The must-have fashion accessory for mod mamas this season isn’t a lemon chiffon-colored bag, but the sleek black iPhone inside of it. The do-everything device seems custom-made for harried moms and being one myself, I’ll take a whack at justifying the expense. One raises a suspicious brow when something is said to be “life-changing,” yet I find it apropos. After all, the thing is glued to my hip like a child.

1.    My digital assistant. No, I don’t have a housekeeper or real-life assistant, but every area of my life is more organized thanks to the iPhone. With the touch screen buttons for Calendar, Internet, E-mail, Notes, Maps, Weather, Clock, Calculator, Phone, Text and much more, I’m just a finger tap away from finding the info, scheduling it or looking it up. Never pay directory assistance again! Never get lost looking for that playmate’s house. Know the current temp before your kids head out for the bus stop. Check that all-important e-mail from the coach while you’re grocery shopping. Yes, it’s multi-tasking at it’s finest, and it’s 100% fat free.

2.    My know-it-all friend. Thanks to the ability to add unlimited web apps, anything you fancy can be one click away. Love to shop the sales? The web app Get all the Deals!?is a preconfigured RSS reader containing feeds from SlickDeals, DealCatcher, TechBargains, Dealhack, Dealnews, and Coupon Craze. And what mom doesn’t love to be in the know while on the go?

3.    My wee escape. Because iPhone also contains the popular iPod and iTunes is configured right into your phone, you can literally hear a song you love and go find it on iTunes and purchase it before you forget the name (for others like me with momnesia.) Grocery shopping, ack, now isn’t quite so bad while bopping along to Carrie Underwood. If you get a call, it pauses the song and resumes playing when you’re finished with your call. Pretty ingenious.

4.    Mine, period. I’m a Machead, so I’m ga-ga over just about everything Apple produces. I’m typing on my black Macbook, I’ll jaunt up to my larger Mac G4 upstairs for design work and I’ve got every member of the iPod family from the original I like to call Gramps to my daughter’s wee hot pink iPod Shuffle. The point is, every device I’ve bought from them has produced stellar results. I’m thrilled the same goes for the iPhone. With fun extras like a camera and photo library, capturing memories on the fly is easy and sharing them is even easier. Simply e-mail right from your phone or plug it in and download it to iPhoto later. You don’t have to have any other Apple product to love the iPhone, but I bet if you get an iPhone you’ll be craving the other items on the Apple cart soon after. Moms need something that’s just ours, and the iPhone fits the bill. It has what I need to make it through the day with a smile on my face, and in the end, that’s all that matters.