Little Miss Fancy Pants

I recently came to the sad conclusion that my maternity outfits are the coolest clothes in my closet.    Everything else that I like is either stained or torn or just plain old.  Half of the skirts I own are too short for my current lifestyle and the majority of my tops and pants would still be wearable if only I went to an office everyday.  My dilemma is not uncommon for a mother who spends almost the entire day in sweats.


On a recent trip to Target I was perusing the junior department when suddenly I felt like my heart had been ripped from my chest.  "Ew," quipped a teenybopper whose ass cheeks were hanging out of her daisy dukes.  She rolled her eyes at her friend who was trying on clothes.  "That looks like something a stay at home mom would wear."
OMG!
I found myself in a bit of a pickle.  I'm trying to maintain my hipness by shopping in the JUNIOR department, and there's a stay at home mom trap here?
I quickly hung up the sundress I had in my cart, hoping Miss Daisy Duke wouldn't see me.
This past weekend I decided I would move beyond the clearance racks at Target and do some real shopping.  I surfed the web for end of summer sales hoping I would stumble upon some good finds.
I had zero luck... 


J. Crew: too pricey
The Gap: too dressy
Banana Republic: too flowery 
Express: too clubby 
Forever 21: too much of a reminder that my 20s are long gone


It was depressing.  But I tried to make myself feel better by being reasonable.  
I thought long and hard about what I really needed.  I wear workout clothes all day until after a shower when I just throw on a pair of yoga shorts and a tank top.  If Doug and I manage to make it out of the house for a date night I grab a pair of jeans and a t-shirt.  I guess it kind of didn't really make sense to go on a full blown shopping spree anyway.  
But I figured that if my daily wardrobe was going to continue to include sweats, sweats, and more sweats, that I should at least invest in some quality sweats. 
So I decided to get into the car and head straight to Lululemon in between Mackenzie's breakfast and lunch times.  
You'd never think it, but Lululemon is a stay at home mom's fashion fantasy.  If you can get past the prices (they're steep) and the sizes (they run super small), Lululemon's athletic clothes are to die for.  The fabrics are divine; the signature Luon material is soft and comfortable and holds up extremely well in the wash.  The cuts are very flattering and forgiving; no more muffin top with these running tights and yoga pants.  
I bought three pairs of the Wunder Under Crop and all I can say is that I want to live in them every day of my life.  They feel like second skin and come pretty close to making me look like I never had a baby.  (Is there anything better than that?)
I felt the slightest twinge of guilt as I swiped my credit card at the register.  I never thought I'd pay 68 bucks on one pair of leggings.  But the ones that I got a couple of years ago at Target have seen better days.  The elastic is completely shot and the cotton is so badly stretched that I probably looked like a 10 cent hooker the last time I wore them.  I think that right there justifies my Lululemon purchase.  Plus, the sales associate threw in a free granola bar for Mackenzie, who was about to eat a racerback sports bra, she was so hungry.  And a happy baby is a happy mommy.
As I returned home I couldn't help but think about designer and stylist to the stars Rachel Zoe and her towering heels, her custom-fit skinny jeans, and her tailored jackets.  I thought, she's a mommy! How does she maintain such a fabulous lifestyle? How does she manage to be so fashionable and stylish with a new baby? How has she never been caught by the paparazzi in sweats? Because Rachel Zoe doesn't wear sweats.  It's Rachel Zoe.  She's stunningly awesome and having a kid only makes her even more "MAJOR".  
So what are the rest of us moms to do? 
Splurge every now and again.  On OURSELVES.  Because we all know how much we put our kids first.  But there's no reason we can't do that in style.