Waisting away

Moving on from my ongoing conversations with myself regarding parenting philosophies, facts and self efficacy, something a little more practical has cropped up lately: clothing. Well, how to not end up looking like a sack of potatoes. Marilyn Monroe can wear a sack o spuds, but not me.

As I've said previously, I'm no style guru. I can't dress myself very well, even on a day when I think I haven't done too badly, it's still only marginally better than scruffy. But pre-Abigail I knew roughly what suited me and I stuck with it. Post-Abigail, and Thomas too, I'm lost at sea. I'm just about getting there now, returning to my post-baby (extra tum/hip/boob amendments) clothes of looseish trousers and stretchy-ish tops so that my waist is visible again. I may be no Marilyn, but my figure does go in and out and if I don't highlight the going-in bit, it all goes a bit tubby bear.

There's one thing I realised lately though, if the elastic goes on my vests/tshirts the waist is gone - everything's a bit baggy and the tubby bear happens. So I'd be happy when I put on a top straight from the wash when it fits, only to find it all loose and flappy around the waist again. Not to mention that I'm between sizes at the moment, particularly the bottom half (was 12, now wear a 14, but really size 13...) so once the baggyish jeans/linen Mumsy trousers stretch a bit after wearing I'm set with baggy waisted tops, giving the tent look, and shabby, falling down trousers. Dahhh! I suspect the trousers will be improved when I lose some weight and wear size 12's (eventually, slow progress in not-really-doing-anything-about-it land).

Why is the elastic going in my tops? Well....it's because of lifting them up frequently during the day to feed Thomas. I don't do over the top feeding (that'd just misfigure my clothes another way and I just prefer the discretion of how I do it). Maybe I should try some breastfeeding clothes? If I wear a shirt then unbuttoning it is less discrete in public? Or just make sure I have extra extra lycra tops that can handle the requirements of nursing. Any recommendations? Any blogs/websites to teach me how to dress (I'd like more support than wearing a nursing vest on its own, which I do at night). Can anyone be my personal shopper and just sort this sorry excuse of a Mother out? (No tent dresses, please).

Tata