Closet Then- Closet Now
Probably one of the most humbling things about having a baby isn’t just the new/nonexsisting sleep routine, figuring out why the kid is crying, diapers, etc. None of that for me. Maybe because it’s the third kid and something about having teenagers just seems harder than a baby? For me one of the hardest and most humbling things is trying to lose the damn baby weight.
Yes, I know there’s nothing wrong with getting not back to my pre-baby body. Yes, I know that others see me as just as pretty. But for ME I want to fit back into my damn clothes!! I managed to cultivate a really cool closet over the years and I have kept clothes even from my college days because I worked in various boutiques and even had a fashion column for a long time so I’ve got some really cool things.
Ok so I wasn’t exactly on Carrie Bradshaw’s level, but it has certainly felt close.
There are some items that I can sort of* fit back into, although it’s more than a little humbling- especially when I wore them in previous photo shoots. Let’s see how it fares for me now….
First up is this cute Karlie dress, I got it at Rumor a few years back. The original shot is by Freddie Dixon from 2019. The boots were a little too small when I got them and they’re for sure too small now- I’ll likely sell them having only worn them once 🙁 Oh well. But the dress itself fit me better than I expected, so I’m glad to know I’ve got something I can wear for cocktail events.
This dress definitely is too small for me at the moment… I know because I couldn’t even zip it up all the way. But if push comes to shove I could just fold in the back of the dress! The photo on the right is from one of the last shoots I did with Neal Carpenter in 2020.
Ok so this is one of my favorite Buddy Love dresses. I love this line for a few reasons: the dresses are flattering for any body type, and their founder is someone who isn’t rail stick thin herself.
I chose the model shot on the right because at this angle I don’t look particularly skinny myself, in fact I think I could be mistaken for being pregnant here. The shot on the left I look way thinner than I actually am, I guess I managed the strike the pose just the right way. I was also being lazy and didn’t wear any shoes. Funny thing also is… I tried on this dress a week or so ago and I swear it felt tighter in the waist than it did now but I also weigh more. That could be because I’ve been really pushing my weight lifting in the gym, thus adding weight.
I was feeling lazy by the time I got to this last dress- plus baby had woken up from his nap and was starting to fuss. But a genuine victory here: I got the zipper the whole way up! That didn’t happen the last time I tried this dress on. Yay! I can still tell I’m heavier in this latest photo than in the last, but this photo is also a few years old. Actually… several years old? It’s from 2017… taken by Maryann Bates in the Capricorn building. Which means I’m likely about 20 pounds lighter in that photo, but probably not in as good of shape because I wasn’t exercising as much.
All this to say… trying on clothes after having a baby can be both daunting and rewarding. It doesn’t seem to affect my every day looks so much as it does my more formal attire, I suppose because I don’t wear it as often and so I’m never quite sure how it’ll fit. Plus jeans, a t shirt, and a blazer are a hell of a lot more forgiving for fit.
The other thing is, for me, I WANT to lose the weight and get my muscle tone back. I want to be healthier and in better shape and fit back into my old clothes. Both for my health and my vanity. Perhaps I can use the Christmas break to get back on track- haha.
Do you have any tips that might help me in this journey?
