Tips for Finding Mommy and Me Outfits Anywhere

By now you are well aware of my love for mommy and me fashion. Matching with Avery is so much fun for me and it's pretty much all my childhood dreams coming true. I was very into playing with dolls as a little girl and loved buying their clothes more than I did buying them for myself! Now I have a real life baby doll and while she is a lot more work than those dolls, she is pretty freaking cool :)

Today's post is sponsored by Bealls Outlet. All thoughts and opinions are my own, thank you for supporting the brands that support Sugar Spice and Sparkle!

Unless we're talking plain tee-shirts and basic shorts, exact match outfits are hard to come by in the real world. You can't just pop into most stores and find the same outfits in girl's and women's readily available. For the most part you need to go online to specific sites to find mommy and me looks, and usually they aren't exactly affordable options.

So in today's post I wanted to share some tips for finding absolutely adorable mommy and me looks without necessarily having an exact match. It may take a little more effort, but it's a fun challenge and hopefully these tips will help you to shop with a purpose! Everything Avery and I are wearing is from Bealls Outlet and believe it or not these two complete looks each (including shoes) were under $100 - total! I can't recommend Bealls Outlet enough, I am always impressed by the low prices and amazing selection every time I go.

(Katie: top $9.99, skirt $14.99, shoes $9.99 Avery: dress $5.99, shoes $7.99) 

Start with a look in mind - if you go in completely blind this is going to be a real challenge! Having a specific look in mind will be a great starting point as you approach the racks and racks of clothes.

If you don't have something specific, at least start with either you or your little's outfit and go from there. Because the kid's section usually has less selection, I started there and then moved on to the women's section to find a match.

(Katie: top $7.99, shorts $14.99, shoes $9.99 Avery: dress $5.99, shoes $9.99)

Pick several options - if you're starting in the kid's section, grab several options before moving to your size. That way if you can't find a match for your first pick, you won't have to go back to square one. Plus you can simultaneously look for things that go with several outfits to save time and hey, maybe wind up with a couple mommy and me looks when it's all said and done!

Focus on style - when coordinating outfits you want to make sure the style is cohesive between both. For example, Avery's blue dress was on the dressier side, something she could wear to church, so I picked something for myself that would be for a similar occasion. Her other dress was a bit more casual with the gingham trim and bright, bold colors, so I made sure my outfit followed suit.

Colors vs prints - it's not always about the print. Of course if we were able to find an exact print that would be a total win! But unless you're at one of the stores or sites I mentioned above that isn't likely to happen. So focusing on the stand-out color of the outfit and finding something to match is more likely to be a success.

Accessorize - another way to excel your match is through accessories. Finding similar shoes, hats, glasses, etc. can be a little something additional that pops as a match. You can even do similar hairstyles if possible (I can't wait for Avery's hair to get longer!).

Look for variety - where you shop will also make or break your success here. Finding stores that have a variety of styles and options available will give you a better chance at finding things that work together. Bealls Outlet has a huge selection of clothing! Specifically for women, there is so much variety in every section - from tops to skirts to shoes. It can seem daunting when you think about sorting through so many options, but when you have a specific purpose in mind, you appreciate the quantity!

Honestly, after putting together the outfits for this post, I might be hopping over from the matching to coordinating bandwagon. I truly love how these looks came together and that we can each have our own personalities show through our outfits as opposed to just wearing the exact same thing. What do you think? Do you enjoy matching and/or coordinating with your mini?