MY DAPPER LIL' MAN: A BLAZER IS A MUST-HAVE EVEN IN KIDS FASHION

What was previously my fave look may now have some competition. I love my dapper lil' man sporting this pinstripe blazer. I enjoyed pulling this look together and jazzing up his uniform. And I must say, this was part of this year's Easter suit. And if like most, often as Mommies we go all out for Easter yet the kids get minimal use out of the outfit. But the same as my daughter's have gotten more wear out of their blazers which accompanied their Easter ensemble, so has my son. This look didn't require much. The blazer was such a statement and further accessorized by the MadPax backpack (one of my son's faves), which added a bright pop of color. I just love this look on him and his facial expression although not the best, makes me smile. Get the full scoop on this pin at pinterest.com/bagladiesradio/style-me-back-to-school. Please be sure to like, follow and repin. #StyleMeBackToSchool continues ...

Follow @bagladies on Twitter and Instagram for #StyleMeBackToSchool looks and the styling behind-the-scenes.

Bag Ladies Radio is the "official media partner" to this year's #Blogalicious5. For an exclusive Blogalicious 2013 ticket offer for Bag Ladies Radio followers, fans and listeners, click here and enter BLRfriend (case sensitive), for a 20% discount.

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For #BagLadiesLIVE segments, showtimes and more, visit www.bagladiesradio.com. Click to follow me on IG and Twitter @ bagladies.

CATCH UP ON #STYLEMEBACKTOSCHOOL

We've added a twist of preppy, "layered" it on thick and tapped into tho hottest fall trends in kids fashion so far this week. #StyleMeBackToSchool continues. Here are the latest pins:

These looks are too cute and no, it's not just because my lil' ones are the guinea pigs for this challenge. It's been a lot of fun exploring ways in which a uniform can be transformed to an on-trend look. Do you have any style tips of your own? Share them please and I will work them into looks not yet showcased.

Please follow the #StyleMeBackToSchool board at pinterest.com/bagladiesradio/style-me-back-to-school/ and like and repin to score a chance for your child to be featured.

Bag Ladies Radio is the "official media partner" to this year's #Blogalicious5. For an exclusive Blogalicious 2013 ticket offer for Bag Ladies Radio followers, fans and listeners, click here and enter BLRfriend (case sensitive), for a 20% discount.

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For #BagLadiesLIVE segments, showtimes and more, visit www.bagladiesradio.com. Click to follow me on IG and Twitter @ bagladies.

THE "ACCESSORIES" HAVE IT. TOP FALL FASHION TRENDS FOR BOYS

Accessories are the best way for your child to flex his her creative muscle. The top fall trends for boys are hot and that much more adorable to me cause I have a son to sport the trends. This #StyleMeBackToSchool look features some of my faves from thick rimmed glasses to plaid. For details on this look, follow #StyleMeBackToSchool on Pinterest. Be sure to like and re-pin so your child can rock the trends. #StyleMeBackToSchool runs all month long.

What are your fave fall trends in kids fashion?

Check out the full scoop on the #StyleMeBackToSchool kick off and be sure to follow my "Style Me Back To School" board on Pinterest so that you can repin and share. Fantastic give-a-ways soon to be announced and a way for your child to be featured!

Follow @bagladies on Twitter and Instagram and #StyleMeBackToSchool for looks and the styling behind-the-scenes.

Bag Ladies Radio is the "official media partner" to this year's #Blogalicious5. For an exclusive Blogalicious 2013 ticket offer for Bag Ladies Radio followers, fans and listeners, click here and enter BLRfriend (case sensitive), for a 20% discount.

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For #BagLadiesLIVE segments, showtimes and more, visit www.bagladiesradio.com. Click to follow me on IG and Twitter @ bagladies.

IT'S WEEK 2 OF #STYLEMEBACKTOSCHOOL AND WE'RE "LAYERING" IT ON THICK ...

And displaying some of the hottest fall trends in kids fashion from moto jackets, hoodies and vests to floral hair clips, leggings and ankle boots. The same styles and trends that we swoon over can be easily translated to adorable age appropriate looks for your child. I love these featured FabKids.com pieces: Pyramid Stud Capri Leggings, Rocker Girl Vest (wish it came in my size), Mixed Stripe Hoodie, Stripe Play Legging

Be sure to follow #StyleMeBackToSchool at pinterest.com/bagladiesradio and get your pin on! Like and repin #StyleMeBackToSchool looks and recreate for your child adding his/her own touch. We aren't through yet. The challenge runs month long and our wheels are spinning with creative ideas to turn an otherwise stale school uniform into an on-trend look. Your child can be featured too!

