Team Jenna

Many of us look up to Jenna Lyons. Not just for her undeniably chic personal style but also for what seemed to be a picture-perfect little life. Her flourishing career as J.Crew's creative director, an insanely  fabulous Brooklyn apartment, an artist (then) husband and a beautiful boy to call family. And lest not forget that closet.  She's living the life most of us can only dream of.

And while Jenna is in a sticky situation (i.e a messy divorce) and a controversial coming out, I look back to my top most favorite looks of hers. 

I've always love how she mixes the most unexpected of things like a feathery wedding gown from J. Crew Bridal and a pullover. 

She has mastered the skill of feminine/masculine mash-up and does denim on denim best. 

Jenna at home playing with son, Beckett.

A loving mother, a strong, independent woman, and a knack for making striped shirts and pullovers dressier than ever, make Jenna a modern-day peg of many. And somehow it doesn't matter who she chooses to shack up with. 

Images from here, here, and here. 

Mischmash Stylish Mama {October}

Leona Laviña Panutat, former Esprit buyer, stylist, writer, ShopCrazy shopping editor, blogger, art enthusiast.. wrap up this pretty package of a loving wife and a brand new mum.  

Her work station is conveniently situated beside her son's crib. This is where she writes away while  Wyatt is deep in blissful slumber.

Art by Francis Nacion hangs in the master bedroom where we spied Matryoshka dolls and hardbound reads on fashion and design.

Carlo Ongchangco, Cambridge Fluro Pink Satchel, BCBG Multi-colored Sandals.

Accessorizing is second nature to Leona who owns a vast collection of baubles from cocktail rings to statement necklaces all neatly labeled and categorized. 

Clad in her typical mash-up of preppy-boho. Pleated skirt, crew neck sweater, boho-inspired accessories with a Joyce Makitalo ring to boot.

Shots of color you'll spot all over her insanely neat and put-together place of dwelling.

His and hers. Mama brogues and baby brogues.

Elephant Wooden Menagerie by Jomike Tejido.

Wyatt's nursery is peppered with art lovingly made by his mum and his cousins.

A wooden horse spruced up with one of Leona's favorite scarves holds commanding presence. 

On the right is Wyatt's travel blanket, the hands-on mum especially made for her son before his big arrival.

Describe your personal style? Hmmm.. Preppy-boho. I like wearing clean and classic pieces and pairing them with something quirky, colorful and a bit off. I used to have a monochromatic closet but now all of a sudden I can't get enough of color!! 

What are you wearing this fall? Colored denims, slim V neck and crew neck sweaters, maxi skirts, wedge booties and my Missoni for Target loot! 

Closet staples? Denim cutoffs, straight cut jeans, stripe tees, slim cut cargos, men's button downs and my manly flats: brogues and loafers. 

What is that one piece you can't live without fashion/motherhood-wise? Crisp white button down. You can wear it to absolutely any event. Great when dressed up with a ball gown skirt or dressed down with cutoffs. Plus it's breastfeeding friendly. 

How are you influencing your son's personal style? Well, he's only 2 months old so I don't think I have that much influence on him yet but when he's a bit bigger I'd say.. wear whatever makes you happy! 

Style icons? Jenna Lyons, Tory Burch, Olivia Palermo and Taylor Tomasi-Hill.

Tip or 2 for all moms out there who want to stay stylish amidst all the hullabaloo motherhood brings? Any shopping advice? Buy basics with a twist. A white button down with with an unexpected collar, khakis with pleats, cropped dark denims. These pieces will always look good together no matter what. Just throw on some accessories, grab a leather tote and you're good to go. As for shopping, always be aware of your surroundings. You might just score a great deal in the most unlikely places. Some of my favorite pieces are from Supermarkets!

Styling may have taken a backseat but style is obviously innate for this first time momma who looks like she's having the time of her life. What, with that palpable glow you see and feel around her and adorable Wyatt. Priceless.  

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Photography by Anthony Co.

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Read the prelude.    

Mischmash Stylish Mama {September}

Donna Cuna Pita, former Fashion Editor, Cosmopolitan Magazine, former Associate Fashion Director, Summit Media, freelance fashion stylist, writer, image consultant, and above all, wife, and mother of two beautiful kids, Mateo and Amara. 

On a normal day, you'll see Donna in shorts, a jacket, and never without some statement footwear. 

A bright eclectic spot at the home where Donna grew up, vintage finds, and rings she has been wearing since college.

Clad in a high slit jersey maxi from Abrace. Above her hangs a commissioned Lydia Velasco painting of her and her sisters.

