Where to Get "Comfy" or "Casual" or "Bummy-but-cute" Clothes (Tall, a Plus)?!

I've really been digging Ann Taylor Loft lately. Everything is stylish yet so easy to wear. I just went on a cruise and wanted to pack light, I bought a pair of jean shorts and 4 tops that go great with them, plus my cute sandals! Yeah, I wore the shorts a lot, but who could tell? And I looked very cute and stylish! I love that everything there has a sophisticated feel and look, yet it really is easy and casual to wear! Since I've been back, I've picked up kiddo from preschool in my new duds, and felt "put together"! I would recommend going to an actual store, the website doesn't do the brand justice. They have a great "Lounge" line and also do "Tall" :) good luck!

For a mom if you come out in clothes that fit, you... are... awesome.

Just find clothes that fit you and take the time to change out of your PJs if you don't want to be that frumpy mom. You don't need to spend alot of money and certainly don't dress outside your comfort zone otherwise everyone will be able to see that and that's not sexy.

I recently found out that I'm supposedly that "put together" mom. I do go to work right after dropping or coming home from work right before picking up my kids so I'm dressed up sometimes. Not all the days so some days I'm in jeans and a t-shirt but just by showering and wearing normal clothes makes me put together and judging by the way most parents show up to pick up their kids I guess I am the "put together" mom. What I never want to be is that mom with the Juicy track pants. Yuck! I think I look best dressed my age and with little makeup. Chances are, you will too.

Oh, I usually shop at Marshalls. It's hit or miss but I take my time and buy only stuff I love rather than stuff that is cheap. I have such a small wardrobe that I have a phone app that keeps track of what I wore so I can stretch 10 outfits over 10 weeks (my students only see me once a week but I teach 7 classes so I can wear outfit 1 once for each class since they don't see me the other days and don't know I already wore that shirt). Pretty sad huh? =D

EDIT: The iPhone app I use is called "iWore" ( https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/iwore/id310519506?mt=8 ) It's super easy. I have had all the other "closet" apps and I hate anything on a server since I never know when someone will stop supporting their app and then all the work I did organizing my clothes is gone. This app is just a calendar, take a picture of what I wore that day and I don't even bother putting in extra info. All I want to do is look at the calendar, look at the day I am working the week before to make sure I didn't wear the same thing. It's horrible...

A little mascara brightens up the eyes just enough so you don't look so tired. Also, I have a little junk in my trunk so I don't worry so much, but the cut of your pants matter. My Calvin Klein boot cut jeans make my butt look fabulous. My Kohl's regular cut, make me look wide. My Gap Skinny jeans also make my butt look great. If you are calling it a track suit (which that's what I call it) you are too old to have anything actually written on your butt. A great pair of yoga pants goes a long way too.

If you have such long legs, I would go with a skinny capri with a tunic or a nice fitted tee, or really short shorts with a fitted tee. I usually go to Nordstrom.com and find a look or two I like and then go to JCPenney and other less expensive websites to find something similar.

If you find anything at JCPenney, I have a code for 20% off. 4FRIENDS.

What's your budget? The following have great options for Talls

A little higher: Banana Republic

Middle: Gap, New York & Co or Land's End

Lower: Old Navy

The moms and dads at DD's school are often just like you are - wet hair, baseball caps, in a rush in whatever they threw on. (We joked that we clean up nicely when we saw each other at an event for one of the teachers earlier this week.)

So if you want to change what you wear, go ahead, but do it FOR YOU, not for them. Frankly, I look at a grown woman with "juicy" across her butt and think how juvenile it is. I don't want her clothes.

What I would do is go to Kohl's or look around online for simple clothes that are easy to put on. Instead of a tshirt, what about one that flows nicely and might hide a problem area? It is just as easy to grab a pair of sweat pants as it is to grab a pair of nice jeans, if you already own them. One of my favorite tops is all dotted and swirly and it's my favorite bc I know when I pull it out of the bottom of the laundry basket, it won't be all wrinkled. I use octopus clips for my hair. I wear a lot of slip on shoes (hey, most days it's enough to find socks for the kid!) either simple flats I bought at Target or my trusty Sketchers Bikers. I have a couple of pairs of "nicer shorts" I got from Target last summer.

A day when I look more "together" is great. And some days I just put my hair in a braid and am just glad to get out of the house before the elementary school bus blocks me in. (FYI, I'm in my 30s, which seems to be in the middle of the ages of the parents in our school.)

And even on bad days, I try to always at least brush my hair, teeth and put on lipgloss that I keep in the car. Not for them but for me. Because I feel better when I'm only a partial slob vs a total one. So if you do nothing else, make sure your shoes are actually on your feet and you're wearing one of your own shirts and have brushed your hair. Even if you take that brush into the car to do it at a red light. Take a few extra minutes for yourself in general.

I will never envy the women who allow words to be printed across their asses. I think they look ridiculous. I am an artist/stay-at-home mom. I am in my 40s. I have greys in my hair. For a little while I tried covering those hairs and then I realized I LIKE who I am. I like my silver strands like I like my silver bracelets. Yep, I look the part, and I'm okay with that. I clean up nice when I need to, but for the most part, I don't really WANT to look like the moms at pick-up. But maybe that's because a lot of them look the part, too. I guess my point is, if you want to look a particular way, be sure you aren't just trying to look like the others. Because the ones who have words written on their backsides feel like they need to have words written on their backside to get noticed. Ugh!

There's always the soccer mom uniform..yoga pants, tank tops, hoodies, and sunglasses! I do wear that most days. It's comfortable but not frumpy! Somedays it's tennis shoes, uggs, or flip flops. I always have some makeup on, makes me feel better and more awake. It really does wonders! I embrace the bed head with some beach spray and a bun usually. If I have a meeting or school event, I'll wear jeans, a cute top, and ballet flats or cute boots. Firm believer that looking better makes you feel better about yourself!

I like Old Navy and Kohls for sales and cute pants. But then, I mostly rock the jeans and nerd-girl t-shirts look when I don't have to work, so I might not be your fashion maven.

Good for you for the perky bum (envious here...haha).

Just get some cute tops, shorts, capris at your local Ross, Marshall's, TJ
Maxx etc. They are cheaper there. If not, find some cute colorful tops
w/prints or iron on designs at Walmart or Target. Then throw them on
with earrings, cute wedge flip flops or cute flats, a bit of makeup (or at
the very least colored lip gloss).

You don't have to be Victoria Secret model-esque.

Put makeup on if you have time! I didn't in the beginning when my child
was an infant. It was all I could do to just get through the sleepless
nights for a year and a half. But now, I try to treat myself to a some cute
tops, shorts, flats whenever I can etc. I just don't spend a lot!

http://athleta.gap.com/browse/category.do?cid=46813 Their tall is a 35 inch inseam.

http://shop.lululemon.com/products/category/women-pants?m... Their tall is a 35.5 inch inseam

Lands End. They have something called "Starfish pants" which are kind of like "everyday" yoga pants that I LIVE in on weekends. Sign up for their emails and you will get all kinds of coupons/offers. Like everyday.

I also like Talbots. Again, sign up for their emails, and wait 5 minutes until they put their clothes on sale. Full price is a little high, but they have sales constantly. They have dressy clothes, but also "polished" casual stuff.

Try Athleta or Title Nine.

Lands' End. Casual clothes that look pulled together and they have tall sizes.

J. Jill is great for clothes that are basically sweats, but with style.

Try the store Chicos or the INC brand (from Macys).