Thursday, October 2, 2008

Dressing the Part



I've been thinking a lot about our discussion on Tuesday about mothers. Certainly there were many facets to that topic, but one of them surely is mothers and maintaining sexuality, something I feel very strongly about.

So strongly that it caused me to get on my soap box with a friend and explain how horrible it is when a woman who grooms herself is punished by other mothers who don't, by the horribly duplicitous question, "WHERE do you find the time?" The words say one thing, but the stinging tone that often accompanies it implies, "WHY do you TAKE the time from your children? WHY do you find it necessary to fix yourself up? Don't you already have children? What's the need for looking attractive? Or, God forbid, what's the need for SEX?"

So today, to lighten the mood a bit after that rant, I decided to kill two birds with one stone. I wanted to feature some women who are not only taking the time to invest in themselves, many of them mothers, but are attempting to create things that will allow other women to do so as well.

They are Etsy designers who make PRETTY tops for women. I chose these designers specifically because they make the tops that I loved as a stay-at-home-mom. They are comfortable, low maintenance, but PRETTY, and, God forbid, SEXY. Especially when worn sans bra. Only this time, ladies, we're not losing the bras to free ourselves from male oppression. This time, we're losing the bras to get underneath some male 'Ohhh-ppression.' It works really well. Grin.

I have included a link behind each shop's name. Feel free to visit, read their profiles, browse and buy. Keep it up, ladies, on both ends.

The first shop, Flutter, is near and dear to my heart, as it is in Grand Rapids, Michigan, all creations by two lovely girls.

These three shirts are from their Petal collection.

This one is called Edelweiss. And I love the song. Bonus.



This is their Cerise



This is their Lupine.




Kimmchi shop- Deco Flower on Brown



ModestMaven shop-Branching Out top



MuttsyWonder shop-Atomic Purple Long Sleeve Vneck (Love this neckline. Very pretty.)



MuttsyWonder-Ptyerodactyl Poofy Sleeve Womens TShirt (Bonus: Lesson on dinosaurs!)



And my favorite from MuttsyWonder-Thistle Shirred Cap Sleeve Tee (Miss Ive loves thistles. And poofy sleeves.)

6 comments:

Anonymous said...

Love it! Going to www.etsy.com now :)

KimmChi said...

Thanks so much for featuring my shirt in your post! Glad you like it!

Anonymous said...

Great minds are thinking alike here. There is definitely a stereotype of what a "mommy" looks like. When I was pregnant, more than one person painted a picture of how I would soon be spending my days unshowered, unkept, forever dressed in sweats. And there are a lot of women who embrace this stereotype, then sit and sigh and say 'I've got kids, what choice do I have?' Sorry, not this girl.
A perfect example of this was the season premiere of Desperate Housewives-Gabby now has two kids, and looks like death warmed over. And throughout the show they kept talking about how she's "lost her beauty". I sat there watching, thinking "back the bus up-she's got kids so now she looks like she's been run over by a truck??". Honey, I don't think so. Yes, I shower every day, do my hair, put on makeup; is my daughter sitting in a corner neglected while I do this? Hardly. Am I trying to look like Carrie Bradshaw? Hardly. Basically, when I look good, I feel good, and I'm a better mommy for it. 'Nuff said.
Love these shirts. Love Etsy.

The Suzzzz said...

Wow, those are great! Thank you so much for sharing that.

Anonymous said...

Very feminine!!!

These will keep you ‘Sticking It’ with ‘The Man!’

John Johnson

Brian and Becky said...

In classic Mommy fashion: I want this for my son:

http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=15546029