Get It Together Mom: Avoiding the Hot Mess Express in the Car Line

You know the drill, the alarm clock goes off and the dread starts up. Getting out of the door and getting your kids off to school in time seems like an impossible task that you have to meet every day. Let’s be real mama, somedays brushing your teeth doesn’t even happen let alone having a matching outfit and looking presentable.
 
Life is all about balance. Balancing your car line look with your task for the day can be helpful. Striking the right balance is everything. You definitely don’t want to be so done-up you look like your coming home from the night before. You know we’ve all saw that one mom and was thinking to yourself what the heck? Sometimes I wonder if some of these moms actually sleep in their makeup and outfit from the night before. That would be the only way I could remote look like that in the morning. That’s a very scary thought, let’s try to keep those looks for Halloween. And on the other hand, you don’t want to look like you just woke up from a long nap either. Both of these can be very embarrassing for your kids. Unfortunately, even if you don’t care about what others say, the reality is kids are mean. You don’t want to add any stress to your kid’s day because you look like a hot mess. We all know when you look presentable, you actually feel better about yourself and it gives you confidence that extrudes into your children as well. While it may take a little more effort on your part and planning, it will be worth it in the long run for you and your kiddos.
 

Look good, feel good…giving off good vibes will make each day a success.

Here are my top considerations that have helped me achieve a more presentable look and have concreted a successful morning routine for me and my family.
 
  1. Go for a more relaxed look. My suggestion would be to look as cool, comfortable and as relaxed as possible. Here in Florida summertime is basically year-round. I recommend picking clothes that remain on the casual/day theme, yet with a fun twist. 
  2. Layout your outfit the night before so you have a general idea of what you’re going to do with your day. Plan your outfit with your full day in mind, not just morning drop off. You wouldn’t want to wear a sundress to the produce store 🤷‍♀️. So think about the days’ activity and if the kids have after school activities, plan accordingly.
  3. Wear casual fabrics. Cotton, jerseys, jeans, jean shorts, leggings or blouses do best. Tanks and concert shirts are awesome too, but be careful what your shirt says. You have to remember your children and their friends can probably read now so your funny t-shirts may be funny to you, but they may not be well-received nor classy anymore. 
  4. Try to avoid holes in your shirt and too low-cut blouses that give way to unflattering cleavage. Remember, if you want to jazz up for a happy hour and strut that’s fine, but it’s not appropriate for the car pick up line. You always have five minutes to run in the house and change if you plan to go to a happy hour.
  5. Shoes and flip flops and even sneakers are the best way to go. In Florida, it rains and because I consider myself a Floridian I wear flip flops knowing my shoes may get soaked if I try to run and grab my son. Wear something comfortable. Unless you are on your lunch break from work there’s really no need for stilettos and big platforms. If you have to dress for work I always suggest keeping a pair of slip-ons in the car. The last thing you want your kids dealing with all year is “remember that time so-and-so’s mom tried to run in to grab Johnny and she fell in those crazy shoes!”
  6. Wear no makeup or nude makeup. Don’t wear the mascara and eyeliner with a half washed face from the night before. You can even use a baby wipe to clean any makeup off your face and then add just some mascara to your eyes. Keep baby wipes and a travel mascara in your car. 
  7. A BB cream or a tinted moisturizer is also an easy fix. My ultimate go-to is Jennifer Bradley Foundation because it covers, has built-in sunblock, conceals everything and is a foundation all in one! Just a little eyebrows, a fingers worth of shadow and some lip gloss and you should be able to feel like your ready to conquer the world. FYI…mascara is a never leave the house without.
  8. Keep your hairstyles to a minimum, and don’t do anything to crazy with flags coming out of your pigtails (laugh, but I’ve seen it…I think I’ve seen it all in the car pick up line). Try to keep it simple. Less stress and the more often you get into a basic routine the easier it will become. Morning hair a complete mess? Remember braids or a ball cap are always an easy fix to terrible morning hair.
  9. Wear a minimum amount of jewelry. The less flaunting around the better. Superficial material things like jewelry and extravagant purses really don’t teach the kids the best way of the world. Have a small bag that you always bring with you. It’s your school pick up bag. Maybe always have a few dry snacks (obviously nothing with chocolate) an ID, sunscreen and something you can throw around at the park in case your kids need to burn off some energy before heading home.  
  10. Lead by example. Kids are watching. Your kids are watching you and their peers are watching them. There’s nothing more devastating than thinking about your kid taking some kind of retribution for your inability to “get it together”. Make a simple routine and stick to it. Take pride in yourself and let your kids know that feeling good is also achieved by taking a little more time to do some self-care. Start young, keep it simple, clean and classic and you all will reap the rewards of a smooth routine with “nothing to talk about or being the top of discussion”.
You may feel like the hot mess express inside all the time, but you definitely don’t have to look like it! I hope this helps to ease your pick up line stress and sets you up for success. 
 

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Nicole Bruno ... Mommy Minute Makeup đź’„
I’m wife to one lucky guy, mother to two beautiful children, and the owner of All Dolled Up. After graduating high school I moved to Fort Lauderdale to go to college with dreams of being something…anything! After getting a degree that I never used, someone said to me “you always do such great makeup why don’t you go to school for it?” So, I did! I graduated from Cosmix School of Artistry in 2011 with hopes and dreams of leaving this city. As fate would have it, I met my husband shortly after I moved to New York with my best friend. St Patty’s day left me with a surprise, I was pregnant with my first. After having my son and trying to live through the struggle of snow jackets and car seats for one winter, I packed up my family moved my husband right to where I knew he couldn’t resist...Central Beach Fort Lauderdale. I put all of the efforts I put into bartending and entertaining into makeup and was relentless. I did free makeup until I knew what my worth was. Long hours, throwing my towel in, crying, fighting, but it’s all been worth it! I’ve been published in magazines all over the world. I’ve done fashion week, swim week, art basil, I’ve worked with stars and celebrities. I have surpassed anything I could have imagined. Shortly after my business took off, I got pregnant with my second child. She is now over a year old and managing a business, kids, a house, and everything else has just been a journey. I want to help moms! I hear you and I want you to know we are listening. Looking forward to getting to know each other.

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