It’s the Cinderella moment we all dream of: the moment you put on the perfect dress that everything else is perfect, too and when you Say Yes to the Dress.

Thanks to Mama Luma for a Say Yes to the Dress moment for her.

For some girls it’s the prom. Some girls it’s the wedding. But for many Hispanic girls it’s the quinceanera. 

Growing up I wasn’t really immersed in any Hispanic cultural holidays and experiences, so I never celebrated this special day growing up. But I remember the first time I was invited to one, I realized this wasn’t just a party, this was truly a mark of a female’s womanhood. And while she might have a date, that this big event (sometimes more than a traditional wedding) was so momental because it was all about her and that statement was exemplified with her prolific dress. 

Recently my daughter and I planned a morning at Dallas Arboretum to spend girl time walking the gardens and seeing the flowers in full fall bloom. Considered one of the best gardens in the world, the legendary Dallas Arboretum is a 66-acre dream garden dream nestled up to White Rock Lake and hosts hundreds of events annually. To say the least, it’s beyond stunning and plays backdrop to so many picturesque moments in the region.

But on this special day it wasn’t even  as we stepped through the gates we were met with several beautiful girls who all were adorning quinceanera dresses. Taylor Tot couldn’t have been more over the moon. Later I found out the Arboretum was hosting a social distanced fashion show to allow young ladies who didn’t get to have their big day to still show off the “big dress.” And were they impressive. Vivid colors, sparkle everything, flowing trains, and ruffles galore. 

So taken by the moment, Taylor and spent time studying what makes each dress so special. And of course observing each of them taking their own photos (most of them had professional photographers also in tow), we took time to for our own “photo shoot.” Taylor had gotten a beautiful dress from Mama Luma and had been holding on to the perfect moment to wear it. She had hoped for her birthday party or some upcoming party, but many of those moments didn’t end up happening in 2020. So we made a day for the dress and since dress was detailed with flowers it was an obvious choice to wear to the garden to properly “show off.”

Mama Luma is out of Santa Barbara and isn’t just your everyday dress company. The designer style is made for celebrating a young girl’s big moment – from birthdays, holidays and those other big picture moments. The thoughtful accessories that are designed as part of each look like jackets, hair bands and bows, and now even matching masks. All hand sewn with such attention to detail and the highest quality of fabric, a Mama Luma dress is all style and grace. I could tell from the moment I slid up the zipper, my little girl felt as special as she always should, when her little lips curled up and she tried to hide her excitement.

Every girl she have that moment – when everything feels perfect, on the inside and the out.

If I can just figure out how to make that happen for her everyday. But I hope it not just a gorgeous dress, but when she looks in the mirror…she feels good looking back at herself.

I’ll admit I don’t know if I’ve had that moment either. When I was married, we chose to go casual and being that we didn’t have much money, I didn’t see the point of a big dress, especially one that made people look at me. I bought my dress online from J. Crew off clearance (white summer dresses in the winter are cheap.) While I loved that special day and wouldn’t take it back, I regret not having a “dress moment,” when I could look at myself and say “perfect.” And more than anything I’ll miss the moment pulling the dress out to share my moment with her. 

If there’s anything I’ve learned lately is never settle with just ordinary. Never settle with waiting for the right moment. And when it comes down to it, always get the dress. 

About Mama Luma: Mama Luma was started by co-founders and former college roommates Kevin and Ata. Ata wanted to bring his mother’s designs to life in California and believed that by blending the natural beauty of Santa Barbara with the elegance of European tradition and Mediterranean prints, he could inspire a new wave of chic fashion into the younger generations on the West Coast. With the help of his resources in Istanbul, Turkey, he and Kevin diligently worked to bring these hand-sewn, high fashion masterpieces to the world. 

Have problems finding style mom and daughter can agree on? Kellie Rasberry and daughter ripe to help us find affordable style.

I knew the minute that my daughter came into this world that one day we would fight about clothes – just the same that my mom and I did when I was growing up.

(Photo credit: Allen Evans Photography)

It just wasn’t ready when it started at 3. Yes, 3. She wanted things that were pink and sparkled. I wanted things that were lady-like and more demure. While our fights about clothes are more along the lines of “you can’t wear your furry boots when it’s 100 degrees outside” at this point, I know we’re not long from the moment that “what is and what’s not appropriate” is soon in our midst.


