It’s been over a year since I gave birth to Luna and entered the fourth trimester for the second time. I wanted to share the categories of clothes that got the most mileage in those first four months with my baby girl. Of course, sweats and pajamas are the go-to comfy clothes when I’m home, but I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: getting dressed is a form of self care for me.

Something that helped me feel good in those newborn-dazed days was getting dressed. We spend most of our time at home in comfy pajamas but we do venture out of the house to get groceries/diapers/coffee or to take a walk. I took every outing as a chance to do something for myself and pick out an outfit. They’re not anything groundbreaking. I won’t be winning any street style awards for these outfits, but they do help me feel good in this new body of mine.

I gathered up some photos of what I wore during those first four months and realized there are some hero pieces of my closet that I wore (and am wearing) constantly.

MATERNITY JEANS

I was pregnant in the summer so I didn’t get a ton of use out of my favorite maternity jeans (the Power Straight Jean with the full belly band from Old Navy) but they came in handy after delivery once the weather started cooling off! Sadly, this particular cut of denim is discontinued, but they have lots of other straight leg options!

ELASTIC WAISTBAND SKIRTS & PANTS

These skirts were also hero pieces during my pregnancy and I kept wearing them through the fall since Sacramento stays warm until November. I love the fact that both have elastic waistbands for comfort and pockets for convenience. Also have to shoutout my linen tie waist pants. Basically, anything with an elastic waistband is a good choice for those first few months after pregnancy.

STRETCHY DENIM

My roadtripper jeans from Madewell are hands down my favorite jeans for this season of motherhood and pandemic. The price point is a lot lower than the other styles by Madewell and they’re seriously the perfect balance of stretchy without bagging out. My original pair are a 9 inch rise and kind of a dark wash. The new roadtripper (that I bought for my birthday) is a 10 inch rise and a lighter wash that will transition perfectly from winter to spring.

Another Madewell denim favorite are my overalls. I’ve had these for about three years now and I truly love them. They’re definitely on the tight side for me right now, but they’re stretchy enough that even though they’re snug, they’re not uncomfortable. I mostly wear these on short trips out because they can be a hassle to nurse in but I’ve kept them in my rotation for the days I want to wear denim but am tired of the other three jeans in my drawer.

I bought this pair of Old Navy jeans a month after Luna was born. They’re the Sky High Straight Leg jean. I have mixed feelings on these because they’re incredibly comfortable but also stretch out after one wear. I love the extra high rise on these but don’t love how wide the fit is through the thigh (I like something a little more snug). Like I said, I have mixed feelings! Overall, I think they’re a decent buy for the price point and for how much use I’ve gotten out of them.

RIGID DENIM

Did I really include rigid denim in a postpartum clothing round up? I did. Here’s why: rigid denim is my favorite style to wear! At least, it was my favorite style before pregnancy and the pandemic. So scooping up a pair of thick denim that relaxes a bit but won’t stretch feels like a little slice of Normal Alex. In a nutshell, they make me feel the most like myself. They’re definitely too long on me but I absolutely love the fit and wash of the Perfect Vintage Jean from Madewell. If you like a leg opening that’s somewhere between a straight and skinny leg, I think you’d like these. The wash is a perfect light/mid blue and there’s no whiskering around the hips which is so freaking flattering. Clearly, these are my favorites even though they’re not my comfiest pair of denim in my closet.

CHUNKY KNIT SWEATERS

I joked in my holiday gift guide that I wanted this sweater in three colors and guess what? I got it in all three colors for Christmas! Since then, it’s basically all I wear on cold days. I love the boxy crop style because it’s easy to nurse in and still makes me feel stylish. My only qualm is the sleeves are big, so wearing this sweater with a jacket or coat can be tricky, but usually I wear it with my chore coat and that works out well.

HATS

I just realized that hats played a big role in my fourth trimester outfits! 😆 But seriously, a good beanie or beret can be such a chic way to turn messy mom hair into something stylish!

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