How Mama Got Her Groove Back - Part I

Recently a friend together with beau mom suggested that I write a postal service nearly solar daytime to solar daytime fashion for moms. So I've been thinking it over... First, a piffling flake nearly me thence yous know where I'm coming from. I receive got iii kids, ages 4, 2, together with 8 months (it's been a busy 4 years, together with yes, i'm existence cheeky). Now, I've had lots of amazing, crazy, together with thrilling experiences inward my life, but zero compares to the exhilaration of having a kid (and another, together with thence another...). Pregnancy together with maternity receive got been a bully blessing, but similar whatsoever dramatic life modify in that place receive got been phases of difficulty, together with fifty-fifty a sartorial identity crisis or two. The best agency to depict it is that I would lose my "groove," that sugariness topographic point of existence where I am confident inward my appearance together with experience actually "me" inward my outward expression. I desire to part alongside yous [Part I] merely about of the reasons this occurred (they are belike mutual to many woman), what helped me larn my groove back, together with [Part II] merely about real practical solar daytime to solar daytime fashion advice. 

One twelvemonth earlier our marriage ceremony (the appointment postage stamp isn't correct). I withal had my groove then.

the get-go born.

the boy.

the youngest.

With progeny similar that, who wouldn't desire more?

WEIGHT GAIN AND LOSS: The get-go challenge to my personal agency was a torso inward flux. Getting pregnant, gaining weight, having a baby, losing weight, getting pregnant, gaining weight... You larn the picture. And its non merely a affair of pounds. Proportions change. When I wasn't looking, become - to's that used to endure oh thence flattering became enemies. That apartment tum I had taken for granted gave agency to a (temporary, give cheers goodness) postal service partem pooch. Even when dorsum to my pre-pregnancy weight, in that place was a bridge of fourth dimension when my jeans wouldn't push over my [literally] birthing hips.

LACK OF OPTIONS: The 2nd challenge was that my sense of agency identity was obscured past times lack of choice, real together with perceived.  For maternity wear, my shopping options were limited to ane pregnancy consignment shop, a teeny department inward the Old Navy 30 minutes from my house, together with specialty boutiques that were to a greater extent than oft than non beyond my budgetary constraints. Online sources were an option, but a practiced represent is elusive if yous can't endeavour things on. There was also, I think, a subconscious refusal to devote overmuch resources to dressing, because each stage/size of pregnancy together with post-partem come upwardly together with become thence quickly. I intend we've all been inward that house where nosotros cringe at the sentiment of buying jeans 3 sizes bigger than what nosotros intend they should be. Discouraged past times limited options, I eventually merely settled for things that were ok together with non completely opposite to my sense of aesthetics. 

CHANGE IN LIFESTYLE: The tertiary challenge was coming together the needs of a novel lifestyle. I receive got ever been real active, but pre-children, yous wouldn't detect me playing inward the leaves on a Midweek afternoon. I'm on my feet a lot, together with I'm busy alongside kids who tend to endure a hot mess. And I need to endure comfortable. At first, this hands on approach to the messiness of life seemed to clash alongside my pulled together sense of agency that tends towards a minimalist receive got on the classics, alongside a dash of glamour (for whatsoever of yous who knew me inward my faux-hawk days, piece of occupation out on your comments to yourself). Throw inward the vesture limitations caused past times nursing, together with I was feeling downright thwarted. To add together insult to injury (isn't that ever the way?) the amount of fourth dimension that I was straightaway able to devote to dressing together with shopping was drastically reduced (we all intend nosotros are so busy inward college, nosotros receive got no idea...).

Meanwhile, equally these iii challenges played out, I became uncomfortable alongside myself. The to a greater extent than uncomfortable I became, the to a greater extent than I played the comparing game, together with the to a greater extent than I played the comparing game (which never has winners, past times the way, entirely casualties) the to a greater extent than confused I became nearly what my personal agency was.

Now I know yous are dying to know - merely how did mama larn her groove back? Well... I discovered the three elements of style. Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 friend lent me a re-create of a majority called It's So You by Mary Sheehan Warren, yous may receive got heard me holler it before.  Sure, this majority is packed alongside great, no-nonsense advice on how to uncovering your personal agency together with cook your wardrobe together with I recommend it to everyone, but why produce I piece of occupation out on going on nearly it? Because I had ever experienced fashion together with agency equally purely intuitive, together with it was an amazing revelation to uncovering that it could endure divided together with conquered inward a rational way. Great agency is based on dressing inward a agency that accentuates your (1) body type together with your (2) coloring, together with is expressive of your private (3) style personality (i.e. personal tastes together with preferences). Sure, I was confused, but in that place were principles to looking great, together with I could purpose them to my benefit. Now yous know my secret. Check out my [KNOW YOURSELF] serial - the links are included inward the previous judgement - together with come upwardly reckon me side past times side calendar week for Part II!

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