Mom Fashion: What’s A Mom To Wear?
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At long last, as summer drags itself into the upper Midwest with the enthusiasm of my toddler towards green vegetables, I’ve been getting my summer clothes out of their boxes.
This is my first summer where I’ve been able to get proper summer clothes out, and most of my summer gear is from pre-baby days. I’m looking at some of it wondering, what I was thinking wearing that? (Teeny tops.) Or is this appropriate for a mommy? (Short skirts.) Or how different my life is between having a baby (age 28) and having a toddler (age 30) and how much of my pre-baby wardrobe seems totally impractical. (Dry clean only, things with sparkles, anything that needs ironing)
When babies are tiny, moms have to deal with spit-up, poop, breast milk stains, and their bodies changing shape, and days of sheer exhaustion when getting dressed is just too much work. And as they grow, poop continues, and then babies start eating (and throwing) food, and painting, and searching for the messiest things they can find. Then of course when they are moving, mom needs to move too, so no high heels or short skirts or anything that will curtail crawling under a bush to retrieve a toddler.
Moms have to be the most fashion challenged people in the world! I totally understand why some moms revert to mom jeans and sweatshirts, and hair in a springie, and yep, I do on some days…. well, a lot of days. I knew I was on a slippery slope when I brought myself a pair of “nice” sweatpants for going out in, instead of a pair of proper pants last month.
I’ve resolved to try just a little bit harder this summer, if only because getting dressed in proper clothes boosts my self-esteem and makes me feel a little more like a woman, as well as a mom.
The challenge is to find something that’s durable enough to be a toddler’s mom in, and also looks attractive too. I’ve started with a couple of new pairs of jeans that have a nice, flattering fit. They go with everything, and stand up to both the playground, and projectile spaghetti sauce.
I’m stuck on shirts though. And summer clothes, in general. What’s comfortable, cool, washes well, is appropriate for a mom to wear, and looks good too?
Help!
Laura says...
I go for polo shirts–more tailored than a t-shirt but just as comfortable and easy to wash. I also really like the no iron shirts from Eddie Bauer–they look like you dry cleaned or ironed tham, but they really just come out of the dryer perfectly pressed looking. This summer I’m sporting maternity t-shirts and polos with skirts and capris.
MrsH says...
Get summer dresses from Old Navy. Affordable and stylish (although I know other moms who’d disagree that ON clothes are stylish, i think they are for mommies!). I bought two dresses from ON while preggy and I love them. I still wear one of them now that I’m not preggy that’s how comfortable they are.
Amybee says...
Since giving birth last month,I am very challenged when it comes to my wardrobe. Last spring, when my older boys were 7 and 10, I was able to pull off a cute pair of capris and little tee or tank top. This spring, tops and dresses with an empire- or baby-doll cut are working for me; they hide that little “pooch” that new moms have to deal with (this is the 2nd time around for me, after 8 years!). This cut happens to be stylish right now-how convenient! I also had to buy some shorts and capris in larger sizes than I normally wear. I definitely recommend taking the cheap route (ie: Kohl’s sales, Target, Old Navy sale rack) for a temporary, post-maternity wardrobe.