How I Changed The Way I Dressed When I Became A Mom
My mind is constantly racing. I am trying to do 500 things at once. I was always on 10, a busy body, before I had my son. But now? Woah.
A friend of mine has 3 kids under age 4. Whenever I ask her how she does it, because I can’t even fathom it, she says “you just have to be organized”. I found her advice to difficult, but true. If I don’t prepare lunch and my son’s outfit the day before, I’m sure to be late in the morning. And the same goes for my own personal preparation.
As a stylist who already preaches about organization to her clients, and helps them focus on outfits that make them look good, this is the first time in my life I have truly struggled with it myself. The extra weight gain is just a gem. I had actually lost weight during my pregnancy and kept it off for the first year. They are not kidding when they say breastfeeding helps keep the weight off… and that it finds you the second you stop nursing! So in addition to not having the time or brain power to put together creative outfits I’m also not happy with the way most of the things I own fit me. Then enter into the picture the fact that my style has to change a little bit now that I am a mom. Not meaning that I can’t wear trendy or racy outfits, meaning I have to wear things that launder easily because they will likely end up with boogies or food stuck to them. This also means not wearing my most expensive pieces very often. I’m a dress person. A heels girl. I love to dress up and go to events. The events I go to now are pretty much all kid friendly! So the items I have that I wish I could wear even if they still fit me in a flattering way I most likely don’t have the occasion to wear them now anyway.
Yet here I am working with clients and getting their looks together. Organizing their closets. Running a Facebook group challenging everyone to wear a different item or try a different trend each week, while I am kind of drowning and not really loving my style. Things have to change. I have to practice what I preach. I am a stylist and an organizer because I understand how important it is to one’s self esteem and productivity in their everyday life. And no matter how overwhelmed I am, I deserve to feel like my image is put together and I deserve to invest some time in me! (The stylist in me has had to have many talks with the client in me since having my son!)
So what steps did I take that any mom can also do if they are in a style rut?
1. Pick out your outfit the night before
And I mean down to your shoes and jewelry. Even if you it means throwing those types of things in your purse the night before. I did this sometimes pre-mom life. Or I would select one item I knew I wanted to wear, like a shoe or the top, then build the outfit in the morning. But I mostly liked to dress for my mood so I would choose my look that day. Not anymore. Mornings are frantic af. If I dressed for my morning mood these days I would for sure be picked up by the fashion police!
2. Hang everything that fits together in your closet
Front and center. Looking at a closet full of clothing you can’t wear doesn’t do anyone any good. Take some time to try on the clothes you need to wear most often, so you know what fits well. Then hang all of those pieces together so you have a smaller assortment to choose from for less overwhelm.
3. Invest in under garments that fit
Especially postpartum. I hear about women wearing their nursing bras well after they’ve stopped nursing all too often. Things shift, moms you know what I mean! So take the time to get measured again, to pay attention to the rise of your skivvies, maybe even look into a new silhouette of shapewear. They call these foundation garments for a reason, they truly do dictate how your clothing will look on you.
4. Surpass the heels and buy flats
I can’t even believe I actually just wrote that. This one was by far the hardest. BUT as fun as it is to buy a sexy new pair of heels if you aren’t likely to wear them while carrying your child or chasing them around you’re better off getting yourself a cute pair of flats. (then grab the heels once you’ve got yourself a favorite every day shoe!)
5. Treat yo self
It’s so easy to justify buying our kids things, but then we convince ourselves we don’t need the items we (may or may not) need. I got way too comfortable buying my son clothes when really I should have been buying some of my own. If you are anticipating shedding post baby pounds, or any weight for that matter, you still deserve properly fitting garments throughout your transformation. And if find yourself in the house or on the playground more than anywhere else, perhaps you don’t need an entire new wardrobe but definitely get a piece here or there and treat yoself!
6. Call on your favorite stylist!
I mean, it worked for me! … Of course that plug was coming. But seriously, I have a few clients that I’ve worked with before, during and after multiple pregnancies. After each one, not only were there different body concerns, but mom was always in a different space mentally. Always ready to try a new style, or embrace a new trend. Excited to get their style groove back, preparing to go back to work. The steps above, my wardrobing process, are exactly we did to get them there. Analyze their wardrobe to see what fits, pick up key pieces that they needed or desired, then organized it in a way that enables them to get dressed quickly and effortlessly.
Are you in a style rut yourself? Join my Facebook group, Get Dressed with Tricia! In the coming weeks, we will begin a 10 day challenge. The purpose is to help utilize more items in your wardrobe than the few pieces you have on repeat. To thoughtfully put your looks together, without repeating for the whole 10 days. And of course, there will be prizes! See you there!