Monday, 31 March 2014

Mama Stylez

Good evening beautiful ladies!!

After work today I dropped by the kitchen store to pick up a juicer and some utensils and I came home with shopping bags of new clothes.  Bad habit of mine.

Anyway, it got me thinking about mommy fashion; what looks good, what's in style, what makes you look like you're trying too hard, fashion no no's for moms, classic styles, affordable styles, etc.

After having my son, I tried to wrap my head around fashion and what clothing is appropriate for this new milestone in most women's lives, motherhood.  Through the years, society has created a standard that mothers should always dress modestly, in a manner that shows maturity and decency. 

In certain aspects, I agree with this standard.  I've worked in the HFR (health, fitness, and recreation) industry since I was 16 years old (still do), and I've seen  my fair share of mommy styles, good and bad both on the pool deck and fitness floor.  I still remember watching the moms come in to drop off their kids for swim lessons and observing the different styles, thinking...."wow, I wish I would be as stylish as her when I have 3 kids!" or "wow, she has 8 layers of make up on and I can see her underwear!" 

On the other hand, dressing modestly can be taken way too seriously and moms end up looking like this......


Well, not exactly but you get my point :)



When it comes to mommy fashion, I follow this guideline: "SIMPLE, CLASSY, & GLAM"
For this wifey and mother of 1, "simple, classy & glam" comes in 4 easy steps:

1.) Always have classic pieces in the closet that never go out of style.
That way you always have something to default to.  These pieces are also flexible enough that you can mix and match to experiment with a new style.  In the long run, it will save you money since you are already making use of what you already have, just dressing it up (or down).
- classic boot cut or skinny jeans (regular or dark wash)
- light cardigans and knit sweaters
- neutral and dark colours
- plain and basic tees and tanks
- 2 dress pants/skirts (dark and neutral colour)
- basic flats, heels, and boots


 

2.) Always accessorize. 
Even if you choose 1 simple accessory, it will give your simple outfit (or even sweats) a little bit of glam or sparkle.  I am never without earrings, a watch and a matching bag/purse.
- earrings
- a good watch (splurge on this one and pick something that is not too flashy)
- necklaces
- scarves (cold weather)
- bags

 
Some mommies out there who are reading this are probably thinking, "Seriously? I don't have time to dress up an outfit everyday."

Seriously.....ladies, it takes less than 10 seconds to put on a pair of earrings before heading out the door.

3.) Splurge once in a while.
There are certain things I can cheap out on and others I invest my money into.  If I am going to wear it on a regular basis or often enough, I look for good quality and sometimes that comes with a hefty price tag.  I also splurge on formal and evening wear.  These splurge items include:
- watches
- bags
- shoes
- jeans
- coats


Otherwise, everything else, find bargains!!

4.) Don't Overdo It.
Yes, there is such a thing as too many accessories, too much makeup, too many bright colours, etc.  I pick 1 or 2 bold pieces and I just work neutral or dark colours around these pieces.  For example, if I'm wearing a statement necklace, I keep my outfit very very simple, otherwise I would look like an overdone Christmas tree.....or an 80's sofa. (Sorry, I wanted an excuse to post this picture haha!)



The image below shows a simple outfit and the purse being my statement piece as it has a lot of gold accents.  It's mommy friendly, comfortable, functional, stylish, not overdone, and doesn't scream out "28 yr old trying to be 19 again".

 
 
 
 
SO!! Mommies out there, don't be afraid to glam up your look once in a while.  Being a mother is the hardest full time job out there so might as well look good doing it!! There are so much more clothing and style options for us nowadays so if and when you have the time, look through some magazines, shop online, take a walk in the mall with the kiddies or read my blog (shameless, I know, lol!) 
 
Have fun with it :)
 
 
Happy Shopping!!
 
 
<3 Maria


Thursday, 27 March 2014

Nailspiration by Wifey

Alright ladies, mamas, anyone and everyone out there that love nails.  Today's blog features my favourites!!

As a mom, I am all over anything that is quick, easy, and simple.  I absolutely LOVE doing my nails but simply do not have the time to sit and spend 2 hours on them nor  to go for a mani and pedi every week (simply because I feel a weekly mani is a waste of my money).  I do like to treat myself every once in a while to a mani and pedi, but usually for French manicures as I don't have the skills, time nor patience to them on myself. 

