Making the most of mommy style

Mom style — sound like those two words don’t go together? For the premiere of the seventh season of TLC’s “What Not to Wear,” Stacy found former child star Mayim Bialik of “Blossom.” Mayim is now a mom of two young children, and she has a doctorate in neuroscience. She’s also going back into the acting biz and looking like a frumpy mess.

Busy getting on with life and caring for her family since her days on TV, style was the last thing on Mayim’s mind. But now that she’s heading back to work, she needs a style she can manage with two kids and a career.

Who says being a mom means you can’t look great? We asked TODAY Show viewers to e-mail Stacy with their “Mom Style” questions, and she had the answers. Here are some quick, easy tips to keep your style on track while raising your family and making it all look effortless.

Mayim Bialik: A mom who’s going back to work
If you’ve been staying at home with your kids and are now headed back to the work force, chances are you are going to have to trade in your jeans and T-shirts for some more tailored pieces. While Mayim needed a more trendy look for auditions, I tell all women in the workplace to buy a good suit. It will be an investment you’ll never regret because you will always have it for initial interviews and you will always be able to break the pieces up.

Try a solid in a soft neutral, such as gray, navy or chocolate brown, instead of black. You can pair these neutrals with other neutrals and colors. Since they are all still dark shades, they are just as slimming as black.

You also can look for a “solid” print, meaning one that reads as a solid from far away: a pinstripe, a windowpane or a herringbone. A solid print can be paired with solid colors or bolder prints. Treat these prints just as you would a suit in a solid color.

Pantsuits look authoritative, but that doesn’t mean you have to look “man-ish.” Instead of pairing a suit with a man-tailored, button-front shirt, try something a bit more feminine, such as a blouse with a print or interesting detail.

Some office environments frown on open-toed shoes, so pair your suit with a closed-toe heel. Never wear sky-high stilettos for an all-day job. You dogs will be barking by the end of the day! Make sure to wear shoes that you can work in and walk in comfortably. Pick the heel height that feels best and hem the pants for that length. Bring shoes with you to the tailor to make sure the pants are the right length.

Jackets need to close to fit properly, so fit the largest part of your body first. If you still have a bit of baby weight and are carrying extra weight in your tummy, look for jackets with seaming that nips in at the waist. Three button blazers tend to help “lock and load” if you are carrying weight in the “girls.”

Make sure the sleeve hits in the right place between the wrist and the bottom of the thumb. Again, a tailor can shorten a sleeve — or lengthen one if there is a seam allowance! A tailor also can narrow a sleeve to create a sharper shape on the torso. You are not beholden to the shape of clothes off the rack. Find the best fit you can, and minor tailoring can make a suit look like it was made just for you. Suits can be flattering and slimming, even if you just had your baby! And they are always work-appropriate.

Once you have your go-to suit, you can branch out: Try the blazer with a blouse and pencil skirt and a stacked heel. Try the trouser with a shirt and vest or a little leather jacket and boots.

Gray summer-weight wool jacket: $99, Calvin Klein, Lord & Taylor Stores
Navy and white silk sleeveless grid print top: $69, Ann Taylor, Ann Taylor Stores
Gray summer-weight wool trousers: $79, Calvin Klein, Lord & Taylor
Gold pavé pearl necklace: $58, Ann Taylor, Ann Taylor Stores
Akoya fresh-water pearl earring: $165, Elise Perelman Design, http://www.lunessa.com/
Jacinda gold ring: $84, DANNIJO, http://www.dannijo.com/

Q: I am a stay-at-home mom and only pick up my kids at school or go to the grocery store. I can’t seem to be or get motivated to dress nicely or even put on makeup for these events. My kids don’t care what I am wearing or if I have makeup on because they are just too young. My husband is at work from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. All dressed up and no place to go! My thoughts are why bother, yet I want to look better, especially at my age of 44! — Dee Ann, Marina, Calif.

Dear Dressed-Down at Home,
If you are staying home with the kids and are bored of the jeans and T-shirts but can’t quite muster the energy to get all dressed up, try a cotton jersey or microfiber dress. There’s a reason they call ’em dresses, people. Put one on, and you are literally DRESSED. These pieces are a great, easy way to feel stylish without trying. They are easy to wash and you can crumple them in a ball on the floor but they rarely wrinkle. Many of these dresses have low V-necks, so layer them with a cami underneath if you feel you are showing too much cleavage.

You may worry that something stretchy will be too clingy, but surprisingly many of these dresses are cut with a slimming effect. Look for ones with a cap sleeve to create more emphasis on the shoulder, a V-neck to elongate the neckline and de-emphasize the “girls” —especially if you are nursing! — and a waistband or faux-wrap waist that falls slightly higher than your natural waist, ideally at the bottom of your ribcage, to create a small waistline. An all-over print also can help camouflage the appearance of just-after pregnancy tummy. This material also is great because the stretch will allow you to nurse practically anywhere without having to get totally undressed!

