The first flop-proof formula for Moms on the go went down well. Practical cropped pants took centre stage, which is often the preference for the busy stay-at-home-mother (SAHM). The second look is about the casual skirt. I expect this outfit to resonate less than the first one because skirts and dresses are generally less popular than pants.

The formula is similar to outfit #1. Here are the new elements:

• Knee length skirt: A-line shapes work well because they allow freedom of movement. Keep the length at the knee and stick to casual cotton fabrications, cotton blends, poly blends and denim. Remember the skirt rule: don’t buy a skirt unless you have a top to pair it with.
• Casual top: The advice to move away from basic T-shirts still applies, but with the skirt ensemble it is important to make sure the tops are short enough. The right length and fit of the top is key.
• Denim jacket: A fitted, cropped denim jacket is a fab addition to a non-denim casual skirt ensemble.

The rest of the formula is identical, but I will repeat it here for convenience:

• The best bra: Remember to refit annually or when your weight has changed significantly.
• Cropped cardigan: It’s often chilly in the morning, later at night, or in the air-conditioning. Adding a cropped cardi keeps the silhouette structured yet unfussy. It’s also easy to fold up and pop into a tote.
• Fab flats: casual ballet flats, thong sandals, strappy comfort sandals, gladiators, slip-on sneakers, espadrilles or low wedges will do the trick. Stay away from anything too clumpy. There’s nothing stopping you from wearing a bit of a heel if you can run around in them. You know I draw the line at flip flops unless you’re in the appropriate setting.
• Handbag: Keep it healthy and make the size and shape work for you. A flat tote is the obvious choice, but if you need both hands free to attend to little ones, a sling bag is the solution.
• Accessories: If you wear specs sort them out first because they are your most important accessory. If you wear a watch, that’s next. Go for something with personality. Choose between statement necklaces or earrings but don’t wear both at the same time.

Skirts are a cool option in hot weather and a great way to mix up your look. A-line skirt silhouettes are particularly good for pear shaped body types and often more flattering than walk shorts.

Above: non-denim skirt ensemble.
Below: denim skirt ensemble.

Remember the casual skirt formula when you’re stuck in a cropped-pants-rut. It makes a nice change. You might have orphan skirts lurking in your closet, so haul them out and give them a chance.

It was all over designer collections, but didn’t filter down to mainstream. And with good reason because the paper-bag-waist skirt is hard to wear. A super slim, non-curvy body type, plus height, a smallish chest and great gams are the prerequisites.

I don’t think a short person with the rest of the goods will pull off this look. The paper-bag waistband needs a long torso so that the impact of a defined waistline is achieved. If the paper-bag part rides up too high, it’s unflattering. It’s also essential to tuck in the top and look great in poufy, gathered skirts (another look that’s hard to pull off).

I like the look on a boyish silhouette because it adds curve, interest and shape. The dramatic nature of the style makes for great catwalk appeal, but it’s best left as fringe fashion. I just can’t see it taking off in the real world where most women are shorter and curvier.

Haute Couture windows in Paris, London and Barcelona have displayed black-black skinny jeans for the past year. This trend was destined to filter down to prêt-a-porter collections and mainstream fashion in a matter of months. It has arrived.

Black-black skinnies are black. Not a faded black, dark grey or blue-black. They’re a true rich black which is as Gothic and punk rocker as it gets. I bypassed the grey denim trend last year, but feel I can do the black-black skinny jeans thing again.

I bought a pair a few weeks ago and I’m thrilled with them. Black-black skinny jeans are my preferred way of wearing black pants (I don’t own black slacks). They look great with ballet flats, chunky heeled red patent pumps and black booties. I also plan to wear them tucked into the slouchy chestnut knee-high boots that I hope to purchase later this year.

This is the next big denim trend. I highly recommend the look if you love skinny (or straight-leg) jeans. Trend setting YLF forum members Ana, Patience and Tanya are ahead of me. They’ve been sporting their black-black skinny jeans for a while! Thanks for the inspiration ladies. You look fab.

