Nanny to Mommy

When it comes to baby-related accessories, the diaper bag is one of the most unfortunate. They come in pastel colors with sweet prints of teddy bears and baby rattles. These sad little bags are akin to the little “Baby on Board” warning signs that people put in the back of their minivans. Today’s parents are looking for more than unfortunate looking baby-focused accessories, they want accessories that are attractive, functional, and on-trend.

Watching My Friends Lose Their Style

As an older mom (I did not have my children until I was in my 30’s), I watched many of my friends have their babies and purchase their layettes. Sadly, many of my friends became frumpy moms who carried frumpy diaper bags. In their previous lives, they were stylish women who wore designers, who never had a hair out of place, and who would never be seen in public without at least a little mascara. Once they had children, they let their roots go, wore their husband’s extra-large tees, and donned yoga pants to places other than yoga. They looked like they no longer cared. They developed frumpy mom disease. When I became pregnant, I refused to follow suit.

Being Mindful of My Baby Accessory Options

In order to avoid the frumpy mom disease, I took serious time looking for the right accessories and making sure that I did not give up my signature style. I did not want to be seen with a diaper bag that looked like a diaper bag, just like I only wear yoga pants to yoga class. I also needed one that my husband could carry without feeling like he was carrying a girly handbag. My bag of choice was the Tory Burch diaper bag. I chose a black one made of nylon with two different straps so I could carry it like a handbag, or I could put it over my shoulder. My husband did not mind carrying it either.

Along with the fact that I could fill the bag with all of my baby’s necessities, like diapers, pacis, burp clothes, and extra clothes, I loved the fact that I actually received compliments about my purse. My colleagues at work even complimented me on my bag and some asked where I bought it. When I told them that it was my diaper bag, many of them were surprised.

Money Well Spent

Granted the Tory Burch diaper bag that I chose was not the cheapest bag, but the price was well worth the style. Since the shoulder strap is removable, I can easily transition the bag to a handbag when I do not need to carry diapers around any longer. However, since I love handbags, I’ll probably have another exquisite bag to carry by the time my baby is out of diapers.

I have seen a few other moms carrying diaper bags like mine. They look great hanging off of the ends of their Bugaboo strollers. They also look fabulous on the way to gym or on the way to work. It’s just a great bag, all the way around.

However, I have noticed a few things that bring the bag and it’s high style down to frumpy-mom level. If you want to avoid frumpy mom disease, avoid these habits:

1.Letting diapers hang out of the bag. Yes, the bag is a ultra-hip diaper bag, but it does not mean that you have to show the world it is a diaper bag. If you wanted to look frumpy, why not just use the free bag that you got from the hospital after you gave birth.

2.Tying baby blankets or burp clothes to the handles. The only thing that any woman should tie to the handles of any designer handbag is a design silk scarf. Put the baby gear IN the bag. Like the diapers peeking out of the top of the bag, using the handles for a baby blanket display device just doesn’t work with this bag.

3.Filling it so full you cannot close it. This is just an invitation to have something stolen. It also makes you look unorganized and unprepared. Yes, it is helpful to have a bag loaded with all of the necessities, that’s what an organized mom does. An unorganized mom just throws everything in, willy-nilly. Your Tory Burch bag has pockets and compartments so you can find things in a flash. If you overfill the bag, you will never be able to find anything, which leans toward the frumpy mom problem.

4.Carrying a dirty bag. This pretty bag is made of nylon, so it is easy to keep clean. There is no excuse for carrying a dirty nylon bag. Designer handbags, even diaper bags, do not look good when they have smudges and smears on them. Since this is a diaper, you should have some baby wipes inside, so use them to wipe away the smudges.

Just because you have become a mom does not mean that you should become a sufferer of frumpy mom disease. If you have loved fashion, being pampered, and looking like a million bucks, having should not change who you are. You can still look fabulous and take care of yourself, even with kids in tow.

If you have let yourself go and you are tired of feeling frumpy, take my advice: buy a great diaper bag. When I’m carrying my Tory Burch bag or wearing my baby in my Beco carrier, I feel great about myself, which in turn makes my baby feel good, too. We all know that when mamma ain’t happy, no one is happy!

Christine J. Williamson is the co-founder and writer for Super Mommy Blog. She is blessed with two amazing boys and a great husband, and 100% Love blogging at I’m Super Mommy Blog. Connect with her on Twitter! Cheers!

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