The writings of Editor Chris

The fact that patterns in mothers' clothing rarely change is quite the conundrum. Who says mothers in winter are intended to wear ill-fitted jeans and over-sized sweats? Nobody. The key is finding where the balance is of practicality and fashion. For example, it is winter after all. A mother needs to be warm but the old-fashioned sweats that exist in every color imaginable should stay in closet for paparazzi days (when all you do is put up a ponytail and go out to run a quick errand, hurrying back to watching Lifetime; I call it a paparazzi day because of the many paparazzi shots taken of celebrity moms when they look like they are doing this very thing [like Jennifer Garner]). The trend for clothing for moms in the winter has equal amount to do with practicality as with fashion.

Practicality:

You want your clothes to work for you. You don't want to swim in them, you just want to live in them. Moms already carry many extra items so pockets in their clothing can be of big help to the mom who doesn't want to carry an extra bag. Mothers need functionality. Too many zippers or buttons is never good but when kept simple and also when just for simple decoration, they can be good. Anything that makes a mother's life simpler is welcome. For example, the new hooded scarves are genius! They solve the problems that may occur with having to carry both a hat and a scarf, and, still having the wind hit all of the places between your crown and your neck. This link shows a Lands End hooded scarf for women in a bright red.

Low cut tops and tight pants are not practical, period, let alone for a mother's winter fashion. You want to aim to be covered and comfortable. A staple in women's fashion is leggings. Mothers can wear tunics, which are very forgiving, often cinching the waist and grazing the hips, or a short dress, which would do the same, with leggings. A casual look is to wear it with "ballet slippers." To be daring (and weather-appropriate), wear the look with boots, whether ankle boots or cowboy boots:

The main concept that I believe mothers should consider when shopping PRACTICALLY for winter clothing is quality. Honestly, you know you will wash a single shirt approximately ten times each week, from chocolate cookie smudges from your toddler's hands to colorful artwork from the (hopefully) washable markers in your pre-schooler's hands, so you will need to know for a fact that the integrity of the fabric can withstand such frequent TORTURE (to be blunt). The best fabrics for winter provide a give (so you will not have pants splitting, giving the kids something to laugh at, after you've just finished chasing them around after a holiday dinner gone wrong) as well as comfort and warmth. These fabrics include corduroy, velvet and fleece. The "(hopefully) washable markers" subject brings me to the next concept - price. Shop for quality but do not spend too much and the best way to accomplish this is by shopping in department stores, like Sears, especially during times of sales. This way, you will get something worth buying that you can wear as much as you would like to but if something goes wrong, you did not spend a fortune on it and if you liked it so very much, you can always pick up a similar or even identical item. It is easy to be wrapped in a "mom sweater [sweater with lack of shape but FULL coverage and superfluous "cheese" (frill, crocheted appliques)]" but what never goes out of fashion is a mom's sweater with great fabric, functionality, quality, comfort and warmth.

Fashion:

Pay attention to details. A belted cardigan is better than a regular cardigan and an asymmetrical tunic is better than a simple tunic. Complement your curves, don't hide them or over-accentuate them. We can accomplish this by wearing a regular spring/fall blouse underneath other layers. By creating different shapes in with your outfit, you're less likely to feel like the holiday turkey (stuffed). What is popular now is the long cardigan. This, you may remember, was also popular about ten years ago. These cardigans come anywhere from the hip to mid-thigh in length and can be found in various styles. Because of its velvet fabric and pockets (screaming functionality), I must use this cardigan as an example. You want chic layers; with layering, you can't ever go wrong. "Hoodie dresses" are also a new, popular rage. They go from thin and sweater-like to thick and coat-like. In Old Navy, I spotted something that gave me a flashback moment. It was a coat just like my grandmother wore over twenty-five years ago, in all of its bell-sleeved glory. Grandma wore it in black but I suggest this camel-colored one (I never like dark-colored coats in winter).

As far as themes of inspiration, old Hollywood, the 80's and menswear have been extremely trendy. Colors should either go with the colors of winter (like the ivory cardigan), blend in (like the camel-colored coat) or create a stark contrast (like the red hooded scarf).