Cute, Affordable ... and It Has Pockets!

Karen Estep, who takes pride in minimal effort to make her look and feel great, helps a reader with tips for some easy, affordable fashion.

A reader recently wrote to us at Catholic Mom asking for tips on how to help her feel more confident and pretty for her husband while also being a stay-at-home mom. While I am only a stay-at-home mom for part of the year due to being a teacher, I feel like this is right up my alley because I pride myself on being able to look “put together” with very minimal effort. I love wearing clothes to work that not only look good but could also function as fancy pajamas if needed. Also, you will rarely find me in pants, skirts, or dresses that don’t have functional pockets.

I want to also mention that our worth and “prettiness” as women does not come from cute clothes. Our worth lies in the fact that we are daughters of the one true King.

I wish every Christian woman would blast “Hey Girl,” written by Anne Wilson. It has become my go-to when I am feeling "less than" in some way. What I love about this video is the lyrics are front and center so you can really look at what she is trying to convey to all Christian women:

Seriously, the power and truth in these words just gives me goosebumps! Remember, you are beautiful!

However, I know that every woman is different, and I know that for me personally, my mood is so much better with a touch of makeup and an outfit that makes me feel confident. Even when we were in lockdown, I made sure to get ready for the day because not doing that totally changes my mood and makes me a bit cranky.

I have noticed a big change in my wardrobe since I have converted to Catholicism. I think the reason may be that I am becoming more comfortable with who I am as a Christian woman. I no longer want to hide behind black or neutral clothing and have opted for brights, fun prints, and even better: fun shoes! I’m even wearing a bright pink dress with pockets, of course, for our upcoming marriage convalidation ceremony.

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Some great places to look for cute, comfortable, mom-friendly, and affordable clothes:

My first piece of advice is to check out a clothing delivery company. I like these because I know that shopping with young children is simply impossible most days. You might want to give Stitch Fix a try. You can send the stylist notes on what you want, what you absolutely don’t want, and the price you want to pay for certain pieces.

Another place to look is on Instagram. There are a lot of influencers that share fashion tips and advice. Some of them I follow are: wandalovessharing, reefrainaria, loveletterskc (I mention their boutique later), and krista_spencer. The best thing for this is to type in a hashtag for what you’re looking for or your body type. I’m pretty tall and pear-shaped, and I try to look for other women with my body type.

Click to tweet:
Our worth and “prettiness” as women does not come from cute clothes. Our worth lies in the fact that we are daughters of the one true King. #catholicmom

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Boutiques and websites that do a wonderful job celebrating women:

Love Letters KC. So, I’m from Kansas City and just love this boutique (and all of the women that work there). They are all moms! They know what makes women feel great, look great, and that’s their goal! They want you to look great! Plus, they show women of all shapes and sizes. While they do have several KC sports clothing options, they are truly becoming a great overall boutique. They price their clothing very affordably and have a great return/exchange policy. They will also show items and create polls on their Instagram when they go to the big clothing markets, so we as consumers can tell them what we want for their boutique.
Betsey’s Boutique Shop is another boutique that has several options. My favorite from their shop is the pull-on pants with pockets. Plus, they have a ton of more modest clothing options for every day and Mass. I have purchased a lot of longer skirts and maxi dresses with them.
Alicia at No Heart Untouched has some amazingly cute Catholic tees. She sells great jewelry as well. Alicia is also a mom and just gets how busy we can be as moms and wives. She is really funny, so go give her a follow on Instagram.
For a fun piece of jewelry that looks great and celebrates our faith check out Telos Art. You can check out the recent article on Catholic Mom to learn more about shop owner Jessica Connolly and her products.
Fun shoes are a must for me sometimes, and I also like them to be comfortable because as a mom and teacher, I am on my feet all day. Shop Sols makes the cutest leather shoes. They are incredibly comfortable, and the shop owner gives back to the artisans that make the shoes. Her whole story is inspiring. My most recent purchase were the turquoise Anas that I plan on wearing during my marriage convalidation with my bright pink dress. I may look very bright that day; however, I am just excited to celebrate with my husband and I want my outfit to reflect that happiness!

Remember, dear reader, you are beautiful and your husband thinks that too, whether you are in joggers and a baggy tee with applesauce or in your wedding dress.

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