Keep the jewelry simple when doing an all-over print. Otherwise, the outfit can look distracting and messy. Go for smaller pieces at the ear, neck or wrist that simply fill the negative space without calling too much attention to themselves. I know moms have to be careful! Kids like to pull at anything within their reach, earrings and necklaces included!

I find that to-the-knee is the most figure-flattering length and long enough to be appropriate, even in a playground setting. If you are running around after small children, definitely stick with a flat sandal or ballet flat so you can keep up with them! A fitted, short denim jacket is a great layering piece for this look. Try a higher wedge sandal if going out for dinner with friends or on a date with your hubby.

Spense printed ruffled jersey dress: $68, Lord & Taylor, Lord & Taylor Stores
White cotton lace cami: $19.50, Gap, Gap Stores
Araxi black leather gladiator sandal: $84, Seychelles, http://www.zappos.com
Pearl drop earring: $25, Elise Perelman, http://www.lunessa.com
Nashelle Lovely Necklace: $117, Nashelle, http://www.nashelle.com
Hammered gold bangle set: $38, Ann Taylor, Ann Taylor Stores
White faux-leather satchel bag: $29.90, H&M, H&M Stores

Q: I’m a busy 35-year-old mom of a very active 3 1/2-year-old girl and am looking to update my current “mama-form” of a T-shirt and jeans. I don’t have much time or money to get loads of things, and don’t want to get too fancy. What items or accessories would you suggest I look for to snazz up my basics? — Jennifer, Portland, Ore.

Dear Needs-to-Accessorize,
If you are a mom who loves jeans and a T-shirt, good for you. But make sure those jeans and T-shirts fit well and that you wear flattering cuts and colors. A jean and T-shirt can look uber-stylish — just by adding some accessories! I love T-shirts that have a bit of interesting detail. Look for ones that are dip-dyed or perhaps have a little embellishment on them, such as embroidery. Make sure they are long enough to cover your midsection, and always look for jeans that fit in the rise, accommodate the butt and have a waistband that doesn’t sit too low. Keep the muffintop from coming out of the pan! After that, it’s easy.

I keep saying this, but scarves literally transform an outfit. The simpler your T-shirt and jeans, the wilder you can go with the print on the scarf. Look for a long rectangle shapes you can wrap around your neck a couple of times. I find even large square shapes are sometimes too short to wrap around the neck a few times. They can even take the place of jewelry if you’ve got limited time to get out the door.

Then, find a lightweight jacket and use it as your uniform “topper.” It completes an outfit and makes it possible to go from the playground or play practice to the PTA. Try to get a jacket in a solid, neutral color so that it goes with all your T-shirt-and-scarf combinations. Remember, little things mean a lot in an outfit. Get great sunglasses. Choose fun jewelry! Even if you need to wear small pieces, find earrings in a great color.

Look for a shoe with a small print that doesn’t compete but “goes” with the colors in your scarf to really add some visual punch to your outfit! Wedges can give you height, are still casual and give you more stability than a mid-size heel. Bags should be functional enough to carry diapers but chic enough for you and your outfit. Stick with chic neutrals to get the most use-value out of your bag and make sure it goes with all your outfits! All these touches can take your jeans and tees from drab to fabulous in minutes flat!

Multicolored tapestry wrap scarf: $58, Luck Brand, Lord & Taylor Stores
White linen cotton smocked jacket: $79, Ann Taylor, Ann Taylor Stores
Purple dip-dyed summer T-shirt: $18.50, Gap, http://www.gap.com
Lindsay modern straight-leg jeans: $79, Ann Taylor, Ann Taylor Stores
Siesta Keds canvas wedges: $60, Keds, http://www.zappos.com
Gold butterfly cuff bracelet: $68, Allison Daniel, http://www.allisondanieldesigns.com
Amethyst and garnet cluster earrings: $265, Elise Perelman, http://www.lunessa.com
Nashelle surface necklace: $90, Nashelle, http://www.nashelle.com
White cotton and brown faux-leather tote handbag: $19.90, H&M, H&M Stores
Galway tortoise sunglasses: $79, Ann Taylor, Ann Taylor Stores

More in fashion & beauty Olympic athletes to sport vintage-inspired looks Style 911: Send Bobbie Thomas your questions! Images: Neiman Marcus' fantasy holiday gifts

More from TODAY Makeover! She was bullied into cutting her hair  Treatment improving burned triplets’ scars | Images Six foods that take a bite out of the flu ‘Loser’: A player’s past choices haunt her   Images: Unlikely animal pals: Pig and tiger, more

MORE FROM FASHION & BEAUTY

Fashion & beauty Section Front

Style 911: Send Bobbie Thomas your questions! Makeover! She was bullied into cutting her hair From Madonna to Marge: 10 celeb hair icons Cool clicks: Navigating the best online fashion Olympic athletes to sport vintage-inspired looks   Put your hair in a perfect ponytail Mario Lopez to host Miss America pageant First lady’s style is hot topic for blogger   Best and worst ‘Dancing’ outfits Do we really need so much stuff? Fashion & beauty Section Front   Add Fashion & beauty headlines to your news reader: