Glam Slam: What To Wear After Baby

Can you believe this photo of Beyonce was taken one month after she gave birth to Blue Ivy? ONE MONTH?!

I had no idea it would take so long to lose the baby weight, but they say nine months up… nine months down (although it took me 10 months to lose it all). It can get especially frustrating when you see celebs bouncing right back…but don’t forget — they have personal trainers and chefs and diet programs to whip them back into shape pronto. Who needs that kind of pressure!?

I ran into a friend of mine, who is a new mom, while shopping recently and she asked me what she should be wearing now that she’s had her baby. She was dressed in a long black sweater by Kain, (which I wanted to steal right off of her!) black leggings and she added a chic touch with Karen Walker sunglasses. (I’m a big fan of KW sunnies, which I also wanted to steal from her!)

I thought she looked great and told her so, but as owner of her own company, she revealed that she did not feel very polished wearing the leggings. I’ll be the first to admit, it’s hard finding clothes while you’re pregnant and can be just as hard after baby comes…which is often called the “Fourth Trimester.”

Here are a few ideas of what worked for me after I had my first child and will stick to after my second child is born, which is any minute now.

DON’T DITCH THE MATERNITY CLOTHES…YET:
Be realistic. You may need to wear your maternity clothes for a while after giving birth. Don’t be hard on yourself about it though. Clothes that aren’t too confining will feel more comfortable as you start to bounce back from your pregnant self. Don’t be in such a rush to fit back into your “Skinny” jeans, give yourself a break and just enjoy this time being a new mom.

JACKETS:
Jackets are a life saver. They help camouflage a less than flat belly and longer ones also help cover your rear, which may be an area of concern for you. Not only that, but a nice, smart looking blazer will up the style quotient big time and help you look and feel more put-together. Even with leggings!

SCARVES:
I didn’t wear too many scarves during the majority of pregnancy because they made me look bulkier. But after baby, they are a godsend. They help cover up and conceal the stomach area and also dress up an outfit easily and affordably.

BOLD JEWELRY:
I love to use jewelry to help a plain outfit look more polished. It’s so easy to throw on a few bangles bracelets and a beautiful necklace. It looks like you made an effort! When wearing a necklace, go for a shorter one, which will help draw the eye up and away from so-called post-pregnancy problem areas like the stomach.

GO FOR FLATTERING SHAPES:
As tempted as you might be to wear something baggy, don’t! Something that skims your body is always more flattering, even if you aren’t in perfect shape. Show off the area you are most comfortable with…say your toned arms (lifting babies is a good workout!) or show off your enhanced cleavage and enjoy it while you can!

— Ryan Patterson