Clothing as Self Care

I've always had a complicated relationship with my body. Unlike other women, being pregnant and having a child was a very healing experience because that felt like a very purposeful use of my body. However, post-baby, I struggled.

My clothing just didn't fit (both literally and figuratively) anymore.

So I started on a journey, I removed all the clothes that didn't "fit." I started thinking about what I wanted my style to be. I settled with the style idea, "comfortable artist type who's a boss." I then did an inventory of my closet. I created a spreadsheet and tracked each item, how often I wore it, and what the cost was. It turns out I had spent a lot of money on clothing that I was not wearing regularly (looking at you occasion wear). I started to shift my mindset about apparel. I wanted to commit to wearing each piece at least 30 times or get my cost per wear under a dollar. At that point, I decided to commit to buying and investing more in everyday wear that was much more functional and fit my style (and new body).

To reconcile my postpartum body image issues, I invested in clothing that built my confidence. I shifted my mindset to see clothing as a form of self-care.

A friend introduced me to the clothing line Elizabeth Suzann, and I fell in love with the simple style, comfort, and ease of their clothing. Now planning what I will be wearing is an act of joy and no longer a trigger for body shame.