Well, it is ABOUT TIME.

Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week will get a reality check this year when an entirely new show debuts. Five women have come together to create the week’s first ever mom-centric fashion show.

The project is called Strut – The Fashionable Mom Show and it will feature both real and celebrity moms rocking the catwalk.

Can I get an AMEN?!

I have long bemoaned the fact that these shows don’t center on real, practical fashion for moms. I normally find myself chuckling rather than coveting what the models are wearing.

I anticipate that is about to change, though.

The brilliant minds behind the project are:

• Audrey McClelland and Vera Sweeney of Getting Gorgeous
• Denise Albert and Melissa Gerstein of The Moms
• Holly Pavlika, the managing director of  Big Fuel, and founder of Momentum

Strut – The Fashionable Mom Show will take place on Thursday, February 16, 2012 at the Lincoln Center.  Preview below…

Fashionable Moms from Big Fuel on Vimeo.

Thanks ladies! Can’t wait to see what you come up with!

I’ve been looking over my writing career this past week reviewing various things I have written throughout the years, when I came back across the post that made most of the Internet hate me.

I wrote a piece for Hybrid Mom Magazine on The Top 5 Mom Style Dont’s and it caused so much controversy that I honestly couldn’t believe it. I got lots of nasty comments about how I obviously “wasn’t a mom” and “that I was a rich b!tch with a nanny” and of course, a “poor writer.”

At the time I was intensely distressed. Ironically, that same poorly written article got picked up by Yahoo! (Where people continued to rally against me and my obvious childlessness.) Now that I have perspective, however, I can just laugh. Because really, ladies? It was an article about Spanx and sweatpants.

Wanna read it? Sure, why not?! An excerpt below….

Ladies, I believe we can be our own worst enemies.  We spend so much time taking care of our husbands, our children, our jobs, our homes and even our pets that there is little, if any, time left to take care of ourselves.

Style? What’s that? Who has the time or energy to think about THAT? Besides, style is something for people with major money, right?

WRONG.

Style, in fact, has very little to do with money. It’s about making a conscious decision to present yourself to the world in a particular manner.

Take a moment to think about what style you are you presenting to the world right now. Does your personal style say that you live a manic lifestyle, drive a minivan and that your kids rule your life? Or does it show a little personality? A little glimpse into the woman within?

Here’s a link to the rest of the piece…

Sigh. Back in the day...

Back to School Style… Oh how my life has changed!

When my boys were younger we used to dress them alike. Born 18 months apart, the two have always shared a close bond serving as both brother and best friend. Alike in every way. Sharing everything.

No longer.

The past year has seen a tremendous change in my boys individuality and personal style.

They have simply grown into their own.

The oldest is entering middle school in a month. HOLY MOLEY. Where HAS the time gone? Over the past few months he has made it abundantly clear to me that he no longer considers himself a child. He is a boy in transition. Gone are the days of Sponge Bob T-shirts. He now favors the stylish “worn” cargo pants and faded jeans. He wants edgy tops and “rockin’” clothes with “attitude.” (Think “Big Time Rush” meets “Lemonade Mouth.”) He has made it very clear to me that we are tossing out all of the elementary school styles come Fall. Sigh. Ready or not, middle school here we come.

My fifth grader favors comfort over function. Athletic pants and shirts are the new staples of his wardrobe. (Think Nike and Adidas) He completely refuses to wear tight or restrictive jeans or pants. Make no mistake, he still wants a cool look, but one he can play a mean game of baseball or kickball in. He is a boy on the go who has to be ready for action at a moment’s notice. He needs clothing that can withstand his aggressive lifestyle. (And momma needs a washer that can handle all of the laundry. I swear he can get dirty anywhere!)

I must say that it has been really fascinating to see them grow into individuals. Gone are the days when we could buy them two of everything and they were content to mix and match. The only clothing items you’ll see them matching in these days are soccer jerseys and even then they make small changes to create their own looks.

I’m totally looking forward to seeing what they evolve into. If their new style choices are in indication, it is going to be an interesting ride!

How about your kiddos? Are they insistent on their own style or do they still let you dictate their clothing?

I wrote this blog post while participating in the SocialMoms and jcpenney blogging program, for a gift card worth $50. For more information on how you can participate, click here.

I’ll be once again playing hostess for Mingle Media Momma TV this evening and I’d love it if you could join me!

DATE: TONIGHT! Wednesday, July 20th

TIME: 8:00PM EST

URL: http://www.minglemediatv.com/minglemediamommatv.html.

WHAT YOU CAN EXPECT: Hot topics in the momosphere, beauty, fitness, running, technology, inspiration, giveaways and more!

TONIGHT’S GIVEAWAYS:

• Complete Book of Women’s Running by Runner’s World $25.00 value
• Kushyfoot products & surprise gift (Bundle of 5 Kushyfoots)
• Scala UPF 50+ Sunhat $39.00 value Enter to win on the blog by leaving a comment and sending out a tweet!) $40.00 value

ABOUT THE SHOW: Mingle Media Momma TV airs weekly at 8:00 PM EST / 5:00 PM PST at http://www.minglemediatv.com/minglemediamommatv.html. Please stop by and visit to view the show and chat live with hosts, Linda, Bailey, Jennifer, Lara, Kristi, and the other members in the audience via text and video chat. To find out more about the show click here.

