The other day, a friend with small kids asked me what she could do to make herself feel a bit more stylish when she only had the capacity for very simple outfits (e.g white T, blue jeans). Accessories are a good answer. Nothing fussy or overkill. Just a well-placed touch to give basics a bit of oomph. Here’s what works.
Fashiony sunglasses
Yay sunglasses. So easy. So cool. So good for hiding tired eyes. It’s about nineties-inspired slim frames at the moment which, somewhat ironically, look modern and fresh. Just don't go too skinny or it all gets a bit Matrix. Le Specs’ tortoiseshell ovals (£55) are uber chic and a great price.
Or, if you feel confident you can keep tiny destructive hands away, Whistles has just launched its SS24 collaboration with New Zealand sunglasses brand, Isle of Eden. The rectangular Goldie frames (£115) are spot on.
A preppy cap
I love the rich-kid country club vibes that a preppy cap gives off. Great with jeans and a jumper. Or leggings and a big shirt. And ideal for stopping your nose getting burnt on a sunny playground afternoon
I know tenniscore is everywhere right now and in a second it will feel done, but Varley’s cap (£30) has a timeless Princess Di look that's going to make you want to keep wearing it.
These (£35) from Alex Eagle Sporting Club come in such good colour combinations.
A fun phone strap
I went to the Anya Hindmarch press day this week and was reminded of this and how useful having something to keep your phone to hand would be. Especially when trying to tap-in on the bus while also pushing a buggy/holding onto a child. Or while in the park, when you don't want a bag but are worried about your phone falling out/getting nicked from a pocket. Or just wanting quick access to answer an email/book softplay/take a cute photo.
These phone ropes are such a good idea. I’m usually all about neutrals, but because they're such a little thing, you can afford to go fun and bright. Imagine how great this (£47) would look against your black/navy jumpers. Or slung over a white T.
These from Not Another Bill (£6) are such a bargain. I'm leaning towards the acid green (so good for cutting through springy florals and adding zing to my many grey knits). Attach them to your phone case with this connector.
A luxe belt
Adding a belt to jeans is an easy way to make your outfit look more styled. It's all to do with the sleekness of leather. Also, the metallic flash of the buckle adds polish.
Simple black is going to works with so many outfits. A friend has this from Arket (£57) and it looks expensive, plus it's a good width - not too skinny, not too wide.
Italian menswear brand Anderson’s does gorgeous classic leather belts. Net-a-porter is currently stocking women’s styles and this brown woven (£135) is going to be great for summer. Imagine it threaded through cream jeans. Or around the waist of a cotton sundress. Or with denim shorts.
A chic ring
We all know that a pair of hoops are brilliant at pulling an outfit together and making you feel a bit more ‘done’. (These are the perfect everyday hoop. Then for something special, these have been on my wish list for ages.) BUT let’s also consider a great ring! Or a few worn on different fingers. They’re going to add interest to a simple outfit and make your hands feel nice when you haven't had time for a manicure (so, always).
This from Daphine (£75) looks like it’s been found in some chic grandma’s jewellery box. And it's satisfyingly chunky without looking too hefty.
Aname is a cute mother and daughter-run brand based in Italy (where pieces are handmade). The signature alphabet rings are such a stylish way to do initials. They come big, but the minis (£110, plus £7 shipping) feel easier to wear day-to-day.
Forever a classic signet ring. This (£70) can be engraved, too.
MUMISH meets… Lydia Barron and Anna Tizard of Tiba + Marl
I’m always interested in the women behind brands – especially those designing for fellow mums. Lydia and Anna (a former footwear designer and fashion buyer respectively) started Tiba + Marl in 2015 after trying to find non-naff mum bags and realising they didn’t exist.
Handbags are such an indicator of taste-level, so having to carry around something you don’t like can really hammer your sense of personal style. (It’s one of the things I struggled with the most after having my first baby.)
Lydia and Anna get that a changing bag, though practical, still needs to be something you actually want to wear. Their aesthetic is simple, stylish and easy-to-wear. I got a Tiba + Marl changing bag when my son was tiny and have used it - no exaggeration - pretty much everyday day since.
With such a keen sense of how to marry style with function, I wanted to find out how Lydia and Anna have done this in their own wardrobes. And with a few more years of experience of motherhood than me, what advice – style or otherwise – they have to share.
P.S. there’s a lovely T+M discount at the bottom of this email - so make sure you get to the end!
FG: How many kids do you have?
LB: A 13-year-old daughter and a nine year-old son.
AT: I have two boys who are 11 and nine.
FG: How has your style changed since having kids?
