Thrifty Wife Happy Life

Helping women love what they wear on a budget

The Perfect Mom One-Piece Bathing Suit

by Katie Haller

*This post contains affiliate links which means by clicking on and/or making a purchase through a link, I will receive a small commission.  Thank you for your support.
I know that summer vacation is coming to an end for most people and fall fashion is on the brain, but here in Las Vegas we still have a few more months of summer weather left.  That’s why I felt like now would be a good time to talk about bathing suits.  Unlike most people who typically buy bathing suits early in the season, I like to wait until August to do my bathing suit shopping.   You can usually find some really great prices on bathing suits in late summer.  

This summer, I spent a lot of time looking for the right bathing suit, for the right price.  I wanted to find something different this summer that was a little more conservative than my other suits.  I only own 2 piece bikini’s, but now that I’m a mom, I wanted to find something that was a little more practical.  I browsed all my favorite stores this summer, looking for a one-piece that I could easily wear while swimming with Jack, but also wouldn’t make me look like an old lady, but I could not find anything.  
After no luck in the stores, I decided I had to look online.  I don’t shop online very often, but sometimes it can be very convenient for a working mom.  After searching for lots of online stores, I ended up going with Amazon.  I always underestimate shopping on Amazon for clothes.  We buy a lot of things from Amazon, but I always forget that you can buy almost anything there, including bathing suits.  I found that Amazon had the best selection and the best prices.
I ended up buying2 bathing suits for under $30 for both.  Today, I’m focusing on this black scalloped halter one-piece bathing suit. (I’ll save the other bathing suit for a later post.)  This suit was everything I was looking for in a one-piece.  It’s conservative, yet youthful.  I love the scallop look and I went with black because it’s always a safe color choice.  I like how this bathing suit has a high neckline because that was a problem I was running into with my other bathing suits.  Jack was always pulling at my top.  

So far I’m happy with my purchase.  It had been so long since I last wore a one-piece, that I forgot how much I liked them.  Now I feel like I’m all ready to enjoy the rest of our pool season!

If you’re looking for a new mom-friendly bathing suit, but you don’t want to spend a lot of money, I’ve rounded up 12 great bathing suits for you.  All of them are under $30!  I wish that I could buy them all!  

One || Two || Three || Four
Five || Six || Seven || Eight
Nine || Ten || Eleven || Twelve

Summer Tank Cardimom

by Katie Haller

*This post is sponsored by Multiwear.co.  All opinions are 100% my own.
It was about this time of the year last summer that I was in the heart of breastfeeding and pumping.  Jack was 5 months and I had finally felt like I had a good handle on my breastfeeding/pumping schedule and routine.  I look back and think of the happy bonding time that I had with my baby.  The only negative thing I can think of was the challenge of breastfeeding during the warm summer months.  Summertime is not always the ideal time of the year for snuggling up and nursing your baby under a nursing cover, especially when you live in the desert.

 That’s why I was so excited when Multiwear.co asked me to work with them again and share the Summer Tank CardimomⓇ Open Weave Sweater.  This cardigan/poncho is similar to the original CardimomⓇ that I did a post on earlier in the year (see post here), but it’s designed as a summer option.  I like that this cardigan has an open weave to it making it lightweight and cooler to wear in the heat.  It’s also sleeveless which is really nice.  I only wish I would have had this CardimomⓇ last summer while I was still nursing.  The great thing about this nursing cover is that you can wear it long after your breastfeeding and maternity days are over.  It’s so practical and fits in perfectly with my summer mom wardrobe.

Thrifty Wife, Happy Life- Summer mom look

Here are a few ways that I’m wearing my Summer Tank CardimomⓇ.
I spend a lot of time at the pool in the summer, and I love how this CardimonⓇ works as a simple cover-up that I can easily throw over my bathing suit.  It’s shorter in the front and longer in the back, so it provides nice coverage over your backside, which I like.
Thrifty Wife, Happy Life- Cardimom worn as a pool cover up
Thrifty Wife, Happy Life- Cardimom worn as a pool cover up

 I like to wear shorts and a tank top a lot in the summer, but I always like to layer with something, especially when going in and out of air conditioning, but long sleeves are no fun when it’s 110 degrees outside.  That’s why it’s always nice to have a sleeveless cover-up as an option.

Thrifty Wife, Happy Life- Cardimom with shorts and a tank topThrifty Wife, Happy Life- Cardimom with shorts and a tank top


One of my summer essentials in my closet is a little black sundress.  This neutral color is perfect to pair with the black.  I like how it can be worn casually or you can dress it up depending on how you accessorize.
Thrifty Wife, Happy Life- Cardimom worn with a black dress

Thrifty Wife, Happy Life- Cardimom worn with a black sundress

If you are looking for the perfect summer nursing cover up or just a great practical summer cardigan, I suggest checking out multiwear.co! 
Thrifty Wife, Happy Life- Summer tank Cardimom

How would you wear your CardimomⓇ?

