Fall Mom Uniform

A mom uniform is something that simplifies your life, whether you’re going from drop-off to tend to younger kids and do endless errands and activities, or heading to work and back. These are a few key pieces that you wear on repeat, that you don’t have to think about, and that stand the test of time.

“I often wear the same thing over and over again — anyone at my kids’ school can attest that on days I’m working from home, I’m in a sweater and jeans and flats. You don’t need to reinvent the wheel,” says The Local Network Fashion Contributor Kristin Koch, editor-in-chief of Seventeen magazine and founder of Closetful of Clothes.

When Kristin works from home, she needs something comfortable but chic. “It looks put-together and it’s easy, and yet polished enough for jumping on calls,” she explains. But on mornings where she heads to the Hearst offices in New York City to meet with her team, she goes a little more tailored—but still simple. “On days when I’m in the office, I am either in jeans and a tailored jacket, if it’s a more casual day, or a dress and ballet flats or boots (heels if it’s a big day),” says Kristin.

What mom uniforms don’t include? Busy pieces that require a fashion degree to put together, shoddy pieces that wear out and require you to waste time (and money) shopping for a replacement, or trendy pieces that go out of style quickly. Think: sweaters, button-downs, leggings, blazers, black dresses and cashmere sets.

Kristin suggests going for quality over quantity. “The chicest women I’ve always admired working in magazines and fashion haven’t had extensive wardrobes. They tend to invest in a few quality items each season and wear them over and over again, and I’m starting to realize why. It saves time but it ends up paying for itself in cost per wear,” says Kristin. Want to save money but accumulate the higher quality basics for a pared-down, easy to use mom uniform? Kristin suggests checking out sales at the end of the season or secondhand sites like The Real Real.

One more tip for a flawless mom uniform? Laying out your outfits ahead of time; Kristin does it on Sunday night. She says: “Trying to figure out what to wear in the mornings when you’re trying to get the kids off to school or right before you need to be somewhere is never a recipe for success. This also ensures everything I need to wear is clean and good to go.”

Below, she shares 12 key pieces—6 for casual, off-duty or work-from-home days and 6 for in-office ones.