Here are some tips and tricks that I personally use for quick, easy, and glam nails for the mom/gal on the go!! :)

1.)  HAVE A VARIETY OF SHADES & COLOURS.



I like to have a decent selection of colours to go with each season or outfit.  I'm not big into crazy designs or colours as I don't want to look like a 28 yr old trying to be 17 again lol!!  The shades and colours I have at home are pretty basic with maybe a few bold colours, which is fine because basic colours go with everything and I don't have to buy every single shade on the face of the earth (although secretly I do).  I personally like metallic shades or polishes with a hint of sparkle as it gives a punch of glam to my overall look and it doesn't look overdone or cheap.

2.) MY PERSONAL MUST HAVES.



Take care of your hands and nails!!!  With everything that I do on a daily basis, my hands and nails always end up dry and look beat up.  SO, the photo features my go-to products to keep my hands and nails moisturized.  And again, just put on and go and affordable!! (Vaseline hand and nail, Nail Envy by OPI nail strengthener)

I stock up on top and base coat.  This is the "secret" to long lasting nail polish.  It protects my colour from chipping (from everyday mommy wear and tear) and gives it that glam shine.  I buy a large bottle as I use it every time I do my nails.  (ProFX top and base)

Also, for those who are always on the go or going out for the night and want quick nails, invest in some quick dry shades and top coats.  It takes minutes to put on and dry pretty fast.  My favourite Pinterest trick is to dip my finished nails into ice cold water for a minute.  The polish dries almost instantly and you don't have to worry about denting or smudging.  (Sally Hansen Diamond finish quick dry top coat, any quick/fast dry nail polish)

3.) GEL MANIS, ALL DAY, EVERYDAY.  



My best investment ever for nail fashion is my Orly gel manicure and UV light set.  It comes with a starter kit that has your gel coats, nail files, base coats, etc. and the UV light that sets your gel mani.  I LOVE gel manicures and I can have gel manis every week if I wanted to without spending the $$$. 
This does take a bit of time to do but the end results are pretty good and has saved me money each month.  There are many other brands out there (Essie, Sally Hansen), this one has worked wonders for me personally.


So I hope this was helpful (or at least entertaining) and has given you a bit if inspiration to spice up your look.  I strongly believe that being a mom shouldn't stop you from glamming it up once in a while.

Enjoy!!

<3 Maria

INSTAGRAM: @wifey604
TWITTER: @wifey604vancity

Tuesday, 25 March 2014

KISS Keep It Simple Stupid

On the road to my weight loss journey, many people asked.....
"how did you do it?" 
"What are you eating?"
"Did you stop eating?" 
"What are you doing differently?"
"Are you on that paleo diet?"
And the list goes on.

My response, "Regular exercise and a eating healthy".
Their response,"Really?? That's it?"

They couldn't believe how simple my answer was.  And really, it is very simple.  In the past 5 years, fitness and health has made itself a big fab in mainstream society. Crossfit, paleo diets, a million different protein powders, super foods, teas, "Strong is the new skinny", etc.  Don't get me wrong, I'm not bashing any of these fabs, heck, I'm into some of them and they have worked wonders for me.  My point is that it has become the biggest "in thing" now that it has started to cloud over the basics of living a healthy life.

When I first started trying to lose the baby weight, I've tried I guess what you would call "diets".  I would eat less, cut out certain things completely, and worked out like mad.  Even tried different smoothies and protein powders.  I was determined to lose weight so I went all gung-ho and tried everything in the book. Big mistake. I gave up after a month, I lost my motivation and started giving into bad habits again.

It was not a sustainable change.

