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By Style Coach Rachel Tansell-Paues

Living in the Corporate world has us on an auto pilot when it comes to fashion. When in doubt, wear a suit and a sexy heel. But when it comes to transitioning into the world of “Mum” we often get ourselves into a style rut and head straight for the big baggies or lycra clad gym gear.

While being a mum allows you the freedom to dress as you please, often tiredness, BMS (Busy Mum Syndrome) and not knowing your Style Personality can cause confusion about your body, what is now considered appropriate Mum attire followed by a whole lot of wardrobe loathing.

Here are 5 tips for transitioning from Business to Bubs.

adelady; mum; fashion, business to bubs

1. COMFORT

Comfort is key but this doesn’t mean sneakers and baggy t-shirts. Look for pants with supportive waists, jackets with structure, shoes you can walk in and t-shirts that hold shape. Baggy pants, baggy tops and slouchy jumpers are only going to make you look bigger than you really are and will leave you feeling a bit blargh. Lycra does the same but makes you feel like everything is where it should be! Gym gear can enhance the bulges and have you feeling defeated by your baby weight (absolutely true when you are lactating like an elephant and laying on the couch in a comatose state due to hourly feeds).

2. SUPPORT

I mentioned this above. Good support in a pant will make you look slimmer and feel like your tummy muscles haven’t been stretched like a rubber band. Most importantly should follow this same style tip to your underwear (more on this later).   For most of us we don’t get back to our pre-baby weight for at least 12-18 months (of course this depends on your lifestyle). If you don’t have a good foundation then the rest of the building is going to collapse. You can’t expect the outside to look good if underneath you are falling apart!

adelady; mum; fashion, business to bubs

3. PRACTICALITY

Your wardrobe obviously needs to be practical. You will be changing nappy explosions, feeding, running around to bubs schedule, juggling endless loads of washing, sitting on the floor playing, tidying up, swaying back and forth in one spot for hours on end, removing vomit from everyone and everything followed by a bit more feeding and changing. All in a days work hey ladies! Practicality starts with shoes. Flat shoes or small heeled are best and will have your feet (and back) thanking you at the end of a busy day. Go for an easy slip-on option like a ballet flat in black or silver to make them an easy choice both for fashion and when you want to kick them off and flick them back on. For cooler months, a natural or tan ankle boot will be your best friend for versatility and style.

4. WASH AND WEAR

Look for fabrics that will maintain their shape and won’t require dry cleaning or time consuming hand washing. Go for heavy stretch fabrics like a Ponte (you can get jackets and pants in this fabric), jumpers and cardigans with viscose/nylon combos, jeans with a small amount of elastane will help combat wrinkles and will mould to your body and of course, don’t be turned off by Polyester. It isn’t what it used to be and is perfect particularly in pants. Natural fabrics are beautiful but will wrinkle, stain and requires delicate washing instructions. TIP: Take a corner of the clothing item and scrunch it to see what happens. Does it wrinkle or fall out, leave a minor crease or need immediate ironing?

adelady; mum; fashion, business to bubs

5. SEX APPEAL

Just because you’re holding a baby doesn’t mean the sexiness needs to go. While those to-die-for pointy toe heels and dental floss knickers may take a break, you can still feel good about yourself and add a little ohlala in some very simple ways. Again, I am going to stress how important beautiful supportive underwear is. Personally, I don’t think we spend enough money on really good underwear and yes your body is changing and it will be for a while, but there is no reason why you can’t go for a lace insert panty or a matching bra set from Target or Kmart until you are ready to splurge on something a little more risqué. Seriously there are some great options out there and putting on nice underwear can make a world of difference psychologically and physically.   Another tip is to show a bit of skin. Calm down…a v-neck top to show a hint of cleavage is fine, rolling your pants to expose your ankles or simply scrunch up your sleeves to show your wrists. What’s sexier than a peep show by your wrists, décolletage or ankles?

Looking and feeling good doesn’t have to disappear when you’re a mum. Sometimes we are so busy (BMS) we forget about ourselves or think that our appearance is no longer as important. Always remember balance. If you don’t take time to look after yourself and massage your confidence, then what is your children potentially learning?

If you are in a style rut or not sure how to go from corporate to casual call me to arrange a personalised FREE 30 minute “How To Wear It” style session at the Adelaide Central Plaza Style Lounge. If getting out the house is way to hard then check out my Wardrobe Makeover sessions HERE.

Rachel xx

Hayley Pearson

Hayley Pearson

Co-Creator and Writer for Adelady, she still gets goosebumps that she’s combined her creative passion with sharing the best of her stunning home state.

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