When you’re a busy mom, time somehow tends to twist and turn and escape from you before you know it. One minute you’re washing up after breakfast and the next the kids are cranky before bedtime. This is a reality for most moms, but even with all that, you can’t neglect yourself, because it only makes things worse. Not caring about what you look like when you’re out and about with the kids can really have an impact, so here are some tips to help you out:
Why it’s important
It’s not at all about being able to come off as a “supermom” or to look good for Instagram posts – it goes much deeper than that. For starters, you will feel better about yourself when you feel like you have your life together, and giving up on your looks is the first step on a downward spiral. Next, clothing is about more than just looking good – it’s about being practical. If you just throw on the first clothes you find, you might end up with something too tight without the ability to run after the kids, or without pockets to hold all the valuables. And last, but most important, your kids are looking up to you. By taking care of yourself, you’re not sending the message that looks are all that matters, but rather a message that it’s important to take care of your body and your image.
Be practical
You want things that are comfortable and practical, without looking frumpy. The best way to achieve this is through having good staple items that are comfy and that you can mix and match. A pair of good pants that you can freely move in, a plain old T-shirt, and a stretchy blazer on top and you are ready to go. Leave the heels at home and go for something like a pair of comfy NRL Ugg boots that are easy to walk in and practical for colder weather since there’s no lacing. Don’t use a clutch, but rather go for a larger tote bag or backpack that can fit all of the small things you need to have when your kids are around you.
Pick a color palette
It can be a nightmare trying to pair up two shades of blue in the early hours of the morning with no light to figure out if they can go together. But you won’t have that problem if you select a color palette and stick to it so that all of your pieces can go with one another. It will be even easier if you pick something like a grayscale palette because you will have a much wider array of clothing to choose from and you can be certain that things can go together.
Use accessories
It’s so easy to pull an outfit together and make it look good with some staple accessories. The plainest leggings and oversized tunic can be completely transformed with a belt and a statement necklace. So next time you’re not sure how to make an outfit look good without putting yourself into clothing that isn’t remotely comfortable or practical, use accessories. They’re also great for hiding greasy hair because you didn’t have time to wash it, covering up stains with a shawl, and similar situations.
It can be easy to feel like the easiest thing is to give up on fashion, but fashion is your right, no matter what stage of life you’re at, and it will always be the things to lift up your spirits. So forget about hiding a postpartum body under pajamas and sweaters, forget about always putting the kids first and treat getting ready in the morning like a basic part of self-care that it is.
