On the morning of Friday, November 5^th, I walked into Panera Bread at Derby Street Shoppes in Hingham to meet Kate, Kimberly, and Christina--- the South Shore women behind the best new fashion and beauty blog for us everyday girls. These friends have been “from Fashion Ave to burp pads and back again…without dropping a Jimmy Choo”, and they have a thing or two to share. From bags to blotting paper and everything in between, please allow me to introduce you to the funny, stunning, and stylish “ThreeHauteMamas”!

Fashion isn’t always a statement. Sometimes it’s a feeling.

Kate Lord, Kimberly Gioioso, and Christina Muzio understand that better than anyone. They all started their careers in the fashion industry—Kate as a manufacturing representative, Kim in retail, and Christina creating merchandise visuals. Back then, they would glam it up in stiletto heels and designer dresses without batting an eyelash extension. Life was good.

And then came kids, layoffs, a divorce, and a good hard look in the mirror.

“When we became moms we lost ourselves,” says Christina, recalling how she went from going to a spa for pedicures to cutting her toenails as quick as possible over the toilet before her newborn, Bella, would scream for her next feeding. She also remembers how her friend Kim went two years without getting a haircut during the Mommie-daze.

Kate, who would travel to N.Y. for work, realized that commuting across state lines with three little girls at home was not an option.

And, Kim, mom to four kids (three boys and a girl all under age 10), aside from neglecting her hairdressing appointments, realized she was neglecting herself. She made a difficult personal decision to leave a lonely marriage. She had ignored her feelings and herself for far too long.

"It was like standing on the edge of a cliff, two steps back and I would fall to my death,” Kim says. “So I jumped forward into the unknown. Not seeing a safety net, my inner voice tells me it’s there and I trust it."

Not only was it time to reclaim her life, but it was time to make herself a priority again. “It’s important to be happy,” Kim told me with all the sincerity of a woman who knows what it feels like not to be.

In addition, while on a girls’ trip to Nantucket last summer, the three friends took it a step further, deciding they wanted to make other people happy, too. And the best way to do that, they thought, was to share their daily insights with the coterie of card-carrying diaper changers who were looking for ways to look good while driving a minivan full of screaming kids.

“Moms want to by stylish, but sometimes they just don’t know where to begin,” Christina explains.

Their blog, launched seven months ago, is full of quick, witty, and to-the-point entries providing three different opinions based on three different styles and budgets.

“Christina is high-end. They know her at Bloomingdales. When she walks in they hand her a coffee,” Kate jokes.

Kim is middle-of-the-road. You can find her at The Gap or Ann Taylor Loft. But, she has a degree in fashion design and loves a timeless treasure. “I mostly hunt for the sales, but if I see a classic piece I can have forever, I'll go for it!!

“And I am the bargainista,” Kate explains, noting her affinity for Target, or the joy she feels when she finds a good fabric on sale. (Editor’s Note: She may always be looking for a deal, but perhaps Kate is also the most avant-garde of the group, rockin’ a fur vest in the Derby Street sandwich shop.)

The point is, when you dress to impress—yourself--- you feel confident, sexy, and empowered. Happy.

“Our goal is to help moms, or any woman, feel good about themselves,” Kim says.

Kate, Kim, and Christina also know that aside from giving advice, haute mamas must always give back. To that end, they’ve aligned their group with two charities: The Ellie Fund, which helps women with breast cancer in Massachusetts, and Room to Grow, a non-profit dedicated to enriching the lives of babies born into poverty throughout their critical first three years of development.

The hope is to gather enough momentum to be good role models, and to really make a difference in the community. Because, as the girls’ slogan goes:

“Life is short. Make it HAUTE!”

For more information, visit them at www.threehautemamas.typepad.com

And watch for the Three Haute Mamas video blog coming soon to South Shore Woman!!!

By Stephanie Neil

Stephanie Neil is a journalist. Her business, technology, and human interest stories have appeared in a variety of print and online newspapers and magazines including eWeek, Managing Automation, The Harvard Alumni Bulletin, Huggies Baby Network, South Shore Woman, and The Boston Globe.  She lives on the South Shore with her two kids, two cats, and a dog. Contact info: stephanieneil@comcast.net  or 781-378-1652. Follow her on Twitter @StephanieNeil

Comments(1):

1. Haute Mamas

   Best of luck to my good friends Kim,Kate and Christina. They are all very talented and they are certainly the hottest haute mamas on the playground!

   Sunday, November 14, 2010 Carol