The transition into motherhood has been one of the biggest and most incredible times in my life. There’s so much that no one can really prepare you for and every journey is so different but so similar at the same time. One of the many things that has surprised me the most is how much my taste in fashion and sense of style has changed. I used to wonder how the most stylish of people end up ditching their previous wardrobe completely after motherhood, or how those who used to dress a certain way end up dressing in the complete opposite way to how they previously dressed, but now, I totally understand it.
As someone who lived in heels before pregnancy and lived in a tracksuit or my husbands clothes during pregnancy, I feel that my senses of style for now, has changed for the better in a lot of ways. I feel more confidence when pulling certain items from my already established wardrobe. I feel more confidence in purchasing pieces to add to said wardrobe too. I think I’m doing a better job of stying true to what I actually like and also with creating my own style philosophies. These things paired together help dressing in the mornings much easier for me, especially now that my days are determined by my little bundle of joy. I am heavily inspired by comfort at the moment but not in the way that you may think. A tracksuit might be worn every once in a while but it is no longer my staple when I do think for comfortable dressing. I like to pair knitted jumpers with wide leg trousers on my good days, legging and oversized shirts on my lazy days and skirts and dresses in all their forms on the better days. This is not too far off from what I used to do pre mum life but I just do it differently now.
I touched on ‘redefining your sense of style’ in my first A Mother First blog post blog post but I wanted to talk a bit more about how to actually try to get to a point of confidence with your new mindset on dressing. In most cases, I understand that thinking about style and what to wear is most probably the very last thing on most new mothers minds. If you are anything like me in the sense that how you present yourself is a true reflection of your identity then this post may help inspire you on how to build the perfect ‘mum life capsule wardrobe’.
- What is already in your wardrobe
Before you start purchasing anything, have a look at what is already in your wardrobe. Put aside the clothing that sparks joy and the clothing that doesn’t. Once you have established these piles, move on to thinking about how you can pair together the pieces that do bring you joy.
2. What to add to your capsule wardrobe
Because I followed my own first point, the main thing that I found was missing from my mum life capsule wardrobe was wardrobe staples. I was missing pieces that really held the outfits together rather than pieces that made the outfits feel good. Because I had realised this, I ended up purchasing things like gilets and a pair of versatile jeans. When thinking about what to add in, think about what goes with what you have. This is something that I learnt about shopping when I was in my teens and I am glad that I did! It makes putting outfits together just make sense in so many ways when you can pull things that pair easily together. Adding in basics is always a good starting point as outfits can be built around them very easily. If t-shirts are not your thing, then try out various shirt styles in classic and neutral colours.
3. What to remove from your capsule wardrobe
This is the hard part. I still struggle with moving things out of my wardrobe till this day. I think it is because there was once a time when I know that I loved a piece of clothing so much, so I get a little attached to it even if I haven’t worn it for a very long time! I think the best way to figure out if something needs to be moved out from your wardrobe is to play around with outfits. Dedicate a little bit of time somehow to be able to pair together outfits and figure out if you can build a look with certain items that you already have. Once you have tried these items on, you will then be able to figure out if that item is still ‘you’, fits the way you want it to or simply if you even like it still or not.
4. Simple and effortless styling
Easing back into styling outfits that you love will take sometime. This is something that I am constantly reminding myself about too as most days I just want it to be as easy as it used to be. Sticking to simple and effortless styling is what is helping me slowly get back to a good place when it comes to building outfits. I often find sticking to colour blocking or classic layering such as a knitted cardigan with a t-shirt underneath, is the easiest way to feel effortlessly put together.
5. Breaking the style codes to make YOU feel good
Sometimes we can get so caught up on the rule books of styling that we forget that our styling choices are for us and not for the world. When we are picking outfits and trying to build a wardrobe for ourselves during this period, breaking the style codes is an essential part of that. Go for things that feel good together only for your happiness. My example here is wearing navy and black. This is a colour combo I personally really really like. For me it’s one of my safe colour combos which I enjoy wearing but for a long time, pairing these two colours together was considered a wardrobe no.
Arket white shirt, Mango cardigan, H&M skirt, DeMellier handbag, Dior earrings, Birkenstock shoes
This is the recreation of an outfit which I love wearing! The first time I wore this, I got so many compliments from strangers while I was out and about. Going for a cosy, casual versatile shoe and pairing it with items that are a little smarter like a crisp oversized shirt and a leather bag is an easy way to feel more put together. Wearing skirts and dresses are not exclusive to the idea of dressing up however, to avoid feeling like you are a little too dressy for a mum group or a run around the shops, opt for a jersey material long skirt. This can be dressed down with a cosy jumper and flats, dressed up with a blazer and heeled boots, or somewhere in between like in the example above. This is something that I wear often but to make it your own, try to play around with colours that you often wear and also play around with layering too.
H&M skirt, APM earrings, COS T-shirt, Dragon fusion bag, The Row shoes, Kate Spade cardigan
Owning a nice cardigan with intricate detailing can go a long way especially on days where you don’t feel like thinking too hard about putting together an outfit. Simply pairing this style of cardigan with a plain t-shirt instantly makes your outfit look more elevated. Owning a stylish large leather or faux leather tote also helps elevate simple outfits. A bag like this is also practical for the days when you need bag space to pack a few extra baby bits with you too.
The Row shoes, Arket white shirt, H&M jeans, Joules gilet, APM earrings, DeMellier handbag
Boot cut or slightly flared jeans are a good item to have in your mum life capsule wardrobe or any wardrobe for that matter. They instantly elevate basic outfits and look sophisticated and put together when paired with any kind or flat shoe or heeled boot. Pair this style jean with an oversized shirt and you will instantly have the blue print to a buildable outfit. I wear a similar outfit often and especially on days where I just don’t want to think too hard about feeling good about what I am wearing.
Shamar Viberg 