And like many mamas and daughters – this same issue is the same impetus for what prompted mama Kellie Rasberry, along with her daughter, to create Emma Kellie & Me. Known for being the voice that wakes up and carries thousands of listeners in Dallas and in syndication across the U.S. on the long-standing Kidd Kraddick Show, the duo, decided it was time to take matters into their own hands by launching the clothing and accessories line “catered to women and women-in-training.” The line is focused on items that are on trend yet versatile and that will make mom and daughter both happy to wear.

I know we’re not long from the moment that “what is and what’s not appropriate” is soon in our midst.

Releasing only a few pieces at a time allows both of them to learn more about their customers’ wants and needs when it comes to what items are successful. And while the ladies are working to ensure the pieces, like a well-fitting pairing of jeans, a jacket and a clutch are what’s hot right now, they also want them to be lasting pieces in a wardrobe. Thankfully at most everything below the $100 price point, my pocket book and my closet can both stay full.

(Photo credit: Allen Evans Photography)

Take a look at a few of my favorites from the launch or take a look at the line yourself on the website now launched.

(Photo credit: Allen Evans Photography)

Seem like mom + fashion don’t go together? With just a few staples, you can create your own modern mom style.

Congrats to Talbots for celebrating 70 years of style and this sponsored post.

Style isn’t a word I’d ever used to describe me.

Unless you’re talking about the absence of it. 

…And style blogger? I agree I’m a blogger and that I’m always in search of style, but style and blogger don’t belong in the same sentence with me. I even if I tried, I just can’t pull off that “gazing into nothingness” look that most fashion bloggers ace like a champ all over Instagram and make us all swoon to get it now. (I follow all of them so I know it works.) 

But it’s not me. (See I’m even laughing at me.) 

I admit used to try. Like really I did. I even was named “Most Sophisticated” in high school for my daily use of scarves and the endless black wardrobe.  (Yes, there is a picture somewhere.) 

Then I had kids.

It’s not that I didn’t want to look good but let’s face it, there’s a magical moment once you have children, and continuously have to wipe up endless spit up, change blowout dirty diapers, and deal with whatever crap that gets thrown at you (literally), many women choose comfort versus style. 

And yoga pants? They are the comfortable version of Spanx (Spanx light if you will) that you don’t mind pulling on or better yet a “thigh lift” that makes you feel a little better about letting go (as long as you look more like Sporty Spice than Scary Spice.) Throw in a ballcap and I’m set. (Just ask most of Arlington…that’s my wardrobe.) 

(Insert most all photos of me here for the yoga look.) 

But you can’t always wear yoga pants everyday and to be honest, you shouldn’t. Sometimes there are occasions that you have to peel off the spandex and put your best self forward. If you’re like me, I don’t want to spend a fortune or trendy. My “style” is one of classic + comfort with a little bit of fun. Basically, for me, I need to be able to head to a meeting and then pick up my kids and go into mom mode without feeling uncomfortable or out of place in any place. 

A tailored jacket, a classic black dress, a crisp white shirt, a beautiful scarf, a statement necklace, a great handbag…these are the staple items that you need to make the most of your closet and to create your style. Talbots, which has made its name known for its classic, sophisticated style, has developed a signature wardrobe capsule to design your own modern mom style. The line is part of its exclusive anniversary collection celebrating women through the ages for their own iconic style. 

For the record, I hate pink. It’s never been a color that I feel comfortable in. At my age I’ve learned to be ok that my closet, which is at least 75% black, is ok. To me black always is in style and I feel like I look good in it when I wear it. But there is something to having one item in your wardrobe that says wow. This jacket definitely makes an impact, draws the eye in, and gets your attention. I think you can agree this bright pink one does that exactly. 

The only thing that you need to add is one pair of basic black heels and blue jeans and you’re all set – all year long. Now mix it up your way to make a look that’s you! 

Style doesn’t have to be complicated or one that requires you tuning into Instagram daily to figure it out or have to work to get it right. When you know you have the right ingredients to start, your finished dish is pretty easy to get right. 

If you could only one thing to wear every day what would it be? Change your look without much change with this classic staple. 

If Oprah says she loves it you know you will too. Talbots + Oprah team up again for Dress for Success, a must-have collection that helps other women at the same time. #multitask 

Thanks to Talbots for partnering with mamachallenge to share this amazing effort. 

We all have seen the Oprah effect. She loves it, we love it. 

