Irina Bond, a Ukrainian-born blogger lives in Orange County, California, with her very own 'Mr. Bond' and baby girl Vienna. She started BondGirlGlam.com in 2013 as an online community about personal style, beauty, home décor — everything lifestyle for modern-day 'Bond Girls.'
Though surprisingly hard to come up with a name for her blog both catchy and memorable, she felt that Bond Girl Glam was the perfect nod to her last name and love for all things glamorous.
We are so excited to feature Irina's #momstyle in our Tastemaker Series. Read more about this stunning mama in our exclusive Q&A below!
I love being able to watch and guide my daughter through all of her growth and change, which feels like it’s happening every day in leaps and bounds. I love the hugs and kisses and the bond of breastfeeding. And of course, I love the getting dressed together part! My 20-month-old now shows an interest in fashion and even insists on wearing her (or my) hats and necklaces to do the silliest things. It’s just an amazing experience and makes my life feel more complete.
Well, probably in the same way it changes every mother. I have less time for myself but my life has so much more meaning and purpose. Everything I do has to go through a new filter of responsibility for my baby and family in general. I’m more patient and understanding of other women. I’m also way more efficient and do so much more with the same amount of time.
Our little girl’s name is Vienna; her daddy came up with that all on his own and I loved it. We had a really hard time finding a name we both loved, and I also didn’t want it to be on the popular list yet still be pronounceable. She is 20 months old and is such a little social butterfly. I feel like she wants to do so much, like a little adult trapped in a tiny body. She loves books, coloring, music and singing, her dollhouse, balloons and balls, getting dressed with mommy, swimming, running as fast as she can, playing peekaboo with a blankie, sharing her food, giving high-fives, blowing kisses, swinging, sliding, and just anything that gets her out of the house.
I did and still do a few times a day! It’s affected my wardrobe quite a bit. My most popular blog post is actually “How to Look Stylish While Nursing.”
My #momstyle is basically something I can chase my daughter in and carry groceries in that isn’t yoga pants and sneakers but is close to that in comfort (not that there’s anything wrong with athleisure). I just LOVE how I feel when I put myself together, even with just minimal effort. I swear it makes me more confident and efficient and just happier. And a happy mom makes for a happy family, right?
Yahaira dress - black
Every mama needs dresses for an instant outfit, tops with great-fitting jeans, fab shoes (lots of flats but some sturdy heels too), great handbags, easy yet statement sunglasses, and a red lip.
I’ve always loved sharing my recent purchases and handy tips with girlfriends, my mom and sisters, and on Instagram. I started a different blog beforehand just for fun; I was curious about writing and photography as a creative outlet during college. I wrote less personal articles and loved it, so I decided to start a full-blown personal blog where I could share the things I love with other women.
I actually plan to write a whole e-book on this topic. It’s really hard to answer in short form, but I’ll try. You absolutely have to love doing it without getting any pay, because you make pennies if anything at all in the beginning – so don’t do it for the money! I think of it as a passion project. You need to be resilient to things not going your way for months or even years while staying positive and professional. You need a strong entrepreneurial spirit to do this, because there’s no school or course or any thorough guide anywhere on how to do any of it. The scene is constantly changing, so it keeps you on your toes. Don’t put all your eggs in one basket, because sometimes companies that you rely on close down. And spend most of your time focusing on quality content for your own website. I need to get started on that book!
We live in a high-rise apartment in Orange County, California. It’s south of LA and north of San Diego. Since we don’t have a backyard, the beaches, our pool, water parks, and regular parks are our jam. I recommend this blog: ocmomblog.com. I regularly check it for ideas where to go and keep a running list on my iPhone.
I have a post on this topic: Work-life balance as a new mom. It’s a hard one, and I think every mom struggles with finding balance. Who even knows what balance means? It’s probably different for everyone. Life is always changing, so even if you happen to achieve that elusive state of balance for one second, something could and will change soon after. The main thing is to not beat yourself up for it – be kind and gracious to yourself and forgive yourself and value yourself. Rest in between all the crazy. You’re doing so much, and you are amazing!
Being motherly means being unselfish. It means being protective in a big world, caring for others first. It means being tender, compassionate and wise.
mother: bear
wife: kitty
Blogger: elephant
friend: dog
Bedtime Story: Vienna loves books, and we keep our stash fresh by going to the library. We don’t read any particular book every night, but she picks the ones she wants.
Lullaby: It literally kills me with cuteness when Vienna tries to sing these days. It’s the sweetest thing ever to hear her tiny voice try to sing “Twinkle Twinkle Little Star” with me.
Vacation Spot: We haven’t really gone on a legit vacation since having a baby, but we have gone to the Pacific North West for a wedding weekend and Palm Springs for our 5-year anniversary. We basically live in a vacation destination, though, so I’m thankful for our beaches and weather.
Restaurant: Restaurants are pretty tough these days – home meals, picnics, or drive thru’s are much preferred for now, haha.
Children’s Brands: Our most used items right now are by Stokke, Quinny, Maxi-Cosi, DwellStudio, Land of Nod, Nordstrom baby, Ju-Ju-Be, 7AM Enfant, B Kids at Target, Baby Gap, Mustela, Honest diapers, Baby Bjorn and way too many more to list
Travel a lot, do everything you could possibly ever want to do – even the things that scare you, and take it really easy when you first have the baby (if you can).
