The Rebel Mama Duo
On Back-to-School IRL
PHOTOGRAPHS BY NORMAN WONG
The women behind The Rebel Mama, a digital haven for parents seeking real-talk — or a serious belly laugh — check in with each other on the eve of back-to-school.
Shop their Picks →As self-described “mommy-group dropouts,” Aleksandra Jassem and Nikita Stanley have built a formidable business around straight-talk parenting advice-slash-commiseration with a side of cool-girl hijinks. Not content to stick to G-rated fare, the Toronto BFFs delve right into sex, drugs, and… personal finance, and grounded takes on issues that matter. Podcasts, Instagram book clubs, and a pair of books are just some of the ways Rebel Mama superfans bathe in their wisdom.
We asked the duo to share what happens between the work session — just two Virgos DMing on the cusp of their birthday season.
August 18, 2021
- Nikita
O
M
G - Aleks
I know - Nikita
I’m in a testosterone-fuelled
fever dream and I can’t wake up - Aleks
Remember when we thought
having boys would be easy? - Nikita
Ha! Yeah we seriously
underestimated their noise-
production capabilities - Aleks
🔋🔋🔋And energy levels
- Nikita
🍔🍟🍕🥗🌮🥪And how much they eat
August 18, 2021
- Aleks
At least they’re old enough to
get their own snacks now - Nikita
🙏Bless. Think we can train them
to make their own lunches next
year? - Aleks
I’ll happily make lunch if it
means I get my home and wifi to
myself again! - Nikita
True. Thank God it’s almost
September - Aleks
🙌🙌Only 2 more weeks of
Groundhog Day...
And then...
Freedom! - Nikita
6 glorious hours — 5 glorious
days a week - Aleks What a time to be alive!
- Nikita
Seriously. Back to school. TIFF.
Virgo SZN. OMG do we have...
OUTFITS TO PLAN?! - Aleks
Cashmere and hard pants and
blazers, oh my! - Nikita
🥲Hard Pants. *sigh* How can
something look so sexy while
hurting SO much? - Aleks
The curse of the non-stretch
denim.
Aleks is wearing Noisy May Graphic Tee, and Avec Les Filles Blazer
August 18, 2021
- Nikita
I’ll power through for a high-
waisted mom-jean look every
now and again... but I don’t think
I’ll be able to let go of loose
pantaloons after a year of non-
stop leisure suits. - Aleks
All I know is I never want to see
a pair of leggings ever again. - Nikita
Right? This feels like when we
gave birth and wanted to burn
our maternity tights. - Aleks
Yes! Exactly. Eventually, it’s just
like: enough is enough. They
gotta go.
Freedom! - Nikita
I have a feeling I’ll be leaning
hard into relaxed slacks this
season. And silk. Silk slacks?
And cashmere. And COLOUR! - Aleks
✨And sparkle.
- Nikita
My plan is to infuse sparkle into
my wardrobe to offset the fact
that I’m never wearing makeup
again. - Aleks
Who needs makeup when their
skincare routine has 16 steps? - Nikita
4 steps, babe! 5 if you count the
Gua Sha stone massage. - Aleks
I love that we used this past
year to teach ourselves the art
of ancient facial massage. - Nikita
📚👯♀️Me too. That... and writing two
books. - Aleks
💯And making the national
bestseller list. - Nikita And learning how to podcast.
- Aleks
And making content to help
keep small businesses alive
August 18, 2021
- Nikita And collabs!
- Aleks Yeah just that stuff.
- Nikita No big deal.
- Aleks
🧑🏫👩💻👨👩👦👦...all while playing teacher’s-
assistant-slash- tech-support
for small children - Nikita
💀Only have 18 new grey hairs to
prove it - Aleks Luckily you love your greys
- Nikita
I really do
Speaking of greys: I think I just
sprung three more b/c the kids
are wrestling again and now
we’ve got a goose-egg situation
happening. - Aleks
Nooooooo. Ok go. Good luck.
Remember: Only 14 days ‘till
September!
August 18, 2021
- Nikita
The thought of work lunches is getting
me through - Aleks Funghi Assoluti at @terroni.to patio
- Nikita Orange wine at @manitaossington.
- Aleks Fried smelts at @mamakastaverna.
- Nikita
🤕Ok stop I’m drooling and I gotta go ice
my kid’s head. - Aleks
💖K, love you
- Nikita
💖Love you, too
- Aleks The countdown is on
- Nikita Is it ever
- Aleks xx
One Last Thing
- It’s officially fall when:
- N: My hair stays straight when I blow dry it.
A: The leather jacket goes on. - On a crisp Sunday afternoon you’ll find me:
- N: Sitting outside, drinking coffee.
A: Sitting beside Nikita, drinking coffee. - Most-loved fall scent:
- N: Apples stewing with cinnamon and butter in the morning (even when I’m the one making it).
A: When the comfort food takes over the menu and the home is filled with decadence and warmth. - Best-kept style secret:
- N: Embrace COLOUR: in your clothes, in your home and in your lipstick.
A: Less is always more. Declutter, edit, remove… keep it simple. - My September uniform:
- N: Denim, knits, boots...
A: And a sweet leather jacket or trench.
Aleks is wearing Noisy May Graphic Tee, Avec Les Filles Blazer, And Mango Boots