I’m pretty much over hearing about how Jennifer Garner is probably pregnant again. So let’s not make a big deal about how she has a very hint of a “bump” in these photos. The woman has had two kids, and she seems to eat like a normal person. Her stomach is less than perfectly flat, and that’s fine. These are new photos of Jennifer either dropping off or picking up Violet from her ballet class. I really think Violet is trying to show her mom and the paparazzi her ballet styles and form in these photos. She’s such a cutie.
I was looking to see if there were any interesting Garner stories to put with these photos, and I found this little interview Jennifer did at some point – they claim she gave this interview “recently” but who knows? Jennifer is trying to explain why she’s always photographed with no makeup, in very casual clothes:
If you are a busy mom, your outfits are more than likely chosen for their lack of wrinkles and comfort as opposed to actual style — who can chase a toddler wearing heels?
Which is why I always feel bad when these gossip rags take photos of celebrity moms looking like, heaven forbid, a busy mom, with big X’s across their outfit and “Fashion Don’t” slapped as the headline. Harsh much?
And actress Jennifer Garner knows exactly how that feels. She reveals to The Stir in a recent interview about being dressed as a busy mom, and her beauty secret for staying sane.
“You see pictures and you see this harried woman in jeans and sneakers, running around and just lucky if I get a shower, but it’s pretty much the same as every other mom out there. You know, I can’t dress up every day, it’s just not in my nature. Even if I own the clothes, which by the way I do, I look at them and think ‘I can’t be a mom in those clothes,’ they just don’t suit me.”
So what’s her secret to combat falling into the frazzled-looking mom trap? “I do think that it’s important for yourself every now and then (and sorry I can’t send you my hair and makeup team because you would be thrilled with the results!) to put on some makeup, blow out your hair, and get dressed up just for the heck of it and walk around as a reminder that you’re as beautiful to yourself as you are to your kids.”
[From The Stir]
I mostly understand what Jennifer is saying, and I’m not even a mom. I cosign the idea that it’s just not realistic to get all dolled up when you know your kids are going to smear peanut butter and Vaseline on you throughout the day. I work from home – I sit at my desk every weekday – I have a uniform that I wear nearly every day – and it involves sweatpants and no makeup. I go out like this all the time too. So I get it, Jennifer. Here’s the one complaint I have about this though – I think that yes, she’s focused on her kids, but I also think this is part of the image she’s putting out there, that of the “harried, down-to-earth super-mom.” It’s not just a manufactured image (as I really do think she‘s a good mom), but there is a conscious effort to put herself out there in this particular way, in my opinion. After all, if she really was going all-natural, wouldn’t she stop with the lip injections?
Also: that bag wishes it was a Birkin. If you’re a celebrity and you’re going to go for a Birkin knock-off, just get a damn Birkin!
Jennifer Garner & Violet on October 12, 2010. Credit: Fame.
Her bag is a Fendi Peek-A-Boo bag… its like $2,000 +!
I think she’s a great mom and understand why she doesn’t look like at the other celebrity mom’s with their hair and makeup teams.
Women who have children don’t all look as bad as Jennifer Garner!! Some of them wear clothes that FIT and are CLEAN and they try to at least COMB their hair. This woman is just ridiculous looking. She doesn’t have to dress like a movie star when she takes her kids to school but why can’t she at least try to look like she cares?
Look at Claudia Schiffer dropping her kids at school; look at Jessica Alba walking to the park with her little girl; look at Angelina Jolie at a toy store with her kids. None of these women look as bad as Garner. Angelina may wear black all the time but at least her black clothes fit her and are clean.
I just don’t understand Jennifer Garner. Maybe you’re right and she wants to look “normal” but normal doesn’t mean sloppy. I’ll never get over the picture of her with the torn panties showing when she lifted her daughter. That was just awful. At least that hasn’t happen again.
You are a movie/TV star Jennifer. COMB YOUR HAIR!!!
harried? She has a nanny, maybe two- Im sure someone else cleans her mansion and mows the yard, brings her clothes and does most of the grocery shopping, yet shes lucky to shower? Please.
I know how she feels. I never understood these moms that walk around so fashioned out. How are you supposed to be real when you look like professionals dressed you up and walked you right out the door for a photoshoot?
Children are messy, if you dress that way day after day (POSH) then I just see you as a “hands on mom”.
I wear scrubs for a living. I like comfort too but my son is all boy. I dress in comfort when we are hanging out. Just the way it is.
one of the best hollywood moms ever. She looks beautiful without make up on anyway.. why fuss with it?? good for her!!
Bah, that picture of Zach is less contrived.
Why do people think she isn’t clean? That is ridiculous. She could add more color to her clothing choices, lose a lot of the grays and other drab colors. I know she looks lovely in red.
