturizer SPF 15 - 0.10 oz Jack Black Intense Therapy Lip Balm SPF 25 in Lemon and Chamomile - 0.25 oz Peter Thomas Roth Max Sheer All Day Defense Lotion SPF 30 - 0.16 oz Kate Somerville Protect SPF 55 Serum Sunscreen - 0.27 oz Clarins Delectable Self Tanning Mousse SPF 15 - 0.16 oz Cover FX BritePrep FX Brightening Foundation Primer & Photo-Aging Defense SPF 50 - 0.34 oz Bliss Best of Skintentions Daily Moisturizer SPF 15 - 0.23 oz Shiseido Ultimate Sun Protection Cream SPF 60 PA+++ - 0.25 oz Ole Henriksen Herbal Day Cream SPF 15 - 0.25 oz Smashbox Photo Finish UVA/UVB SPF 15 - 0.02 oz Bare Escentuals BareMinerals Multi-tasking Face SPF 20 in Summer Bisque - Pink Sephora makeup bag - 2 x single-use UVSunSense UV monitoring bracelets
so most families choose to reunite at seaside resorts, mountainside cabins, or perhaps a country estate? Not my gang.
It's a month out, and I'm already planning out my outfits. Warm weather. Elvis. Uninterrupted sleep. Tears are rolling down my face as I type.
So here goes..I want to be dolled up but not so dolled up that I am asked why I'm not on stage. I tend to lean towards the boho look when the weather warms up but this is Vegas, baby. I need to glam it up. Pile on the gold jewelry and break out the color. And maybe learn how to drink booze again? Yikes..did I mention we're meeting up for my cousins 21st birthday party? Maybe the tiger will be in his closet? Not mine...
I have a few thoughts, and few dollars. Here's what I've come up with so far. A little different than the last time I went to Vegas as a fashion girl in the 90's but still edgy enough for this haute mama.
Seeing it is a 21st birthday party, let's start at Forever 21. Cheap, trendy + honestly if it lasts a season I'll be happy.
this is cute-not so sure how it'd hang on my "these hips were made for birthin'"
Striking red would not be a color I wear on a daily basis. Maybe it should be. Love both of these.
On to Old Navy. Yes, you can make Old Navy and glitzy Las Vegas work.
Have this dress in this stripe + black. Love this dress in this stripe + black. Good day dress. Again, piled with gold accessories + of course the aviators
ehh..a maybe..Sky high black platforms + some chanedeleir earrings could make this happen.
On to shoes. Shoes I will invest in. Especially these babies:
They almost, almost fall into the so bad they're good catagory. However remember this is Las Vegas and while normally this much gold wouldn't fly with me, I make an exception for the land of showgirls + all night buffets. I am going to be in Paris and Venice in one day people.. And for 43 bucks? They match the aviators.
So I am dying to hear what the other haute mamas would pack for me! 'Til then..
cheers haute mamas!
kate
Hello Haute Mamas it is Kimberly!!
While I am incredibly Jealous of Kate's Fabulous trip to Vegas without the
husband and the kiddo's I also feel she is very deserving of it!!
If I were in Kate's shoes I would completely re-invent myself for the trip.
Have some fun while on vacation.
You are no longer in your home town or the office so why not?!!!!
If you are traveling with your significant other have some fun
with them and show them a side of you that will keep them
daydreaming about your trip together for years to come.
if you all for reinventing yourself there is no better website out there
than Rent the Runway.. you can get designer clothes that retail for
a couple hundred dollars to thousands for as low as $50 dollars to rent.
It is a dream come true for us Haute Mamas that are on a budget.
The website is www.renttherunway.com.
If I were styling Kate for Vegas this is what I would pack for her.......
This first Dress you could go day to night in..... BCBGMAXAZRIA......
Poolside Kate you could totally pull this off........
Juicy Couture Skirted Bikini at Nordstroms.com
and for sightseeing and shopping from BCBG.com.......
Pack a great pair of wedges like these from Victoria Secrets.com
Kate and I are very passionate about our accessories we love to be stacked!! haha!! I mean bracelets that is.. Here are some beautiful accessories from Boston Proper.com
Don't forget the sunscreen and also hit the makeup counter and play around with all the great new makeup and products out there!!
Oh I could go on and on.... Kate have an amazing time!!
.jpg)
http://www.renttherunway.com/product/goldengirloneshoulderdress
