Welcome back to OOTD with Mother Haggard!

(New here? Check out the Mother Haggard Lookbook here and here.)

In this week’s OOTD, we’re demonstrating how to successfully pull off the trend everyone’s talking about: GRUNGE.

Today’s Look: “Carsick Toddler”

The key to a successful grunge-inspired outfit is knowing exactly when to bust it out—not every occasion suits this trend.

Should I wear grunge to…

A mom and baby swim class?

No. You’ll likely want to wear a bathing suit for this.

A playdate with a potential new mom friend who you want to impress because you have no mom friends?

Might not be your best choice. Better to go chic with sophisticated monochrome.

Doing the laundry after your carsick toddler vomited an unfathomable amount of green smoothie all over you, herself, the carseat and your only pair of real shoes?

Yes. This is a good occasion for grunge.

When dressing grunge, think LAYERS.

-Start with your basic set of grey maternity leggings.

If you have distressed, ripped ones—great! If not, wear the ones that are so threadbare in the inner thigh area that you’re sure they will disintegrate each time you wear them.

-Add a slouchy, old graphic tee that features a band or a place you identify with on a political/spiritual level.

Here, I’ve chosen one that features The Big Potato from the Canadian Potato Museum.

-Layer a men’s flannel shirt on top of this. The more contrasting the prints, the better. The vibe you want is “too cool to care” or “I literally have no clean clothes except for ones that are three sizes too small.”

Feel free to tie it around the waist to increase the relaxed, careless vibe/hide your postpartum gut that lingers even though your child is almost two.

Big, chunky footwear is a must.

Lace-up, utilitarian boots with ripped tights are the norm, but in case your normal boots currently have dried throw-up on them, it’s fine to substitute a pair of too-small sandals paired with bright novelty milk & cookie socks.

Grunge is about breaking the rules.

If replicating this look, a few things to keep in mind:

• Limp, greasy, unwashed hair only adds to this OOTD, which is perfect for those occasions when you haven’t showered in nine days.
• Edgy accessories complete the look–try a plastic bag filled with your toddler’s vomit-drenched clothes, a tub of laundry detergent and a baggie with laundry coins. But keep it minimal—more than one bag of vomity clothes is overkill.
• The best way to get rid of green smoothie stains is by not feeding your toddler a large, green smoothie minutes before going in the car.

Are you a fan of the grunge look? What’s your go-to grunge outfit? Will you buy me a personal washer and dryer, please?

Let’s chat!