She’s probably a great mom, and I agree – the Posh Spice mode of motherhood, with the 5-inch stilettos and miniskirts, is absurd. But let’s face it, Jennifer Garner has absolutely no personal style whatsoever. None. I don’t need to point out that she’s dressed by a stylist for her red-carpet appearances, but when left to her own devices, she’s just plain dowdy and frumpy. She probably doesn’t care, but the fact remains, she just doesn’t look good.
edited to add: It is absolutely possible to be comfortable AND stylish- you just need to have style!
sometimes you just dont feel like trying! i dont know if she has nannies at night (bc maybe one is getting up still and she gets up with her, etc.) but as a mom of 2 toddlers, sometimes i just want to put on sweats and sneakers and not tight jeans and boots. and maybe claudia s. wants to look more fashionable–it depends on the personality of the mom. just like women who work, some are more stylish than others.
Why does everyone care about how Garner looks? I also don’t get those that say she wears dirty clothes. How do you know she does? Are you smelling her laundry or something?
I don’t believe she’s had lip injections: I recently caught her on an old, old, like mid-90s Law & Order, one of her first roles – she had the lips then, too.
she looks fine and totally normal to me. Does she look like a fashion plate? No. But does she look like a bum? Absolutely not! And her stomach looks perfectly flat to me – I can’t believe people are calling bump watch on her.
She is just being a Mum. No need to get all dolled up to run after kids. I also work from home and normally wear jeans and t’s with no makeup. Much more comfy than full makeup, hair and trying to not be comfy. Hair is up in a scrunchie as I type.
Jennifer Garner is a classic preppy with very preppy tastes. Of course she would marry a Boston boy, wear navy blue cable knit sweaters to Red Sox games (though she probably doesn’t know a lot about baseball), have two beautiful, healthy girls, and tote them to soccer practice and ballet in her Volve XC 90 (I don’t know if she drives and XC 90 but I bet she does).
I don’t think Jennifer has lip injections. Her mother and sister have big lips as well. In the picture shown on that link, she’s smiling way more in the first picture and therefore brought her upper lip backwards on her gum. They probably just taught her how to smile properly without showing gum, or she might have had an attachment added at the lip to keep it from riding up. But she doesn’t have collagen injections…
She is pregers again, isn’t she?!
She doesn’t have to be glammed up all the time….she takes her kids to soccer, she needs to be in comfortable clothes.
I get it. I really do. I am a busy mom of 3 very active kids and yes I would love to dress up more, but to be honest, jeans and a tee or a cute top is my mode of dress. Just easier and almost a no brainer and I can hit the ground running.
Of course I have the bonus of not having those annoying paps tailing my happy ass all over the place. And my clothes match, so in reality, who cares what I wear.
I see nothing wrong with how she dresses. Yes, she is a movie/TV star, and when she goes to industry events she dresses up. But why bother when you’re hauling your kids around to school, the playground, etc.
There are two types of Moms I see when I drop my 3-yr old off at preschool – the Moms in middle-of-the-road cars/SUVs who are dressed down or are dressed to head to work, and those in the Range Rovers/Lexus SUVs, etc. who are wearing $200 jeans, fancy high-heeled shoes, and a full face of makeup. For what? To impress other women? Dressing like that adds an hour to your day, multiply through a whole year, and that’s time I’d much rather spend doing something else. And this way, when I do go all out, it seems special and makes me feel special. Every day can’t be special.
I like how normal she looks.
I can’t imagine how much it would suck to get picked apart like celebs so often do. I know it comes with the territory but it would drive me nuts. I’d probably cry myself to sleep every night (on my bed of money!)
Anyway, my hair is brushed and clean right now, but it is naturally curly and definitely on the messy side. I would hate it if people assumed I didn’t brush it just because I don’t fry it with heat styling appliances every day. JG looks like a normal woman and I like that. That being said, while I think she looks good here, I’ve seen her wear some pretty horrible get-ups. I’m going to give her a pass though, based on the fact that she’s a mom and I like her 🙂
@ MMS:
jen may dress like ‘the nanny’, but her handbag game is always tight. she used to rock that red valentino, remember?
that fendi is the truth! 🙂
Who really cares what she dresses like running around with her kids. She is a hands on mom who is involved in her kids daily lives. We see her on the soccer field at 8 am on Saturday morning, not the nannies. Acting is what she is paid to do but being a mom is her real life. I would rather see her dressed in rags with happy kids than many Hollywood fashionista moms who have a platoon of nannies raising their neglected kids.
Garner seems much more likable than Jessica Alba, however, she really could learn a lot from how Alba manages to always look cute, casual, and comfy while hanging out with her daughter.
I’ve seen a few photos of Garner with her own mother, and like mother like daughter.