TECH NOTES: If you having trouble viewing the show, you may want to try another browser. Mingle Media Momma TV airs LIVE while simulcasting on the iPhone, Blackberry, Android, and other smart phones via a free Stickam.com app and archived for on-demand replay through Blip.TV, Boxee, and Roku or as an iTunes podcast.

TO WIN:
Two prizes will be awarded to participants in the chat room of tonight’s show. The other winner will be drawn from those who send out the following tweet (or status update on Facebook) and leave a comment below alerting me of the fact. (Winner will be drawn during tonight’s show as well.)

Tweet: Join @jennifergerlock on Mingle Media Momma TV tonight at 8:00pm EST: http://bit.ly/q5c7R5 Plus giveaways:http://bit.ly/ogYmMw #mmmtv

Congratulations to my winner: Carmen of Mom To The Screaming Masses.

Fresh Produce Clothing Giveaway

I’m so excited about this blog post. How often does a girl get an offer to try out a clothing line and host a terrific giveaway? Answer: Not enough.  Today is a great day!

Comfortable clothing is important!

The first thing  that you need to understand about Fresh Produce Clothing (And the main reason why I am in love with them) is that their clothing is uber-comfortable. In fact, it feels as if you are wearing pajamas.  (Do I even need to expand on the importance of pajama comfort?)

I’m going to be real with you… the FIRST THING that I do each day upon arriving at home is strip off my ridiculously uncomfortable work clothing and change into something more relaxing.  (Truly. I barely say hello to my children. I RUN up those stairs to my closet.) Not so with these dresses. They didn’t bind, pinch or otherwise make me cranky from their unforgiving cut or fabric choice. I literally spent all day and all evening in them and still looked and felt as crisp as if I had just put them on.

Now THAT is saying something.
Initially I was hesitant as to both of the styles that the company provided me with. Empire waistlines aren’t usually the best look on me. (I end up looking pregnant. And that is never a look that anyone wants to rock if they don’t have to.) I was pleasantly surprised to find that these were truly flattering. (Especially since I had never worn a Maxi Dress before.) Go figure!

Both dresses can be worn equally well with both heels or sandals. Dress them up or wear them casual.  Either way they are beautiful colorful summer dresses that will make you feel like a million dollars.

I’ve worn the Café Wrap dress in two very different settings – to the office and to a summer graduation party. It worked beautifully under both circumstances. Honestly, I want to fill my entire wardrobe with this clothing.

The entire line of Fresh Produce clothing is just incredibly fun, colorful and flattering. (Love the beach clothing!) You truly can’t go wrong. (Next on my list: the Impromptu dress. So cute!)

So here is the big question: How would YOU like to win a Fresh Produce Café Wrap dress for yourself?

Yeah. I thought so!

Here is how you enter:

• Tweet: (If you are not on Twitter then post the following to  your Facebook status….) “I just entered to win a Cafe Wrap dress from @jennifergerlock and @freshproducenow http://bit.ly/l3A77W”
• “Like” Hip As I Wanna Be and Fresh Produce on Facebook
• “Like” this post on Facebook. (Button at top of this post. Hint, Hint)

Leave a comment on this blog letting me know that you have done all three.

Bonus entries: Each time that you tweet, you will gain another entry. If you use Facebook then you will have to leave a comment here each time you update your status.

The contest ends on Sunday, July 3rd at noon. The winner will be chosen at random that day and the winner will be notified via email on the 4th and updated here on the blog.

Good luck!

Disclosure: Fresh Produce provided me with two outfits to try. All opinions are my own.

On Friday afternoon I got a pretty exciting opportunity… to chat with Heidi Klum.

Yeah, that Heidi Klum.

(The above pic is me on a conference call with her. Heh.)

The supermodel has teamed up with AOL to launch HeidiKlum.aol.com, a new lifestyle site offering a wide range of coverage targeted at women -  news, opinions about fashion, beauty, parenting, fitness, nutrition, relationships, lifestyle trends, entertaining, etc.

She won’t be doing it alone, however.  She is bringing in her real life team of experts. Said Heidi, “People can hear it from the horses mouths and from the people who have been helping me for the past 10 years.”

Smart gal. (Hey, she never claimed to have all of the answers herself.)

As I listened to her talk, I realized that she is, indeed, a wonderful example for modern women, working hard at balancing motherhood and her career while making time to nurture her own self. (Not to mention maintaining a great sense of humor.)

Personally, I liked hearing her talk about how she juggles her busy lifestyle. Take heart working moms out there – she is in the same boat as the rest of us, getting up early in the morning to work before the family is awake. She is no stranger to rising before the sun.

As for her family? She makes it a priority to spend every day with them and pays particular attention to one-on-one time with each of her children.

FASHION – HEIDI STYLE

I admit to being a little intimidated (okay, A LOT INTIMIDATED) by the whole high fashion scene, not to mention the empire this supermodel has built for herself in that industry. (Project Runway, anyone?) But fashionistas will be delighted that a staple on the new site features Heidi in a unique  “look of the day.” (Plus info on what she has paired together to create it.)

