When you have kids, particularly young ones, getting dressed often feels like a moot point. Murphy’s Law ensures you will get spilled or puked on and likely be used as a tissue or napkin multiple times during the day. Sometimes we offer ourselves as the tissue, and other times we are caught unawares. Not to mention the changes our bodies have gone through can make getting dressed super depressing…
Your body doesn’t look like mine, but we both find faults in what we see in the mirror or what we are squeezing and stuffing into our clothes. It’s human nature to be our worst critics. Especially when there is change we can drastically see. Personally, I could list many things I don’t love…. My upper arms, my stubby and chunky hands, my slight but apparent double chin, my giant child birthing hips and thighs, my incredibly large bust, my flappy and striped belly…..
There are also things I LOVE! My waist, my eyes, my forearms and calves, my dainty feet and my lips. But most of those parts are not hard to dress or problem solve for… So how do you style in a flattering way, that is also appropriate for the tasks and venues you will be in? Here are the top two problems I run into with my wardrobe and parenting…
1- Cleavage
My young kids when they nursed would shove their hands down my shirt any time they wanted
to nurse… This exposes my girls and shows off my bra in most cases… ESPECIALLY if I am wearing a V neck or scoop neck top… Let’s not forget nursing in general or bending over to pick up your kids, play with them or pick up the toys or food they have left lying around or thrown with NFL quarterback distance from their high chair. I don’t know about you, but I hate showing my cleavage. It's a lot harder for me to hide mine… My cleavage is really high. Like above my collarbone high… traditional tanks tops just don’t cut it. Not to mention, as my breasts have deflated over the years of nursing, they don’t really stay in their assigned seat when I bend over.. They like to freely walk about the cabin…
2- Muffin Top My jeans won’t button or I look like a popped can of biscuits spilling out the top of my jeans… Now I also struggle with being really short… So when I buy pants that fit my hips- they are like 2
feet too long. Tailors in my area are not affordable… SO what the heck can I do? Well leggings and sweats are certainly an option or a dress… However not always appropriate for public encounters or sprinting after rogue children who find it thrilling to galavant away at cheetah speeds towards a busy street or grocery store. Have you even tried to sprint in a maxi dress or stand up quickly when sitting on the ground? It’s like being stuck inside an unbreakable bubble for a good 7 seconds… With a cheetah child sprinting- that can be 7 seconds to death or destruction. Sound familiar? All that running and my batwings are lifting my feet off the ground like a baby bird learning to fly. Oh, just me? Well fear not! If you struggle with the same or similar issues- I have some solutions for you!
Muffin Top Solution! Did you know they make maternity pants without that big belly of fabric? They make them with elastic sides.. They fit, look and style like regular jeans but the waist has stretchy sides!
The comfiest pants ever! AND they make them in short or petite for those of us who are vertically challenged. You can also find a great jumper… I always size up what I normally would wear so it doesn’t…. “HUG” my curves… Hug sounds too nice… tighter tops or jumpers squish my stuffing like playdoh through a chia pet head. Not attractive! But when I size up, I can breathe and even hide some of my less flattering features. Being short can present problems with sizing up- but my newest favorite fixes are cut them leaving a raw edge OR cut up the outer seam and tie the two pieces together making an adorable knotted look that hits my ankle in a flattering way!
Cleavage and Wings Solution!
My favorite solution is Halftee. Not joking. My life has DRASTICALLY changed at the invention of Halftee. I WISH Halftee were around in JR High when my image plummeted.... I would have had LESS cleavage to worry about and less rumors. I'm sure there would have been more to create. This was just the easiest....Traditional tank tops/camisoles never kept their promises of coverage
and protection… 2-3 hours into wearing them- they were lower than my neckline which left me exposed and embarrassed with constant tugging and tucking. I NEVER go a day without Halftee. Even if I am wearing a high neck t-shirt… Remember how my girls like to wander the cabin? If I wear a Halftee, it acts as a child proof seat belt. No matter how often I bend or how many baby hands get shoved down my shirt, my Halftee keeps my sisters seated, it stays up in place to provide coverage when needed and I never have to adjust or pull. I don’t spend 75% of my day tugging or checking my cleavage. Not to mention the different sleeve lengths slim my arms making it impossible to take flight when darting after cheetah children. I also love the ability to add flare to my outfit and make myself feel pretty, protected and secure with confidence… Halftee makes my wardrobe LIFE PROOF.
For some, like myself, my pre baby body is a thing of the distant past! Sure I’ve tried to get my body back, but it will never be the same. It can be really hard, and frankly, gut wrenching to dress ourselves in more than sweats and leggings. But mamas, wear your new body as a medal of honor. You grew a tiny human (or many tiny humans) within your body. You were stretched and distorted from the inside out. An alien of sorts invaded your body and you played host.
All joking aside, YOU grew and cared for a miracle. Scientifically- we are amazing for creating life, growing it, birthing it and rearing it. Your body went through its own war zone. YOUR BODY IS AMAZING! When you feel down about it- remember the battle you endured and won. You deserve to be proud of your new curves and tiger stripes. YOU EARNED those stripes. There can be times it's difficult to see the win. In fact, most of us are scoffing in disbelief or mockery at what I just wrote… Some days I would laugh at what I wrote.
But isn’t that what makes us beautiful? Our differences as well as our common ground? In a world where I am made to feel self-conscious about the changes motherhood made, I can find peace, comfort and one less thing to stress about. Get yourself a good pair of stretchy waisted jeans or a cute jumper and a Halftee… or 20. You won’t regret it! Why? Because, Mama, YOU are worth it!
Get your own Halftee at 20% off with code: Take20 https://www.halftee.com/?ref=bvgzal6rgae