But when Oprah loves it so much she champions a cause, get ready for something AMAZING. 

So when Talbots asks me to be a part of the Dress for Success launch for 2017, I *died.* (Channeling my best Rachel Zoe.)  

First, because it’s Oprah.

Second because it’s Talbots.

Third because it’s an effort that last year helped to raising more than $1 million for Dress for Success to help more than 20,000 women in need to feel and look their best under less than best circumstances!

However, it was the fourth that actually almost had me in a hole…and in the ground. 

Why? I mean I’m joining the ranks of other women like Sara Haines (Journalist & Co-host of The View), Jill Martin (Today Contributor), Denée Benton (Broadway Actor), and Sas Goldberg (Writer, Producer, Actor) sharing our favorites from the collection (you can see theirs in the March issue of O, The Oprah Magazine.) 

But it’s because I was going to have to model one of my favorite parts of the collection.

If you haven’t noticed, I don’t normally do fashion blogging. I sincerely love clothes and fortunately, I have many fashion blogger friends in Big D that do it so well. So I enjoy their blogs, shop their looks and they leave the #mamachallenge stuff to me. (You know, dirty diapers, dishes, and macaroni & cheese.) 

They put on a dress/shirt/handback/heels/whatever, gaze into the wild blue yonder with flowers in hand and someone takes a photo that makes you want to run rabid to click it, share it with your BFF, and buy it before you can say “Gail!” 

But for me, not so much. I look into anything and it just looks like a hot mess (see I’m even laughing at me taking this photo.) But for a cause this wonderful and puts me one step closer to the seventy-degrees-of-Oprah, I’ll do it. 

So here it went. 

“Just remember, it’s all about the good you’re doing and how good you’re gonna look in it, right?

With colors like black (my favorite) and pink and staples like the cardigan set I’m sporting or any of the other pieces, you’re going to love it. And thinking what you’re doing for Dress for Success, the non-profit international organization that empowers women to achieve economic independence by providing a network of support, professional attire and career development tools to help women thrive in work and in life, you’re gonna love it that much more. 

In addition to shopping the collection, you can also give back in two other ways – by donating gently worn work attire from March 2 – March 5 at your local Talbots or by making a monetary donation in store or online at www.talbots.com/dressforsuccess. 

As much as I love a good pair of yoga pants, I realize that the real world sometimes require real clothes. Thankfully the cooler seasons means my favorite part of fall fashion – LAYERS – sweaters, cardigans and wraps to keep you warm and fabulously chic.

Retail stores started teasing us with autumn hues back in summer, but what if I told you there’s a place where you can buy trendy clothes and help needy families get a little bit more cash? 

WORN is a fashion-driven social enterprise of Catholic Charities of Fort Worth that provides refugee women living in the U.S. an opportunity to utilize the traditional skill of knitting to increase their families’ household income, thus empowering them to rise above poverty.

And these talented women have been busy creating the new fall line at WORN that is full of gorgeous accessories, like this Fox Trot Circle Scarf that will instantly make you look like a million bucks, even if you’ve only had three hours of sleep.

This scarf is versatile and will make you look effortlessly chic. You can add it to a pair of skinnies, long-sleeve tee and riding boots for a GNO outfit or accessorize a jewel-tone skirt for a touch of glam during a date night or a Holiday party later this year.

Each product, like the scarf, is hand-knit by refugee women out of their home, overcoming significant barriers such as language, transportation and child care. brand provides supplemental income to refugees who hand-knit the products – 100% of the net profits are used for women’s wages and CCFW programs designed to end poverty in the community.

Women like M.D.H. who born in a jungle between Burma and Thailand, but fled to a Thai refugee camp after her parent’s village was burned by the army. She lived in the camp for 20 years before they were given the opportunity to come to the United States in 2008. Today, M.D.H. can read English, drive a car and is able to provide for her family doing something she loves, crocheting. 

And there’s M.G. who lived in a refugee camp for 21 years. She resettled in Fort Worth with her husband and his parents in February 2014. They are expecting their first child and WORN will provide extra income for baby items and allow me to stay home with the baby.

These women have fled from war-torn countries where they faced persecution and possibly death to find hope, freedom and a future in the United States. Each time I wear the Fox Trot Scarf, I may look sizzlin’, but my heart will be even more warm knowing that this small accessory has brought happiness and prosperity to these families.

SEE the WORN Collection