Follow @bagladies on Twitter and Instagram and #StyleMeBackToSchool for looks and the styling behind-the-scenes.

Bag Ladies Radio is the "official media partner" to this year's #Blogalicious5. For an exclusive Blogalicious 2013 ticket offer for Bag Ladies Radio followers, fans and listeners, click here and enter BLRfriend (case sensitive), for a 20% discount.

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For #BagLadiesLIVE segments, showtimes and more, visit www.bagladiesradio.com. Click to follow me on IG and Twitter @ bagladies.

CAMO IS THE WAY TO GO! #StyleMeBackToSchool: Look 4!

Cuff the pants! Pair with camo low-tops! Don't lace! Grab the specs! Pop the collar! In that order. Check out #StyleMeBackToSchool Look 4!

Next week, we're laying it on thick. Check out the full scoop on the #StyleMeBackToSchool kick off and be sure to follow my "Style Me Back To School" board on Pinterest so that you can repin and share. Fantastic give-a-ways soon to be announced and a way for your child to be featured!

Follow @bagladies on Twitter and Instagram and #StyleMeBackToSchool for looks and the styling behind-the-scenes.

Bag Ladies Radio is the "official media partner" to this year's #Blogalicious5. For an exclusive Blogalicious 2013 ticket offer for Bag Ladies Radio followers, fans and listeners, click here and enter BLRfriend (case sensitive), for a 20% discount.

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For #BagLadiesLIVE segments, showtimes and more, visit www.bagladiesradio.com. Click to follow me on IG and Twitter @ bagladies.

#StyleMeBackToSchool: Look 3!

Let's keep this going shall we! You don't always have to stick with traditional Back-To-School wear. Check the DIY tip.

Check out the full scoop on the #StyleMeBackToSchool kick off and be sure to follow my "Style Me Back To School" board on Pinterest so that you can repin and share. A new pin will be added each day. Fantastic give-a-ways soon to be announced and a way for your child to be featured!

Follow @bagladies on Twitter and Instagram and #StyleMeBackToSchool for looks and the styling behind-the-scenes.

Bag Ladies Radio is the "official media partner" to this year's #Blogalicious5. For an exclusive Blogalicious 2013 ticket offer for Bag Ladies Radio followers, fans and listeners, click here and enter BLRfriend (case sensitive), for a 20% discount.

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For #BagLadiesLIVE segments, showtimes and more, visit www.bagladiesradio.com. Click to follow me on IG and Twitter @ bagladies.

#StyleMeBackToSchool: Look 2!

#StyleMeBackToSchool is off and running! The too cute second pin is up showcasing today's look! The focus this week is how a uniform can be accessorized to not only kick the look up a notch but further define your child's style. It's been funny for me even as my children are the guinea pigs, watching how just with a little pop of color or turning up their shirt collar, my kids entire demeanor changes. My faves with this look were the pants, awesome fit and the vest. I wish it came in my size. I didn't need to do much as far as directing my daughter. She loved this look. It's so her. She literally matured in front of my eyes. She really wore this ensemble with confidence. I just started snapping pics. There were so many good ones. She's a natural but then again I am her Mommy.

Check out the full scoop on the #StyleMeBackToSchool kick off and be sure to follow my "Style Me Back To School" board on Pinterest so that you can repin and share. A new pin will be added each day. Fantastic give-a-ways soon to be announced and a way for your child to be featured.

Follow @bagladies on Twitter and Instagram and #StyleMeBackToSchool for looks and the styling behind-the-scenes.

Bag Ladies Radio is the "official media partner" to this year's #Blogalicious5. For an exclusive Blogalicious 2013 ticket offer for Bag Ladies Radio followers, fans and listeners, click here and enter BLRfriend (case sensitive), for a 20% discount.

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For #BagLadiesLIVE segments, showtimes and more, visit www.bagladiesradio.com. Click to follow me on IG and Twitter @ bagladies.

#StyleMeBackToSchool: Pin 1

http://pinterest.com/bagladiesradio/style-me-back-to-school/

#StyleMeBackToSchool runs all month long. The first pin is up! The focus this week is how a uniform can be accessorized to not only kick the look up a notch but your child's enthusiasm too. Check out the full scoop on today's kick off and be sure to follow my "Style Me Back To School" board on Pinterest so that you can repin and share. A new pin will be added each day. Fantastic give-a-ways soon to be announced and a way for your child to be featured.

Follow @bagladies on Twitter and Instagram and #StyleMeBackToSchool for looks and the styling behind-the-scenes.

Bag Ladies Radio is the "official media partner" to this year's #Blogalicious5. For an exclusive Blogalicious 2013 ticket offer for Bag Ladies Radio followers, fans and listeners, click here and enter BLRfriend (case sensitive), for a 20% discount.

