Out with the Old, In with the New

May 2022 · 7 minute read

Elisabeth Röhm, best known for her roles as Serena on Law & Order and Kate on Angel, is marking a year blogging for PEOPLE.com.

The actress will appear on CSI: Miami this Sunday, Jan. 29. She also has a role on The Client List and upcoming films Transit and Officer Down out later this year. She can be found on Facebook, Google + and @ElisabethRohm.

In her latest blog, Röhm — mom to 3½-year-old Easton August with Ron Anthony — gets a 2012 wake up call when her fiancé suggests her resolution includes chucking the mom clothes!

What was your New Year’s resolution? Three weeks in, are you keeping it? Let Elisabeth know in the comments.

So here we are at the start of 2012 and I’m sure each of us has a mile-long list of things we would do differently from last year. Perhaps little things make the top 20, but there’s always the BIG one that stands out from the rest.

We know that if we at least tackle that one thing, all will be set straight in our universe. One is totally doable, right? With our harried schedules, it seems realistic to say that there would be one big game-changer that we could focus on this year.

I had mine all lined up and picked out earlier this month. I was ready to put it into motion until … dun dun dun! It came to my attention that I may have picked the wrong New Year’s resolution.

Perhaps a few people over the year had pointed out that there was another matter worthy of my consideration. But I hadn’t really paid it any mind — although I’ll admit it had nagged at me. But when you hear something a few times over and over, I guess one could say that it might become a more imperative matter.

I mean c’mon, you know something is urgent when loved ones are handing out a New Year’s resolution to you!

So here it is. I shudder to say it out loud, PEOPLE.com, but I knew it was true when the last and final person (my trying-to-be-sensitive-but-not-quite-achieving-it other half) said it. Ron told me that I wear too many “mom clothes.”

I mean, it kind of sucked when he compared me to an aging woman in ballet slippers and a cardigan who attended our recent New Year’s brunch. But sadly, I’ll admit that we did look an awful lot alike.

Now, just to set the record straight — I thought she looked good, the middle-aged lady that he whispered about in between his bites of fruit and yogurt (he turned over his new leaf a few months ago). So now he’s in the business of advising others on how to improve their lives and stay young?!

I mean, I’ve always leaned towards the preppy look rather than, let’s say, the Fergie-esque get up and dance look, although I appreciate it in others. In fact, I really admire those women who continue to sex it up a little for the duration of their lives. I certainly thought I’d be one of those types, because I come from a long line of women who have stayed youthful and attractive as the years have unmercifully gone by.

Now, let me make something clear: I like the preppy look and by saying that I’m preppy, I did not think I’d lost my edge … that’s just my style preference. I’ve always leaned towards the classic little black dress. To tell the truth, I really like ballet slippers!

However, I had noticed that something changed in my wardrobe choices, starting three years ago. I’ve even blogged about it before. You know … the sensible breastfeeding blouse, the pants that have added stretch, and the low shoes with all that extra support.

I started to go for practicality and comfort rather than style and expression. It happens. We all talk about it. We even laugh about it, as if we are proud to wear our badge of mom honor by displaying those too long sweaters that resemble tents, rather the fitted ones of the past. But I think I may have gone too far, perhaps over the edge into the tacky shoes department.

As I watched the woman with her ponytail (no time to blow it out), ballet slippers (there used to be long legs there), cardigan and leggings (all black, square and flowing as to hide any lumps and bumps), I hated to admit that Ron was right.

Not to mention that I kind of wanted to plunge my butter knife into him as he plunged my ego into that cold glass of water. Deep inside I knew it was true, although I became grumpy for the rest of the day.

Even now, as I step away from the computer to look at myself in the mirror, my hair is still in that ponytail due to the lack of a current blowout. I’m in some sort of plastic ballet slippers that really aren’t cool and that I never would have worn four years ago, before Easton was conceived.

I remember looking at those sexy as heck (even my language has changed!) photo shoots I’d see in Vogue, with some statuesque model in three-inch heels and a tight suit pushing a baby stroller with her hair flowing in the wind and sunglasses on. You know, like Victoria Beckham.

I was so sure that would be the type of mom look I’d duplicate once I had a little bundle of joy. Okay yes, for those events that come up, I still know how to pull out those punches. However, I had no idea my inner Martha Stewart would start showing up on a daily basis.

I mean, for goodness sake, I’m in a plaid ruffled shirt right now because it was a gift and not because I like it. It doesn’t even look particularly bad, but it doesn’t look good either. In fact, it looks like a tablecloth.

The other day my gorgeous friend — a parent who is just spectacularly stylish — was lamenting her ballet slippers too, and saying she was going to buy herself some new boots with a heel to go to the office in. I was applauding her. All the while, I was wearing some strange non-youthful getup of my own as we perused the web for her sexy new shoes.

“Where have I stashed my former self?” I was thinking yesterday as I ate my bagel with too much cream cheese (yes, part of my mom getup is some extra poundage — I’m going to shed that too).

I watched the older woman that Ron was comparing me to nibbling on her breakfast and thought, “Ugh!” It’s like that last cigarette you smoke. The final straw had broken. I wasn’t going to be compared to someone 20 years my senior — no way.

I made a commitment to myself today as I threw on my usual gear with distraction that this would be the last day that I’d let my youth faintly slip away. So my New Year’s resolution this January is to burn my mom costume in the back yard and blow the dust off some of my other old relics from those days gone by, at least until I can afford a few new things!

This year, let’s focus the blog a little bit more on us, ladies. I have a few tricks up my sleeve to help us all get that shiny look of youth back in our cheeks and trust me, we won’t have to break an ankle doing it by trying to look like Beyoncé!

Not to mention she’s probably going to have to wear some ballet slippers and sensible shirts soon herself with that new baby girl. Don’t worry Beyoncé, we’ll be there for you when you want to get your fashion groove back too!

Tell me your own personal New Year’s resolutions (and are you keeping them thus far?).

Until next time, PEOPLE.com.

— Elisabeth Röhm

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