Whether we like it or not, having a baby changes the way we dress, but that doesn’t have to be a bad thing. After all, jeans and a T-shirt has always been the quintessential cool-girl uniform, and casual, laid-back style will always be en vogue.
Once your post-baby weight loss begins to plateau, it may be time to treat yourself to a few wardrobe essentials to get you through the next little while without muffin-topping out of your pre-baby jeans or drowning in your maternity leggings.
Warning: The fitting room may be a traumatic space for you right now. Wall-to-wall mirrors revealing every new fold, bulge, and stretch mark may feel like the stuff of postpartum nightmares, but trust us when we tell you that buying just a few key pieces that fit and flatter will change your life for months to come.
Pro Tips:
- Try to procure your new “micro wardrobe” during sale time. You don’t want to break the bank in case your body changes shape yet again in the near future (ours did three or four times before settling in for good). Hold out until June/July for spring–summer sales, and December/January for fall–winter sales.
- Go on your hunt in the morning during the week. The stores will be quiet, and you can nab a sales associate to help you. Ask them to grab different sizes and help you navigate the styles they carry. You know you’ve picked the right person if they tell you that something’s not flattering and then bring you something better to try.
- Hit up Pinterest and Instagram for inspiration. We take our cues from the queens of effortless, laid-back style: Caroline de Maigret, Jane Birkin, Kate Moss, and Pernille Teisbaek.
- Do not buy anything that can’t be easily cleaned at home. There will be a time and place again for dry-clean only, but it’s not right now.
- Before you go shopping, go through your current wardrobe and toss anything that has no business being there. You know the stuff we’re talking about: the party top from 2009, the sweatpants from college, and the jeans you haven’t fit into for over five years—donate them, or drop them off at your local consignment shop. Take a page from Marie Kondo: If it brings you no joy, it needs to go. Make room for stuff that makes you feel good.
© 2018 by Andrea Xavier.
Now for the fun part: what to buy. There are a few basics that every Rebel Mama will benefit from adding to her wardrobe.
1. Jeans (one or two pairs). There’s something about zipping up a good pair of jeans that makes you feel like a functioning member of society. Look for mid- to high-rise styles in a solid wash (the darker the wash, the more forgiving the jeans). You want a pair with some stretch, but not so much stretch that they feel like leggings (denim that’s too soft will lose its shape quickly). Keep in mind that tailoring denim is key. Your sales associate should be able to help you decide whether it needs a little cinch at the waist or a taper or hem at the ankle. You know you’ve found the right pair when you feel five pounds lighter in them than you felt when you walked into the store.
2. Basic tees (about five of them). No writing, no bells or whistles. You need a simple, well-fitted tee that works well either untucked or half-tucked. In order to achieve the perfect half-tuck, grab the bottom of the tee, twist it a bit to one side, and tuck in only the part that you’re holding. This creates subtle ruching that immediately flatters your midsection and elongates your legs.
Once you find this tee, buy multiples. Black, white, beige, grey, navy, striped, and done.
3. Sneakers. Ever since “athleisure wear” became a trend, you can pretty much get a cool pair of kicks anywhere. High end, low end, basic, bedazzled. There truly is something for everyone.
Note: If it all seems too overwhelming, classic white Converse will never fail you.
© 2017 by Ariane Laezza.
4. Actual shoes (that aren’t sneakers). If you live in a climate that has multiple seasons, take advantage of fall dressing and go get a gorgeous new shoe or boot with a medium heel that’s comfortable to walk in (meaning not a stiletto, for most of us) to wear during the day. You should be so in love with these that you’d pick them over your sneakers any day, because they make you feel like a mega babe.
Also, take your existing shoes that look a little beat up to a cobbler for a face-lift. You’d be surprised at how shiny and new they’ll look and feel afterwards. Never underestimate the value of fresh-looking footwear.
5. Leather jacket. Go on a hunt for an awesome leather jacket (our go-to is a classic black biker-style). If you break the bank on one thing, this should be it. A good leather jacket should be timeless. It can be fitted or slightly oversized—both are cool in their own way. You’ll know you’ve found the right jacket when you feel like a rock star in it. It should be something you’d be comfortable throwing on with jeans and a tee or over a little black dress.
6. Structured blazer. This is another classic item that easily transforms your go-to jeans and tees. Wear to a dinner party with fun costume jewellery or out for lunch with your sneakers and a baseball hat. Generally speaking, if it hits you halfway down your butt, it will be a flattering length. Buy this wardrobe essential from a store with actual salespeople who genuinely know what they’re doing, and it will be well worth the investment.
Go with whatever size fits your shoulders and then let a tailor do the rest. Tailors are as close as we regular people get to made-to-measure, custom clothing. Your goal here is to create long, vertical lines, which will make you look taller and slimmer. A well-tailored blazer can even make your waistline appear smaller. Can we get a hallelujah?
7. Cool shades. Sunglasses are a mom’s best friend. They cover tired eyes better than any BB cream or under-eye concealer on the market. They are also a totally justifiable treat due to their cost-per-wear value. (Take the cost and divide it by the amount of times you think you’ll wear it. Apply this calculation to all the pieces suggested above to pull off this shopping spree guilt-free.)
8. Accessories. When you’re working with a capsule wardrobe, your accessories make the difference between a coffee-with-a-girlfriend outfit and a dinner-with-your-partner outfit. Let’s say you decide to wear your favourite jeans and a tee, with your leather jacket on top, to your coffee date. All you need to do to bring this outfit from day to night is add a statement earring, a bold lip colour, some sexy stilettos, et voilà!
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Simplifying your wardrobe (especially for a new mom) can and should be looked at as an act of self-love. In addition to feeling great, you’re also giving yourself the gift of having to make one less decision in a day. Steve Jobs wore the same thing every day. So does Mark Zuckerberg. Why is that? Because they have more important shit to think about every day, and so do you.
When you’re laying the foundation upon which to build your newly simplified wardrobe, take care to select key pieces that reflect the woman you are (with a dash of the woman you wish to be). Invest in quality. Look semi-groomed (that means slicking back your unwashed hair into a sleek ponytail), feel confident, be your beautiful self, and feel like the badass mama you are.