{Kids Style File} To Be Fresh, Fly, and Ten-Years-Old

The other day, Aiden and I were out shopping and I found myself schooling him on how to tell if something is priced too high, what the actual worth of the product is, and how/where he could go to get a better deal. Because: bargain hunting! Duh!

Truth be told, I find myself doing that a lot these days with him -- schooling him on life. Particularly, things in life for when he doesn't have me standing right next to him to answer his questions or bail him out of a potential problem.

I find myself teaching him how to be smart and savvy. I find myself pointing things out that seem sketchy, suspect, a little weird. I find myself teaching him why it's important to exercise self-control, especially when he's riding these NYC trains. I find myself teaching him how to be a cautiously optimistic New Yorker.

Quite frankly, I find myself teaching him how to be independent.

Because homie is ten-years-old now. And although he still believes in the Tooth Fairy, the pre-teen years are upon us and before I know it, he's gonna be independent.

Before I know it, he'll be traveling to and from school on his own instead of having me chaperone him, he's gonna be hanging out with friends instead of having me bring him on a playdate, and he's gonna be learning how to navigate through life.

Before I know it, he'll be weaving in and out of friendships and learning how to find his way and find his people.

I'm not quite ready of all of that yet, but Aiden's excited and ready. I can tell. Plus, he's had years of experience of watching me hustle and grind.

Little by little, I know that I'll be able to foster a little more independence in him and help him become a little more self-aware.

And to think that just two years ago I was right in the thick of fighting like hell to get him to reach him full capacity and just last year we were right in the thick of making appointments with a psychiatrist and coming to terms with our "new normal".

I'm happy to report that these days, things are pretty damn good. *wipes forehead and brushes shoulders off* The kid is crushing it in school, he's really into sports, he has solid friendships and loves to hang out with them, he's learning how to control him impulses and manage his frustrations, and, most of all... he's happy.

He's happy.

My baby is happy.

And fly.

And dope-boy fresh. (Shout-out to Jay-Z.)

What a difference a year makes!

{Kids Style} Vingino Jeans

Aiden's a pretty stylish and fashion-forward kid. No doubt about that. But, he's also very rambunctious, playful, and loves to get down and dirty.

Needless to say, I'm always on the hunt for pieces that are not only stylish and functional, but also durable. When I'm shopping for kids clothing, durability is a big thing for this delicious single momma! Oh, and the price has got to be right too because I will not spend all of my hard-earned coins on just one or two pieces of clothing. No ma'am!

Enter Vingino.

A few weeks ago, I had the opportunity to check out their showroom, as well as chat with the their designer and marketing team, and I really fell in love with their denim. A love like, are-these-made-for-girls-and-do-they-come-in-my-size?

Founded in 2001 in Holland, Vingino has since become a very popular brand in many countries in Europe. I mean, with it's well-tailored clothes, bright colors, and unique attention to detail, I can totally see why parents and kids have loved it season after season.

But now... the good news: After years of being in the Europe-only club, Vingino is now venturing into the USA! Not only is it quality denim, but the fabric is stretchy, which means that Aiden can do it all in these bad boys -- run, jump, skip, hop, get down and dirty... and still maintain his style factor.

Needless to say, it's a win for us all! I'm smiling too, kiddo. I'm smiling too.

Visit the Vingino website or social channels in order to get you a piece of the action, er, denim!

{Disclosure: I was provided with Vingino denim jeans and accessories in order to facilitate this review. All opinions expressed herein are my own.}

{Baby Style} Smiles and Pastels

cardigan, striped onesie, pants: Baby Gap | sneaker socks: Trumpette 

Easter Sunday is always filled with church and new outfits, dinner at a new restaurant and Easter basket candy. Lots of candy. (In fact, it's one of the only times that Aiden is actually allowed to chew bubble gum.)

And color. Lots of color. It's the first time in the new year that I dress Aiden in something colorful.

This year, I was so excited to add Baby August to the mix.

So when I found these yellow skinny pants from Baby Gap, I had to get them. I mean, a baby... in skinny jeans! Who can resist?!

I paired them with a navy and white striped onesie, Trumpette sneaker socks, and a gray cardigan. It's official... this baby's stylin' on 'em!

Aiden was pretty stylish too, but that another post for another time. In the meantime, enjoy this delicious picture of my blessed duo...

Now you know I can't wait to do more Baby Style posts, right?

Seriously... bring on the cuteness!

Hope you all had a blessed Easter. Stay stylish!

{Personal Style} Love, With a 1920's Vintage Flare

Over the weekend I got all dolled up, traveled back in time, and HEB and I headed to the wedding of two lovely friends. Hosted at The Metropolitan Building in Long Island City, the wedding theme was 1920's vintage, and the guests and bride and groom came ready to show out!

I, on the other hand, refused to buy a 1920's style maternity dress (is that even a thing?!) so I wore one of my black maternity dresses. I literally have four different black maternity dresses -- one with a cap sleeve, one with a scoop neck, and two with 3/4 sleeves in two different sizes (small and extra small). It's become somewhat of a staple for Baby Delicious and me, and I ain't even mad! (HEB, on the other hand, makes fun of me every time I'm in "another black dress?!")

But I digress. 

I decided to dress up my maternity dress with 1920's-inspired accessories -- pearls and statement necklaces, a faux fur shawl with a brooch detail, and a feathered hairpin. For a pop of color, I wore pink peep toe pumps. They aren't exactly 1920's-inspired, but they added a modern twist and a perfect pop of color. 

I thought the entire outfit looked classic! 

And the bride and groom? Well, they were just as stunning and loving and happy as ever. It was definitely a wedding to remember. 