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For #BagLadiesLIVE segments, showtimes and more, visit www.bagladiesradio.com. Click to follow me on IG and Twitter @ bagladies.

#StyleMeBackToSchool Kicks Off September 3rd!

Is your child required to wear a uniform to school? Do you ever wonder if his/her creative expression is being stifled at all? Do you ever look for kids fashion tips or easy to duplicate looks that are on trend? Look no further! "Style Me Back-To-School" is just for you.

Per a special edition "Mommy Midday" segment which aired last week on Bag Ladies Radio, (click here to listen OnDemand), the series continues with "Style Me Back-To-School." A month long showcase which kicks off September 3rd. Sourced from Nat'l Center for Education Statistics, 33% of all public and private schools in the United States now have a uniform requirement. Do you live in New Orleans, Cleveland, Chicago, Boston, Miami or Cincinnati? These locations top the list of U.S. cities requiring uniforms in public schools. Growing up, I never wore a uniform. I had complete freedom mind you my Mom didn't allow me to wear whatever but ...Being a Mommy of three children all of whom wear uniforms, I sometimes wish they had a bit more flexibility but at the same time, there are TONS of options. But often, I hear the same sentiment echoed amongst Mommy friends in that they don't really know what those options are. I had alot of fun using my own three as guinea pigs. They had just as much fun as I with this project. And keep in mind, not everything required purchase. Some of the looks were all about getting our DIY on.

"Style Me Back-To-School" is all about showcasing how in spite of a uniform requirement, your child can still define his/her style and be creative. "Style Me Back-To-School" is all about how you can take the most popular trends in kids fashion and create the hottest looks. Admittedly, uniforms can get stale and the process of wearing essentially the same thing every day can be very monotonous. But the most minimal accessory can change your child's look and kick your child's motivation up a notch too! The same as when you look good, you feel good, your child does too and will start the day with that much more energy and excitement for learning!

"Style Me Back-To-School" kicks off Tuesday, September 3rd at http://pinterest.com/bagladiesradio/style-me-back-to-school/. You can follow across all platforms via the hashtag #StyleMeBackToSchool. A new look will be pinned each day for a month. Stay tuned for details regarding featured brands, on-air dish and fantastic give-a-ways! And I may even be soliciting you to submit pics of your own child in uniform and how he/she expresses style.

WHAT I LEARNED FROM LAST NITE'S SHOW #BAGLADIESLIVE

1. Guest, Monica Byrd of babybashandbling.com, reaffirmed why I don't let my kids even touch my iPhone/iPad even if just one day a week.
2. Guest, Tara Jefferson of theyoungmommylife.com, taught me that you can profess your love for your children (live on air), but still want them gone and back-to-school.
3. Guest, Leticia Barr of techsavvymama.com, proved that I'm not as technically savvy as I thought. I'll leave that to her.
4. My Co-Host, Trina Small gave me some great tips on how to use idle time on the rare occasions that I have it. Ditch the gym and head to the mall.
5. Guest, Denise Kalinowski, Head Designer of FabKids.com confirmed what I already knew. I never tire of dishing on fashion!

Press play below to catch up on the dish you missed OnDemand. And click here for the iTunes Podcast. Visit bagladiesradio.com/listen for all previously aired shows.

Online Women Radio at Blog Talk Radio with Erin Martin on BlogTalkRadio

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For #BagLadiesLIVE segments, showtimes and more, visit www.bagladiesradio.com. Click to follow me on IG and Twitter @ bagladies.

Catch up on the dish you missed by going to www.bagladiesradio.com/listen. Scroll down to OnDemand and press play.

5 WAYS TO CALM BACK-TO-SCHOOL ANXIETY

Today's the day and you would think my kids are starting school for the first time ...Ever. They are fine. My angst comes from a summer that has zoomed by so I don't feel as prepared this year. It seems like the school year just ended. I am thankful that my kids have had a summer filled with activity but I'd be lying if I said, I couldn't use another week or two even to ready myself for the routine mostly. You call it "Back-To-School." I call it "Back-To-Scramble." I'm not quite ready to resume the early morning routine of tearing the house up all to find matching socks, clean undies and homework. So here are 5 quick tips that help me and hopefully you too:

