30 Days of Skyler

Week 2

This week was a little bit different. I am more used to doing this “working mom” business, and I have more time to focus on putting my clothes together. I was determined to see how many ways I could wear each piece, while trying not to look the same all the time (this is something I struggled with BEFORE the challenge). I also had more activities this week, which required more creative combinations. I may be a mother, I may not have shopped much lately, but inside me, there is a girl that’s dying to be fashionable again.

This week Everly had her 1 year check-up at the pediatricians office, and her 1 year shots at the health clinic – on the same day, during nap time. I knew I needed something that would be comfortable, while holding up to tears, snot and pulling. I’m trying to put more of an effort into how I look these days now that I’m back in the real world, but I was in no mood for belts or uncomfortable foot wear. I am SO tired of dressing in the usual hooded sweater shirts and leggings, but that’s my default. I am ecstatic that this challenge forces me to think beyond that.

I am trying to find clothing that will stand up to my mom duties, while being comfortable and stylish.
This week we also attended a birthday party for an awesome 3 year old, my husband and I had a long overdue date, and some family visited from out of town. There was a full week’s worth of work, and taking Everly to daycare for the first time, as well as requisite coffee runs and wine store shopping sprees. My Skyler items have seen a lot of things this week because it’s been go go go, and I’ve felt great the entire time. Some of them, like the Arlene leggings, were even worn 4 times in 7 days. And they are STILL fitting great.

(I’d like to talk about those legging for a sec. I’ve coveted a pair of the Arlene leggings for a long time now. I always intended to buy a pair of black ones, but somehow I never did. When I got grey ones in the challenge I wasn’t sure if they would be as versatile as black, but I think they might be better. These leggings feel and act like comfortable, Spanx. My butt never looked so good!)

Being a working mom has been busy, but it hasn’t been as bad as I thought. As part of this challenge, and to keep myself sane, I’ve been laying my clothes out the night before. It saves time in the morning, and is one less thing to think about with my overtired, under caffeinated brain. Looking back through my pictures I can fully credit my Skyler clothing for ensuring I look put together through all the chaos.

This challenge still remains not a challenge at all. I am finding it very easy to wear my Skyler pieces day in and day out. The only problem I have is taking photos every day, especially of me doing nothing particularly exciting. I think the people in the office are starting to wonder if I went a little stir crazy on maternity leave. I am sure they can’t help but wonder why I’m always having my photo taken. As if my coffee is really THAT exciting.

Also, I want to point out that, although I don’t have a picture for everything I’m doing during the challenge, I am in fact always wearing one of the pieces at all times (aside from sleeping). I am saving you from the really exciting photos of me sitting in my leggings and bathrobe, watching TV. However, I love that I can get home, throw a sweater on over the pants I wore to work with a cardigan, and lounge the night away comfortably.
This is my second week in photos. My fashion sense is slowly coming back, and my pictures are getting better. I can’t wait to see what Week 3 brings!

I’m Brandee, and this is the 30 Days of Skyler.

To view the photos (and get your shop on!) visit the post here!

This is the beginning of my 30 Days of Skyler.

Christina asked me to take this challenge, and I had to laugh. I thought, she wants me to wear Skyler for 30 straight days, and she is calling it a challenge? I wear Skyler 5 out of 7 days as it is, so what’s adding 2 more days and taking a few photos? Easy breezy my friends.

And I have to say, the photo taking is so far the biggest challenge.

I was given 8 pieces by Christina, with the promise that I would wear at least 1 piece, per day, for the entire month of April. I would take photos and talk about it; I was SO excited. 8 NEW Skyler pieces, all for me? It’s like Christmas wrapped in my birthday wrapped in my anniversary. I could not be more thrilled.

What is really strange is, after being on maternity leave for a little over a year now, I realize I have no idea how to get up and dressed in the morning. I mean, I am not saying that I didn’t get dressed the entire time I was on maternity leave – I did. However, a majority of the time the only people who saw me in a day were cashiers and stock boys, the local barista, my husband and my roommate. I wasn’t going to a place for 7-9 hours day, grabbing lunch in a café or stylishly cruising through Yaletown. No, I was the human Kleenex and I was rocking it. I was used to wearing Skyler to lounge around or stay comfortable with my baby, but I wasn’t used to caring how many times in a row I wore the same piece.

And suddenly, I had to spend time with my coworkers every day, and I cared.

I’ve lived in Skyler for 6 or so years now. I still have pants from 2006 that I bought to go on a long road trip. To be honest, I am wearing them now. I wore them all through my pregnancy, to the hospital to have a c-section for my breech baby, and a million times throughout this last year. The fit and look almost the same as they did in 2005. I am used to living in Skyler, but I am also used to having a varied selection.

And it’s not like those clothes are off limits, no. It’s just that we are trying to prove a point here. That with only 8 piece of Skyler clothing added to your wardrobe, you can not only change how you look, but how you feel. The versatility of the pieces I’ve chosen means than I never feel like I am wearing the same piece twice. And the comfort, style and durability means I won’t end the month feeling drab, uncomfortable or redundant.
Week 1 has been interesting. It started on Friday when my husband was off work, and where we were spent the last day of maternity leave as a family. We spent it looking for daycare. We entered the weekend, which included a birthday function and a trip through the park. Then there was Monday, where I was back to work. Lucky for me it was only a 3 day week, but it was still hard, and I still cried no less than 12 times.

Here I am, trying to look like a fully functional human being, and trying to remember how to get dressed for the real world, while trying to fit into my pre-pregnancy and post-partum clothes. Most of all, I am just trying to show you all how awesome Skyler is.

So, to view my first week in photos, go here.

As a busy, newly working mom I am so grateful to have Skyler on my side. I surely did not do the pieces I am wearing justice with my photos. Some were done with the trusty and beloved iPhone, most were done in poor lighting and all were done when I should have had 2 more hours sleep.

I am Brandee, and this is the 30 Days of Skyler.