When you’re a mum, ‘me-time’ quickly becomes as non-existent as sugar-free chocolate that actually tastes good.
However, stylist Jules Sebastian has a tried and tested trick for finding some sense of calm amongst the chaos of a household with two young children, Hudson, five and Archer, two.
She makes her ‘me-time’, getting ready, a non-negotiable.
“I’ve never sacrificed getting ready even when I was first having babies. It’s always been a high priority for me to have a shower, wash my hair, put mascara on or just something on my face, even if it’s just moisturiser. It sets me up for the day,” she told Mamamia.
“If I don’t, my mind will spiral….”
That’s not to say it’s an entirely peaceful experience though.
“It’s not always easy. It sounds so simple, but when you have two kids and need to be out the door it’s harder than it seems,” she explains.
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“Sometimes I will try and get up before them but they are very unpredictable so that doesn’t often work. I either put the TV on in bedroom where the ensuite is and plonk them on bed, or they wander in and out and I just deal with toilet roll being thrown in toilet or moisturiser spilled everywhere.
“It’s worth it for the headspace!”
Sebastian admits her friends often ask how she manages to get the whole family out the door looking so stylish and still stay sane.
“My friend asked me how I do it the other day. Hudson is in school with a uniform which is awesome as it means one less thing to think about,” she says.
“Pre-school however is a whole different level. I just put them in an old worn t-shirt, I don’t care if doesn’t match, as it always comes back with stains, covered in paint or holes, you just have to let it go.
For non-school related clothes, Sebastian abides by a few simple rules.
“I don’t buy things I don’t love for my kids – my rule for any wardrobe is if you don’t love it or think it’s going to work, don’t have it in your wardrobe and then you can’t wear it,” she says.
“I’m very safe in terms of colour, black, white, grey for the boys, denim, blue or black denim, and then just cute shoes. Most things go together – that jeans and t-shirt, because it’s very safe. It’s very practical because I never want them to feel like they can’t play or get dirty or jump on trampoline.”
As for her own ‘foolproof’ or go-to outfit, she says she’s not an “activewear girl”.
“I know it’s a go-to for a lot of women – it’s easy and there’s always the chance you might go to the gym but I’m more of a jeans girl as I feel like I’ve put a bit more of an effort in,” she says.
“So if I wear jeans, I’ll put more thought into a top.”
On the day we speak, she’s wearing an UPSIDE hooded t-shirt with jeans and Adidas sneakers.
“That’s a kid day. I always err on the side of not dressing up if I’m with kids. I’m not going to Little Dynamos in my heels but I think If I put a tiny bit more thought into it, I feel better personally and like myself.”