Are Marin Moms Frumpy?

Are Marin Moms Frumpy? That's the question addressed in this guest post by Carla Morton, Marin mom and CEO of fashion website BrandHabit. Read on to find out the answer and for some valuable tips on how to look your best and avoid the not-so-inevitable descent into frumpiness!

We all know what a frumpy mom looks like right?

Think: outdated jeans that don't fit well, frizzy hair with gray roots, bad bra (i.e. saggy boobs), non-descript shoes, no makeup, and an overly washed, faded, crew neck t-shirt. Oh yeah, and slumpy shoulders.

In my opinion the slumpy shoulders are the biggest culprit in frump. As I've aged, I have become more aware of my posture, especially while the rest of me continues to point downhill, if you know what I mean!

To me, frumpy is an attitude more than it is a way someone looks or dresses. Certainly, on the days I work from home, I am as frumpy as the rest... Really, I am like Jekylll and Hyde. Thank GOD I live in a town where it doesn't matter if I walk into the grocery store in my PJ's… We all want to let it all go sometimes.

So back to the question: are Marin moms frumpy? On a whole, no. But let me tell you right here, to look NOT frumpy is very easy in Marin. Marin mom fashion is pretty distinctive. We are more casual and laid back than moms in the city, we wear less bright colors and flashy prints than moms on the Peninsula or in Walnut Creek, and we are less eclectic than Berkeley moms. 

Most Marin moms are running around in yoga or workout clothes. And let's face it: a fit mom with a workout glow on, decent work out clothes, and a good posture doesn't look frumpy. 

So: to look NOT frumpy in Marin, here is my list. It's pretty simple and it won't break your bank account.

• Buy a good bra to hoist up those milk machines (even if they are no longer in service). I love the GAP T-Shirt Bra. I call it my boob job bra.
• Stand up Straight
• Invest in a nice pair of designer jeans that make your rear look good. Simple jeans, gals. Forego the bling and acid wash. I happen to love Lucky but my friends wear Rock and Republic, Hudson, and Citizen.
• Get a good haircut that you can maintain easily without a lot of work.
• Buy a nice sweater with some style: (Margaret O'Leary, Laurie B, White, and Warren... ) 
• Finally: add a great necklace that’s casual but get's people's attention ( I suggest Jeannine Payer, Presh, Alana Leigh, Margo Morrison).

In summary:  remember, looking not frumpy is an attitude and a good bra.

Carla Morton, the CEO of BrandHabit was born in San Francisco and raised in Marin. She spent ten years as a jewelry designer in the fashion industry and then ten years running Go Fish as a technical recruiter. She is now the founder and CEO of an internet company called BrandHabit; a fashion directory that helps shoppers find designer brands in local stores. Carla lives in West Marin with her husband, their nine year old daughter, a dog named Daisy, a cat named Domino and a fish named Moby.