Style + Beauty Archives | Cool Mom Picks

Nike’s new maternity collection is made for mamas of all shapes and sizes.

We’re always on the lookout for maternity clothing that honors woman, of more shapes and sizes than some of the designer labels. Not all of us look like all the size 2 models in maternity catalogs, ya know? As for me, I basically lived in athleisure while I was...

Our favorite Patagonia fall jackets for the family let you shop your values. At least if your values include standing up for the planet.

by Kate Etue | Doing Good, Fashion, Kid Fashion

You may have seen the news this week about the new labels in Patagonia shorts. Just four words appear on the underside of the labels: Vote the a**holes out. This isn’t just cheeky resistance; Patagonia is a company that’s always stood up for the...

7 favorite pieces of political jewelry that support voting rights organizations

by Christina Refford | Doing Good, Fashion

If the continued interest over Michelle Obama’s lovely “Vote” necklace from last month’s speech at the Democratic National Convention was any indication, many of us are also eager to promote our voting rights loud and proud, this critically...

7 cool face mask accessories for kids, to help them keep their masks to themselves

by Kate Etue | Back to School Shopping, Health, Fitness + Wellbeing, Tips + Tricks

The past few weeks, my Instagram feed is full of my friends’ adorable kids in their back-to-school outfits… complete with fresh, new face masks.I’m so proud of these kids for being responsible about in-person schooling, and for parents for insisting...

Michelle Obama’s VOTE necklace: Found it, want it.

by Liz Gumbinner | Fashion

Like everyone I know, I was absolutely captivated and moved by Michelle Obama’s DNC speech last night. (Please, watch if you haven’t already.) It’s what I woke up thinking about this morning and I know I will keep thinking about it. And while it was...

We tried an at-home gel manicure kit. Here’s how it went. | Damn you, social media ads

by Kate Etue | Beauty + Cosmetics

During the Covid pandemic, we’ve seen people do some wild things to get their nails done. There have been the women doing manicures through the mail slots in their front doors. There’s the mobile manicure truck that’s cruising around New York. And,...

A tee that celebrates nurses and supports a great cause? We’re not crying… (yes we are)

by Caroline Siegrist | Doing Good, Fashion, Kid Fashion

I’ve lost count of all the times that healthcare workers have brought me to tears with their bravery and selflessness over the last few months. So I was thrilled to find this Everyday Hero t-shirt collection celebrating nurses, from the wonderful indie label...

5 of my favorite cute, comfy shoes on sale at Nordstrom right now.

by Liz Gumbinner | Fashion

Retail therapy is real these days for me, no apologies. But I’m not quite focused on what’s “in” right now — or not as much as usual. Just what’s comfy, cute, and will make me feel a little more put-together when I grab my get...

10 arguments to help you convince your friends and neighbors to wear a damn mask in public already.

by Liz Gumbinner | Health, Fitness + Wellbeing, Thinking : Parent, Tips + Tricks

I just read that nearly 30% of Americans sometimes, rarely, or never wear a mask in public and it makes me want to bang my head on something. Nothing too hard though, because our hospitals have been through enough and don’t need the likes of a self-inflicted...

If you’ve ever wished you could buy a single shoe…this new line of adaptive shoes from Zappos is here for you

by Caroline Siegrist | Doing Good, Fashion

I’ve been so happy to see clothing brands expanding their offerings to meet the diverse needs of their customers, whether it’s Halloween costumes for kids with special needs or adaptive clothing for kids with sensory issues. And this new Zappo’s...

HandlePop: Because we don’t want to touch those supermarket cart handles much either.

by Caroline Siegrist | Health, Fitness + Wellbeing

Update: Unfortunately this Kickstarter was cancelled in mid-July. We’ll be out shortly with some great alternatives! Anyone else feel like they’re playing high-stakes poker every time they grab a shopping cart by the handle? I know I can wipe the handle...

Hi! We’re Kristen + Liz!

Kristen Chase + Liz Gumbinner of Cool Mom Picks

We started Cool Mom Picks in 2006 to help make life cooler, more meaningful, and more fun for parents of all kinds.

Trivia: It was called Cool Mom Sh*t for the first two days. (Yeah, we rethought that.)

We had no idea our site would grow to become a major lifestyle network, that we'd end up sharing our finds with the TODAY Show and Martha Stewart, that we'd be able to make a real difference for so many small businesses and women-run companies, or that we'd end up with an incredible community of the coolest readers on the planet. (If we do say so ourselves).

We did.

And we still love what we do every single day.

We're so glad you're here.