One thing social media is good for is making you poke fun at yourself.
One of my favorite laughs this year came from the multiple reels and TikToks going around about The Suburban Mom Starter Kit.
On any given weekend, school pick up or grocery run, this is how you will find me. What I thought was just my go-to comfortable style turned out to be a trending meme. And I’m ok with that.
Here’s a breakdown of what my personal Suburban Mom Starter Kit looks like:
- Lululemon cross body bag (in Camo)
- Stanley water bottle (40 oz, in Tigerlily)
- Another liquid (iced Starbs)
- Non-athletic sneakers (slip on Rothy’s)
- Amazon leggings (2 black, 1 gray, 1 green camo)
It’s funny to me to think that there are so many other Moms out there, dressed identically to me. It’s like we’re all part of a secret society where we don’t know each other.
Perhaps the most iconic item of the Suburban Mom Kit is the Stanley water bottle. I have no idea how or where this trend started, but there was no way I wasn’t jumping on this bandwagon. I am a girl who loves a water bottle.
It took me a few days to finally commit to this investment in a drinking vessel. This was back when it was harder to find Stanleys, and when Amazon was charging ridiculous prices for “hard to get” hues. Of course I went with my signature orange (Tigerlily). It was a big deal when Stanley came into our house. Seriously, it was as if another man moved in with us.
First off, Mr. KK made fun of me. Perhaps that was because I have 37 other water bottles, or that this water bottle in particular had a high price tag* and cult following. Or, it could be because Stanley is so tall that we had to find room in the cabinet. The minute I put him down on the counter, he became this person, Stanley, who now needed a place to live.
And then, there was the Little Mister, who loved to drink out of him. We’d be driving and he’d yell from the backseat, “Mom! Pass back Stanley!” Or we’d be at the pool and he’d run up to me out of breath, “Mom, I’m so thirsty. I really need Stanley.”
And so Stanley became a member of the family. Stanley spent the summer at the pool. Stanley vacationed in Cape Cod…twice! Stanley has taken up yoga. Stanley takes part in game night. And Stanley also helps build up muscle (in just one arm!) because he’s so dang heavy once filled.
So that’s me, Suburban Mom cliché, and totally comfortable with it.
To pay homage to the late and great Chandler Bing: “Could I BE any more basic?”
*Money-saving hack: If you live near a Paper Store, they carry Stanleys in all sorts of colors (and they aren’t marked up like on Amazon). PLUS, you can use their 30% off coupons on your Stanley (currently, they are not excluded from the coupons!). You’re welcome.
Life of kk 