Single Mom Style Notes: Beachy boho chic with Beth Avant
Becoming a single mama is an open door to new choices — and maybe even a killer new closet (that you no longer have to share). Single Mom Style Notes introduces you to glowy, gorgeous women who are walking the runways of work, dates, classrooms and even courtrooms. Take note as we peek inside this styley single mamas look book with ten questions.
Meet Beth Avant, a marketing manager, California mom of two, advocate for Kawasaki Disease awareness and lover of belting out pop music. Throw on your aviators and kick off your flip flops to find out more about Beth's beachy boho chic style evolution.
Styley single mom: Beth Avant of BethEstella.com
My big style summed up in three little words:
Chic. Boho. Beach or Very Southern California.
My most glorious style moment:
I LOVED the midnight blue sequin dress I wore this year for the annual Kawasaki Disease Foundation gala that I help put on. It was my first experience with Rent the Runway and I could not have been happier. I paired it simply with black heels I felt fun and sexy and totally confidant.
Three pieces I choose over and over:
Short black tunic dress from H&M, GAP black leggings jeans, Black blazer (yes, all black).
My best accessory:
My long turquoise necklace from Anthropologie and gold hoop earrings.
1. Anthropologie ring 2. Favorite booties 3. Anthropologie long feather necklace and gold hoops
Style secrets I want to share:
Be a copycat.
If you see a woman in an outfit you like, mentally inventory it (or snap a pic if you can without looking like a total creeper) and copy it. Do this because she may have put items together differently than you would have thought, but it totally works. Or maybe she wore shoes that you instantly fell in love with that would make 50% of your wardrobe that much better.
One day, I was at Target and I saw this woman in this black and off-white print wrap sweater. I seriously followed her for three aisles before getting up the nerve to say “I love your sweater.” And she immediately replied, “Thanks, it’s amazing. Urban Outfitters, and it’s on sale this week.” I get more compliments on this sweater than almost any other piece of clothing I own. One of my good friends actually went and bought the same sweater after seeing me in it.
Ask people about cute things they have – 90% of the time they will tell you where it was from – and copy it. Pinterest and Instagram are great for ideas too, I copy from there to see if it works for me, and if it does, I include it in the rotation.
1. Urban outfitters sweater 2. ivanka trump flats, jbrand jeans, jcrew sweater 3. rent the runway sequin cocktail dress 4. #cselfie tank & fedora 5. rayban sunglasses
The best bargain in my closet:
Boyfriend style Joe Jeans I got a second hand store for $20.
My sweetest splurge:
Marc Jacobs bags. Love me some Marc.
Online shop that shows up most in my history:
Nordstrom (I actually have the app on my phone for) and J. Crew because I love their emails — they always get me clicking.
Favorite shop to stop in:
By my house, there is this outdoor shopping center that’s just amazing. They have a huge H&M (my go-to for trendy pieces), an Anthropologie with a great sale section, Free People, Lululemon, Urban Outfitters (for the occasional BoHo wrap), Madewell and a brand new J Crew. They are all in this triangle at one end of the center, so I can run to the center with the excuse of “needing a card from Paper Source” and do a quick once-through of all the stores in 30 minutes — if I don’t stop to try on.
How my style has evolved since ______:
Since becoming single, my style has morphed and I’ve taken a few more risks. I do try to stay within the realm of classic chic – black, good jeans, scarves, heels/boots – but every once in a while I push the limit a little.
Dating and going out more has changed the way I shop. Being kid-free a few days a week and every other weekend has given me way more adult time. And I needed clothes for things like dinner dates dive-bar nights and even fancy evening events. A when-in-doubt look for me is always skinny jeans, low heels, a fun tank top and a blazer. It works at trendy restaurant, or I take off the jacket and am ready for the dive bar.
I do tend to show more leg than other body parts. I prefer a looser short dress with sleeves to a low-cut, tight dress. My black tunic dress is my most worn item at the moment. I can wear it with wedges or heels and dress it up, or booties or even nice flip flops to dress it down. It’s loose enough that even if I’m PMSing it covers any bloat, but short enough to be just sexy enough for a date.
Check out more of this single mama’s style by following her on Twitter @HipMamaB, on Insta @HipMamaB and on right here on Pinterest, where her board Bangin' has to-die hairstyle pins.