Mom Friendly

My bestest friend (BFF back in my day, and Bestie now, so I hear) has recently shed quite a few pounds and gained a pretty gnarly one-two punch from kickboxing.  I am beyond proud, and maybe even a little jealous!  Girls legs and rear are looking pretty taut and toned!  Not to mention, I would indeed not like to make her mad at me these days.  Since she is looking so good, her wardrobe is sadly suffering.  She has told me countless stories about hiking her jeans up to her waist and belting them so she has something to wear out of the house.  She recently spent 2 hours in nothing but her Victoria Secrets fretting about what to wear to a casual dinner out with friends, knowing nothing in her closet fits her.  I had to take a stand!  "We are going shopping," I told her. 

So, we are out and about, picking this and that off of the racks.  I happen to notice that the only things draped over her lovely bicep are what I like to call "schlubby" clothes.  Those that are reserved for lounging around the house.  "What?" she asks.  I want to know why such a beautiful girl picks up only "schlubby" clothes when we are on a shopping spree.  She goes into a long story about how she is a stay at home mom and has nowhere to wear stylish outfits.  Hmmmm.  We continue on and I try to find some things she may like that are a step up, but really, I must say it was slim pickins' in TJ Maxx that day (they are new in town, and I'm not sure I'm impressed...).  Sadly, she finds nothing in this store and is only discouraged.  We packed it up and go home for the day, our wallets just as fat, but our reusable shopping bags sadly empty.

Fast forward to the next weekend.  We decide to hit up Kohl's.  Now, about Kohl's:  I was very anti when it first came around; a bit overwhelming, and not really my style.  But, I have come around in certain areas.  Although I am not a big fan of hers, I do like the Lauren Conrad collection at Kohl's and so does my best friend K, and I'm not gonna lie, they do get some cute shoes at great prices from time to time.  So, back to our shopping excursion:  I met up with K a little late, as I had a hard time getting out of work, so when I arrived she had already picked up a couple of cute items.  She also picked up a pair of black trouser shorts and eye-balled them for a moment.  I told her to hold on a minute as I ran to grab an adorable drapey sweater I spotted on my way in.  I had her hold up the shorts with a layered tank she had bought a couple of months earlier and put the sweater with both.  Adorable!  I told her to pair this with some black tights and a cute pair of heels, and voila, she is set.  Of course she just looked at me blankly and told me she would have nowhere to wear this dressy outfit, being a stay at home mom and only leaving the house to pick up her son from school everyday (a little dramatic, I know she has a life of her own, and that that is not the only thing she ever does!)  So, I say to wear it with flats and it is a great fall outfit for everyday.  Another blank stare, but I make her try it all on and low and behold, she loves it!  (I hate to say "I told you so....").  We picked up a couple of adorable fillers to start out her new wardrobe and are saving for another trip out for new jeans.  I turned her onto the good stuff a year or two ago, and now she can't resist!

Axess Open-Front Cardigan, Kohls.com (In black)

Joe Benbasset Pleated Twill Challis Shorts, Kohls.com

Simply Vera Vera Wang Dali Platform High Heels, Kohls.com (Even cuter in person!)

Above are a few of the cute items she picked up (all better in person).  The shorts pictured are a stand in, as I can't seem to find the ones she picked up.  All in all it was a good day for shopping, and I can't wait for our next trip out.  One day I will get her out of her mom mode, and get her to see that moms can look great everyday, too!  (Hmmm, maybe I should dedicate a post to her, and find some afordable and kid friendly outfits.  Ideas, ideas...).