LB: It's become more casual and comfort-based. However, I still love fashion, styling and vintage shopping. I find adding little touches to a plain outfit – the shape of a pair of jeans, a wide-leg tailored trouser, an oversized shirt – helps me feel more myself.
AT: I pretty much live in tracksuits, jeans and trainers, whereas pre-kids I loved heels and tailoring. I had no casual clothes when [my first son] Raf was born - I wore leather trousers when pregnant with him. My husband had to go shopping while I was in hospital to buy me some. I was clueless; my entire wardrobe centred around clothes you'd wear in a fashion office, rather than on the sofa with a newborn baby!
FG: How did you find postpartum dressing?
AT: Well, I definitely wasn't prepared! I was probably the thinnest I'd ever been before I got pregnant, then my body was completely different once I had the baby, so none of my pre-baby clothes fit which was hard. I remember crying in the COS changing room as nothing I tried on fitted. But slowly I got in a groove, and either things started to fit again or I bought more suitable clothes. I think the best I have felt since becoming a mum was when my second son was nine months old, and I slightly felt I knew what I was doing and had adjusted to my new style.
FG: Has what you wear changed as your kids have got older?
AT: It’s got easier buying nicer clothes as I don’t have to breastfeed or get puked on. For things like going to our studio, meetings, lunches with friends I have an arsenal of pieces I feel comfortable in, but still have an edge.
FG: You both had careers in fashion before launching T+M. How did you find the experience of working in the industry once you had kids?
LB: I was freelancing for several large brands at the time I got pregnant. Without the ability to claim maternity pay, I had to return to work when my daughter was four weeks old. I was working from home three days a week, so could work when she napped and in the evenings etc, but it was tough. By the time she was one, I was working in brand’s head offices. Paying for nursery meant my take-home pay was almost nothing - it was a bitter pill to swallow. A lot of international travel was also expected, which I didn't want to do. Starting our own brand and making our own rules was a big drive in starting T+M.
AT: It was so hard going back to my job in buying when Raf was only nine months old. I was skint, and not feeling my best body-wise. I felt I had lost my cool a bit. Pre-baby, I’d felt defined by what I wore, but now I feel what I’ve done since leaving the industry (setting up Tiba + Marl) defines me more. Now I don't care what people think about what I wearing.
FG: What makes a great mum bag?
LB: Loads of pockets so things are visible, organised and easily at-hand. Roomy but not heavy, water resistant and wipe clean!
AT: You also want a smaller bag just with your own stuff in it, otherwise it gets mixed in with the kids’ and it’s a mess.
FG: Which accessories do you find up the style credentials of an outfit (even if it's a t-shirt and jeans)?
LB: I love Pawnshop jewellery. It’s all either vintage or made from recycled gold and silver. G Lundgren for earrings - her chunky ear cuffs are the best.
AT: A pair of cool sunglasses always helps you feel slicker (and hides eye-bags). I’m currently coveting Isabel Marant aviators.
FG: The bank holiday is coming up. Any tips for easy(ish) travel with kids?
LB: Packing cubes make packing so much easier. You can use them to put each person’s stuff in separately, or keep one with just shoes, or toys or tech accessories, etc. I always put the dirty laundry into one so I can empty it straight into the machine when we get home.
AT: When the kids were smaller we'd pack them one of our little backpacks or snack packs full of their own toys, books and snacks, so they would have things on them to play with. When we travelled to Paris in January I used our new canvas tote bag, with the caddy inside and it was amazing for compartmentalising everything – and it looked really nice with my outfit.
FG: What advice/insights would you like to share with other mums?
LB: Take videos! Even just five-second ones of them doing daft things. It is so lovely and nostalgic watching back silly videos of them. They change so quickly.
AT: I wish I had realised that everything gets easier with time - so relax a little bit, and do things at your own pace. And try to own some comfy clothes before having a baby!
One more thing…
Lydia and Anna have given me an exclusive Tiba + Marl discount code for readers. MUMISH15 will get you 15% off all styles when you spend over £75. Valid for a week from today!
Here’s me about to go to the park with the signature Elwood backpack (£150) (comes with changing mat, insulated bottle holder and a little pouch for wet clothes/ your bits). I also have the Inka buggy organiser (£58) which looks great worn as a cross-body bag, too. AND I love the look of this chic tote (£75).
That’s all for now. You’re doing great, Frankie x
Thank you! Yes, they are New Balance RC30 (currently £60 in Office) x
I remember actually crying at how much I hated the changing bags that were on offer (such unbelievably gopping prints) before I discovered the Tiba + Marl Elwood. I still use it even though my children are now 6 and almost 10. You can fit wine in the bottle holder for when you are visiting friends...