5 Ways My Style Has Changed as a New Mom

Before my daughter was born, people loved telling me about the many ways my life would change upon her arrival. You know: how little sleep I'd get, how little time I'd have to myself, how hard it would be to get out and socialize, how difficult it would be to travel—the list goes on. And to be honest, these hyperbolic warnings began to feel rather grating.

The information I actually could have used (and would have appreciated)? All the weird, important stuff no one bothers to tell you, like the things your body goes through after you give birth, or that, hey, your personal style will soon be subjected to a whole host of compromises and adjustments. At least that's how it was in my case as a work-from-home mom.

Now, the style changes are nothing terrible (here's to being comfortable!), but a heads-up would have been nice. It would have given me the time to better prep a postpartum capsule wardrobe to get me through the first year of motherhood… the kind of thing I'm going to walk you through today. Whether you're a mom-to-be or considering taking that leap, here are some things you may want to keep in mind.

1. Easy-Care Fabrics

Honestly, I never used to pay much attention to the care labels on clothing. It's always just been an afterthought when it came to laundry time. If it needed to be dry-cleaned, I'd drop it off, and I'd take care to follow instructions as needed for the rest when I did my weekly laundry. Ah, the good ol' days when it really was like a couple loads and done. Nowadays, laundry is an every-other-day—if not daily—affair, and I'm not talking about just baby clothes.

I've been spit on, peed on, pooped on (the stories!), thrown up on, and basically used as a human tissue. I wouldn't trade this magical experience with this sweet little babe for anything, but, man, the laundry struggle is real. I learned quickly that my closet needed an overhaul in the form of easy-care fabrics. I wasn't going to be precious with clothing, dry-cleaning it regularly or handwashing delicate pieces—I don't have the time.

Enter: this LG washer and dryer. I need to be able to quickly throw things in and then go on with my day, and this duo was a game changer. After doing a deep dive online for a reliable washer-and-dryer set, I was happy to find that thanks to LG features like mega capacity and TurboWash, I can do even more laundry in half the time.

As for the dryer, it has an easy-load door that makes transferring laundry a cinch. Plus, it boasts great steam settings: one that keeps clothes wrinkle-free, and another that allows you to sanitize things like baby toys. It may seem like a small victory, but getting laundry done efficiently (read: quickly) gives me a boost of confidence in knowing I have one less thing to worry about.

2. Comfortable Outfits 24/7

When it comes to everyday outfits, I have to admit that it wasn't too hard for me to get into prioritizing comfort. I've always been more of a homebody, and my regular wardrobe consists of basic tees, cardigans, and lots of leggings. The hardest part of this transition was having to keep that comfort level going when I need to leave the house.

I was so used to being able to dress up a bit more when I felt like it, but with a baby in tow, it's not always convenient, especially when breastfeeding (I'll get to that later.) Another hard thing? Giving up wearing denim at home—especially my favorite non-stretchy high-rise jeans. It's just not comfortable sitting on the floor with the baby with a waistband digging into my stomach.

The positive that came from this wardrobe update: I don't have to think so much about what I'm going to wear now. (I'll admit I used to dedicate serious time in the morning to finding the right outfit.) Another thing on my side here is that athleisure is trending, which gives me lots of stylish options and allows me to feel stylish in my new-mom uniform.

This also applies to all the cool comfy shoes out now. It's totally on trend to live in flat mules and sneakers. When I want something a bit more put together, I usually opt for a cool button-down with leggings as well as stylish ballet flats or loafers.

3. Pared-Down Everyday Jewelry

When it came to my jewelry collection, it was almost immediately apparent that my standout pieces would need to go into hibernation for the time being. Anything flashy or dangly would get grabbed in two seconds flat. And let me tell you, it's never fun getting drool all over your favorite drop earrings or necklaces, or worse, getting them completely ripped off.

This meant keeping everything I wore simple and close to the skin. My go-to earrings are now classic hoops that go with everything. I pretty much avoid necklaces unless they lay flat and stay choker-like in length. Bracelets? Forget about it. Rings are now just my engagement and wedding rings. With the amount of times I had to wash my hands and apply lotion after diaper changes, it became such a pain to keep them clean.

For the most part, I'm cool with these changes since I stick to minimalist pieces anyway. I am, however, experiencing major FOMO over not being able to wear all the cool statement earrings and hoops I've been spotting on all my favorite bloggers and street style stars. Here's to hoping some of those chic resin beauties are still trending in the future.

4. Easy-Access Clothing

Breastfeeding is no joke, especially when it comes to your style. It necessitates being able to quickly and comfortably access your chest on demand (and often in public). To help the process along, I stick to tops and sweaters with flowy fits that can be easily lifted as well as button-downs. When it comes to underwear, it's all about nursing bras in crossover or drop-cup styles.

At home, you can often just hang out in your nursing bra if need be, which makes things really easy. It doesn't, however, lend to a particularly put-together look, but hey, you gotta do what you gotta do. When I head out to run errands or meet up with friends or family, the same rings true. Thankfully are so many stylish top options that are oversize, wrap-style, or button-front.

5. Bye-Bye, Mini Bags

One thing that pained me the most when it came to my new-mom style was having to say goodbye to my beloved mini bucket purse; it just looked incredibly silly carrying it alongside a diaper bag. There's not even enough room for a diaper and wipes for when you go on those quick errand runs and don't want to bring the diaper bag along.

The good news is that I don't have to sacrifice style in order to tote those baby essentials around. Instead, I've been reaching for larger bucket bags from Mansur Gavriel, Danse Lente, and more. These are perfect for carrying around the pared-down basics I need while staying stylish. Sidenote: I wasn't afraid to invest in these bigger bags since I'd be able to wear them well after my breastfeeding days.