9 Chic Canadian Women Who Are Redefining Mom Style, One Outfit at a Time
Being a mom is hard. With all the meal prep, laundry, homework, cuddles, and after-school activities (here’s to the future Karen Kains and Michael Jordans out there), any mom knows there are days when ‘dressing to impress’ simply becomes ‘dressing.’ Period.
As a working mom, I have become obsessed with uniform dressing—blazers, khakis or distressed jeans, an Hermès scarf, a preppy ribbon belt, and stacks of bracelets. In between cleaning sticky fingers after breakfast, playing hide and seek, and numerous trips to the potty, it doesn’t leave a lot of time to play stylist with my clothes. Even though things move at the speed of lightning, personal style shouldn’t be abandoned. We’ve rounded up nine stylish Canadian women who are changing the look of motherhood, one chic outfit at a time.
Melissa Grelo, Toronto
Co-host of The Social, Co-founder marQ, and mom to Marquesa, 2
What’s your go-to work look since becoming a mom?
“Since I’m lucky enough to have wardrobe provided at work for my job on television, my go-to-work and weekend look is the same: athleisure all the way! My fave items are my Stella McCartney Adidas leggings and tops combined with a light bomber jacket and my trusty wedge Converse kicks. At work, I pull out all the stops with fun, fashionable high-low pairings like Parker jumpsuits and Brian Atwood heels one day, and H&M dresses the next.”
What are your beauty must-haves?
“I’m obsessed with natural and organic beauty products and have been for many years. For skincare, I love anything made by Canadian company Consonant—cleansers, masks, moisturizers. For makeup, I love the highlighting kit by Charlotte Tilbury and my go-to lip gloss is L’Oreal’s Nude Ballet.”
How do you change it up for a night out?
“I plan my nights out on weeknights, say Thursday or Friday, where I can take advantage of my hair and make-up from work. (I feel very spoiled saying that!) I can go home, play with my daughter, put her to bed, and save so much time by not having to do much to get ready to go out. Another trick? Jumpsuits! I have many in my wardrobe because they’re easy, comfortable and can still be sexy enough for special nights out.”
Who is your celeb mom style icon?
“Jennifer Lopez, yesterday, today and tomorrow! She’s my power animal—she wears the clothes, the clothes never wear her. She’s sexy, feminine, urban chic, street and high-fashion all at the same time. She oozes confidence in the way she dresses, and is just as comfortable in Louboutins as she is in high-top sneakers.”
How do you find Me Time?
“It’s rare to get Me Time. But when I do I’m either working out to my favourite Drake tracks (played at the highest volume) or I’m at the Miraj Caudalie Spa at the Shangri-La Hotel in downtown Toronto—it’s the ultimate in pampering.”
Best thing about being a mom?
“Perspective; I think I’m a more understanding, empathetic person since becoming a mother. I’m also much more aware of my choices, decisions and the way I conduct my life because I’m cognizant that my daughter is watching and learning from my every move. I want to be a good role model for her. Also, being inspired creatively to start marQ, my own kids’ clothing line of fashionable, gender-neutral, stereotype-free clothes. I am exercising a muscle I never knew I had and loving every step of this new journey.”
Misty Fox, Toronto
Make Up Artist, On Air Beauty Expert at ET Canada, and mom to Violet, age 9
What’s your go-to work look since becoming a mom?
“This makes me laugh because I have an ongoing joke that I call my work outfits ‘My inoffensive work wear.’ If I had to describe it, I would say it’s a lot like Ellen DeGeneres on her show, but inspired by Chloe Sevigny (with very little budget because I really don’t spend much money on myself).”
What are your beauty must-haves?
“I try hundreds of different products that come my way because of the industry I am in. I recently discovered a brand called Beauty Counter, and I’m into it because it’s free of any nasties and harsh chemicals. I am obsessed with their Hydrating Face Oil, my skin is so soft and happy in the morning.”
How do you change it up for a night out?
“I am not going to kid you, this takes a lot of forward planning. Sometimes I do my hair at 6am before Violet wakes up. I do my make up in the car while she is at dance class, it’s a gradual process spread over a whole day in small free moments. After nine years of being a mum, there will never be that time before going out. I also make sure my haircuts are ‘wash and wear.’ It also helps that I am a make up artist, so I can just throw on some lashes and red lippy in 5 minutes.”
How has your style evolved since having a child?
“Spending time and money on yourself after becoming a mum can be overwhelming and low on your list of priorities. I get that you have to make the effort to find yourself again, to redeem who you were, and still are, before becoming a parent—it’s good for the soul. My whole life has changed since having a child; I also did not have a career before Violet. I also wasn’t a single mum when she was born. I definitely pick things I don’t need to iron or dry clean, who has time for that? I shop vintage, always have.”
Who is your celeb mom style icon?
“Kate Moss, Nicole Richie, Sarah Jessica Parker—they all have a bit of a put-together Boho vibe.”
Best thing about being a mom?
“It’s like constantly falling in love. Also, being able to watch her experience things for the first time, and seeing the world through her eyes. Yesterday she was dancing in the rain, had I been on my own running errands I would have been inconvenienced by the rain, instead I was smiling as I watched her skip in circles.”
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