START SMALL

I started with 1 diet change.  My worst habit is not eating a sufficient breakfast.  I would get home late at night from work, pass out, then wake up just before I had to leave to he tetra sleep.  To me, a complete breakfast meant having to wake up earlier, so I was like "pffft, screw that! haha". So I would rush out, grab a coffee and a small pastry and off tomwork I go.  Hubby started making me smoothies every morning.  It was very simple, fruit, yogurt, and protein powder.  I invested in a $3 plastic tumbler with a lid and straw so I can have it while I drove to work.  It was a good start to my day.  It gave me energy and I didn't have a caffeine crash by 11am.  I didn't do anything else, just that. I kept my normal routine, the only change was the morning smoothie. I did that for a month, 2 months, 3 months.  To this day I still have my smoothie in the morning.  I am drinking one as I type right now.  It became a habit.  As the months rolled by, I slowly started building on that 1 change.  I added a short 3km jog/walk with the little one in two and I went during my days off.  That too became a habit and it was such an awesome way to put a 4 month old to nap!! Killed 2 birds with 1 stone, mama for the win!!  If you're a mom, you understand how excited I got. I did that for a month or so then I added another change.  Hopefully you see where I'm going here :)

As a busy working mom, this system worked for me.  It may work differently for someone else. Point being, if you bombard yourself with too much all at once (starting a diet, workout regime, all in one day), you will eventually feel overwhelmed and end up giving up too soon.  

So start small and slowly build on it.  The little things make a huge difference, it will eventually become a habit and therefore sustainable.

"Rome wasn't built in a day"

Happy Tuesday!!!  
Don't forget to follow me on Twitter: @wifey604vancity and Instagram: @wifey604


<3 Maria



Sunday, 23 March 2014

Greetings!!

Welcome to my new blog!!


I'm very excited to share with you anything and everything about the things that I am passionate about.  Follow me on Instagram!!  @wifey604

A short summary about MOI:
Mom of 2 boys (the other one being my husband, hee hee)
Swim coach
Live in the suburbs
Currently studying to become a licensed paramedic
LOVE being active

What inspired me to start all this?

I've always been an active person, played sports in high school, worked out, etc.  After having my son, I felt that I've let myself go, and I think all moms can relate to this at some level.  Fitness went downhill, I didn't care about what I looked like, nor what I ate.  My little one was the center of my universe, it was no longer about me. 
Shortly after mat leave, I started to feel the effects of "new mommy" stress.  Work life suffered a little bit, I had absolutely no energy or focus.  Home life, well, my husband an I arrive home from work, gobbled up whatever was in the fridge or bought take out, played with the little one for a bit before passing out. (Again, working moms, you know how this feels!!)
Wash, rinse, repeat......basically what my life felt like for 3 months.

So I took charge!!

It took one look in the mirror (and a few outfits that didn't fit anymore) for me to snap out of this stagnant lifestyle.  I spoke to a dear friend about this and his words still ring in my head to this day....... "If you don't take care of yourself properly, it will be hard for you to take care of your family properly."  As selfish as this may sound, there is much truth to this statement.  He compared it to the safety talk airlines give to passengers prior to take off, specifically regarding the oxygen mask...."please put your own mask first before helping children and/or the elderly".  To me, it made a lot of sense.  My family is my priority....how am I supposed to take care of them fully if I'm not taking care of myself? What example am I giving my child when he sees mommy eat unhealthy food?  It's the little things that add up.

ANYWAYS, 40 pounds later........

Long story short, I started a fitness routine with the help of my amazing husband/personal trainer extraordinaire.  Changed my diet back to healthy, whole foods and a year and a half later I lost all my baby weight plus a bit more.  I have tons of energy (which is absolutely necessary to keep up with a 2 year old boy) and overall I felt amazing and most importantly, happy.

My Blog

My goal is to simply share my passion with others, to inspire and motivate moms who feel that they too have let themselves go after having children.  Throughout all this, I've learned that being a mom is not an excuse to let yourself go.  Being a mom is one of the most amazing milestones in every woman's life, celebrate it by feeling happy, healthy, and looking fab!! :) 
Don't believe me?
YES....you can still live a sustainable healthy lifestyle.
YES...you can still look and feel beautiful.
YES...you can still wear those heels and skinny jeans.
YES....go ahead, buy that red lipstick.
YES....that 21 year old boy, yeah he just checked you out.
BUSY?.....i'm sure you can spare less than 15 seconds a day to spit out 10 squats (more fun if you're holding a toddler)


I'm super excited and looking forward to providing you with fresh new blogs each week!!  Enjoy!!

<3 Maria