There are a few things you learn real quick as a mother.  First, ALWAYS prep and load your wipees.  Babies have lightening fast hands and feet.  There are few things more annoying in the diapering world than reaching for a wipee to clean up the messy diaper only to discover zero wipees sticking out of the dispenser. Since one hand is holding the kicking legs in the air, your other hand must fish for the end of the top wipee.  One of two things will then happen.  You'll either knock the whole dispenser off the changing table and perfectly out of reach or you'll pull on the wipee and it won't disconnect, dragging 50 more wipees out behind it. Prep and load! Pull out one wipee, making sure the second is also tufting out, and set the first wipee on top.

The second thing you learn is that time is not your friend.  Meal times come way too fast.  You rarely get the food prepped before the fussing begins. You never play with them long enough. They never sleep long enough.  There are never enough hours in the day.  And they grow up way too fast.  Most anything you do for yourself must be done extremely quickly and efficiently.  And I'll bet by now you're wondering what this has to do with good style.  Let me explain.  No, too long.  Let me sum up.  (movie?)

Style Assassins can be subtle.  And they can have nothing to do with clothes and accessories.  I'm talking about these.

Ok.  I wanted to scare you straight with that first picture.  Most women aren't this bad.  More like this.

Or this.  Look familiar?

Why bother writing about this particular style assassin during the season you're least likely to wear sandals?  Because now is the perfect time to winterize your feet! 
This is one of those projects when a little time is definitely all you need. 
Not money.  Not tons of fancy products.  Time. 
Time and 2 steps.

Step 1 - File every time you shower
Sometimes you'll have time to do a thorough job, other times you'll only have 5 seconds to run a quick swipe over your heels.  That's ok.  Be gentle.  Don't forget the callouses on the balls of your feet and big toe and don't get discouraged when the cracks don't disappear instantly.  Exfoliating becomes much more efficient after several moisturizing sessions.

This is the foot file hanging in my shower right now.  It's $2.00.  It has a rough and less-rough side, just like a nail file.  I bought it because it's the file nearly every pedicurist ever used on me.  Speaking of which, next time you get a pedicure, ask if you can keep the one they used on you.  Many state laws require the to salon throw the file away after each client. The one you buy at a beauty supply store will most likely be a little thicker than the one you take from the salon.

Step 2 - Moisturize every time you wear socks

I read this little tip in a Shape magazine eons ago and it has meant the world of difference for my feet.  Slather on a good goopy layer before you pull on socks (not nylon stockings).  Don't worry, it won't soak through and ruin your shoes.  Do this whether you're running a quick errand, heading to the gym for a workout or not even leaving the house.  Keep the bottle of moisturizer in your sock drawer so you don't forget.

This is the moisturizer currently in my sock drawer.  My mom introduced it to me.  It's cheap and works great.  And don't wash the extra off your hands!  I don't like to get the bottle and my sock slimy so after slathering one foot, I rub the extra into my knees.  Then I pull my sock on.  After the other foot I rub the extra into my elbows.  While thicker is better, especially if it's formulated to exfoliate, most any moisturizer will do.  Maybe you have some body lotion you didn't really like the scent of.  Use it up on your heels! 

A couple additional tips?  You don't have to buy some of the crazy expensive products out there. 

I've seen special heel creams topping $30. Most women don't need it.  And these Bliss moisturizing socks are $48 dollars!  Whether they're miracle workers or not I have a whole winter ahead of me and many better uses for $48.

I was once given some moisturizing booties and gloves like this.  They're just really stretchy socks that hold in the lotion and are technically meant to be slept in, but that drove me crazy.  If you can sleep in socks, do that.  The uninterrupted moisturizing hours will work wonders on your feet.  I save my socks for those times I'm going out, will be wearing open-heeled shoes, and am taking more time to get ready.  I moisturize and slip them on right after my shower and wear them until I put my shoes on.

Now go forth and conquer those cracked heels!  Your younger looking feet will return the favor.  (Cracked heels age you quickly.) You'll confidently slip on that first pair of sandals in spring and have a much easier time maintaining your smooth soles next summer.

Top 5 Items To Ban From Your Closet

One night during this Thanksgiving break, my husband and I were snuggled in bed unwinding from the day.  An L.L. Bean catalog had mysteriously arrived and so we decided to flip through it and play the "you have to pick one thing from every page" game. You know that game?  If it's a good catalog, picking one thing can be a hard decision. With other catalogs it's a question of the lesser of many evils and you start cracking up about having to actually have/wear the items.

As we were flipping, I was appalled at the barrage of unflattering pants I was seeing on the pages.  The stores I shop and recommend rarely carry these wretched styles so I've often asked, "Where are people still finding these?"  I now know at least one. L.L. Bean. 

There were some nice winter-wear options sprinkled around but always interspersed by these sorry excuses for pants.

Take one glance at this photo and just try and tell me she looks good.  This is obviously a skinny model and that high waist and tapered leg are so unflattering!  Her legs look stubby and from crotch to waistband is frighteningly long!

Just imagine how much worse it is on an average shaped body.

An elasticized waist, people!  What in the name of all that's fashionable!?!?  What designer is so out of touch that they actually continue to make these?  And who are the half-wit buyers who keep stocking them?

This was a Christmas catalog with free shipping and special sale prices.  They're trying to incentivize you to buy these pants!  Oy.  It started me thinking that many people are going to get new clothes for Christmas.  Hopefully not these pants!  And if you are one of the lucky receivers of new clothes, it might be a great opportunity to replace some of the less flattering items still lurking in your wardrobe.  I researched various lists that style and fashion experts have compiled of items that are unattractive and unflattering and should be banned from your wardrobe.

Here are the Top 5 -

While Jillian or Bob or your plastic surgeon have the answers for preventing your actual knees from getting baggy, this little tip is for your pants. 

It's winter, most of us are wearing pants more often than we were a month or two ago.

Lots of sitting causes the fabric around the knees to stretch.  Doesn't matter if it's wide-leg suit pants or super lycra enhanced jeans.  Sit in them long enough and often enough and that area will stretch.

Once that happens, they won't hang nicely while you're standing.  Like this.

You'll lose your crease, if there is one, and it'll be oddly voluminous around your knees.

Luckily, there's a simple fix.  Right before you sit down, hike your pants up just a bit. 
Not so much that you have handfuls of fabric sitting in your lap.  Just let your arms hang down, grab the fabric at your thigh, and turn your fingers under. 
This will be enough to keep your pants from pulling at your knees while you're sitting.

As for this... I know of no such easy fix. 
A million lunges, perhaps?