Gingham and Stripes and Dots, Oh My!

I’ve been feeling really bored with getting dressed lately. Maybe it’s the lack of a huge and varied closet since we moved, maybe it’s that everything has been controlled by ease-of-nursing, but everything I’ve been wearing has gotten plain and modern and uninspiring to me.

And there have been other things going on too; little, almost unconscious things. I’ve been feeling unsure about my weight lately, and my current body shape. That post-pregnancy confidence with having my waist back has morphed into a mild awareness that my belly has gone mommy-soft (not that it was ever, ever flat) and is bigger than it used to be, and my hip-to-boob ratio is back to the pear when just after pregnancy, thanks to overzealous milk production, it was more hourglass.

So I’ve been hiding, maybe.

Can we interject here just to note how long my hair is? Ah! Finally.

But today after reading this post, and seeing Elsie wear a really cute outfit, and also unconsciously taking inspiration from the book I’m currently reading, I decided to wear something that brought back the little spark of fun I usually go for with fashion. I decided to disregard the fact that I’ve been avoiding this skirt because belly and hips and wear dark lipstick even though technically I probably shouldn’t because it makes my already small lips look smaller, and forget that I weigh around 20lbs more than I want to, and just roll with whatever made me dance.

And I took the pictures midday which isn’t the best lighting, and I’m wearing shoes that probably cut me off at a weird place, and I don’t even care. Because this outfit makes my heart sing. Three patterns in one place? Yes, please! Polkadots and gingham and stripes are good for the soul.

Can we also talk about how I really wish it was practical to wear lipstick with a baby around, and not just asking for a good smeared face and lipstick all over shirts and baby faces and your own chin and everything? Because:

I love this shade. It brings out my inner rockabilly retro girl, and it’s perfect for fall, and it’s just all around a lot of fun. It’s actually darker in real life. My husband will refuse to kiss me when he gets home. Understandably. But that’s okay.

I need to get back to wearing things that make me happy. I feel like I used to be more adventurous with patterns and silhouettes and colors, and slowly I’ve slid into a rut of going for what’s easiest.

Maybe I should challenge myself to get dressed (and stay dressed) every day for a month. Being a stay-at-home mom makes it way, way too easy to just wear yoga pants all day, seriously.

I hope you are all having a good Tuesday! I’ve been enthralled with the town that forgot to breathe; yesterday, I went to the library for the first time in almost two years, and decided that I needed to just wander and select two books that looked good, and read them. I’m hoping to get back to the book review/inspired outfit posts (here, here) because of this, but here’s an early one!

Have a beautiful day!