I love Jen Garner & think she is right on the money with those statements. And so what if she pushes that a little hard? If her cause (if you can even call it that) is to show that Hollywood women can also be “normal”, then more power to her.
Btw, I don’t think her lips are injected. I have full lips but when I smile broadly, my upper lip tends to become super-thin with my gums showing. I’ve learned how to smile in pictures (dare I say it, I picked that tip up from Tyra on an ANTM cycle) now without my upper lip disappearing. I think it’s the same for Jen.
OMG – seriously!! Are you guys looking at the same pictures I am looking at?? I think she looks GREAT! She’s naturally pretty (doesn’t NEED makeup), her clothes are clean and her brushed hair just happens to be pulled into a ponytail. The fact that she doesn’t get all dolled up to take her kids to school/ballet/etc. shows me how down-to-earth she is. We moms DON’T dress for the red carpet every day because our dry cleaning bills would be INSANE! Kids are dirty! They puke! They are snotty!
And maybe Claudia S. dresses up and knows about fashion because she’s a MODEL – that’s what she does for a living!
I see NO bump to watch either, folks.
I think that she focuses on her kids and not on attracting attention to herself when in Mom Mode. Why encourage the paps if not necessary? Although, I will admit that it took me a long time after my kids were mostly through the toddler stage to start dressing more in jeans than in sweats. She seems to be trying to keep things simple and not worrying about being glamorous when it doesn’t feel right.
‘work from home – I sit at my desk every weekday – I have a uniform that I wear nearly every day – and it involves sweatpants and no makeup. I go out like this all the time too.’
Same here. A special day for me is if I put on jeans and a nice shirt. Usually I am in comfy sweats or PJs.
I have three kids whose ages are 2, 7, and 10. I am also 7 1/2 months pregnant. I barely have time to get a shower much less dress stylish and put on makeup. I think it is great the she puts more focus on being a mom then looking like a fashion model! Two thumbs up for her!
I totally get what Jennifer is saying. My theory was always “my children can just as easily throw up on a $5 shirt as on a $50 shirt.” Guess which one I bought? Jennifer always looks great to me – her clothes look clean and comfortable and she looks beautiful without makeup. She looks like a mom to young children who is out running errands yet ready to head to the playground if there’s time. As for her having no personal style, I almost always think she looks great on the red carpet. I just don’t understand all the criticism.
She looks fine for what she’s doing (taking kids to school, grocery shopping, etc.). If she were at a premier promoting a movie, I would expect her to put more effort into how she looks because that’s part of her job as an actress (selling the movie). Since she’s not at work in these photos, I don’t see anything wrong with how she’s dressed. At least, unlike some Hollywood moms, she doesn’t look like a skank or stripper.
I don’t get either the hate for her. I don’t think she calls the paps for photo shoots, I think they stalk her. I greatly admire her for actually being a normal mom.
As for her looking dirty and gross clothes….what??
dh:
Well said.
If we all were that lucky to be that “harried” with a house of servants.Garner just fell into that role of, “I got married and had kids so I don’t have to care about how I look anymore.”
She dresses just like every busy mom I know.Jeans, T shirts,and sweatpants just normal simple and basic nothing wrong with that.
I hate the way she always trys to portray herself like a normal mom, who is harried and barely has time for a shower, bitch please your a celebrity who lives in a mansion with nannies, housekeepers, cleaners, cooks, you have all the time in the world. I don’t care how she dresses everyday just like I don’t care how mother’s who wear heels and make up to take their kids to school dress, each to their own, some like to dress up and some don’t neither should be criticized for it.
Kaiser – it doesn’t make sense suggesting that it’s a manufactured image. Wouldn’t she be MORE successful by projecting the image of a hottie than a plain-jane?
I like her a lot better than most of her peers. I’d rather she go with this image then heels & theatrical make up to go to the park.
She could dress up more but why buy in to what others want her to do. Even if she puts this image out at least it makes sense.
Jolie wears heavy make-up to go to war torn & flooded countries. What makes more sense?
Jennifer has nannies. I don’t know why people are trying to say she doesn’t. I find it ridiculous that she’s trying to act like she’s a working mom who can barely make ends meet when she obviously has help. 99% of the time Jennifer looks fine, just dressed down. But other times she gives Britney Spears a run for the money in looking horrible. She just doesn’t care about fashion and wants to be comfortable.
Jeri: you call eye liner and vaseline heavy make-up
Jolie wears heavy make-up to go to war torn & flooded countries. What makes more sense?
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No, she doesn’t!! Look at the pics. Angelina wears no make up when she is on those trips.
