A Stay at Home Mom's Wardrobe Essentials

Let me just begin by saying I don't consider myself to be fashion expert by no stretch of the imagination. At this juncture in my life my top priority is to feel good in my clothes. They have to be comfortable and flattering. This post is prompted because four years ago I went on a one year leave of absence from my teaching profession which turned into choosing to stay at home permanently. Staying home after having a career has proved challenging to me in many ways but especially in the "what to wear department." I found myself staying in my pajamas or throwing on a pair of yoga pants and my husbands t-shirt all too frequently. All of the sudden I was in the pajama and yoga pant rut. I had forgotten what pretty felt like. I had forgotten when you feel pretty on the outside you feel better on the inside. It was that moment that I decided that I would get up each day and get dressed and look at being a stay at home mom as a job to get dressed to enjoy! I still allow myself to lounge in my comfy clothes once in awhile, especially on those cold snowy days, but I will never again become a yoga pants addict.
When I worked I had a lot of clothes, but not much suited the job of a stay at home mom. I have to be honest, I kept all those clothes hanging in my closet until this past fall. I finally packed them away and took them to a resale shop. So what does a closet look like of a stay-at-home mom? Jeans, leggings and tops! I love it!
My attire most days consists of skinny jeans and a loose "easy to care for top." Some days I pull on the leggings and throw on a tunic. At my age, I feel I have to be a little careful with what I wear with leggings!
I do use Pinterest for a lot of my daily outfits. I actually find it fun to browse Pinterest and find outfits I can create from things I already own. If you follow me on Pinterest you will find a board titled "Outfits from things I already own."
My clothing budget is much smaller than it was when I worked so I have to get creative. I find that by having basic items in my closet and adding a few trendy pieces each season and some really cute accessories, I can create looks that make me feel good and in style. I look for things that are easily washed, basic, and feel comfortable.
My stay at home mom essentials for fall, winter, and spring consist of: a white, black and grey t-shirt, two cardigans, a great pair of dark skinny jeans(mine have a little stretch to them making them feel a little like yoga pants) and a pair of dark or light skinny jeans, a stripe t-shirt, a button down plaid shirt, a cute cotton sweater and a stylish sweatshirt. For summer I add a pair of denim shorts and a pair of chino shorts in a favorite color, a maxi dress, and tank tops.
I have posted some pictures below of things I have worn in the past two weeks. I've learned that it isn't about the quantity but the ability to mix and match and feel good.

A stay at home moms essential wardrobe consists of things that make her feel good.

The outfits posted below were worn in the past two weeks. Basically the outfits consist of a black and grey t-shirt, a plaid button down shirt, a striped long sleeve t-shirt, two casual cardigans, two classic cardigans, a tunic, a grey oversized sweater, a green sweater, two puffer vests, a sweater coat, a pair of skinny jeans and a pair of black leggings. Accessories include three scarves, two statement necklaces, and two long necklaces. Shoes include booties, brown boots, and converse tennis shoes. The only items purchased this season are the burgundy cardigan, the grey oversized sweater, the plaid sweater coat, the plaid scarves and the dark red statement necklace.
There are so many options to mix and match all of these items. The eighteen outfit combinations below are only a small representation of possibilities. All created on a budget and all stay at home mommy approved!