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Living

Find out what Jessica Mulroney's guiltiest pleasure is

Style expert, TV personality, supermom and March's Ms. Chatelaine dishes on life on-camera and off.
By Lora Grady
Ms.-Chatelaine-Jessica-Mulroney-and-daughter Jessica and baby Isabel, a.k.a. Ivy, hang out on the banquette in their ultra-modern kitchen; Photo, Sian Richards.

Age: 34

Occupation: Public relations and marketing for Kleinfeld Bridal at Hudson’s Bay

Hometown: Montreal

Lives: Toronto

It’s hard not to feel a little envious of Jessica Mulroney. The style expert, wife of eTalk host Ben Mulroney and mother of three regularly rubs shoulders with celebs like Michael Bublé on red carpets, has a gorgeous Toronto home with a closet to die for and often appears on TV chatting about everything from fashion trends to parenting tips.

With all of the rubbernecking she and Ben inspire, you’d think Jessica might be more guarded about her home life. In fact, it’s quite the opposite. From her gig as TV spokesperson for Pampers to her role in marketing for the new bridal boutique at Hudson’s Bay, she’s become a bit of a social media whiz. Jessica shares photos of downtime with her family as well as glamorous nights out with her husband on Instagram. Ben is on board too, tweeting the announcement of Isabel’s arrival an hour after her birth.

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“I think tweeting is actually quite awkward,” Jessica says. “Does anybody really care what I’m doing at this precise moment?” (Yes — yes, they do, as the family’s 50,000 Twitter followers can attest.)

Before she married into the Mulroney clan, Jessica was a Brownstein (the family behind Browns Shoes), which she credits for her ingrained love of fashion. After she graduated from McGill University, Jessica and her sister, who is also her best friend, brought the Italian lingerie line La Perla to Canada.

Jessica is close to her three sisters-in-law as well and works with them on the Shoebox Project, a family charity that stocks shoeboxes full of simple luxuries for women in shelters . It now operates across Canada, and  they hope to expand worldwide this year.

Most mornings, Jessica is out the door shortly after Ben leaves to shoot eTalk. “I basically run from meeting to meeting, hoping that my husband doesn’t have an event that I have to get dressed and done up for.” When they’re not in the spotlight, Ben can be found in the kitchen slow-cooking ribs. “It’s a whole-day process,” Jessica says. “Ben makes phenomenal ribs — he’ll be so happy that I mentioned that! He literally goes to rib fests all the time for inspiration.”

The family often returns to Montreal, where both sets of grandparents live. “I get to take the kids to the park I played in when I was little, which is fun.” Ben and Jessica even speak French together when they’re back home in Toronto. “It’s like our secret language, because nobody in Toronto speaks French — well, we think that, even though we know it’s not true!”

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They’re so busy during the week that the weekend is all about spending time with the children. “I’m definitely somebody who feels like a better mother when I work and can achieve certain goals outside of my family life,” says Jessica. “But the minute I’m home, I put my phone away and I’m in mommy mode with my kids.”

Ms.-Chatelaine-Jessica-Mulroney-and-Kids Jessica cuddles up with three-year-old twins Brian and John and baby Ivy; Photo, Sian Richards.

Jessica’s telling details

I define downtime as... after the kids have been put to bed, Ben and I flake in front of the TV.

I wish I had more time for... reading for pleasure. It’s a fleeting luxury.

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The last time I laughed really hard was... we’re trying to potty train the boys. You can use your imagination.

I wish I was better at... parallel parking.

I’d love to work with... had you asked me this question a year ago, I would have said Bonnie Brooks.I now work with her at Hudson’s Bay!

My guiltiest pleasure is... poutine from Toronto’s Burger Shack.

My favourite moment of the day is... coming home and hearing “Mommy’s back!” as my kids run into my arms.

Ms.-Chatelaine-Jessica-Mulroney's-house The Mulroney's formal living room. Photo, Sian Richards.
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Five things Jessica can’t live without

Nexus card: “I couldn’t live without it, especially with all my quick trips to Kleinfeld Bridal in N.Y.C.!”

Charger cover: “I can’t go a day without needing to charge my battery. Sad but true!”

Anything Charlotte Olympia: “She brings fantasy and fashion together so well. Her bridal creations are extra special.”

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YSL Beauty Sleep: “I don’t get a lot ofsleep these days, butthis product makesme look like I do.”

W skincare facials: “I need to treat myself every once in a while — and this is certainly the way to do it.”

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