Making the Most of your Wardrobe- Grey Tee

by Katie Haller

Lately, I feel like I’ve been dressing extremely casual.  It just fits my life at the moment.  My favorite piece of clothing in my closet right now are my t-shirts.  I love how simple and casual they are.  I feel like I can get a lot of use out of them and wear them again and again just by styling them a little differently each time. 

Today I wanted to share this simple grey t-shirt from Zappos, that I got a few months back.  Because I’m such a bargain shopper, almost all my clothes have a story behind them.  The story behind this one is that I paid $0 for this top.  No Zappos did not sponsor this post.  It’s actually thanks to my cell phone company.  I have T-Mobile, and if you are a T-Mobile customer you can get the app T-Mobile Tuesdays.  Every Tuesday they have free stuff that you can redeem.  Back in December, they had $25 to use on any Zappos purchases.  I ended up going with this Hurley Staple Perfect v neck Tee.  I picked it out because it was simple, casual, versatile and under the $25 price range.  
Here are 3 ways I’m styling my grey tee this spring…
The easiest way to wear a t-shirt is with jeans and right now it’s all about distress jeans!  This look is so casual, but when you add a statement necklace to it, it turns into a whole new look.

Jeans- Nordstom Rack (similar) || Shoes- Target (exact) || Necklace- Savers (similar) || Purse- Coach Outlet (similar)
I’ve been really loving my white jeans lately.  They are so springy.  I love the way they look with the grey.  It’s such a neutral look.  That’s why I like to add a pop of color with a necklace.
Pants- Target (similar) || Shoes- Macy’s (similar) || Belt- Old Navy (exact) Purse- Ross (similar) || Necklace- Nordstrom Rack (similar) 
As the weather heats up, I’ve been wearing shorts more and more.  Tee’s are perfect to pair with shorts.  I am absolutely loving the way my converse chunks look with shorts.  I think it keeps the look youthful and fun.  I accessorized with a long pendant necklace to add some bling to the casual look. 
Shorts- Abercrombie- Thrifted (similar) || Shoes- Nordstrom (exact) || Purse- Savers Thrifted (similar) || Necklace- Old Navy (similar)
 

How will you style your T-shirts this spring?

Mom Wardrobe Essentials

by Katie Haller

When I became a mom, my whole life changed, including my wardrobe.  I went from having lots of free time to think about outfits and go shopping, to now, where I feel like I’m always in a rush.  I’m rushing to get to work, rushing to get home, rushing to make dinner and rushing to put together an outfit.  My life revolves around taking care of my little Jack, but I refuse to lose my sense of style.  Putting together a cute outfit always affects my moods and gives me more confidence.  I just feel better about myself when I feel put together, and I think that’s important as a mom.  That’s why these days I’ve had to adjust the way I dress and simplify my wardrobe to fit my lifestyle. 

Nowadays, I mostly dress very casual, more casual than I ever did in the past.  I have 10 essential pieces in my wardrobe that help makes styling an outfit extremely simple for me.  
1.) Stripe Dress- I love stripes and dresses are so easy to wear, especially in the warmer weather.  You can dress them up and down.  I like a stripe pattern because it’s a pattern I feel comfortable in and it’s easy to accessorize. 
2.) Long Cardigan- I love long cardigans.  They go perfectly with jeans, leggings or dresses.  My favorite cardigan right now is from H&M.  I love how lightweight it is and how I can wear it with almost anything in my closet.
3.) Long T-shirt- I’m really loving t-shirts right now, especially long ones.  T-shirts are a great staple to have in your wardrobe, especially when they fit nicely. 
4.) Denim Jacket- I love my denim jacket.  It’s perfect for layering over dresses or long tops.  I like that I always feel comfortable in it and it goes with everything. 
5.) Leggings- Leggings are the best kind of pants for busy moms.  They are comfy and when worn correctly, they can be quite stylish. 
6.) Distress Denim Jeans-  I love a good comfortable pair of distress jeans.  They are trendy and casual.  You can never go wrong with a good comfortable pair of jeans.
7.) Large Tote-  I kind of said goodbye for now to all my small clutches and crossbody purses, because large tote purses are the best choice for me.  I avoid my diaper bag, so I always need a purse large enough for all my little guy’s snacks, diapers, and toys.  A cognac color is my favorite for a purse because it can be worn with just about everything in your wardrobe.
8.) Ankle Booties- Heels is hard to do these days because I’m constantly holding my 20 lb little guy.  A cute pair of booties with a low heel are the perfect way to get away with wearing a heal and dressing up a look without overdoing it. 
9.) Sneakers- A cute pair of casual sneakers are the perfect way to complete your mom look.  You can wear them with anything.  I love my Converse Chucks Taylor sneakers. I’ve worn them all the time because they are comfortable and perfect for both work and home. They are the perfect shoe to fit my busy mom life.
10.) Nude Ballet Flats- Flats are always my go-to shoes.  They are easy to slip on and they look good with everything.  I’m due to replace my nude ballet flats from Target this spring.  I’m thinking these scalloped flats would be the perfect replacements. 

