When I had my first daughter and began the arduous task of losing my “baby weight”, I had a very limited wardrobe to fit my post-birth body.  I was limited to either my maternity clothes or expando-waist sweatpants material pants and skirts (they had to be black, spit-up shows up less on black).  My thought was why bother with anything nice that will be ruined, and I can’t rationalize spending money on clothes that will be temporary until I lose weight and get back into my pre-pregnancy shape.  There, that should be the carrot to lose the weight and get to the gym, right?  The trouble with my thinking was that as I dressed in loose-fitting, dark, stained clothes I felt worse and worse about my appearance and it was a downward spiral of feeling badly about the way I looked and hopeless about ever looking good again.  When you criticize yourself with negative self-talk, you send yourself powerful subconscious messages and your self-image reflects those messages, whether they have an iota of truth to them or not.  This is why when you look great and you catch yourself in the mirror and send yourself positive self-talk you feel confident and radiant.  Though it is an inside-out principal, I have found that dressing well and feeling polished and put together has the affect of internalizing feeling great about how I look and in turn exuding confidence and feeling powerful and sexy.  I think we all have a post-partum moment where we think “it is time to reclaim to looking like a woman”.  Here are some tips to doing this:

1. Stop thinking “what’s the point of wearing stylish and cute clothes only to go to the park/be with the kids”.  Note I said “stylish and cute” not “expensive”.  Being a Stay-at-Home mom, part-time working mom, or mom in general is no reason not to look polished and put together.  Clear-out your closet of stained and faded, pilled, stretched-out and otherwise ragged looking clothes.  You know who they are.  Be honest with yourself and look at your wardrobe with a keen and unforgiving eye.  Fill it with only well-fitting, well-laundered flattering clothes.
2. Get out of the mommy jeans.  If your closet contains jeans which answer to the following:  light wash, faded, high cut, stovepipe jeans then give them their walking papers.  Though they don’t mind if your child covers them with dust at the playground, and true they are no contest for red play dough – they must go.  They scream “I have no style”.  Their replacement is a dark wash, lower-cut (1” under your bellybutton) pair that flatter your figure.  Boot-cut or straight-leg are usually a good bet.  Try on as many as it takes until you find a pair that will be great for date night dressed-up with heels and a great top.  

My picks:

For everyday running around try Lucky Jeans – trouser type is of the moment

  

For the sexy jeans try Seven for All Mankind

 

1. Accessorize.  Nothing steps up a casual outfit like great jewelry.  A Multi-colored stone necklace in colors that flatter your natural coloring, layered chains, and a great pendant will accent what you are wearing and give you instant style.

My picks:

         

www.stella-dot.com

 

Don’t forget a scarf can add flair and color around your face.

Must have a great bag – one for the park and one for adult-time.  Handbags say a lot about your personality.  Are you sophisticated?  Sassy?  Fun-loving?  Get the highest quality you can afford in a neutral black, chocolate brown or metallic. 

My picks:

For the park:

 

For adult-time:

 

 

I also recommend a smaller clutch for date-night, cocktails and parties:

Beijobags.com

1. Park-wear.  Feeling good and looking good is an old cliché, but not without merit.  Looking good running errands, helping your child across the monkey bars and getting foot-prints on your pants, getting food on your clothes wears on fine clothes, so this is not what I am suggesting.  What I do recommend is good quality denim and cotton, stylish warm-ups that will withstand whatever your kids throw, literally.  I find clothes that you can  move in and are durable are the casual athletic-wear.  These are also especially good if you are losing weight as most have elastic or drawstring waists and will still be great when you have met weight goals.

My picks:

      

www.athleta.com

1. Shoes.  Flats or a kitten heel are great with capris, metallics, and a pop of color will step-up your outfit. 

      

  

www.target.com

Running shoes need not apply.  For a great alternative, check the many athletic casual shoes for running around in your park-wear. 

    

www.zappos.com