Since giving birth, I have been trying to find clothing that fits my postpartum body, and makes me feel comfortable and confident. I knew that my body would look different after giving birth, but while I’m technically back in my pre-pregnancy size for the most part, my pre-pregnancy clothes fit differently. They are more snug in places they weren’t before because my chest is larger and my hips and rib cage are wider. I am nursing so despite attempts, I am holding onto my pregnancy weight and haven’t lost much of anything. As a result, I’ve realized that instead of trying to squeeze into clothes that seem to emphasize those body changes, I needed to just go ahead and purchase clothes that I feel good in because I don’t know how long my postpartum body will be my body. Instead of viewing it simply as a transitional time, I’m working on accepting my body as it is now and working with what I have.
I’ve also been using this as an opportunity to experiment a little bit and wear items that I usually would not wear. I usually dress pretty preppy but have since leaned into some other styles and silhouettes just to see how I’d like them. I’ve been working on having fun with it and no longer pigeonholing myself to certain silhouettes and styles. I also have tried to avoid paying too much attention to clothing sizes and instead, I’ve focused on how the clothes make me feel. I can’t change that my ribcage is larger, but does this dress make me feel pretty? As someone who struggled with body dysmorphia for a long time, trying to shift my brain from focusing on sizes and appearances to prioritizing comfort and how it makes me feel in them has been an adjustment. However, it’s incredibly important to model self-love and healthy body positivity to my daughter, so I’m working on trying to do that by wearing things that make me feel good in the body that I have.
I’ve picked up a few items recently and found a couple of items that I’ve either purchased or am considering purchasing that I thought I’d share with you today. Whether you are postpartum or in-between sizes for other reasons, you may find some of these items to be your speed too.
Sets
I’ve been leaning more into sets lately. Whether it’s denim sets, like the one I am wearing in the photographs in this post, or workout sets, something about matching or having a monochromatic look is something I’ve been diving into more recently. Specifically, this denim set is something I’d previously NEVER wear because of the length of the bottoms. It’s a skort set, so while there is coverage, it’s usually shorter than I’d go for. However, the matching oversized jacket really drew me and the fact that it was %50 off when I purchased it (making it super inexpensive) made it hard to say no to – particularly since I was looking for new clothes.
Tops
Since my chest size is larger, this is probably the area I’ve struggled with the most. The majority of my pre-pregnancy tops either reveal too much of my bust or make me appear larger than I am due to my bust size. I also realized while pregnancy that I have a short torso (and am actually supposed to be wearing petite sizes). I’ve been trying to find tops that don’t draw attention to the parts of myself that I’m a little more self-conscious about and instead focus on prints, colors, and styles that make me feel confident. For example, I’ve been experimenting more with colors there supposedly in my color palette based on color theory, so I’m wearing colors that are more flattering to my skin tone and make my skin look vibrant.
I’m also planning on wearing more layers now that it’s going to get cooler soon, so I purchased a faux leather jacket for the fall and this quilted jacket that I can layer with something more fitted underneath. Also, bodysuits have been my jam lately and give a little extra compression that I like, similar to the bodysuit I’m wearing with the outfit in these pictures my husband took on a walk recently.
Bottoms
As I mentioned above, I learned that I am petite when it comes to length, so now the bottoms that I purchase – particularly when it comes to jeans and pants, have been in that length and they fits a lot better. As far as style, I’ve been trying to steer away from skinny jeans as much because they tend to highlight my hips which have widened since giving birth. Instead, I’ve found myself wearing more flared pants, straight-leg, 90s loose fit, or pants with a looser fit around my calf area, which gives the illusion that I’m a little taller than I am. I rarely wear skirts, because skirts that are too long make me feel frumpy due to my height, but I’ve been looking into longer skirts in a variety of textures such as knit or silk and even going a little shorter by purchasing skorts that still make me feel covered but my legs look a little longer.
Shoes
I don’t wear heels often but when I do, they make me feel confident wearing them. I feel taller and much more sophisticated when wearing them. However, I cannot wear stilettos or a heel too high because I don’t trust myself to not fall in them at this stage in my life. I have been checking out shoes that have a thicker heel to them or are statement shoes that would pair well with my outfits. For example, I have a couple of snakeskin-inspired boots with a heel to them on my wish list.
I’ve also loved how ballet flats and loafers are resurfacing as a trend because I’ve never gotten tired of them. I have started looking at flats that are more pointy or square at the front as opposed to round ones because I like how they look with flared jeans.
Dresses
When purchasing dresses, while I have still purchased some maxi-length ones, I realized the most maxi dresses except for ones that are purchased on sites with petite sizing, they are very long on me and kind of accentuate my shortness because of it. As a result, for certain retailers, I’ve been purchasing midi or mini, depending on the length and I’ve liked that length on me a lot better.
I’ve been really into a-line dresses, button-up dresses and loose-fitting polo-dresses like these ones.
Accessories
Accessories help make an outfit, but I often don’t wear them. Outside of my rings, I usually don’t wear jewelry, but lately, depending on the outfit, I’ve been wearing sunglasses, hats, earrings, frilly or decorative socks, necklaces and sometimes even bracelets to spruce up my outfit a bit. I still like to keep things fairly simple, but I like that they add little pops of something to my outfit.
Hair & Makeup
I know this goes without saying, but when my hair is done or I’m having a good hair day, I feel it enhances my outfit and even if I am wearing sweats, I feel confident in them if I like my hair. I’ve been making plans to put more effort into my hair (including considering some styles I haven’t worn in a minute) and putting on some light makeup here and there. I still don’t wear much makeup, but I’ve started adding blush to my cheeks (shout to rhode beauty’s pocket blush), daily sunscreen, and a nice lip gloss. It’s not much, but it brings a little color to my cheeks in a way that makes me feel a little more put-together. I am still on the hunt for a tinted moisturizer than fits my skintone, but if you’re a woman of color, you know what a challenge that can be at times. Once I do, I’ll likely be adding that to my daily makeup routine.
