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<p>Come to think of it, the only young mothers I see who are really put together are the rich ones with lots of help and time to go shopping (I live in NYC so I see all kinds).</p>
<p>Yeah, when the kids are little, the ability to go shopping *without the kids *is just as important as the money part.</p>
<p>I used to take my younger D shopping- as soon as I would get my clothes off- she would run out the door ( this was at nordstroms and their dressing rooms were only half doors), and then hide in the middle of a rounder.
I would frantically put my clothes back on and go hunting for her, stationing myself at the escalator so she couldnât go too far.
Since H worked swing shift for many years, even going to the grocery store without kids was pretty tough.</p>
<p>ânow your H needs to take you on a winter getaway to a warm place so you can wear your pretty new summery dress!â</p>
<p>Sigh, bookiemom. We just came back from our vaction 
I have to admit that the dress is very cute, but it is a vacation kind of dress: [Crinkled</a> Cotton Maxi Dress](<a href=âhttp://www.tommybahama.com/TBG/Women/Dresses/PRD_TSW5334C/Crinkled+Cotton+Maxi+Dress.jsp]Crinkledâ>Women's New Arrivals: Clothing, Swim & More | Tommy Bahama) I got suckered in because it was made in the US!</p>
<p>Cute dress, BunsenburnerâŠit looks summery but doesnât show everything.</p>
<p>bunsen burnerâŠthanks for the tips. I was at an amaziingly good weight about 10 years ago and held it for about 5 years. I was running, lifting weights, and eating carefully. Felt great. Then the knee problem, which is now better due to yoga, but still wonât let me run ( I tried). On top of it i now have tendinitis in my elbow due to a bad golf outing with my H. So no weight lifting. RatsâŠin any case 10-15 has creeped back on and Iâm not liking clothes shopping very much right now! Iâm tall though, so itâs easier to hide itâŠbut I hate it! I refuse to buy those flowy things I wore after I had my son years ago!
End of rantâŠcarry on ladiesâŠ</p>
<p>Come to think of it, the only young mothers I see who are really put together are the rich ones with lots of help and time to go shopping (I live in NYC so I see all kinds).</p>
<p>I ran into this young woman a few years ago with her kids and she was really wiped out- She looked familiar but I couldnât place her ( I know a lot of people, I have that problem a lot) and I gave her some experienced mother advice.
It was only after I came home that I realized where I knew her from.
[Honey, you have to sleep when the baby sleeps](<a href=âhttp://www.geary.com/Cynthia_Geary_-_Actressâ>http://www.geary.com/Cynthia_Geary_-_Actress</a>)</p>
<p>Iâm not big on Capris but like the ankle length, with a pair of ballet flatsâŠthat Mary Tyler Moore look, remember?</p>
<p>Oh, Emerald, those were the days, right? When I see these utterly wiped out new Moms in the grocery store I give them all the credit in the worldâŠwouldnât want to be back there now.</p>
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<p>Fun lookâŠbut I always feel like my feet are too big.</p>
<p>BunsenBurner - you could wear that dress? Nice.</p>
<p>^^Thanks, oldfort! I guess that counts as dressing young :D</p>
<p>I remember that I was so sleep deprived as a young mother that I used every opportunity to nap and couldnât care less about my clothes. I think my wardrobe mostly consisted of jeans, shorts, sweatpants and T-shirts. When Hâs boss invited us to a nice restaurant to announce Hâs promotion, I had to scramble to find something appropriate to wear. It was more problematic than finding a sitter :eek:</p>
<p>Do you all remember Laura Ashley? It just popped into my mind on what I used to wear when my kids were first born.</p>
<p>BunsenBurner - in my book that counts as dressing sexy.</p>
<p>Toneranger - at the risk of making an absolute fool out of myself - if running is no longer an option, would you consider racewalking? I know it looks ridiculous at first, but honestly it is an excellent way to get aerobic exercise and lose weight pretty efficiently. I started racewalking about five years when I knew I would never return to running. In the beginning I felt like an idiot, I would do it in a neighborhood where I didnât know a lot of people, but now I could care less. My weight had crept up about 10 pounds and my blood pressure was starting to rise as well. By taking off the weight, I have stayed off medication and I really do feel good.</p>
<p>I still have two of my Laura Ashley dresses - bought in London in 1985 - in my closet. One is just a fabulous black dress that is not âlaura ashleyâ at all. But the other is a typical one, dropped waist, that I actually used to wear with a lace collarâŠmy my my, 27 years old and 108 lbs and wearing a dress that would fit in on Little House on the Prairie.</p>
<p>I was sorry when the stores closedâŠmy daughters had some great dresses from there.</p>
<p>workâŠI do walk quite a bitâŠalmost every dayâŠbut very brisklyâŠdonât think it qualifies as racewalking. Iâm with my dog so I donât think heâd appreciate my amping it up it at his age!
Iâm thinking biking might work. Thatâs what dear H did when his knee went out years ago. </p>
<p>I had those Little House on the Prairie dresses. Two of them were maternity dresses!</p>
<p>Anyway, going out to that special dinner tonight. Wearing black but spicing it up with a long fringed red/black scarfâŠfolded at the neck. And a wrap :)</p>
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<p>Me, too!!! Itâs our HS homecoming game tonight and our colors are red and black/ black for home games. No mum for me, but will need a wrap (perhaps the letter jacket that Dâs dance team won last year.) Finally, the first home football game on a Friday nightâŠitâs been a weird season.</p>
<p>âI had those Little House on the Prairie dresses.â</p>
<p>I was with my snarky brother at the airport. A family from what appeared to be from a polygamous cult walked past. One guy, five small children and three women with the front pompadour, single braid and decked out in Little House on the Prairie dresses. I commented to him(under my breadth :âhow awfulâ)
His response: âyah Laura Ashley is so OVERâ</p>
<p>Workwear for me is a polo, maybe a lightweight cardigan or sweatshirt jacket and scrub pants, and sneakersâŠas a nurse, I am on my feet and getting messy at times. In the summer which we did not have here this year I sbustitute capris. We have to wear solid color pants. No stripes, nothing. Gets old but its easy, I will admit. Everything is wash and wear. For the rare dress upâŠAnne Klein, JCrew, GAPâŠTalbots till they came out with the hideous line they have now. They used to be very classic and well made. And I am not over 50 as other posters mentioned in re: to Talbots. 
Also like Pendelton wools - helpful in the cold Northeast. We donât have Nordstroms. I do more small store shopping. Coldwater Creek - ick.</p>
<p>I just donated my one and only Laura Ashley dress to the Salvation Army last year. Big chintzy flower print, white sailor collar with bow, full skirt. My mother bought it for me back in the early 80âs I think. What a look. I guess I shouldâve donated it to the cast of Big LoveâŠ</p>