putting my wardrobe (and myself) back together postpartum
botox not included
Isabel marant fleece pullover. my favorite tees. agolde jeans. Loewe sunnies. black and white sambas. skims wireless bra. the row boots. Prada hobo bag.
I mentioned in my introductory newsletter (read here if you haven’t) that I went through a bit of a style evolution after giving birth to my now 13 month old daughter.
My fourth trimester (aka the first 3-4 months of your babies life) was spent mostly at home, in a wardrobe consisting mostly of men’s t-shirts and sweatpants. Not a more humbling moment for me has ever existed than thinking I fit into my old sweatpants three weeks postpartum and realizing they were, in fact, my husbands.
I realized that I wasn’t eager to wear my old clothes as much as I was to be able to fit into them again, so I began an overhaul.
This closet purge gave me a sense of control as I struggled with having none in almost every other aspect of my life at the time. Unfortunately, we are living in a society that pushes postpartum women to prioritize losing baby weight over healing themselves mentally, and I am not going to act like accepting my changing body (my c-section scar, especially) wasn’t a hurdle. Cleaning out and reassessing my wardrobe helped me tiptoe back into the world of fashion and styling- which I felt had passed me by in the last ten months.
mid closet clean out with my daughter, November 2022.
So- how did I put the pieces of my wardrobe back together after getting rid of almost everything?
First off- I made lists. Lots of lists. Lists are the only thing my ADHD brain can comprehend, and this task was no exception. I thought about the things I needed - white t-shirts, new jeans, and bodysuits, vs. the things my fashion loving brain wanted- pieces that made me excited about getting dressed again.
I had always admired a more sophisticated style of dressing - but had never narrowed down what it was about that style I felt drawn towards. I knew I would never be a minimalist (I can hear my friends and family laugh at the thought of anyone ever calling me that), but I wanted to invest in pieces that would make getting dressed easier. I compiled a list of my favorite purchases - varying widely in price! - that helped me get dressed again, below.
tees- Leset Margo tees, Aritzia cropped long sleeve tees, I wear these madewell ones constantly.
wearing a cropped Aritzia tee on a walk with my daughter, Oct. 2022
The Row boots - Obviously, you don’t have to spend this much to find a great pair of black boots but I had admired these for ages and have found them to be one of the most useful pairs of shoes I’ve invested in. Turns out they’re frequently sold out for a reason!
quality leather jackets - I found a grey-ish black Versace one at a vintage show in LA and invested in this street style popular Acne piece. The vintage Versace is oversized and the other has a tailored fit, so when one doesn’t work chances are the other one will.
wearing said Acne jacket on the beach with my daughter, Nov. 2022
black bags - My push present to myself (don’t worry, my husband got me one, too) was this gorgeous Prada bag. It was definitely an investment, but I know I’ll have it forever. If you’re in the market for a classic bag- tons are on sale right now- this one is heavily discounted.
wearing said bag on a trip to Wasteland with my daughter in Dec. 2022
sneakers - The Adidas Sambas and Gazelles are everywhere for a reason- they’re incredibly comfortable. You can likely score a pair of the Gucci gazelles on TheRealReal if you’re patient enough, but I find I wear my classic white sambas the most.
quality sweaters and sweatshirts- I love anything by Re/done and this sweatshirt is no exception. My latest Reformation purchase has me becoming more of a cardigan girl.
I didn't have to wear a bra pretty much ever before having a baby, so that was a huge adjustment for me. Skims makes a great wireless bra that I wear under my fitted white tees.
Jeans- My suggestion is to find the brand that fit’s your body best, which requires some trial and error. When I was pregnant I wore a a thrifted pair of vintage Levis, but postpartum I bought these AGOLDEs that I had tailored as I lost weight. Recently, I’ve fallen in love with Still Here, a New York based label that uses amazingly high quality denim (as seen in my latest OOTD TikTok).
wearing AGOLDES that I still have, Nov 2022.
I should note that, obviously, we never fully return to ourselves after having babies- while our bodies may shift into a more familiar shape over time, becoming a mother is transformative. Fashion did not cure my postpartum depression, or help my daughter sleep through the night, but it did help bring me joy during a metamorphic time.
“Fun” investment purchases I made pp- these Loewe sunnies and this Isabel Marant pullover - both of which I still have.
Now, onto something a little lighter.
5 random things I bought this week-
a new blender that will take up way less counter space
this gorgeous piece of art that will hang over my bed or above a bench in the entryway - wherever it is most out of my daughter’s reach, really.
a skincare stocking stuffer for my mom - the serum equivalent to botox, in my opinion.
shearling slides from the latest Stussy x Birkenstock drop - now I just need a skateboard.
a set of my favorite face masks - I swear by these.
Finally, if any of this newsletter resonated with you, I encourage you to subscribe and share! I am so appreciative of all the support thus far. If you’re looking for anything in particular or want me to address a specific shopping challenge, DM me.
xx, Liz