@Carol . . . I’m not talking about the price Garner pays for her clothes. Price doesn’t matter. It’s the way she wears her clothes that is so ridiculous. She doesn’t bother to match nor does she bother to get clothes that fit. She has been photographed wearing torn jeans and torn panties; she has been photographed wearing jeans with dirt on them and tops with holes in them. That means she doesn’t CARE!! That is not “normal” and never will be.
I hate that everyone uses motherhood as an excuse to look like crap. It really depends on how much you care about your appearance and if you don’t that’s perfectly fine; just don’t blame it on your children. I always found that taking the extra half hour to get ready in the morning made me feel better and I was a full time stay at home mom until my daughter was almost 5.
@Jacquie – try being a working mom and then we’ll talk. Sometimes you don’t get that “extra half hour” to get ready in the morning. Try having more than one child too (like Jen). Time is even more precious then. I’m not using motherhood as an excuse to look like crap. I try to look good as much as I can, but sometimes wearing makeup to Target or wearing a $100 blouse that’s gonna just get spit up on anyway isn’t important to me. Having children changes your priorities – you put their needs before mascara (if you’re a good mom).
Jacquie That is exactly what I was thinking my mom was a single mother with a fulltime job and was very hands on with me and my sisters and she always made sure she look nice whenever she left the house and I was always proud whenever I was out with her. I’m a mother now and just like my mom I make sure to take that extra 5 min for me in the morning it make feel better about myself that I’m not just a mom and a wife but a woman too.
@ mslewis
Dirty? Unclean? She looks like every other Mother in normal USA mode. And my theory on the ripped pantys… way back when I was still bleeding I saved my old pantys for my periods, then thru them out.
And she will try for the “BOY” just like poor Matt’s wife will.
Who cares about how she dresses? Her kids always seem so happy, that’s the most important thing. Stop hating on women!
i think it is totally normal and relatable.
i have 3 kids, all under 6. when i am not working i am usually wearing workout pants and tanktops through the day, with them at the park, the store. i want to be comfortable, how can i be active with my kids if im over dressed?
it just feels better and i totally get it. plus when you have to get three kids ready in the morning, you dont have a lot of time for yourself.
jennifer has more help than i do, but i think she is a normal mom, just with more money.
What a patronizing b*tch!!! Is she saying that Victoria Beckham can’t be a mom? How about all those moms who are indeed moms but don’t look nearly as sloppy? One of these days Ben Affleck will see the light. And, leave.
Not to mention that there are all sorts of comfortable clothes that also look good. Moms often use motherhood to eat too much and let themselves go. Then, they bitch when they get dumped.
Oh is this the truth. My work clothes were beautiful; on the Mondays and Fridays I stayed home with kid, my outfits looked like Brad Pitt hobo times. Comfort is key to playing in the dirt, which is where little kids like to play. (Mud pies can be very fun.)
Finally a normal mom in Hollywood.
I think if Ben was so into a woman looking glamourous he would have married JLo. Remember he was engaged to her before he married Garner. Think about that Rosanna when spouting off about Affleck leaving her because of the way she dresses.
Also, look back at their courtship, she wore pretty much the same sort of comfory clothing then as she does today. Granted no kids’ fingerprints all over but still.
Speaking of other celeb mothers, how many of them do we see on a daily basis? If they were photographed as often, I’m sure we would see some them also looking pretty drab as well (Jessica Alba has been known to wear so crazy looking outfits on occassion.
As for makeup, she really doesn’t need it and besides, she loves to kiss her kids, imagine the makeup she would leave on them from her constant smooching.
As for the lip injections, I guess she also got Violet’s done because that kid has her mom’s full lips.
Nothing further. Please overlook any typos and etc…I don’t have time to spell check, I have to take a shower while my kid is napping. Good day ladies.
Aw, I think she looks cute in these pics. Very pretty.
I think she looks good and is naturally pretty. She’s not fashionable, but to each her own. I think she dresses the way she does because it reflects her personality moreso than she’s too busy mothering – not buying that because it implies a value judgment on other mothers and I don’t think your fashion, necessarily, reflects your ability to parent effectively.
The only people objecting to her looks are the shallow wannabes behind the celeb gossip sites.
She looks great no matter what she wears… and it’s nice seeing a normal looking woman having fun with a happy child!
Jennifer most definitely has had lip injections and continues to get them to maintain the look.
C’mon girls. Look at her Graduation Photo, there’s no way her ‘smile’ can hide her puffy upper lip from today to this:
http://img2.timeinc.net/people/i/2009/quiz/schooldays/ben-jen-01.jpg
I think she’s gorgeous, and I LIKE her clothes most of the time.
That blue sweater she’s wearing is the bee’s knees. Preppy casual dresses up very nicely with some jewelry and a little effort on the hair and makeup.
Jennifer Garner doesn’t need makeup, and her skin probably does better when she doesn’t put a face on every day, so more power to her.
I think she looks great.