1. LAY OUT THE NITE BEFORE - I know it's hard. I have three. Most often, once they're in bed, I want to do the same but I know I will pay for it in the morning. Laying out clean undies for all three as well as socks eliminates the, "Mommy do you have?!" or "Mommy have you seen?!" the next morning
2. PACK BOOK-BAGS THE NITE BEFORE - Before my kids go to bed, I make sure they have put their homework in their folders and their folders in their book-bags. I've learned not to assume and I may even have to ask the, "are you sure?" Even if my kids are dog tired and their homework is all the way in the basement, I require them to go down there and get it. Not doing so just adds to the morning scramble.
3. PACK LUNCHES THE NITE BEFORE - My kids prefer packed lunches and although I don't do it everyday (sometimes school lunch appeals to their palette), when I do, I pack as much as I can the nite before particularly anything in their lunch that doesn't require refrigeration. Anything that does like yogurt or jello, I throw that in before closing up their lunch bag/box the next morning. NOTE: My kids adore lunch box love notes so I do these the nite before as well. So upon opening their lunch, they have a cute note from Mommy
4. DO AS MUCH AS YOU CAN COMFORTABLY - It's easy to stress particularly over school supplies but at the end of the day, if you can't get everything on that infamous and constantly growing list (Click here for a previously published post), because of either lack of time or lack of money, no worries. I've resolved myself to say whatever I don't have by tomorrow, my kids just won't have. They have the necessities. And I guarantee if you show up a week or a month after the school year has begun with additional supplies, your child's teacher is not gonna turn you away or refuse you.
5. KNOW THAT YOU ARE NOT THE ONLY ONE - Being stressed is a resonating theme amongst all my Mommy friends. One of the best ways to ease the stress and lighten the mood is to talk about it. I LOL with my friends all the time about what we are all going through in preparation. We dish on everything from lurking sock monsters that seemingly devour matching sock sets to our children who we sometimes have to threaten just to get them to brush their teeth or wash their faces to oversleeping from time to time.
6. BONUS TIP: This one really helps but it just requires a bit of extra effort. Noone wants to hear that alarm sound but I find if I set my clock in advance of when I need to wake my kids to allow myself time to relax, get in the shower and get myself together first, it makes a world of difference. Admittedly, the process of getting them together and out the door is that much more challenging when I'm trying to get myself ready too.

The consistent theme, "prepare in advance." And I say that knowing full well it's easy to digress. Some nite's the only thought in your mind or on your mind is getting the kids in bed because they faster they are in bed, the faster you can do the same. If you have any tips of your own, please share. I can use them. 

And don't forget to tune in to tonite's Bag Ladies Radio at 7:30p EST. My Co-Host, Trina Small of the +Baby Shopaholic, and I are dishing live on how we prep for back-to-school, hot trends in kids fall fashion and more! Joining in the dish is Head Designer of FabKids.com, Denise Kalinowski and more. Tune in live online at www.bagladiesradio.com/listen or eavesdrop at 347.327.9510 opt. 2. You can submit your questions or share you commentary for a live on-air shout-out by tweeting @bagladies and attaching hashtag #BagLadiesLIVE.

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For #BagLadiesLIVE segments, showtimes and more, visit www.bagladiesradio.com. Click to follow me on IG and Twitter @ bagladies.

Catch up on the dish you missed by going to www.bagladiesradio.com/listen. Scroll down to OnDemand and press play.

My "Fab Kid" in Summer Safari ...

Any Mommy with multiple kids particularly young kids, knows the process of getting out the door can be tedious to say the least. So anything that makes the task easier is always welcome. FabKids.com eliminates the guess work. FabKids is JustFab's fashion club but for the lil' ones. It's membership based and for 39.95, you get a complete outfit (3 pieces) every month minus the shipping costs. There is no obligation. And you can opt out anytime you choose. I love the short and sweet online profile which allowed me to define each of my kids fashion sense so each outfit is tailored to what they like. My kids can be so picky. Kids ...

This past weekend upon allowing my children to pick what they wanted to wear for a cookout with my high school class, my 7 yr. old was stumped. She didn't know what she wanted to wear and I was scrambling trying to get myself dressed. When alas, I remembered the cute pink box showed up on my doorstep the day prior. Done! And I didn't even have to trek to the store. My daughter added her own touch with sandals, leggings and a side pony tail but her Summer Safari Camp Outfit was a show-stopper.

And even though outfits are pre-chosen, your kids can still add their own touch. My 9 yr. old did so also in a previous post. Click here.

Sign up now at fabkids.com because not only will new fall outfits soon be available but a new boy's collection is being introduced just in time for back-to-school. I already peeked at the boy's collection and it is awesome!

www.fabkids.com 

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For #BagLadiesLIVE segments, showtimes and more, visit www.bagladiesradio.com. Click to follow me on IG and Twitter @ bagladies.

Catch up on the dish you missed by going to www.bagladiesradio.com/listen. Scroll down to OnDemand and press play.