FROM PLAYGROUND TO OFFICE:
StylingTips FOR BusyMums By Carolina Giraldo
W
orking mums are a force of nature. There are so many factors that go into one day, let alone an entire working week. Meetings and homework. Reports and lunchboxes. Presentations and the playground. It may seem as though transitioning your outfit from playground to office would be at best inconvenient and at worst, completely unrealistic.
Thankfully, style connoisseur and working mum of two, Carolina Giraldo, founder of Carolina Lifestyle, has been there and done that. Here she shares her top 7 tips for styling your wardrobe, so you can confidently pivot your runway from asphalt to office, effortlessly.
STRIP BACK AND TAKE STOCK It’s often overlooked but this one simple tip is the foundation to your wardrobe; ensure you wear your clothes, and they don’t wear you. Do a wardrobe purge and bin or donate anything that you haven’t worn in 6+ months (except if it’s a special occasion piece) and get rid of anything that doesn’t fit properly. Having a closet cleanout allows you the space to focus on what fits, what you like, and what you wear most often. Then, from here, you can start to fill in the gaps.
YOU DON’T NEED TO REINVENT THE WHEEL Once you’ve done an inventory of what you have, it’s time to fill in the gaps. With all this new wardrobe space it can be tempting to go all out and buy that little black dress you’ve been eyeing for months, or that fabulous kaftan for a holiday you’ve yet to book. But these pieces won’t be your everyday go-to’s. Start by taking note of what styles, colours, and shapes suit your body. From here you can base your new pieces upon this blueprint, knowing they will fit, flatter and match what you already have.
MAKE YOUR CLOTHES WORK FOR YOU As the saying goes, ‘dress for the job you want, not the job you have’. This makes sense in theory, however, in execution with the added complexities of a working mum, it’s not so cut and dry. The key here is to find a level playing field between the playground and office. What similarities can you find between the two and what is the lowest common denominator? Depending on your job and its expectations, this will be different for everyone but by comparing the two, it’s easier to draw similarities and distinctions, allowing you to levelup basics and pare down formalities. continued page 14... 12 Peninsula Kids – Winter 2022