This is a sponsored post written on behalf of Ruth Visser. All opinions are my own. Please view my disclosure.

I load up the double stroller with the twins, the diaper bag, my preschooler and we walk up to the school every afternoon to meet my oldest son. There is no drive-by pick up area. We have to park, walk up and walk back to the car. I like the chance to get out and walk a little. My 4 year old enjoys chatting with the other younger siblings. But, there is always that thought in my head, “Do I look put together?”

We live in southern California right now, so let me just tell you, the whole “California girl” thing is real. There are many moms at my son’s school who look like they just walked out of a fashion magazine. I can’t get to that point. I shop at TJ Maxx once a year around my birthday to grab a few new items, and I try to look put together as a mom with limited time to get ready in the morning. I don’t want to look like a mess, but my reason for looking put together is not for the other moms. It is for me, for my kids, and my husband.

Many days I barely get time to put on yoga pants and a t-shirt before we start our day. It gets old to dress like that every day. I want to put in the effort to get dressed in more than workout clothes. Trying to look put together as a mom is not easy. Being a busy mom means there is little time to put on that “professional mom” look every morning. With a few tips for structuring the day to work for you and not against you, as well as simple tips for using your clothes to look put together, you will feel like a MOM ( all caps) and not “just a mom.”

I have nothing against yoga pants. Yoga pants are extremely useful as a mom.

 

When I am cleaning toilets-and I do clean my own toilets there is no blogger farce here where I tell you I am a SAHM and secretly I have a staff. No, I am the one scrubbing and cleaning and folding the laundry. So, on those days, I am going to wear clothes that match the WORK that I do. How is it that yoga pants get referred to as “lazy clothes” when they are named after a workout, anyway?

When I go out, meet a friend for a playdate or run errands, though, I like to look put together as a mom. I don’t think I am “just a mom.” I am a “professional MOM.” Sound silly? It’s not.

If you want to feel empowered about being a mom, act like it is important. Because it is no act-what you do all day IS important.

Having done this job of mom for almost 8 years now, I know that some ages are more demanding than others. I have reached a point where I usually can get dressed and put on a little makeup before too much screaming occurs. Not all mornings, but many.

I remember after the twins were born I was not in that position. I was surviving-literally-on sleep deprivation, limited patience, a lot of breastfeeding hours, and I did not care much what I looked like-or I guess I did not have time to care. You can see what I mean in the photo below.

If you have an infant, busy toddlers or twins, you may not have time to look put together every day. If you DO manage to look put together every day, high fives to you!

Every morning I have a routine that I try to get through when getting ready. There are the must do items, the want to do items, and the yeah right only in a blue moon are you going to get THAT put together items. Figure out what works for you-maybe it won’t work every day. Kids add a lot of unexpected.

To Look Put Together as a Mom

First, set up a routine for getting ready every morning.

Routine for a stay-at-home mom means certain THINGS are done but not necessarily at the SAME time every day. (Same time = schedule. We’ll get to that.) We get dressed out of pajamas every day-except maybe once or twice a month on a weekend if we are just hanging out at home. My oldest likes his occasional pajama day. During the week, we all get dressed. We brush teeth, brush hair, and usually make beds, clean up some clutter if there is time.

After the kids are ready, I get dressed, brush my hair and maybe put it in a ponytail. I do my essential oils routine, and I may put on some mascara. I don’t always wear mascara, but it’s a quick way to look a little less sleep deprived. This is about as far as I get most mornings.

Second, simplify makeup and accessories.

If I was able to get the twins dressed quickly, I will go a step further and actually put on a cream-to-powder foundation and blush in addition to my mascara. I may also add a hair clip or hair band to add a little more put togetherness to my look. I have found that buying accessories that coordinate and can be worn in different ways help me look put together quickly while not breaking my budget!

I can wear my Lilla Rose hair clip whether my hair is up in a ponytail or half-up like in the photo. It is easy for a hair-style-challenged person like me to use the clips and hair bands because they are simple.

 

If it is a missed shower kinda day, pulling my hair all the way back into a bun and adding a hair band makes me feel a little less messy. When I glance in the mirror I don’t get dragged down by dark circles. I see the pretty hair band or clip and feel a bit more put together. It’s so simple and we don’t need to get caught up in being totally vain, but it is nice to feel like you look decent.

Accessories that match make things even easier. My hair band and clip can be worn together. The hair band doubles as a bracelet or necklace. They are good quality and did not feel flimsy.

I really did feel like I was professional MOM the day I had on my Lilla Rose pieces. They are so versatile and so much of the line coordinates to help us busy moms feel more put together.

Third, ditch the seasonal wardrobe.

I know there are some items in our closets that are definitely for a specific season. Shorts do not work so well when there is snow on the ground. 😉 Items like dresses and leggings, though, can work in both the warmer and cooler seasons.

Take this idea for wearing a denim dress or shirt in Summer or Fall. It’s so simple-just add tights and boots with a warm sweater, and your dress is now not limited to Summer wearing. Dresses are my favorite for this, because every mom feels more dressed up in a dress! If it is washable, you can wear it around kids.

I don’t have separate Summer and Winter wardrobes. I just wear what works all year long. Adding accessories and sweaters or boots are easy ways to look and feel appropriate for the weather and also put together even if you are wearing jeans. This brings me to my final tip-

Fourth, wear jeans.

I know you are wondering how jeans-a mom staple-could be a tip for looking put together. Nothing is more casual than jeans and a t-shirt. I am a fan of yoga pants-I don’t think there is any need for articles criticizing moms for wearing yoga pants. I do think it is easy to put jeans on instead. When you are headed out to run errands or meet a friend for a get together, just wear jeans instead of the mom work clothes, aka yoga pants. You’ll feel better. Add boots, a scarf, and sweater to jeans and a t-shirt, and suddenly your look becomes less “just mom” and more “professional mom.”

Fifth, find a schedule that works for your family.

Quite a few stay-at-home moms swear by waking up before their children to get ready for the day as the key to being a put together mom. They get to shower, get dressed, and have that precious cup of coffee all before their children are awake.

I sleep every minute that I can, but I still have toddlers who wake up at night. Every mom is different with what schedule and routine works. If you need help deciding on a stay-at-home mom schedule for you, here are some resources:

Establishing a Routine at Home – Smart Mom Stuff

10 Tips for Making the Most of My Morning as a Stay-at-Home Mom – Play Dough and Popsicles

Rule Number One for Staying at Home – Smart Mom Stuff

We set the example for our children. The work we stay-at-home moms do all day matters in their lives and in ours. As I make the trek from the car to the school each afternoon, pushing the double jogging stroller, having put in a little effot to look put together as a mom, I show my children that moms have purpose. They aren’t lazy or lacking self-worth, they are professionals doing important work every day. You are a pro mom- you are working on the nitty gritty of motherhood every day and you can feel and look empowered, not dragged down.

If you’d like more info on the Lilla Rose pieces I reviewed here for you, please check out Ruth’s website. She is great at helping you coordinate! Perfect for the holiday season and events where we want to look put together.

 

What are your tips to new stay-at-home moms for feeling put together as a mom?