The Art of Elegant Parenting

While Jessica Alba gives birth to her third (?!!)  baby posing for fashionable photo shoots till just two days before, most of us lesser mortals are not so lucky.

One word of caution, if you look like Angelina Jolie, you can stop reading right now.

So where were we now …oh yes …real life, unfortunately, works a little differently.  Even before the little tyke is born, most moms end up going into social hiatus aghast at the exponentially expanding girth, and would rather spend a year locked up in their rooms than commit social hara-kiri by appearing at a party looking like a ship in full sail, or even worse a safari tent!!

That’s just the start of course, then there are innumerable heart palpitating events like the earth shatteringly important thirteenth day birth function, first Diwali and first Birthday, during all of which the new mom is expected to dazzle.

Even school events are ominous occasions where one must not embarrass oneself ( and one’s F TV gen child !!). More often than not, the agonising wait at the PTM gives an uncomfortably long window to exhibit ones attire, which of course is horribly mismatched since one is invariably running late. Oh well!

The worst are the kiddie birthday parties where the moms need to dress up appropriately and politely hang around with nothing much to do except check out each other’s outfits. So what is one supposed to wear at such momentous occasions, I ask you? A saree is horribly overdressed, jeans don’t make a statement somehow, a salwar kameez is way too boring and a bodycon dress looks much too much!!

But my all time favourite is the morning bus stop display when parents are caught at their absolute worst, in frayed pajamas and ghastly night tops, hair looking like it was hit by a cyclone…too busy congratulating themselves that they managed to catch the bus to even bother about the visual nightmare they are exhibiting!

But if your goal is to look like Heidi Klum even after her four children, read on!!

No promises though, and definitely no money back guarantees.

So is there a simple way to get around this business?

Rule No. One- Get the basic frame right

I know , I know , you don’t like to hear this , but unfortunately ladies , there really is no getting away from the fact that the one thing common to all the super gorgeous moms we know is that they keep their bods fit and waifer slim. Now, I’m not suggesting liposuction (and other dastardly surgical methods ) but atleast we owe it to ourselves to take out 45 minutes every day. There are only three ways to do this right- workout, workout and workout.  And the golden rule is – don’t choose a workout you don’t enjoy, otherwise you’ll end up with a new excuse every day of not doing it. There is something we all like , whether its taking a simple brisk walk , or dancing vigorously to awesome Bollywood mashups ( that’s what I love doing ) or yoga, or going to the gym and catching up on the daily gossip while we’re at it. The key is to DO IT EVERY SINGLE DAY. Don’t miss it. Whatever it takes. Do it in the morning when the kids are away at school, or do it in the evening when they are at the park, or do it even at night after they go to sleep, there is no ‘ideal time’. Its your day, you decide what time works best for you. But decide a time, and stick to it like crazy. Once you start any physical activity that stretches you out and makes you tingle all over, you’ll automatically feel like a lump of lard on the days you miss it! So just get started and the rest will follow. The biggest plus is the change in your body language. Even if you don’t lose weight overnight, your posture and gait becomes jauntier and smarter, adding oodles of panache to your personality.

The right hair cut – Whatever you do, I implore thee to invest in a flattering hairstyle. You will be shocked how much difference this can make to your overall style quotient. This does not mean that you need to spend millions on colouring, streaking and hair spas, it simply means getting the. right. cut.

Now coming to the wardrobe:

Early morning clothes – Black works like magic darlings, even in night clothes. Sleep in a pair of smart black tracks, and a basic black T (you can alternate with a white T if you get too bored with all black). You simply can’t go wrong, even if you have to drop the kids at 6 in the morning, and the best part- zero co-ordination stress. Who has time to change anyway!

Birthday parties and get togethers– Of course this can vary as per your personal taste but regardless of body type, here are a few smart options:

1. Breezy, flowy summer dresses, alternating from knee to ankle length, depending on how sexy your legs are. Dresses will make you immediately stand out, a break from the usual jeans, capris and churidars. Pair them with trendy colourful wedges or kitten heels. Try open toed stilettoes if you can carry them off. Nothing makes you look more glamorous than a pair of high heels. Since you only have to sit around, don’t be lazy about the footwear now!
2. For winters, sheer stockings with knee length sheath dresses and a jacket works wonders. You can alternate with a well fitted pair of trousers if you are really bashful about your legs.

PTMs and other rush affairs– Keep your favourite pair of jeans and one really pretty top at a fixed place in your cupboard so that in an emergency you can dress at a five minute notice without worrying about how the outfit will look. You can also do this with ‘the one dress’ that always looks good on you regardless of whether you’re having that three inches extra bloated day.  The key here is – you shouldn’t need to waste precious seconds scrounging for it and you should have pre-tested that it works on you.

Family events – Elegant anarkalis look lovely on any body type and can transform you into a Diva effortlessly. These are easily available in non crush material like net which can withstand attacks from the wildest brats on those endless function days (or nights).  A striking chiffon saree with a brocade blouse also looks exquisite and is relatively easy to manage if pinned the right way (but probably not if you have a very young child – horror! she might pull the whole thing down!!)

A final word – virtually anything that you wear can be instantly glamourized with one outstanding accessory or footwear, whether it is a statement neckpiece, a cocktail ring, a stylish handbag, a colourful neon belt or metallic stilettoes.

So there you go.

Now that we are plagued with images of stunning celebrity moms like Victoria Beckham, Beyoncé and Jennifer Lopez, we might as well up your game! It can’t be all that hard, after all.