Unmother Fashion

In the great pregnancy guide, From the Hips, they have a little guide on what kinda mama you want to look like. I think that the choices are something like Fashionista, Granola Hippy or Total Slob (not in those terms, necessarily.) My personal style has always been malleable, and I think that given that I’m a larger woman (size 16, and have been much larger), I’ve tried to be a fashionista, without the strappy heels, and I’ve tried to at least have a sense of fashion between other styles of casual comfort. What kind of mom was I preparing to be?

Of course, pragmatic. I didn’t want to be a slob, but I also didn’t want to look like it was 2pm and I was still in pajamas. (Pajamas, these are my shopping clothes!!) Being an unmother (which is a term I use solely for myself, btw), I had to figure out what my post-pregnancy, without-child fashion would be. Not being currently employed, I had a lot of options to choose from. Should I embrace my 20-something times with short, funky hair? Go for an Abercrombie prep-slob look? Grow my hair out long and natural in prep for eventual earthmama-hood? To say the least, my identity right now of being an unmother (given birth, but no living children) leaves me at a quandary for how I present myself to the outside world.

I don’t like spending credit on clothing I don’t technically need. I think many people have learned in this economy that you can’t just keep spending without having to pay it back. I do some clever shopping at Goodwill, and take advantage of a few deals here and there. Mostly, I am just trying to find hair/make-up options that make me feel put together. I think that clothing can become part of an identity, or vice versa. After all, why do people wear uniforms or traditional garb?

I’m sure that as time passes, I’ll find my way. In the meantime, today is a funky-shirt and skirt day.

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