Dressing My Postpartum Body

Last week was a bust for blogging. I got sick the weekend we went camping and slept a whopping 1.5 hrs in the tent, so last week was all about recovery via plenty of sleep and no running. Now let's get on to today's topic.

Being over a year postpartum, I didn't expect that I'd be wanting to dress much differently than I did before getting pregnant. But here I am, wanting something different.

There are a few things that contribute to wanting to dress differently. While I might weigh what I did before, I have extra skin hanging out in my tummy area (looking down during planks is humbling), my boobs are still bigger thanks to breastfeeding and I just don't want to have to fuss with clothes that are fitted and need constant adjusting. 

So, what have I noticed? 

I want longer shorts. I still own a few pair of 3" inseam shorts that fit fine, but just make me feel less than confident. Others might like showing off their inner thighs, but I'm not usually game unless I'm wearing running shorts. Trouble is, it seems that this season all denim shorts are around the 3" length so I've had a hard time finding a pair. I just ordered these and like them so far. They are a little loose in the legs, but not too loose and look better in person than in the photos.

My fitted V-necks seem too fitted now. And yet, the next size up shows too much cleavage. This is mainly thanks to my chest, which I know will eventually shrink back to its normal size, but that may be another six months. Who knows. 

I want more cute, casual shirts. Maybe some more fun colors and prints, but of the t-shirt variety. Working in the office world for nearly nine years, I was always searching for business casual, dressy(ish) tops and now I pretty much need just the opposite. Plus, it's quite common for my shirts to be used as a rag after meals (thanks, little man), so wearing nice things or the color white doesn't make a lot of sense. 

One piece swimsuits. I wasn't really a fan of them before other than for lap swimming, but now I'm slowly coming around and bought a cute, but simple one last week. While I like the way two pieces look, the thought of chasing a toddler around a pool or beach while making sure things aren't falling out of your suit doesn't sound very appealing. And that extra skin around my tummy area - just another thing to worry about. 

*Just a note that I was replacing a JCrew suit I bought at least 7 years ago that was finally wearing thin in the rear. A nice suit will last a while!

Slip on shoes are the best. Granted, it's summer so they make more sense, but my Birkenstocks have gotten so much love this spring and summer. Time is of the essence and again, toddler wrangling to go anywhere isn't the easiest. 

Seeking higher waisted jeans. I have a pair of Hudsons that I love that hit me mid-waist. But I bought them a size too big and constantly have to pull them up. While they worked great for the majority of my pregnancy, they are a bit too big now. I want another pair of soft, flattering denim that covers my hip and love handle area. Suggestions? 

I want to wear stretchy, pull over summer dresses. This is all about comfort, but unfortunately doesn't make a lot of sense for breastfeeding mamas unless the neckline is SUPER stretchy. 

I also struggle between wanting to look put together and feel comfy and then reminding myself that some days,  the only people who see me are Henry and a few people at the grocery store or on the hiking trail. 

What about you? What are you wanting to wear this summer or looking for as we get close to fall? Anyone else notice you are dressing (or dressed) your postpartum body much differently?