Describe your personal style.
My style has evolved a lot since i entered my mid-thirties. I used to be much more into the glam-sexy look. Now I'm easing more into classic silhouettes, but still with a little bit of sexy thrown in.
My fashion icons are Bianca Jagger, DVF, and all those glam, fab women of the 60s and 70s.

What are you wearing this fall?
I'm not really a fall/winter kind of gal, so the usual items I enjoy every time this season rolls around are smart jackets/blazers and booties. I love the rich hues of fall, though.

Closet staples?
A classic black dress, statement heels, well-cut trousers, good-fitting dark-wash jeans, shorts, comfy flats, and quality underwear! I'm not really that big on accessories, I just have a few pieces that I rotate.

What is that one piece you can't live without fashion/motherhood-wise?
An easy to wear, wrinkle-free jersey dress that you just slip on and spice-up with accessories depending on the occasion.    

How are you influencing your children's personal style?
I let them make their own decisions when it comes to their clothes. They can wear their spiderman or princess costume to the grocery if they want to, or layer on a multitude of prints. Whatever they feel good in.

Style icons?
The free-spirited, sexy and glam women of the 60s and 70s. I've always liked their easy take on glamour. When I still had my clothing line in Crossings, my clothes were always heavily influenced by what the women of that era wore - jersey jumpsuits, long wrap dresses. Flowing, sexy clothes that celebrated your femininity without looking like you tried too hard. But i also appreciate the minimalist style of the 90s and the ultra-feminine silhouettes of the 40s.

Tip or 2 for all mums out there who want to stay stylish amidst all the hullabaloo motherhood brings?
Always make a little effort to look good - both for yourself and for your family. Stock up on clothes that make you look good with minimal effort like wrap dresses, a crisp white top, good-fitting jeans. Things that you can always depend on to make you look good even on your blah days.


Any shopping advice?
I'm a big thirft store and ukay-ukay shopper! I'm always on the look out for bargain clothes (I have actually scored clothes for as low as Php10!) but I also know when to shell out more cash for a quality item. Be a smart shopper and know what to scrimp on, and what to invest in. I scrimp on basic tank tops, shorts, etc, but I'm willing to spend more on classic pieces i'll be using for years to come, jewelry, and bags. Shoes, I buy mid-range, as long as the shoes are stylish and comfortable.

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Thank you Donna for sharing your amazing style. Your tips are priceless. Now we are more convinced that fashion and motherhood can happily coexist.

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Photography by Anthony Co.

Read the Prelude.

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Mischmash Stylish Mama {August}

Christine Dychiao aka Manila Fashion Observer. 

Wife, blogger, entrepreneur, columnist, consultant-- are just some of the roles Christine effortlessly plays. It is that picture of maternal bliss so evident in her and daughter Berry however, that tells you, its mothering she does best. And only in ways no less than chic.

A typical day around Singapore with Berry in tow.

Christine is always armed with the chicest yet most functional shoes and bags.

She lives in nautical stripes. 

Her no-fuss fashion sensibility results to a well edited closet with statement pieces to surprise here and there.

Describe your personal style.

Simple, no fuss, practical, comfortable. Downtown girl with loads of French inspiration.

What are you wearing this fall?

These days I'm rotating three pairs of pajama pants - from H&M, Zara & Isabel Marant. So comfy! I've also been obsessed with rope/ friendship bracelets these days, not the grade school types but the grown up sort from Shashi and Proenza Schouler.

I also vow to wear more dresses and can't wait to try out the midi-skirt trend!

Closet staples?

Lived in jeans and khakis, button down shirts, striped shirts, tissue soft tees, seamless undies and a well-fitting bra, flat shoes, tasteful accessories.

What is that one piece you can't live without fashion/motherhood-wise?

Comfortable shoes - but please don't make me pick just one =)

How are you influencing your daughter's personal style?

By teaching her that quality trumps quantity. The same lesson my mom taught me.

Style icons?

Alexa Chung, Sofia Coppola, Ashley Olsen.

Tip or 2 for all moms out there who want to stay stylish amidst all the hullabaloo motherhood brings?

Maintain a manageable closet filled with all your closet staples. That way, you only have to choose amongst pieces you actually love and wear. I know that's hard to do in principle, but I find that it's so much easier to dress when you don't have to face a closet groaning with a load of things. Otherwise, you end up with decision fatigue and run the risk of wearing just whatever.


If you can't pare down to your definition of basics, then have at least 3 fall back outfits you can wear over and over. Who cares if you repeat the same items? I do it all the time and nobody seems to notice. I think. Heehee.

Any shopping advice?

Always wait for the sales! I almost never pay retail when I shop. I try to hold out and wait until prices are marked down. But that is not the main deciding factor. I always make it a point that what I buy will go well with most of the items in my closet. That way, even if I introduce something new to my wardrobe, I can throw on anything from my closet in ten minutes and still look put together somehow.

