A sorority for Fresno moms? Group strives to put ‘glitz and glam’ back into motherhood

When Brooke de Ocio first stumbled upon photos of the Fresno Posh Mama Club on her social media feed, she instantly stopped scrolling and examined the pictures further in search of answers.

All of the women in the photos were smiling and dressed up and just looking like they were having a fun time together.

She scrolled up to see the name of the page again.

Posh? Mama? A whole group of them?

“What’s this about?” de Ocio recalled thinking. “Is this in Fresno?”

The Fresno Posh Mama Club, which started in June 2023, is an organization of mothers and would-be mothers who strive to support one another through the challenges of motherhood. It also helps the women maintain a sense of individuality through fancy, fun social events.

Some might view it as a sorority for moms.

“We put the glitz and glam back into motherhood,” said Posh Mama Club founder Emely Darby, who is a mother of a 6-year-old daughter. “And as some moms might know very well: Motherhood is rarely glamorous.

“Motherhood can be really chaotic,” Darby added. “It can be a mess. We wanted to give them a safe space to put on their heels that were collecting dust and be a woman again. Feel what it’s like to dress up again before they were a mom or a wife. Some women haven’t had the opportunity to get this dolled up since their wedding.”

Still, there is an intimidation factor to conquer when it comes to joining new groups or meeting new people.

And as many adults know, making new friends becomes more difficult as people get older.

So de Ocio did what many others might have done who are curious about something on social media: She simply liked and followed their page.

“I was hesitant,” de Ocio said. “You never really know what’s real and what’s not real on social media.”

Eventually after coming across enough posts, de Ocio decided to pursue her curiosity in hopes of joining a moms group that knew how to have fun.

She said she’s gotten so much more.

“I was trying to find like-minded moms to have that community support of moms going through the same journey of motherhood,” said de Ocio, who has a 2-year-old daughter. “At the same time, I’ve met many wonderful ladies who’ve helped recharge and refill my cup through these social events.

“It’s helped me become the best version of myself and the best version for my family.”

Posh events

The Fresno Posh Mama Club, which currently has about 60 members, holds two or three events per month with most of the functions designed to give moms some “me time” and a break from motherly duties.

Other Posh Mama Club chapters around the country, including in Las Vegas, might hold five or six events each month.

There’s also an annual Posh Mama Club convention in the works, to be held in Circa Resort & Casino in downtown Vegas.

“Whether it’s a restaurant outing or drinking just having mimosas, it’s a great opportunity for mothers to get out of their home,” said Fresno chapter president Priscilla Gross, a mother of four whose children’s ages range from 3 to 16 years old. “As a mom, we sacrifice and often put ourselves on the back burner for the family.

“As a woman who used to wear high heels all the time, these events are good for my psychology and therapy.”

Among the social functions that have been held is a Roaring ‘20s-themed party, Witches Night Out and a Posh PJs Christmas affair.

Another popular event is the upcoming Galentine’s Day in which members will dress up in pink and red and enjoy lattes and sandwiches. There also will be a horseback riding event in the spring.

Most functions are to empower mothers and help them embrace their femininity, Darby said.

But the Posh Mama Club does hold events on occasion to include children — and sometimes even husbands.

“Think of an overly done, fancy birthday party,” Darby said. “It’s an opportunity to give kids that posh experience.”

Members of the Posh Mama Club also credit the events and interactions with other mothers for helping with postpartum issues.

Other gatherings the group has had include yoga sessions, financial literacy workshops and business networking.

Membership

Darby, the Posh Mama Club founder, said the organization simply seeks women who are interested in supporting other women in their journey of motherhood and embracing womanhood and femininity.

There is a minimum age requirement of 21 since some functions might include alcoholic drinks. But there is no age maximum.

Stay-at-home moms, career moms, moms-to-be, future moms, foster moms, stepmoms, child-free women, and empty nesters are all welcome to join, the organization’s website states.

Like a sorority, though, there is a fee ($240) to join upon application process approval.

The membership fees, the organization’s website states, go to support the team and ensure high-quality experiences and services while “maintaining the standard that defines The Posh Mama Club.”

There is no specific time commitment to join the club, but the organization would like to have active members.

“We understand motherhood and career women schedules are difficult to juggle,” Gross said. “We are totally flexible with that. Family will always come first.”

As for de Ocio, she encouraged those who are just semi-interested to simply join.

In addition, research from the Journal of Personal and Social Relationships found that people who believe friendship is primarily dependent on luck tend to be lonelier. As opposed to those who believe that making friends takes effort and reported feeling less lonely and often had more friends.

The study suggests folks initiate interactions to potentially build friendships.

“Take the chance,” de Ocio said. “ You don’t grow without getting out of your comfort zone.”

“Motherhood can be lonely, tiring, isolating, and it’s tough to find friends who are going through that same journey. I love the friendships that have been built and the close-knit relationships through this group.”