Mom Street Style – September 2009 Mom

There are few things, fashion-wise, that I like better than a great mix of high-end and budget-friendly items.  Leave it to our September Mom, Becky, to put together such a look. 

Beck is one of my dearest friends, and someone who lives by her own set of rules.  Her first rule?  "Happy, Happy, Happy!"  (You need three Happys, she says, in case life or toddler tantrums or anything else tries to tear down your first two).  And her second rule?  Nothing too fancy.  Instead, she uses classic, iconic accessories to add interest and a rich-girl feel to an inexpensive tailored outfit.

Don't be fooled – Becky's outfit looks tailored, but is really just an inspired take on the classic t-shirt-n-jeans mom uniform.

Her base outfit is a long sleeve black t-shirt bought at Target (for under $20), and Gap's Sexy Boot jeans in Medium Tint Wash, $60.  Over it, she threw on Old Navy's Bell Sleeve Swing Jacket in Brown Earth, now on sale for $25.

Notice how the black long sleeve peeks out from the short bell sleeve of the jacket.  I love this.  And notice, also, how successfully she blends brown and black.  I also love this.  Don't be afraid of the black / brown combination, it's wildly sophisticated.  You just want to be sure that there is a nice contrast between your black and brown, so don't choose a brown that's too dark. 

To really punch up the sophistication level of this outfit, Beck wound Burberry's Happy Scarf (how appropriate!) around her neck, letting the fringe peek out over the top of the funnel neck and below her jacket.  She finished the look off with a Tiffany's charm bracelet, and a pair of hammered silver tear-drop hoop earrings.  Here's a close up of Beck's outfit (try not to be distracted by the adorable Meara pouting into the camera):

So, how to recreate?

Start with a great pair of boot-cut jeans, and add your favorite long sleeve black Tshirt.  You want a t-shirt that is somewhat fitted, but not tight.

Now the fun begins….

Find a slightly tailored jacket with shorter sleeves – it need not be expensive, just cute.  Beck's Old Navy jacket is sold out of all sizes except for XL, so here are a few other options to consider:

The first jacket pictured above is Forever 21's Wool Dolman Jacket, $38.90, in brown.  Next, is IF's Ruffle Trim Jacket, on sale at Nordstroms for $37.90.  Lastly, Gap's Wool Blend Cape in camel, $68, would also be a good choice for this look.

Now….the fabulous accessories.  It's hard to beat Beck's Burberry Happy Scarf.  This scarf is no longer produced, however, I did manage to find it at Eurocentric Handbags, on sale for $157 (down from $350).  You really can't go wrong with an Burberry scarf.  There's a reason that the iconic plaid is worn year after year.

There are other options, of course.  The look here is classic accessories, so think leopard prints, Pucci prints, or, for a twist on a classic, M Missoni stripes.  Ideally, you want something in luxurious cashmere or silk.  Here are a couple of options from Saks:

Above left is Emilio Pucci's Mindanao Silk Scarf, $190 at Sak's.  Above right is M Missoni's Wave Striped Scarf, $295, also at Sak's.  Both are investment pieces, certainly, but both will look amazing for years to come.  

If you want to pull this look off in a budget-friendly way, you can often find affordable leopard print scarves in cashmere blends, or silk Pucci-inspired scarves.  Department stores are a great place to look.  

Who am I kidding?  Like any of us has time to traipse through a department store.  Ok – try Topshop's leopard scarf for $24 or this cool deco silk scarf, $55, at the MET.  Also, Ebay is a good place to find vintage Pucci scarves for around $60.

A note about silk scarves:  Most are not long enough to be wound around your neck.  If you have an amazing silk scarf, and want to try Becky's look, simply drape the scarf around your neck, leaving it open (don't wind it around) and let the ends hang down.  Button your jacket right over it.  You'll have a little scarf peeking out of the top and bottom of the jacket.

Last, but not least, Beck finished the look off with Tiffany's Tag Bracelet, which ranges from $175 – $300, depending on the charm selected. 

And YES – technically, you can find a very similar bracelet for less $$…but it doesn't come in that little blue box with the white bow.  And that little blue box makes me feel oh-so-very Happy.  Happy, happy, happy, in fact.

xo,

S