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Moms Looking Chic: How to Update your Summer Look

Looking attractive and up to date can be difficult when you're a busy, hard working mom; you always put your family first. Who has time to look stylish, when you're overwhelmed and rushing to get it all done? It can be so hard to make time to do something just for yourself for a change, and too easy to get into a fashion rut. But try to avoid these whoppers...

Always Get Dressed Before You Go Out in Public
Sounds obvious, huh? But when you spend so much time in the house caring for your children, it's easy to just throw on sweatpants in the morning or worse, spend the day in your pajamas. The problem is, invariably you'll have to go out for milk, and by then it's too much trouble to do anything else but just strap the kids into their car seats and go as you are. But really girls, get dressed and wash your face! If you don't, you'll bump into that old high school friend you haven't seen in years, and she'll look great. And you won't. It's Murphy's Law.

Throw Out Those High Waisted Jeans
I know they're like a comfortable old friend, but the style is so eighties, and they just make your hips look wider and your butt look bigger. See what that look did for Jessica Simpson? And she's skinny!

Throw Out Those Super Low Rise Jeans Too
Either you'll be showing where the sun don't shine whenever you bend over to pick up the kids, or all your fat will get squished up and over the top of your jeans. I'm not sure which is worse.

Don't Go from being Too Tired to Care to Dressing Too Young and Too Sexy
You want to look young, attractive and sexy, but you don't want to look like you're competing with your 16 year old daughter. And thick black eyeliner and a miracle bra pushing you up and over the top of your shirt is not as appealing as you might think.

But going from frumpy to fabulous doesn't have to be time consuming, fussy or expensive; a few well chosen additions to your existing wardrobe are all you need to look hot as you shuttle the kids from the play group to the beach. Try one of these four fashionable looks that will make your kids say they have the prettiest mom on the block this summer!

#1. Preppy Mama:

The preppy look has changed since my high school days; no more hot pink and green alligator emblems on placket-front shirts! You can look preppy with a few key pieces, like capris and cargo pants. Cargo pants are great because they hide a multitude of sins! The latest cargoes have been updated with a looser fit and cuffs. Go to oldnavy.gap.com where you can find them very reasonably priced.
If you want to show more leg, bermuda shorts that end just above the knee are fashion forward and slimming. Replace your short shorts with them.
Add well fitting T-shirts or tank tops; I really like the tees at victoriassecret.com. The sale prices are great (think 15 bucks) so you can pick up more than one, and they usually come in every color of the rainbow, too.
The tube top has returned but now it's more covered up; put one under a jacket or cardigan sweater; very cute.
Replace your sweater with a shrug, an abbreviated version of the cardigan. A nice look is a long, lean T-shirt or tank top with a shrug over it. Lean doesn't have to mean skin tight-it's just long and follows your curves.
And nothing says summer like sun dresses in pretty, flowery prints. The look is fresh and feminine, and you look like you went to more trouble getting dressed than what you really did.

#2. Athletic Mama

Being fit has never looked so stylish! Athleta not only makes beautiful workout clothes for all kinds of sports, exercise, and bodies; it offers a customer service department specially trained to assist with product information, sizing, and fit. After all that help, if you still need to return something, just be sure tags are still attached and hygienic liners still in place for a full refund.
Yoga pants are much more slenderizing then the sweatpants of yesteryear, and look sharp instead of sloppy running errands, especially when you add a sweater or light jacket.
Show your sporty side with comfy cargo pants and cool tank tops from Old Navy, and be thrifty in the process.
Sneakers, sandals and even handbags take a step up from the ordinary when you upgrade to Keen footwear, a company committed to community and the environment. The styles are innovative and cute.

#3. Sexy Mama

Moms, you can look sexy without embarrassing your kids!
Underneath it all, a good bra that's supportive and fits well makes a big difference in your overall look. Body by Victoria bras, found at victoriassecret.com, have a great shape and just enough fiberfill to enhance your bust line, and come in full coverage and demi styles.
Long, lean tees and tanks are sexy without overdoing it; wear your Victoria's Secret bra underneath for a sexy silhouette. Fitted blouses that aren't so tight that buttons bulge, and knee length skirts that are snug through the waist and hips look sexy, without screaming at the world that you're trying too hard.
7 for All Mankind, Lucky and Joe's Jeans all have a sexy fit; use their fit guides to choose the style that best suits your shape. Wear your jeans with wedge sandals that'll make your legs look longer; find your perfect style at zappos.com.

#4. Beachy Mama

A tank-ini is probably the most flattering bathing suit for almost every body type. If you have nice legs but carry extra weight in your tummy or around your waist, the tank-ini is the bathing suit for you.
For those with fuller thighs, a bathing suit with a skirt covers up where you want it to, and still looks
stylish. You can pair the skirt with the long tank-ini style top for more upper body coverage, or if you have a small waist, wear a halter or bikini top.
Two piece bathing suits that incorporate fuller style shorts are great for coverage, too. But beware of boy shorts, which are really deceiving; they do offer more coverage than the bikini bottom, but you will still look "cheeky", only moms with great posteriors can get away with wearing boy shorts.
Beach cover ups come in lots of styles; pareos, sarongs, and board shorts are some of the cutest.
Whether you're an urban mom or a suburban mom, taking time out to enjoy your family shouldn't mean you have to sacrifice your sense of style. Have fun in the sun, and look great doing it!

Learn more about this author, Debora Chaves.
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