I was lucky in that when I was pregnant, I mostly gained weight in my boobs, belly and ankles. Nowhere else. But when I had the baby, the places where I gained weight became, well, saggy. (How do you have saggy ankles? I don’t really know, but it’s true. I feel like they’re saggy.)
Anyway.
So I’ve been struggled to fit this new body type – you know, a “mommy body.” Now, please don’t get mad and say that not everyone has a “mommy body” and if you work out the fat will melt away and you’ll look better than ever because that’s just bull. Straight up bull.
You CAN look better than ever, but it will take a hell of a lot of work to get there and quite frankly, I love me some Oreos. So there.
I think I’ve gotten a little bit better at picking the clothes to suit my new body. So I’ll share with you and you share your tips. See how this works? Okay, let’s begin….
There's nothing wrong with this sweater...except for the fact that it's butt ugly and they have the nerve to charge $40 for it.
So we cling to the last little bit of our young, hot, sexy days and try to fit clothes that simply weren’t made for us. But it IS possible to find cute clothes outside the juniors department. So go to your closet, take out all the clothes with odd sizes (dead giveaway for juniors clothes) and pack them in a box to give your young, childess cousin in high school, mkay?
2. Go up a size. Let me tell you a little secret. Come here, come close…no one knows what size you wear unless you tell them. Got it? So if you grab a size 6 off the rack and they don’t fit, guess what? Try on an 8! Why it took me so long to do this, I don’t know. But when you wear ill-fitting clothes, it doesn’t make you look better. This isn’t sexy:
3. Wrap it up. Can I tell you how much I ADORE clothing items that wrap around you? It’s the same principle as wearing a belt over your clothes, but BONUS – you don’t have to find a belt that goes with everything. It’s already built in! A dress like this….
…is goregous and see how it makes her waist look smaller in porportion to everything else? That’s the look I’m going for. Plus, in that print, it’s easy to hide a “I’d rather sleep than exercise” belly.
ha, I know.. this body stuff is hard! How will I leave the Junior department?? IT’s cheaper too! 😉
ditto Samantha
lol You crack me up! I just can’t leave the junior department yet though. Thankfully, the style right now has some looser and longer fitting shirts, so I’ll have to stick with those since I’m SO freakin’ small. Well, I won’t be much longer, finding maternity for my size is a whole ‘nother issue!
But still. I can even fit into girl’s clothes, and I just go by the same principle of getting looser fitting shirts.
But if you ARE going to move out the juniors, I think Target has some super cute things that aren’t expensive
OR Kohl’s.
well, i havent been fortunate enough to linger in the junior department because of my height. but at this point, anything big, tent-like or parachute-ish works for me…from wherever is fine.
Lately I have been loving skirts! I was always such a jeans and t-shirt girl but skirts are so flattering for my pooch, especially when paired with a wide belt and a cute top –so comfortable too! I just got a cute one from Dillards and I am eyeing some that Banana Republic and Gap have put out this season but my secret — and don’t tell anyone — is to shop at outlets/factory stores. They are the best ever!
Those are so good rules you got going on there! That junior’s is definitely hard to resist… until I’ve tried on about the 5th pair of low waist jeans because I can’t find a pair that are mid waist and more pooch friendly. Grrr. And don’t even get me started on the skinny jeans, it took me forever to find the pair that were right for me…
I totally agree with you that we should be shopping for the body that we have now instead of the one we use to have.
Yes yes! I love the Sweethearts too. I bought some that are now too big for me =(… but I still wear them with a belt =), which could also go on the list of things NOT to do, so like you, I need to be paying Old Navy a visit at some point.
And yep… found me some skinny jeans. I have some from Old Navy, but again, they are the Diva and that heffa is not my friend! I finally found a pair that fit well at a spot near campus… its a love/hate relationship with them.
Ok those shoes are very nice? Who makes those? I need to stop looking @ those types of shoes cuz my feet starts to even swell with flats on (oh the lovely signs of pregnancy) I must say I stay in the juniors department. Skinny jeans are my signature were and even now being 7 months pregnant I wear them…I have to tie a string to keep them up though becuz my belly is huge!! I refuse to let go my pre mommy-hood cloths!!
Stores I still go to, is rainbows, charlotte russe, wetseal.com and forever 21 to name a few. Trust me, its like junior clothing but it will fit those curves!
@ Samantha – Oh, Samantha. Just give it a try. I know the Juniors department is calling you, but just ignore it! LOL. And I know it’s cheaper but we just have to try harder to find bargains. I don’t really know what you look like (probably cute as a button) but juniors clothing only fits a slim majority of people the right way.
@ Erica – Don’t co-sign the love of the juniors department. I swear it’s like crack to you guys! Just let it go, little by little and you’ll be okay. LOL. It’s too hard to go cold turkey…
@ Leah – I used to be just like you. I used to shop at Limited Too and just buy the x-large girls shirts because I fit them better than small women’s clothes. But then I met my husband, he wined and dined me, I gained weight, then I had the kids and well, I’m out of there for good now. Target has a decent clothes section that I adore. And if you wait a little while, you can get a great deal on that back rack that’s about 30-50% off…
@ Mrs. W – Yeah, well, you’ve got a lot going on right now. I feel so blessed for you to be visiting me! I know when my kids came home I was dead to the world any chance I got. I needed my sleep! I can only imagine how it must be with three kids. But you’re a supermom you can handle it!
@ Ashley – YES! That should’ve been one of the “rules.” Skirts and dresses are SO much more forgiving than jeans or other pants. I lean toward dresses because that’s one less thing I have to worry about matching…
@ Ms. Bar B – The only jeans I’ve been able to find that fit properly that have a higher rise (but not mom jeans) are the Sweetheart jeans from Old Navy. I was so shocked that they fit perfectly – I should have bought more than one pair…
And you bought skinny jeans!!!?!? So jealous. Still haven’t found a pair that I like, and I’m not sure if I want to. They’re like capri pants for me. Capris look cute on other people, but it makes me look ridiculous.
@ Cassandra – I know it’s hard to let go of the pre-mommy clothes and if you’re one of the fortunate ones whose body still looks the same after baby, then go right ahead and hold on to them!
For me, I weigh less than I did before I got pregnant, but my body has shifted in a way. My arms are fitter, my thighs are a bit slimmer, but my boobs are bigger so my pre-baby shirts don’t fit quite right.
Just because you move out of the juniors department, it doesn’t mean you can’t still look fly! That was the hardest lesson for me to learn. When you stay in the juniors department or stores that cater to that demographic, the clothes usually aren’t that well made. Don’t hold up well to the tugging and pulling of little ones. LOL. I’m trying to get more quality pieces, that I can wear year after year so I don’t have to go buy a new wardrobe every third season. LOL.