Surprisingly, she has a much more rational fashion outlook than I expected, “It is my real life. Sometimes I wear jeans from Gap and sometimes from a high-end designer. That is what the modern woman of today is. She is eclectic and shows that style doesn’t necessarily have to be how expensive something is, instead it is what looks good on you.”

HEIDI TALKS RUNNING

And lo and behold, the conversation even turned to running. (Go figure, right?) Ironically, beginning June 20th she will launch an eight week running campaign encouraging site visitors to run with her EVERY. SINGLE. DAY.

(Every day, I thought? I’ve never done that. Truth be told, I’ve never even contemplated that. Now, of course, my brain is hatching a plan… Could I? Should I? Every SINGLE day? Hmmm…. I might be joining her.)

Her campaign got me thinking, is a marathon perhaps in her foreseeable future?

“Probably not. No. That seems AWFULLY long. Not any time soon.  I’ll just accumulate all of the miles.. ONE day at a time.”

Maybe one day I’ll convince her to run the New York Marathon with me. For now though,  I’ll settle for her virtually offering me a lesson or two in style…

• Visit her new site: www.heidiklum.aol.com
• Chat with her on Twitter: @heidiklum

The concept: “Underware Gloves”

The designer: Jeremy Scott

Would you wear them?  I honestly don’t think I could. I think they are fun and funky but I just can’t get past the imagery.  They remind me of my son’s underwear. ‘Nuff said.

Be sure to take a look at his FAKE (Hello Gaga!) prosciutto dress. (Why is everyone wearing meat these days? Did I miss the memo?!) Although I find this straight jacket wedding dress to be funny. One’s fiance might not.

I am the first to admit that perhaps I don’t always “get” high fashion. Say what  you want about my simple fashion sense, at least I wouldn’t wear flesh to an awards show like someone we all know…

Eww…. Can you imagine how awful Lady Gaga SMELLED?  Shiver.

Apparently this “meat dress” was designed by Frank Fernandez and was supposed to be making some sort of political statement. Okaayyyy…..

Not surprisingly, PETA wasn’t a fan. Their statement on the dress? “Meat is the decomposing flesh of a tormented animal who didn’t want to die, and after a few hours under the TV lights, it would smell like the rotting flesh it is and likely be crawling in maggots — not too attractive, really.”

I think Audrey Hepburn said it best: “Simple girls are the prettiest.”

Are you a fashionista with a penchant for technology?

Oh boy, have I got a treat for you!  Take a look at these two free iPhone apps:

Can’t attend fashion week? No worries!

Style.com has developed the most fabulous app for ladies who want the latest looks right off of the runways! It literally brings fashion week  to YOU. Shortly after the live shows, you’ll get all of the latest looks uploaded to your fingertips. You’ll be the first of your friends in the know! NYC, Paris, Milan, London … how cool is that?

Ms. Wintour has done it again

That Anna Wintour.  She thinks of everything! How many times have you been left wondering about an item in an ad? (Sometimes the ads are the best part!) How much is it? Where can you get it?  Well, now Vogue has put out the Vogue Stylist app. This lovely piece of technology lists out everything in the latest fashion ads, provides details, pricing  and, of course, where  shopping gals can go to purchase. Not only that but it will let you know the latest fashion trends and even provide product suggestions. Love it!

Jeggings are the new “it” thing for fall, ladies. I keep reading about them. They are everywhere.  I am even featuring them as a look for Back-To-School fashion in Frederick Magazine.

As I was researching them the other day I got to thinking that, well, that they were stupid.

At least for my body type.

Which, by the way, is a REGULAR, real-woman body.  (Translation: I have HIPS.)

Asking me to wear jeggings conjures up all sorts of images in my brain.  Mostly of being stuffed in a sausage. Or my saddlebags sticking out.  YIKES!

The saleswoman at the local shop where I got them for the shoot said, “You should pair them with billowy blouses and tall boots. So CUTE!”  The billowy blouse that she handed me had an empire waistline.  Oh. Dear. God. Puh-lease woman!  I would look like a PREGNANT stuffed sausage if I wore that ensemble.

Which lead me to this question for the real women & moms of the world:  Would YOU wear them?

“Asking if I would wear jeggings is like asking if I would walk the streets dressed in nothing but glue from the waist down.” – @mommysstillfab

“I AM going to wear them. They were like super stretchy maternity jeans that I can wear below a tunic (sans guilt).” – @makeovermomma

“Leggings, yes. Skinny jeans, yes. Jeggings, HECK to the NO. That’s a total fashion faux pas. Similar to the denim diapers.” - @2cleanornot2

“Would I wear jeggings? NO. I think they’re meant for stick insects.” – @aprilfin

“I wear them! =]” – @honestmamatalk

“They’re called ‘Jeggings!’ I can’t even begin to take that seriously.” – @temerityjane

“They look FAB on a 6ft model & R likely very uncomfortable. + I say NO to crack! My 5’3″ frame says no.” – @lisagorham