Here are some of the ways that I utilize my mom essentials in my wardrobe.

(I do try to link my clothes as much as I can, but because many of the clothes in my closet are clearance finds, thrifted pieces or older clothes, I can’t always find the exact link.  However, I try to link some similar affordable options for you.  You can check out my look below.)
Shop my closet
Dress- Nordstrom Rack (similar similar similar)
 Denim Jacket- Mejier (similar similar)
 Purse- Savers ( similar similar)
Pendant Necklace- Nordstrom Rack (similar similar)
 Green Statement necklace- Charming Charlies (similar)
 Coral Necklace- Charming Charlies (similar)
 Layered necklace- Nordstrom Rack (similar)
 T-shirts-Target (similar similar)
 Jeans- Nordstrom Rack (similar similar)
 All other shoes are linked above!
I hope that you feel inspired to step up your mom wardrobe!  Do you have any go to pieces in your wardrobe?

Weekday Wardrobe

by Katie Haller

Back when I first started my blog, I loved to document what I wore to work every day.  It always challenged me to come up with new looks using all the clothes in my closet.  It’s been a really long time since I last did a weekday wardrobe post, so I decided it was about time for one.  

I always struggle with getting dressed for work in the morning.   Let’s face it…Preschool teachers aren’t normally known for being very stylish people, but I try my best not to fall into that stereotype.  You never know what messy activities are on the plans for the day.  We paint, play with playdough and you never know who will accidentally get a marker on your sweater.  That’s why I never spend a lot of money on my clothes, especially my work clothes.  I try to dress smart, practical, comfortable and of course… stylish too.  My work clothes transfer over into my mom’s life perfectly.  I spend my whole day with other people’s kids, then I come home and take care of my little guy.  My workweek wardrobe would also be great for stay at home moms as well.
Here is what I wore to work this week…
Monday
Cardigan- Savers
Tunic- Old Navy
Leggings- Last Call Neiman Marcus
Shoes- Nordstrom
Necklace- Kohl’s
Tuesday
Top- Nordstrom Rack
Cardigan- Old Navy
Jeans- Target
Shoes- Burlington Coat Factory
Wednesday
Top- Old Navy
Cardigan- H&M
Leggings- Last Call Neiman Marcus
Thursday
Top- Target
Cardigan- Target
Jeans- Kohl’s
Friday

Dress- Target
Jacket- Meijer
Necklace- Nordstrom Rack

That’s what I wore this week.  I really enjoyed all the beautiful spring weather we had this week. I can’t wait to put together some fun looks for the spring!
 Have a great weekend!

9 Ways to Wear a Cardimom

by Katie Haller

If you haven’t already read my review on the CardimomⓇ by Multiwear.co, I suggest you go back and read my last post on this great little piece of clothing for moms.  The one thing that I really love about the CardimomⓇ is how versatile it is with my wardrobe.  I’m all about making the most out of my wardrobe.  I love to find new ways to wear my clothes so that I don’t have to repeat my outfits all the time.  The CardimomⓇ is perfect for that!  Honestly, I had a hard time finding clothes in my closet that it doesn’t go with.
Today, I wanted to share 9 outfits that I put together wearing my CardimomⓇ.  The great part about these looks is that they would all double as maternity looks, as well as look for nursing moms.

This is my go-to running errands look, with my converse sneakers, distress jeans, and stripe tunic. 
This is another running errands look.  It fits perfectly into my life with a blush tank, distressed jeans, and flats. 
The CardimomⓇ works great for layering over button-downs.  I’m a huge fan of gingham, and I love how the green cardigan looks with it. 
I also like to wear my CardimomⓇ as a poncho.  For this look, I belted it up with a pair of jeans, nude pumps and a colorful statement necklace.  This would look cute for an evening out for dinner or a casual church look.
I love to layer a cardigan over a sundress.  For this look, I took a simple black sundress and layered my CardimomⓇ over it.  I accessorized the look with my ankle booties, perfect for a transitional look for spring. 
It doesn’t matter if you’re pregnant or not.  We all like to have a big oversized cozy top on sometimes.  This look is completed with leggings, boots and a gold pendant necklace. 
If you’re not in the mood for the poncho look, you can always flip it up and make it a cardigan look.  This is the same look as above, just worn as a cardigan, instead of the poncho.
For this look here, I wore a long-sleeve stripe dress with some black strappy wedge sandals and a statement necklace.  This is another great transitional spring look.

Last but not least, I love wearing my CardimomⓇ with my yoga or workout clothes.  It’s the perfect way to accessorize your workout look. 

  Those are my 9 looks with my CardimomⓇ.  Don’t forget to check out Multiwear.co to see what other great mom accessories they have!

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