Beauty & Style

How many of you swore up and down that you weren't going to let being a mom ruin your sense of style? No matter how hard we try to avoid it, I think it's safe to say that the majority of women fall into a bit of a fashion slump after welcoming children into the world. Let's face it -- babies kind of steal your beauty while you are pregnant, and then kids just seem to have a knack for making it next to impossible to put together a trendy look.

Most moms I know fluctuate between two specific styles on any given day of the week -- incredibly frumpy or totally safe. Let me guess -- as you are reading this, you are either wearing yoga pants and a hoodie while sitting at home, or you are at work wearing a standard pair of black pants, and either a basic 3/4-sleeve top or a camisole paired with a matching cardigan. Sound about right?

I don't know what exactly makes us flip the switch on being adventurous with our style choices after our little ones arrive, but moms really seem to have an innate desire to want to stay away from wearing anything that is remotely risky. It's almost like we think that we aren't allowed to stand out in a crowd -- or we are just way too afraid of being noticed. But honestly, we shouldn't think that way at all. If anything, we should celebrate our individuality and show off our personal sense of style even more.

In order to get the ball rolling on stepping out of our comfort zone as far as traditional "mom style" goes, we can take a few cues from celebrity moms who aren't the least bit afraid to experiment and take risks with their looks. Just look at Jessica Alba, for example. If I had to choose between purchasing a pair of hot pink jeans versus a pair of your standard blue ones, odds are good that I'd play it safe and go with the blue. But look how amazing and fresh she looks by having that gorgeous pop of color sticking out from under her coat. Those pants give her just the right amount of edge to make her look like she has a leg up on the fashion world -- no pun intended.

Another celeb mom who I've always really envied for her classy, yet chic mom style is Reese Witherspoon. She always looks so put together and doesn't wear anything too revealing, yet her outfits are always current, and a bit on the flirty and youthful side.

If moms like Jessica and Reese aren't afraid to step out of the box a little when it comes to style, then we shouldn't fear it either. Who says that we have to have an A-list status to pull off looking trendy and cute while doing the school run?

Has having children ruined your sense of style, or do you feel even more fashionable now?

Images via Pacific Coast News