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Christine is like our not-so-typical young mom-next-door who happens to be always so put-together but never in an over-the-top kind of way. She gets it right-- all the time. 

So here's to hoping you picked up a lot of styling tips from the fashion observer herself. Thank you Christine, for taking time out of your busy schedule to take photos and share with us your enviable style. 

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Dear readers, pardon the posting of August's Mischmash Stylish Mama on the first day of September. Sometimes, as much as I like to keep things consistent around here, life gets in the way. 

But all well's that ends well. September's Stylish Mama is already in the works. Wait, it's September already??! 

I Love Lucy

A few months back I stumbled upon a blog during one of those midnight blog-hopping guilty pleasures of mine. I remember going through her posts and loving each and every bit of it. Bad news is, I forgot to bookmark her site! 

Months passed of me thinking of and scouring for that girl with the beautifully beat up Bayswater in oak whose daily sartorial takes I adored. 

Then one night, while browsing Pinterest, I found her-- again!

Meet Lucy Laucht. 

I follow a lot of fashion blogs, but Lucy's style is the most I can relate to. Love her blog. Love her mix and match sensibility. Love her tan colored handbags. I love Lucy.

All images from Lucy's blog.

Oh and the Ipanema for Little Feet giveaway is still on going. Click here to join.

Mischmash Stylish Mama {July}

Sarah Tirona, a former restauranteur who paints, sews, and creates jewelry. A real artist at heart who is also a nurturing mother to her 5y.o. daughter, Nikola. She also happens to be the author behind the fabulous blog, Ms. Eggplant's Chronicles.

Upon entering her flat, you can immediately sense artists dwell here. Music was blasting from interesting gold speakers and we found her typing away in her laptop at a bright and peaceful corner of her home. This is where she is most creative, she says.

Channeling the 70's in a high waist pair from Topshop, a pretty short-sleeved jacket with tassels from Funky Plum Vintage (which I absolutely fell in love with!), and clogs from CMG.

Sarah is very passionate of her vintage records and shoes. At the moment she is smitten by Jeffrey Campbell's Litas. Above is a pair of Julian Louie's for Aldo.

To be able to paint seems like the most natural thing for her. Some of her masterpieces greet you at the doorstep.

In one of her creations, an animal-print maxi. Only she can pull off pairing a loud skirt with an equally loud gold jacket (not to mention those Litas!) and not look over-the-top at all. Such is a signature Ms. Eggplant look. 

Describe your personal style.
Eclectic, I dress according to my mood and the music I'm listening to at the time, but more or less classic boho with a rock edge. I have always been greatly influenced by fashion from the 60's-70's.


What are you wearing this fall? A lot of light cover ups for manila layering, Jeffrey Campbell Lita boots.
Closet staples? Shorts, a good bra, my DIY camisoles, bell bottoms, statement shoes.


What is that one piece you can't live without fashion/motherhood-wise? Comfortable shoes, loose tops and maxi skirts great for running around in with my daughter.


How are you influencing your daughter's personal style? I make her mini versions of my clothes by request and I allow her to play around with my accessories and shoes. I believe in self expression through dressing even at a very young age. I usually give her free reign when it comes to her outfits. I just noticed that when I wear pants, she picks pants, when I wear skirts, so does she.


Style icons? Hollywood wise, I like Nicole Richie and the Olsen Twins. Lately, I've been digging Cherie Curry a lot. I also adore Edie Sedgwick, Jane Birkin and Bianca Jagger. I also look at a lot of stock photos from past decades.


Tip or 2 for all mums out there who want to stay stylish amidst all the hullabaloo motherhood brings? Any shopping advice? Don't be afraid to experiment and keep an open mind. Always be on the lookout for a good bargain. Buy clothes with simple cuts that you can easily layer and recreate from day to night with the right accessories.

Sarah with her adorable Nikola.

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Thank you Sarah for allowing us to take snippets of your life beyond Ms. Eggplant's Chronicles. Yours is utterly inspiring. 

I asked her to briefly describe herself and what she does..and she pretty much summed it up this way:

"I'm an artist at heart, sometimes a little eccentric that's why I decided to leave the corporate world to just do what I enjoy best which is to create stuff. I paint, sew, make and design jewelry for fun and sometimes for profit. I am happy as a stay at home mom to my beautiful 5 year old daughter and I managed to snag the best man in the world." 


How cool is that?
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I am secretly hoping you didn't notice I missed last month's Mischmash Stylish Mama. I will definitely make it up with 2 features next month!

Again special thanks to Anthony Co for the patience and wonderful photography. And for Le Misch for always gamely tagging along.

(behind the scenes)

-Prelude-