It’s 5pm, so I’ll ask if you’ve made it out of your pyjamas yet? If you have then seriously you are smashing it and I high five you for that….if you haven’t then no sweat, we’ve been there…on many occasions!!!!
Care, time and attention on yourself is considered a great luxury once mini people enter your life but it’s becoming more apparent the importance to give yourself some self-love and care to keep some mental strength in order and in turn make you a better mother, wife and friend in the long run. So, this is me, giving you permission to allow a bit of time thinking about you, as everyone will benefit from it….win/win situation!!
Here’s my top tips to getting you back on the road to self-love and getting your style mojo again!
Body Acceptance
Right, I am going to be straight with you here………..stop being unkind to your body! It has done the most miraculous thing by producing and delivering a gorgeous bundle of joy into your life but that bundle also brings sleep deprivation and a new body to love. Whether you gave birth naturally or by C-Section we are all left with the reminders that we carried our minis for 9 months, from the mum tum, the scar and pouch or the stretch marks that resemble the newest edition of the AA’s roadmap, it is important that you love what you see and what you have and just discover a new way of dressing! Bonus, an excuse to shop!
Wardrobe Declutter
This is a great opportunity to clear your wardrobe of anything that doesn’t fit your shape or lifestyle anymore and an opportunity to raise some funds for so me new things.
Try not to hold on to anything that doesn’t fit and remind you of your pre baby body, your wardrobe space is valuable so it’s time to fill it with things that do fit and get you excited!
Underwear
The next place to visit is your underwear drawer! I highly recommend getting yourself booked in for a bra fitting as our poor bosoms go through mammoth changes!!! Pre pregnancy boobs, pregnancy boobs, post baby boobs, post milk boobs, post feeding boobs and if you are left with anything after that then lucky you!
In terms of knickers my advice is to ditch the thongs!!!!!
It's time to experiment with some new knicker shapes that are comfy on both your tum and bum! The higher the waist the better but it's about getting the mix of comfort and sexy right as we don’t quite want to venture down the granny knicker isle just yet!
Styles worth considering would be a Brazilian, which is a higher rise on the waist and has a cutaway at the back for a bit of sexy. High leg also sits higher on the tummy but has greater bum coverage with a flattering high cut on the thighs. Then there is a full brief which is maximum coverage for the tummy and bum, but the good news is there is still variety in design, colour and lace trim so full coverage doesn’t equal boring!
M&S is a great starting point as they have so much choice in all shapes and are good quality and value!
High Leg Full Brief Brazilian
Layering
As a stylist 9 times out of 10 my clients will want to disguise the tops of their arms and their "mum tum”. These aren't areas we should be ashamed of, but there are ways to layer over them to feel more confident in yourself, yet stylish and comfortable at the same time.
Three layering items I recommend investing in to feel less attention is drawn to your arms or “mum time” are a cardigan, a kimono and a denim shirt. They are great stylish pieces that can be colourful and bold and are so easy to throw over what you are wearing, whether it be a tee and jeans or a dress. That extra layer will not only make these areas of your body feel less vulnerable and exposed but creates a considered purpose to your style that day! Here are my picks:
High Waists
My clients worry that wearing high waisted items will draw attention to their “mum tum” but this isn’t the case, it actually means you are dressing for your body shape, and a pair of jeans that sit high on your waist which generally is the narrowest part of our body will sit more comfortably there than a low rise pair that are cutting into your hips and tum so creating a muffin top. The Mom or Vintage high denim fits are great along with paperbag waists on trousers, shorts and skirts! Here are my picks:
Dresses
Dress styles have become our friend! The dress style of the moment is one that is oversized, layered and long! Great! This means you can at last be relaxed and comfortable, yet on trend all at the same time and nothing is going to hug that conscious area, your “mum tum”!
The bigger and fuller the dress the better and so this works on many body shapes, it's just finding the right neckline that feels comfortable for you. Here are my picks:
Lipstick & Perfume
There will be days when you are just too damn exhausted to even think about wearing anything other than the tee and jeans you left on the floor when you crawled into bed the night before, and do you know what, that’s ok!
On these days just reach for the brightest lipstick you have and spray yourself in your favourite scent! These little hints of self-care you will ensure you are ready to smash your day! Oh, and P.S you are doing amazing!
