Motherhood – it’s pretty much a death knell for your sense of style, right? Wrong. You see, while there’s a certain stigma attached to the wardrobe choices of new mommies, the truth is that very little needs to change as long as you’re comfortable and happy. It is perfectly possible to stay stylish as a new mommy and to rock the sleepless nights, suspect stains, and unwashed hair. Choosing to be a fashion-forward mommy is simply a matter of knowing what to wear, and how to wear it.
Dress to impress yourself
Be reassured that very few people will be judging your sense of style immediately after you give birth. While it’s easy to assume that your body shape and ability to squeeze into skinny jeans will be under constant scrutiny, the truth is that most people will only be looking at the new bundle in your arms. That said, it’s understandable that you’d want to maintain a sense of style regardless of how much sleep you’ve had. Now is the time to discover a whole new set of style staples, including nursing bras and tops, comfy knickers, and layers. Loose-fitting and V-neck tops can be really flattering if you’ve just given birth, while shirts and off-the-shoulder blouses are ideal for breastfeeding. Do hold onto maternity wear for the first weeks and months of your baby’s life, and don’t compromise on comfort and support. However, becoming a mom doesn’t mean leaving your old life and personality behind. Instead, try to understand how your new role as a mommy can complement your love of color and fashion trends. Maxi dresses and jumpsuits are incredibly popular and look gorgeous on new moms. Meanwhile, soft natural fabrics such as cotton, linen, and wool will keep you and baby cozy, and signature pieces such as blazers will add bold bursts of color.
Try it: consider creating a capsule wardrobe that features one or two pairs of pants, a mid-length maxi dress that could double as a skirt when worn with a belt, a t-shirt or two, and a blazer. The number of looks that you’ll be able to create with very little effort will surprise you.
Incorporating the essentials
As you approach motherhood, it’s impossible to ignore the number of items that will soon become your everyday essentials; out goes the makeup, and in come the diapers, pacifiers, bottles, breast pads, and muslins. Indeed, for such tiny creatures, babies need a lot of stuff – and that stuff has got to travel with you everywhere you go. Once upon a time, women had little choice but to hump around shapeless and unattractive changing bags; there just wasn’t a lot of choice when it came to the necessaries. These days, however, mommies are spoiled for choice, with diaper bags to rival the most stylish handbags on the market. Take the Skip Hop Signature Diaper Bag, for example. Available in 13 different design styles and colors, this is one fashionable diaper bag that your non-mommy friends will want for their own essentials. It’s also possible to buy a stroller that complements your sense of fashion, with three and four-wheel options, a range of styles, and stroller accessories available.
Try it: while you may have found the perfect stroller to complement your sense of style, have you considered transporting your baby in a wrap or sling? Many young babies adore traveling so close to their mom, and the different colors and textures will look fabulous with a variety of outfits.
It’s wise to accessorize
Motherhood may turn your whole world upside down (for the better, we hasten to add), but it can never take away your ability to accessorize. Accessories are a great way for new moms to enhance their style, and to feel a little more human as they go about a whole new set of tasks. Accessories can remind us that we are super-stylish, regardless of how many days we’ve been wearing this same pair of leggings. The accessories that you choose to wear should always complement your new role as a mother, whether it’s a colorful scarf to accentuate a plain outfit, a bold nursing wrap to add a little pizazz and conceal a feeding child, or sensible slip-on shoes that aid every trip out of the house. Teething necklaces and bracelets are a beautiful addition to any outfit, and will serve as a distraction and source of comfort to babies cutting their first teeth.
Try it: purchase a few hair wraps or hand bands as you reach the end of your pregnancy. These stylish items are perfect for dressing up an untamed mane, and will keep wisps of hair out of the reach of tiny, tugging fingers.
The first rule of post-baby style is that there are no rules; your comfort and happiness should be at the heart of every outfit. That said, your transition from pre-birth to motherhood is a fantastic time to start exploring new colors, styles, and trends, and to rediscover a passion for fashion that may have dwindled during your maternity months.
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