Alright, let’s talk about this fashion for young mothers thing. It’s a journey, let me tell you. When my first little one arrived, fashion was the last thing on my mind. Seriously, it was all about survival.
The Early Days: Purely Practical
I remember just grabbing whatever was clean, or clean-ish. My wardrobe basically became a rotation of three things: leggings, more leggings, and those oversized t-shirts my husband had long given up on. Comfort was king, queen, and the entire royal court. I needed stuff I could move in, stuff that didn’t mind a bit of baby sick (or worse!), and stuff I could breastfeed in without a five-minute wrestling match with my clothes. I bought a couple of those ‘nursing tops’ but honestly, a stretchy vest under a loose top did the trick just as well, and was way cheaper.
Shoes? Oh, trainers. Slip-on ones if I was lucky. Anything with laces felt like a monumental effort. I think I wore the same pair of scruffy sneakers for a solid year. My pre-baby heels just gathered dust at the back of the closet, like relics from a past life.
Starting to Feel Human Again
Then, slowly, very slowly, I started to want to feel a bit more like ‘me’ again. It wasn’t about looking like I’d stepped off a magazine cover – far from it. It was more about not feeling like a walking laundry pile. I started by looking at my existing clothes. So much didn’t fit, or just felt wrong for this new phase of life. That was a bit depressing, I won’t lie.
My first step was to find some decent jeans. Not the super tight ones I used to live in, but something with a bit of stretch, a higher waist maybe. I went shopping, which was an adventure in itself with a baby in tow. I tried on what felt like a hundred pairs. Finally, I found a couple that were comfortable but still looked like proper jeans. That felt like a small victory.
Building Blocks I Found Useful
Then I started thinking about tops. I realized that simple, good quality basics were my best friend.
- Plain t-shirts in decent fabric.
- A few nice-ish jumpers or cardigans that I could throw on over anything. Layers became key.
- I also discovered the magic of a good, long-line vest top to wear underneath things – smoothed things out a bit and added an extra layer of coverage if I was bending down all the time, which, let’s face it, you are.
Accessories made a surprising difference. A nice scarf could make a plain t-shirt and jeans feel a bit more put-together. Or a simple necklace. Nothing too dangly for the baby to grab, mind you. I learned that the hard way! And a decent bag – big enough to carry all the baby paraphernalia but not so huge it looked like I was moving house. I found a nice, stylish backpack actually worked wonders. Hands-free, you see.
What I Learned Along The Way
It wasn’t about suddenly becoming a fashionista. It was about finding clothes that worked for my life as a mum, but also made me feel good. I had to accept my body had changed. That was a big one. And that’s okay. The goal was to find new ways to dress this new me.
I also learned not to buy too much stuff all at once. Kids grow, your body changes again, your needs evolve. I focused on pieces that were versatile. Could I wear that top with jeans? Could I dress it up a bit if I ever got a night out (ha!)?
And honestly, sometimes, just putting on a bit of mascara and some lip balm made more difference than the clothes. It was about feeling a tiny bit polished, even if the rest of the day was chaos. So, yeah, that was my process. Lots of trial and error, a few tears in changing rooms, but eventually, I found a sort of ‘mum uniform’ that didn’t make me want to hide indoors. It’s an ongoing thing, really. What worked with a baby didn’t always work with a toddler tearing around. You just adapt, I guess. That’s the main thing I figured out.