I bought the Marc Jacobs style on the left and they fit like a dream. It’s a super sleek and slimming look with black heeled booties.

Have you ever worn white jeans and stained them five minutes into your day? You are not alone. In my case it’s the adorable welcome of little wet Yorkie feet that often soils my cream trench, white pants and white shirts. You love the look but Murphy’s Law makes it unlikely that you will keep a white or light garment stain-free throughout the day.

I’ve resorted to carrying Tide-to-go in my handbag. It’s an on-the-go stain remover in the shape of a felt-tip pen. Rub the tip of the pen on the stain and it’s as good as gone half an hour later. It works well on most types of food and dirt stains, but not as well on ink and excessively greasy marks.

Tide-to-go has saved my outfit a number of times. Keep it in the car, an office drawer and take it along when you travel. It’s a nifty little trick at $3 a stick.

When I say “flip flops”, I’m not referring to stylish, structured, thong sandals. I’m talking about the ones with spongy, rubber-like soles and a rubber or canvas upper. When I was a child we called these “slops” (a well deserved name in my opinion). I fail to understand why they seem to be so extremely popular.

I’m all for casual thong sandals, but cheap, rubber flip flops look inappropriate and sloppy in everyday settings. Give them a miss unless you’re at the beach, lounging by a pool, relaxing at home, walking in a monsoon downpour, or waiting for toe nails to dry after a pedicure. You can do better. J Crew’s leather capri sandal is a good alternative.

I suspect I’m in the minority here, so please come to the defense of the flip flop if you think they have their merits. I doubt I’ll budge.

I adore cowl neck tops, but they are hard to find. Cowls can work for both busty and less endowed gals if the details are right. Here are a few guidelines:

• Wear a camisole if the cowl is low. It’s instantly work appropriate and wearable that way.
• Choose knits and wovens that drape. You’re after a cowl with maximum drape because they’re less bulky this way. Stay away from cowls in stiff fabrics unless they’re meticulously engineered (you’ll find these highly structured cowls in designer wear).
• Exploit the cowl’s vertical appeal. It elongates the neck and creates the illusion of height. Furthermore, if the edge of the cowl starts close to shoulder-neck-point, women with dainty shoulders and long necks are in business. (Yay! That’s me).
• Use them for visual interest. Cowls look great under jackets, cardigans or waistcoats, and on their own. Their ripple effect is attractive and punchy.

If you own cowl neck tops, tell me you love them too. If you don’t, start experimenting . It might take a while to find one that drapes the right way, but chances are high you’ll become a cowl convert too.

An assortment of Summer cowl neck tops. In cooler weather the neckline works just as well with longer sleeves and thicker fabrics, as long as there’s maximum drape-ability.

A quick note on several big sales that are happening online right now. The Nordstrom Anniversary Sale continues until 4 August (we’ve had a lot of fun with this one on the forum). Liz Claiborne is running their Cyber Sidewalk Sale until 25 July. you can get a 25% saving off a different category every day. Macy’s is on the final day of an Extra 25% Fashion Clearance Sale.

Don’t feel pressured to buy. Summer sale season here in America will continue through to the end of the month and markdowns will get even better over the next week.

The demanding lifestyle of a stay-at-home-mother (SAHM) requires casual, comfortable and practical outfits. Fortunately there is a formula the superhuman SAHM can follow for appropriate and stylish dressing. All it takes is the right pieces.

The no-nonsense SAHM often has a preference for pants (casual skirts and dresses are an equally casual and comfortable ensemble choice and I’ll touch on those possibilities in a future blog entry). Cropped pants therefore take center stage for the flop-proof SAHM Summer look. Match them with a sweet top, fab flats, a great handbag, one statement accessory and Bob’s your uncle. Start ticking off the list:

• The best bra: Remember to refit annually or when your weight has changed significantly. The majority of women are still in the incorrect bra size.
• Cropped pants: Choose clamdiggers or walk shorts in denim, cotton or a cotton blend. Please wear them at a flattering length (somewhere between the top of the knee and the widest part of the calf) .
• Casual top: Move away from T-shirts and step it up with casual tops instead. Make sure they are long enough. The right length keeps you covered and creates a contemporary edge.
• Cropped cardigan: It’s often chilly in the morning, later at night, or in the air-conditioning. Adding a cropped cardi keeps the silhouette structured yet unfussy. It’s also easy to fold up and pop into a tote.
• Fab flats: casual ballet flats, thong sandals, strappy comfort sandals, gladiators, slip-on sneakers, espadrilles or low wedges will do the trick. Stay away from anything too clumpy. There’s nothing stopping you from wearing a bit of a heel if you can run around in them. I draw the line at flip flops. This is not a good look unless you’re by the pool, at the beach or lounging at home.
• Handbag: Keep it healthy and make the size and shape work for you. A flat tote is the obvious choice, but if you need both hands free to attend to little ones, a sling bag is the solution.
• Accessories: If you wear specs, sort them out first because they are your most important accessory. If you wear a watch, that’s next. Go for something with personality. Choose between statement necklaces or earrings but don’t wear both at the same time.

For more inspiration, check out the YLF forum. Stylish SAHM’s like Dani, Becky, Julie and Shannon post their daily outfits. They have their fab Mummy style down.

Share your secrets stylish SAHM’s. I’d love to hear suggestions on how to improve this formula.

Don’t be discouraged if these styles aren’t to your taste. Just apply the formula to your own fashion persona, colour preferences and body type.

There is a slight difference between “straight-leg” and “skinny” jeans. It’s all in the width of the leg opening. Straight-leg jeans are a little wider at the hem than skinnies, and often more flattering because they create balance between the top and bottom part of your body.

• Skinny jeans have leg openings of 12 -13 inches
• Straight–leg jeans have leg openings of 14 - 15 inches

These hem width measurements are representative of the smallest size (24 or 25 inch waist). They increase as the size of the denim increases, but not by as much as you’d expect. Straight-leg jeans can run as wide as 16 inches on a larger size hem width. But go beyond 15 and 16 inches and you’re in boot cuts or flares.

Straight-leg jeans are generally better than skinnies for gals with wider calves, or pear and inverted triangle body types. Curvy hourglasses also do a pair of straight-legs justice. In these instances, straight-legs are a great substitute for skinnies. They’ll offer a similar sleek profile with the advantage of balancing out your silhouette. It’s a win.

The styles on the left and in the middle are straight leg jeans. The hem width is the same as the width at the knee, thereby creating a “straight leg”. The style on the far right is skinny because the hem width at the ankle is narrower than at the knee.

Booties have become completely mainstream for Autumn and Winter. They are the perfect closed heeled shoe between a pump and a boot. Pop them under a pair of slacks or any leg width of denim and it’s like magic. Versatile, simple chic at its best.

Franco Sarto makes an affordably good shoe. Their bootie at this year’s Nordstrom Anniversary Sale is fabulous. Its synthetic, stretchy, zip-front upper is pure brilliance. It makes the shoe uber soft, comfortable and just like a slipper. It stretches as you walk and closes tightly against the foot, making it extra flattering. The anti-slip rubber sole is great for wet weather and the chunky heel is stable and manageable at two and a half inches.

The mock crock, embossed, faux patent bootie is available in dark brown or black. It runs from a size 6 to 13 and is available in narrow and wide widths. Come on ladies, it doesn’t get better than that at a whopping $64.90 Anniversary sale price until August 4. I highly recommend giving this bootie a bash while stocks last.

I waited all season last year for an interesting and comfortable bootie with a two inch heel. I can’t believe my luck. I bought the black and inserted an insole for increased comfort. The stretchy upper is key. You’ll find two plainer Franco Sarto bootie styles at the Nordies Sale, but they’re sans the stretchy bit and hence less comfy. I also prefer the mock crock toe because it packs a cheeky punch when it peeps through from under a pair of boot cuts. Don’t judge the aesthetic entirely on this picture alone. They look better first hand, and you’ll be sold once they’re on your foot.