So happy I got to be apart of their special day! Cheers to Daryl and Nicole!

Hope you all are having a fabulous week. Stay stylish!

{Personal Style} A Touch of Pink

skinies and tank: Target | pumps: Kohl's | clutch: Aldo | blazer and necklace: H&M

Happy Labor Day!

This weekend, I celebrated the love of two of my sweet (and stylish) friends, D and N at their wedding shower. It was an all-white event, and while I was on the hunt for a white outfit to go along with my baby bump, I decided to break the rules... just a little bit.

In addition to the white skinny jeans and crisp, white (comfortable) tank, I added a bold statement necklace and bright pink blazer. The trendy peep-toe pumps was the perfect finish to the summery-looking outfit. I'm lucky that, at 26 weeks, 3 days, I still feel good enough to be able to wear heals and I'm gonna ride it out for as long as it'll last.

D and N, sorry I broke the rules. Blame it on Baby Delicious.

Hope you all are enjoying your long weekend. Have a great week!

Stay stylish!

{Personal Style} Loving on The Little Black Dress

dress and necklace: H&M maternity | shoes: Prabal Gurung for Target | ring: Aldo Accessories 

I've mastered the art of the little black dress, sans the baby bump. But every since Baby Delicious is making my bump more and more apparent, I've been trying to figure out how to rock this thing out in a fashionable way.

I've always loved the little black dress. It's sophisticated and sexy -- what's not to love?! I can were it to work or when I'm hanging out with friends, which is my kind of versatility.

I paired this dress with a few statement pieces for a stylish finish -- a bold necklace, an oversized ring, and colorfully funky heels (one of my favorite pieces in my closet!).

Both the growing bump and I give this dress two thumbs all the way up! Hope you all are having a great week.

Stay Stylish!

{Personal Style} Back-to-School, Maternity Edition

 dress: Target | blazer: H&M | shoes: Aldo | stacked bracelets and statement necklace: Stella&Dot

It's that time again -- back-to-school! After preparing all Summer long and leading professional development for all my wonderful teachers, the students are starting their very first day!

I'm pretty excited -- and not just because I know I'm gonna take some time off this year to spend with Baby Delicious. But, even with all its challenges and ups and downs, each school year is magical in its own way. And I feel very honored to be able to witness the magic every single day. It reminds me of why I do this work and why I continue to push so hard.

I've worn this outfit before. It was earlier in the Summer as I was just beginning to pop. I found the dress to be so comfortable and stylish. And I loved that the blazer made for a very polished and professional finish. As of now, I'm still able to wear my heels (thank goodness!) so, for a nice pop of color, I paired the outfit with my favorite suede pink peep-toe pumps, which has a platform for added support.

For the first day of school, I decided to rock this outfit once again. It's comfortable, sleek, stylish, and professional. And it totally says, "I'm ready to rock it out this year as a badass school leader, especially while preggo."

Right?!

Right.

Next up: getting Aiden ready for the start of school and an adventurous year as a second grader. Oh dear...

Have a great week! Stay stylish!

{Personal Style} Truly Blue

dress, cardigan, necklace: H&M | sandals: Steve Madden | clutch, stacked rings: Aldo Accessories 

I've been feeling pretty casual these days, especially with warm summer NYC days and Baby Delicious roasting nicely. So when I found this comfy dress at H&M, I just had to buy it.

It's light-weight and flowy, and the bright color makes a bold statement -- totally my kind of dress! I've been pairing it with flats because... pregnancy. But, I find that it also goes really well with fun heals and a blazer (for work purposes).

The statement necklace, stacked bracelets, and funky cardigan makes for a very trendy preggo outfit. Wearing bright, bold colors is hands-down one of my favorite things about summer fashion so I'm totally in love with this outfit. The best part? This isn't even a maternity dress, which means that I can wear it after Baby Delicious makes a fashionable appearance. Score!

Way to make a fashion statement this summer!

Hope you all have a great week. Stay stylish!

Brit + Co Stylish Moms Round-Up

Exciting news!

Brit+Co put together a list of stylish moms who inspire folks to spice up theirs -- and their children's -- wardrobes. And, although I'm being a teeny bit biased, I must admit, they've put together a pretty kick-ass list. 

Not only does the list include Aiden and yours truly, but also a group of other mom-and-kiddo duos who bring new meaning to the phrase "double-trouble." 

I may or may not have shed a tear when they referred to me as, "an inspirational mama who pulls together mommy-and-son looks that always make us smile. We've got one word for her: Ah-mazing."

Right back at ya, Brit+Co. Right back at ya!

Head on over to their website to check it out!

{Kids Style File} Pastels for Easter

shirt and pants: H&M | sweater vest and shoes: Old Navy | 

bow tie: Tommy Hilfiger via C21 | swag: Aiden

Easter is one of my favorite holidays, for spiritual reasons of course. But also, because it signifies that warmer and sunnier days are quickly approaching. Which also means that I get to whip out the spring colors and outfits.

Such was the case this weekend. HEB, Aiden, and I celebrated Easter together by going to church and dinner, and Aiden was styled to perfection in pastel colors.

He had baby blue pants that I knew I wanted him to wear. So I found a lime gingham shirt, gray sweater vest, and plaid bow tie to jazz up the blue pants. I'm happy to report that Aiden took a look at his outfit, nodded, and said, "This looks really nice to wear to church."

Glad to know the outfit got his stamp of approval!

I tried to compliment him with a bright, knee-length color-blocked bodycon dress from River Island that I wore for my last birthday, but I still think he increased my cool points by, like, 50%.

And can we talk about this GQ pose he's giving?! Why is he growing up?! I want his baby face back!

Hope you all had a great Easter! Stay stylish!