So you’ve had a baby (or three, in my case), you’ve quite possibly gained some weight along the way (some baby weight, some down to eating entire packs of chocolate digestives during the night feeds *ahem*), and now you may not really feel the same as you did before about anything, especially your personal style.
For a long time after I had my third baby (who has recently turned three, I don’t know where the time goes), I struggled with my style. I hadn’t experienced it as bad following the births of my older two children, perhaps because I had them when I was quite young, and I found getting my figure back post-birth easier, but this time around it was something that played heavily on my mind.
Don’t get me wrong, I have never been the most fashionable person anyway, but I wanted to be able to look in the mirror and like what I saw and some of that came down to dressing for my new body shape and wearing clothes that made me feel like me.
These are some of the steps I took to find my style again post-baby.
Wait Until You are Ready
Although you don’t by any means need to try and lose weight after having a baby, if you are, it is always best to wait until your weight has plateaued before spending money on new clothes. Straight after giving birth, it can feel upsetting that nothing seems to fit, but remember that your belly can stay swollen and enlarged for quite some time afterwards, so wait for things to calm down a little before looking into what clothes make you feel good about yourself.
Sort Your Wardrobe
One of the first steps was to take everything out of my wardrobe and sort through the clothes to see if they suited me anymore. A lot didn’t. That’s ok. After having a baby your body can change shape and styles that once suited you may not anymore. It is good to get rid of clothes that you no longer fit in or don’t feel comfortable in as they are doing nothing for you in the wardrobe unworn. You can donate or sell your unwanted clothing to make room for new pieces that will suit your new style.
Look for Inspiration
Sites like Pinterest can provide a great starting point when looking at different styles. Try not to simply copy another person’s look, but take stock of what you like and what you don’t like so much and come up with some ideas of what you would like to wear yourself. If you are stuck on what to search for, why not try styles for the upcoming season e.g. Spring/Summer and go from there. Remember, just because you are a mum, it doesn’t mean that you have to look for typical ‘mum style’ outfits when searching, being a mum doesn’t need to define you.
Ask a Friend
It can be hard trying to work out what suits you on your own. Enlisting the help of a friend can be a great confidence booster and make the experience a little less daunting. Make it
a fun day out together or pick and choose some pieces online over a glass of wine or two. Finding a new style, much like having a new haircut, can be an empowering experience, and it should be something to be excited about rather than something you dread.
Find Key Staples
Rather than buying a whole host of new outfits all at once, it is a good idea to pick up a few key items, which you can mix and match to create different looks. There are plenty of articles online and in print to help you decide which wardrobe staples would be best to invest in.
