Former beauty queen Ali Landry has traded in her tiaras for motherhood. The model and actress – proud mom to daughter Estela, 5, and son Marcelo, 9 months – opens up to Babystyle magazine about the joys of motherhood, her casual chic ‘mom style,’ and her favorite beauty tricks and tips.
On the responsibilities of motherhood: “Being a mother is the most important job I will ever have. It is the the ultimate responsibility. I hope that my children will always know how much I love them and that I will do anything to protect their well being. I pray everyday for the strength, courage and knowledge to guide them down the right path in their lives.” On having a boy: “I had no idea how much having a little boy would affect my life. It is absolutely true about the bond of a mother and her son. I felt that connection the day he was born and it has only grown since then. I’m so madly in love with him. The family dynamics have also changed. Things are more hectic now, but it has forced me to be more organized which is a good thing.”
On her everyday style: “I would like to think of my ‘mom style’ as casual chic. In the summer, I’m mostly in maxi dresses with a great statement piece of jewelry. I also like to wear chinos rolled up a bit with a tee shirt and gladiator sandals.”
On Estela’s style: “Estela’s style is very feminine. She mostly insists on wearing dresses 24/7. I only just persuaded her to wear a pair of jeans and shorts this past month. Her favorite go-to outfit when we are hanging around the house is, hands down, a princess dress.”
On her summer essentials: “Mario Badescu Rose Spritzer, Renee Rouleau sunscreen, Louis Vuitton tote bag, Kindle Fire, fab pair of sunglasses ( I usually alternate between 5 pairs) and my Xen-Tan self tanner.”
On her favorite summer activities with the family: “Now that Estela has learned how to swim, our favorite summer day would be spending time by the pool and barbecuing.”
On what’s up next: “There is so much going on these days that it’s a bit hard for me to keep track of everything. I have a film called Little Boy that will be coming out this winter. My good friend Alison Sweeney and I are executive producing our own show called Hollywood Girls Night. I’m also very active in the ‘mom’ space and I’m launching a website called Spokesmoms.com where moms can share their favorite things. I have a few pilots that I have shot, waiting on a pickup and as I answering these questions I am on a break on a film set in New Orleans.”
On her favorite children’s brands: “I love brands like Crewcuts, Marie Chantal, Jacadi, Elephantino, Tom and Drew and Splendid for kids. To be honest I really just buy what I love and what I think is cute. I shop mostly online because it’s a huge time saver for me and I can get a good idea of everything that is out there.”
On her fashion pet peeves: “When people wear the wrong shapes for their bodies. Wearing the right pieces that flatter your shape can instantly make you look 5 to 10 pounds thinner. That is why I love the show What Not to Wear.”
On her children possibly following in their parents’ footsteps: “Estela is extremely dramatic like myself, but also a leader like my husband. Marcelo is observant, very much like Alejandro and determined like myself. I think that if Estela chooses to go into the business, she may be a director like her father. She is very sensitive to her surroundings and extremely curious and inquisitive.”
On what’s in her handbag: “You would find my portable breast pump. I think that would be a sure giveaway that I’m a mommy. The item in my bag that is a great indication of how busy my life is would have to be my daily planner. My life is inside of this book and I don’t go anywhere without it.”
On what her typical day looks like: “I start each day with a good morning kiss for my husband, a cup of coffee, then I nurse Marcelo and get Estela off to preschool. I end each day by eating dinner with the family, followed by bath time for both of the kids, then I head into Estela’s room for a bedtime story and prayers while I nurse Marcelo to sleep. Lastly, I head downstairs to share a glass of wine with my husband at the kitchen table while we catch up on our day.”
On her best advice for busy moms: ”We are so busy as moms and it is so hard to find the time to give a few minutes back to ourselves each day. I really try to find the time to get a little exercise in each week. It just makes me feel great knowing that I am doing something really great for my body AND my mind. Also…drink lots of water.
Beauty products I swear by would definitely be my Clarisonic Mia for my skin, concealer to cover up the dark circles from waking up with Marcelo in the middle of the night , eyelash curler, mascara and lip gloss. It’s amazing how these few items can make you look really pulled together.”
Continue reading the interview with Ali at Babystyle magazine…
