How Busy Mums Can Look Put Together Quickly (Even on Chaotic Mornings)

“Help! I'm a mum who wants to look more  ‘put together’ than ‘dragged through a hedge backwards’, BUT I need to dress quickly in the morning & struggle with the mental space to think about what I’m wearing?”

I’m going to make this really simple ladies, here are my reliable wardrobe pillars to always looking stylish:

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1.Don’t obsess about looking ‘put together’, easier said than done right?

‘Put together’ can actually be more a state of mind rather than a styling trick. The first way I feel more put together when I feel good in what I'm wearing & therefore my confidence is elevated - this could be a simple off - duty look, my ‘uniform’ of jeans & a blazer or a well-accessorised summer dress. ‘Put together’ can also be that an outfit is considered; from the accessories to the tones in your pieces and how they work together, but that’s a step up & I can help with that, that’s when the overwhelm creeps in and we begin to doubt ourselves.

2. Always refer back to your ‘tried & tested’ outfit formulas & combinations

My life and ‘getting ready’ revolves around simple outfit formulas; between work, the kids & my social / casual life, I couldn't really function if I had to think twice before getting dressed. Here are some I wear on repeat:

• Medium blue high-waisted jeans with a classic cut tee & an blazer. I tend to pair with gold jewellery, a textured belt (with gold hardware) & stacked bracelets. My footwear depends on what I am doing; trainers for a personal shop with a client, leather sliders in the summer to go to a client or a heel if I am meeting a friend for a drink.

• My ‘do-everything’ denim jumpsuit from Oliver Bonas, shoe options as above, accessories as above & either a blazer or currently my suede jacket, simple

• A maxi skirt, knitted tank (summer) or sweatshirt (winter) & leather jacket, accessorised as above & a trainer or leather slider

Sleeves always ruched up, hems rolled up as applicable, & Ray bans on!

3. Give simple understated outfits a fashion spin

If you think something’s missing, or your outfits are feeling a little ‘samey’, they are probably are lacking that ‘something’ & its probably time to give your style / looks a little boost. So many times in the past I’ve missed opportunities within my outfits to add colour, accessories or texture. It is always about making sure you add the finishing touches to your look. The answer:

• Accessories: belts, scarves & even my Ray bans come in handy & can tell a bigger story than your simply ‘thrown on’ outfit

• Shoes: the power of good shoe options. Trainers, flats, heels or boots? Each footwear choice offers something very different & can help you feel confident, by elevating your outfit, pulling a look together or offering that needed finishing touch. Equally bad footwear choice can ruin an amazing out (in the same way handbags can), my advice is to be considered in all aspects of your outfit planning

• Jewellery: I love the power of jewellery & have incorporated this easy addition into my everyday getting ready like putting on my underwear. Pairing jewellery with your everyday look is easier than it used to be as it is so accessible & it doesn’t have to cost a lot, I find lots of great pieces at craft markets and on holidays

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4.Build a ‘capsule wardrobe’

Ok hear me out as I am not a fan the biggest fan of a ‘capsule wardrobe’, more a considered wardrobe; everyone is so different with such different requirements so no ‘one size fits all’ capsule will works. However, as a working parent, it's much easier, and more important, to know what pieces fit you;  your lifestyle, your body shape, your colouring and in the correct fabrications.

Not everyone can pull off the same look, hence why the beautiful flatly images of ‘capsule wardrobes’ all over Instagram are actually quite confusing.

T-shirts: I love Ivy, Sezane, and on the high street, Cos & Arket & Sugarhill

Jeans & trousers: ME & EM, M&S, Good America, Arket & Mango

Jackets: leather from All Saints, suede from Suzanne & Mango for blazers

Knits: I like a v-neck or crew, & tend to look across the high street depending on the colours available, weave & shape. Uniqlo, M&S, John Lewis, again Sezane & Anthropologie are where I head to, always looking in the menswear departments too!

Shoes: Trainers, flats, comfortable heels & leather sliders are my personal go-tos & I’m a fan of John Lewis And/Or, Dune, Office & Esska

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One dress style, 3 ways to wear

5. Photograph your looks / outfits

I always recommend to my clients that whenever they wear something they like, make sure to take a quick snap on your phone to start a folder / look book as outfit inspiration. It’s a ‘go-to’ library of outfits that are combinations of what you already own, unlike the hundreds of screens shots from Pinterest or Instagram of outfits you wish you owned. Another great idea is to print out a style inspiration ‘vision board’ to stick inside your wardrobe, again something I create with my clients to help them with ease in getting dressed.

And finally, don’t get too hung up on looking ‘perfect’ We may get constantly bombarded with ideas of perfection on social media, but that isn’t real life. Life is about making fashion ‘mistakes’, being comfortable in your clothes & sometimes having a coffee drip down your pristine white tee ( me too often), that’s just life!