style // my mom jeans uniform (& my first grey hair??)

2017 is the year I turn 32. My birthday isn’t for another month, but I’m really starting to contemplate my age more and more lately. There’s a significance to all of the anniversaries I’ve been experiencing lately: the 2 year anniversary of my grandfather’s passing, the 2 year anniversary of me moving back to Seattle, the 1 year anniversary of me buying my house. It all feels like some major adult shit… and as my therapist says, I enjoy tiptoeing along the line of rebelling and wanting to stay young, wild, and free while also being pretty damn good at adulting.

my style uniform: printed silk blouse (with elephants) and my new mom jeans. simple brown leather clogs.

I’ve also been sort of embracing a style that’s a bit more… mature. Mom jeans. Sensible Shoes. Blouses. Does anyone else feel like the word ‘blouse’ is old school and not really modern? But that’s what this shirt is… it’s a blouse. Yeah, it’s covered in elephants, but this is a grown up blouse. It’s even tucked in!

my style uniform: printed silk blouse (with elephants) and my new mom jeans. simple brown leather clogs.my style uniform: printed silk blouse (with elephants) and my new mom jeans. simple brown leather clogs.

It started with these jeans — my friend Amanda from Clementine Daily has the best pair of jeans. They sit high on the hip (your actual hip), are made of stiff, light-colored denim, and are a bit cropped at the ankle. Every time she wears them, she looks SO chic, like one of those girls in Paris that The Sartorialist photographs. As I was trying on these Frame jeans, I even texted her a photo as if to confirm that they were indeed cool. I got them home and immediately worried that I looked dumpy in them, that they weren’t flattering because they weren’t super fitted or hit at the ankle. But you know what? I’ve worn these jeans every freaking day since I bought them. They go with everything, especially with a tucked in top. So… I’ve embraced mom jeans.

my style uniform: printed silk blouse (with elephants) and my new mom jeans. simple brown leather clogs.

Oh, and last week, I got my hair cut and went 4″ shorter. Afterwards, I was preening in the mirror, thinking that I looked younger thanks to my shorter locks. I was feeling pretty good about that… and then I was like, “wait, what’s that shimmer?” THAT’S MY FIRST GREY HAIR. So I have that now.

my style uniform: printed silk blouse (with elephants) and my new mom jeans. simple brown leather clogs.my style uniform: printed silk blouse (with elephants) and my new mom jeans. simple brown leather clogs.

Growing older has been a really funny thing. I really thought I’d be super chill about it, just accepting it as it comes. But, scarily, I haven’t been like that at all. And now, with my first grey hair… I’ve got even more to contemplate. Last year for my birthday, I went overboard and ordered a million different anti-aging serums and products. I honestly don’t know if they’ve made a difference and, really, this is an inward feeling more than anything, something that I need to sort out on my own. It feels a bit like a personal crisis.

my style uniform: printed silk blouse (with elephants) and my new mom jeans. simple brown leather clogs.my style uniform: printed silk blouse (with elephants) and my new mom jeans. simple brown leather clogs.

But now, I’ve got these jeans that make my butt look like a peach and I plucked my grey hair. For now, I’m ok.

Sources: silk blouse from Joie (sold out, but this one and this one are similar), le high straight jeans from Frame, Madewell perfect leather belt, Isabel Marant clogs (similar), and MAC Liptensity Lipstick in Cordovan (c/o).

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Photography by Meghan Klein.

Behind The Blog

Joanna Hawley-McBride is a Pacific Northwest-based social media strategist, content creator, and former textile designer. Joanna is the founder and editor-in-chief of Jojotastic, a lifestyle blog focused on Joanna’s work-in-progress cabin, finding the best pair of underwear through #UnderwearThesis, and empowering women to explore nature — all in her signature unfiltered style. Her work has been featured in Domino, CNBC, and Eating Well.

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12 Comments

  1. 2.18.17
    Cynthia said:

    Oh, girl! I got my first grey hair right before I turned 32, and over the past four months or so it’s like I see a new one every morning. I’m still debating whether or not to start covering them. Perks: I was actually pretty stoked when I first realized grey hair seems to make people in the workplace take you more seriously.

    • 2.20.17
      joanna said:

      haha! glad I’m not alone. and you make an excellent point… ;)

  2. 2.16.17

    I love the word blouse. It’s certainly an adult word, but it’s a funny one.

  3. 2.16.17
    Rebecca BloggerNOTBillionaire said:

    You are so gorgeous Joanna! I don’t think I have ever not worn blouses in my life so maybe I skipped a step and went straight to ‘mature woman’ dressing even though my style is quite umm not mature. Thanks for sharing this though because I think we all struggle with this and while without makeup I may look like a 10 year old boy from the 90’s (hello bowl cut) getting older is real and strange. So thank you, loved reading and you look amazing in those jeans. Let’s hang soon.

    -Rebecca

    • 2.17.17
      joanna said:

      thank you SO much! i can’t wait to chat more and hang soon :)

  4. 2.15.17
    Clementine Daily said:

    You like FINE in those mom jeans, and welcome to the grey hairs club – all the best ladies are members:) xoxxo

    • 2.15.17
      joanna said:

      ha! i owe my mom jeans inspo to you :P

  5. 2.15.17
    Susan said:

    Allow me to be the first to congratulate you on your First Gray Hair. I really feel that, like other coming-of-age rituals, we women should have parties for this kind of stuff. Aaaand, your mom jeans are adorable! x

    • 2.15.17
      joanna said:

      ahhh you’re so right! I love the idea of a first gray hair party… i’m already thinking of what kind of cocktail would be served at a party like this. ;)

      • 2.20.17
        Mamavalveeta03 said:

        Grey Goose martini? ;-)