Let me start by saying: I have always loved fashion. I hoarded stacks of fashion magazines as a teenager, dressed mannequins in cool AF outfits as a retail merchandiser, and drew my own designs for fun. But did I ever think that I would work in fashion? No. Did I ever think that I could wear the cool outfits that girls in magazines and my mannequins wore in normal, everyday life? No.
I admired ‘fashion girls’ from afar for a long time, but stuck to my affordable jeans and lululemon leggings because they were easy. Where was I going that I could even wear a cool outfit? Getting dressed in the morning was easy because I could just put on the same boring outfit that I was used to wearing day in and day out, but it didn’t feel good. I wasn’t inspired by my outfits and I certainly wasn’t satisfying my craving for creativity.
And then I was pregnant.
Don’t get me wrong, I feel that I wore a number of cute outfits with Mara in my belly. I was lucky to work with cool brands that understood maternity dressing, but I spent most of my pregnancy in cheap summer dresses and workout shorts because I was uncomfortable and hot most of the time. This lack of creative style completely drained me.
After Mara arrived and I spent a few weeks struggling to even stand up, I was hit with many emotions. I was unhappy with my body and desperate to fit into my clothes again. I tried my pre-pregnancy jeans on at least once a day for weeks but never could get them close to buttoning up. I wanted to feel like myself again and it seemed that the best way to do that was to express myself through fashion.
Motherhood somehow sparked this mental shift in me that I could be that fashion girl. I could stop dreaming about cool outfits and actually wear them, even if I was only going to pick up groceries or hang out at home with a baby all day. I had the knowledge and the creativity, I just needed to stop holding myself back with the idea that fashion was only for people that worked outside the home or in a big city.
Fashion is art that you get to create each and every day. It says a lot about who you are before you even open your mouth and it allows you to explore different parts of yourself. To me, there is no better way to express yourself or try on a different persona.
Once I got over the idea of needing a reason to wear cool outfits, things changed. I embraced the creativity, I committed to buying pieces that I could build those outfits from, and I started to feel happier about myself and my new mom bod. Inspiration is a magical thing.
Now I will say, I’m writing this post on the couch in a pair of lululemon joggers and a comfy, Everlane half-zip sweatshirt. Is it my most inspired and badass look? No. Sometimes I choose pure comfort over style, but I’ve discovered that there can be balance even in fashion. I can choose to be a fashion girl, but also sometimes an athleisure-loving creature of comfort.
I started giving a sh*t about fashion because I discovered the impact that it has on my mental well-being. Look good, feel good is a real thing, and drawing inspiration from Pinterest, Instagram, T.V. shows and people on the street gives me a surge of energy that is hard to explain.
If you feel drained from the effects of the last few years, you don’t feel comfortable with your body, or you just need to feel that surge of energy, investing in your closet and your understanding of how to build cool outfits can be extremely powerful.
And if you need a little help, I’m here for you 🙂 You can view my Personal Styling services and book here!
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