Your Postpartum Style Questions Answered

If you're feeling lost trying to find your style post-baby, know that you aren't alone. We tapped wardrobe and soul stylist, Jenny Greenstein of Your Soul Style for her tips on navigating your personal style after having a baby.

You often speak to the emotional benefits of getting dressed. Can you expand on this?  

Absolutely! A strong sense of personal style occurs when we are living in alignment with all parts of our being. When we are able to harness the symbiotic relationship between inner and outer, authentic representation emerges and we become the best version of ourselves. That said,  when there’s a disconnect and we are unable to integrate, it leads to challenges with self esteem, confidence and an empowered sense of self. Just like any wellness practice, paying attention to what we wear is an act of self-care and there are incredible emotional benefits that happen when doing the transformative work. The term “mind, body and soul” encompasses personal style and while some may find clothes to be trivial, getting dressed is a vital tool for communicating who we are. Style is a medium of self expression. 

At ToteSavvy, we celebrate women keeping their personal style after becoming a mom, but we also recognize there are a lot of competing priorities. Do you have go-to tips for moms who want to look and feel put together but don't require a ton of effort?

There are absolutely a lot of competing priorities, not to mention the huge pivot from pre-baby life. As we mama’s know, a financial, emotional, physical and mental shift occurs when you become a mother and yes - of course, time is one of the biggest compromises we have no choice but to make. A few tips I give my mama clients are the following: 

1. UNIFORM: Keep it simple and find your uniform. Once you establish a head-to-toe look that is both functional and authentically yours, create an interchangeable capsule of these pieces so you have your own “collection”. Getting dressed in motherhood, especially early motherhood needs to be a no-brainer but you may need to spend time upfront to establish what works and then from there you can be on autopilot. 
2. PLAN: Always choose your look the night before. All you need is an extra 5-minutes before bed, and pulling your look together ahead of time eases the morning hustle in a big bad way. Pro tip: Try on your chosen outfit during this time so you know it works well and don’t need to reinvent the wheel at 7am. 
3. INVEST: Invest in a few pieces that can easily elevate your look, even if you’re wearing sweats or leggings. A few I recommend are hats, handbags, fashionable footwear, a great piece of outerwear, and a structured blazer. 

Let's chat postpartum. What style suggestions do you have for women who aren't back in their pre-baby clothes, don't want to live in leggings and don't want to spend a fortune on a temporary wardrobe?

The first thing women need to do is go through their closet and pull together the pieces that work. Move aside anything that doesn’t fit or doesn’t serve your current lifestyle and know it will be revisited at a later date. Once you have this capsule pulled together, which is something I work with my clients on, figure out what pieces can be integrated to help make it a fully functioning wardrobe that you will feel good about. This does require spending a little bit of money, but you don’t have to break the bank. That said, I recommend setting aside a budget for purchasing a few temporary pieces to get you through this transitional time. Women shouldn’t have to struggle every morning with a wardrobe that doesn’t serve them. Additionally, there are amazing companies where you can rent clothes like Rent The Runway or Nuuley which are low commitment and sustainable. Two other good options are The Real Real and Thread Up which sell gently worn merchandise.

If you were going to put together a new mom capsule wardrobe, what would be your must-haves? 

Utility suits because they are one-piece dressing and give you easy access to breastfeed (if you choose to do so), 2 pairs of denim that fit current shape, items with forgiving waistlines such as joggers or loose fitting dresses, a structured blazer to elevate the most basic to formal look, well-fitting undergarments (from undies to bras to shapewear), functional and fashion-forward sneakers, hats or hair accessories for quick hair fixes and a “mom” bag that fits all of your essentials, organized with Totesavvy. 

Can you share some of your list of go-to designers and why you love them? 

To name a few, Mara Hoffman because of both her styling and sustainable business model. She just launched full circle which is a space on her site where you can buy pre-owned Mara and sell yours back. It’s beyond brilliant. I’m very into ACNE for it’s edginess and street style sensibility, Raey for it’s relaxed, oversized, simple yet elevated pieces, LoveShackFancy because in the summer all I really want to wear is whimsical dresses and Ulla Johnson because of her endless romantic vibes. I’m also always on the hunt for my next epic faux fur vintage coat. 

Jenny Greenstein is a Wardrobe and Soul Stylist and founder of Your Soul Style, an integrative method which combines style with mindfulness. Jenny’s approach emphasizes authenticity and personal transformation, and through Style Coaching, Closet Cleanses and Shopping/Styling sessions, she supports women and mothers on the ever-evolving path towards living in alignment from the inside out. Jenny’s work can be seen in digital publications such as Motherly, Betches and Pure Wow, and she is currently featured on the May 2021 cover of New York Family magazine. She is based in NYC with her wife Dina and two daughters, Vida and Bloom. Learn more about Jenny via www.yoursoulstyle.com or on IG @yoursoulstyle.