Dressing for work: Time-saving tips for working mums

If you’re trying to juggle a career with bringing up children, one thing’s for sure: you don’t have any time for yourself - especially in the mornings. Getting the kids dressed, fed and ready is the priority. The likelihood is, you throw on whatever you can find on the bedroom floor, whether it’s clean or not. And you can forget spending a ton of time on make-up and hair.

But it doesn’t have to be this way. Believe it or not, it’s possible to build a wardrobe that’ll enable you to get up and go at a moment's notice, from the nursery to the office, whilst feeling stylish and work ready. Here’s what to do:

Overhaul your wardrobe

The first step to saving previous time in the mornings is to declutter your wardrobe. Get rid of all the things that no longer fit, or you don’t feel comfortable in. This will make it much easier to see what you do have. When it comes to a working mother’s wardrobe, less is more.

Shop wisely

When updating your wardrobe, make sure you buy pieces that mix and match easily. You’ll find that you have a higher success rate when the time comes to grabbing and going.

Keep your wardrobe neat

You can save time in the mornings by being able to see everything in your wardrobe at a glance. So, take time to hang everything up. Hanging clothes in groups by type; trousers, jeans, sweaters, blouses, etc, will give you extra time saving points. Anything that’s stuffed in a drawer or is out of sight will be forgotten. And, of course, one of those crumpled up items will be just the thing you need to make your outfit work.

Plan your outfits to save time

Every time you put together a great outfit, take a picture so you have a record of it. You can print them off and stick them on the inside of your wardrobe door or put them in an album. This can be a godsend when you’re having one of those days when you don’t know what to wear.

Plan your outfit the night before

This is easier said than done when you have kids. But if you have a good night and they go to bed on time, without fuss, use the opportunity to plan your outfit and get it out ready for the morning. If you’re not feeling up to it, study your photo album for inspiration. This is when your efforts will come to fruition.

Invest in wardrobe and beauty staples

These are all great ways to claw back some time in the mornings, but there are a few items it’s worth investing in.

1. Nude pumps: Have a pair of nude pumps in your wardrobe that match your skin colour. They’ll go with absolutely everything.
2. Flesh coloured tights: Another item worth having is pair of skin coloured tights. When your legs are looking pale or under moisturised or unshaven you’ll be glad to slip them on.
3. Nude underwear: Make sure you have some skin coloured underwear and always wear it if you’re wearing white or cream. The last thing you want to notice is your multi-coloured bra showing through your white shirt in the mirror, as you’re running out the door.
4. Bright lipstick: Find a couple of bold lip colours that suit you and always have them to hand. A bold lippy will never fail to make you feel good.
5. Dry shampoo: Whoever invented dry shampoo is a genius. It’ll enable you to get away with washing your hair twice a week rather than every day. Spray it in before you go to bed, so it soaks up all the oils overnight, and if there’s any powder residue in the morning, you can blast it out with a hairdryer.

Your life changes in so many ways when you have children: You have no time for yourself and your body changes in ways you couldn’t have predicted. This means your wardrobe needs to change too. It’s time to embrace the way motherhood has changed your body and lifestyle.

By following these tips, you can claw back some time in the mornings and go to work feeling stylish, confident and fabulous. And you can save time shopping for your working mum wardrobe staples. We’ve made it quick and easy for you to find the latest styles, experiment with different looks, and put together a working wardrobe that’ll make morning stress a thing of the past.#altraexecutives