Wordless Weekend: Name That L.A. Private Elementary School!

A new Arts and Education building is coming soon to this well-established Valley School (photo: Toluca Times)
A mildly religious Hancock Park K-6 school
This Preschool-8th has a Montessori-inspired approach in the early years
Kids have been known to remain on this school's wait list for 5 years before being accepted
This super-popular school has a gorgeous campus and student uniforms
This is a Catholic school in Brentwood

Get Ready For Fall: Mommy-Pickup At L.A. Private Schools (a.k.a. The Catwalk)

Depending on the L.A. private elementary school your kid will attend (or currently attends), afternoon pick-up or an evening school event might feel a bit like Fashion Week, Fall/Winter 2012.

 

At The Willows School, we have several celebrity moms. These trend-setters come to school wearing super-high heels (4 inches minimum), professional hair and make-up and designer clothing (think Prada, Victoria Beckham (hint hint), Marc Jacobs). With all eyes on their luxe glamour, what’s a regular mom to do?

 

Even some of the Willows moms who aren’t famous have incredible, enviable style. One of my friends just got a big Chanel handbag (splurge!). Also seen around campus: Stella McCartney everything and a few Hermes Birken bags (mega-splurge…or maybe not if you’re mega-rich). In a previous post, we broke down the defining style, school by school.

 

For me, its all about keeping a low profile these days. Unlike in years past, I won’t be taking on any major volunteer jobs that require me to be at school a lot. Of course, I love fashion, high-end designers and a beautiful handbag (I’m coveting a tan Bottega Veneta tote with an insane pricetag). But, I’ve been a mom at our school long enough to walk in wearing everything from tennis wear (or worse) to a cute outfit.

 

Here’s what’s going to help remain incognito during mommy-pick up:

 

My friend Jessica Gottlieb, who writes the quirky, intelligent blog, Jessicagottlieb.com (which happens to be one of the most popular blogs in the country) is an L.A. private school mom too. She recently went on a spending spree at Barneys and Nordstrom and unpacked her bags in this video clip. Oh, and she got a pair of Fendi flats marked way down. And a pair of great Celine sunglasses. 

 

L.A. mom blogger Michelle Chiklis is a mom of two daughters who attend top L.A. private schools (Harvard-Westlake). Michelle definitely keeps her eye on trends. A self-described “volleyball mom” she dresses for the occasion. Take a look at her finds, from a J.Crew hat to cool vintage tees and her favorite McQueen dress (so stunning!).

 

Celebrity mom Shiva Rose is a parent at the Waldorf School. She loves vintage finds and local designers, as shown here on her blog, The Local Rose.

 

Is style a big part of an L.A private school mom’s life? That, my friends, all depends on who you are. And, don’t think everything is pricey. I got these Maniera rain boots FREE for participating in aTwitter chat!

Rainboots in the summer! Worn by my daughter. Perfect for stomping around the back yard