I feel like this is a subject I keep returning to, but I really want to start taking better care of myself. In all sorts of ways. Since Pickle came along, he’s obviously been the biggest priority in my life. I’ve spent every day since his arrival putting his needs, wants and developments ahead of my own. During one of his settling in sessions at Nursery last week, I took the opportunity to have a rare bubble bath and I’d completely forgotten what it was like to dry my hair, style it and put some make up on without having to multi-task and supervise a toddler at the same time. Now that I’m returning to work, I feel like I’ve been given a licence to take more time for myself. And boy, do I need it. I need to exercise more. I need to eat healthily. I need to get into a proper skincare routine. And I need to take better care of my hair. And my wardrobe choices…

Flat lay showing some self care items: nice outfit, perfume, make up and crochet

I’d love to be fashionable, but in all honesty, I never have been and I probably never will be. Before I had Pickle, I’d kind of figured out what kind of styles and colours suited me and my body shape and I was happy to just stick to what I knew worked for me, hoping that even if I didn’t appear to be at the cutting edge of fashion, I’d at least look presentable. But now that I’m a Mum, still carrying a bit of added baby/toddler weight (here’s an insight… it’s not pregnancy that makes you gain weight, it’s the number of biscuits you need to consume to get through the day after a sleepness night with a baby/toddler that wants to nurse all night long!), my body shape has changed. The clothes that once suited me, look weird now. And I’m having to go back to the drawing board and figure out what suits me all over again.

Clothing rail at a shopping mall

I’m desperate to find myself some body confidence. Not just to feel positive about my size and shape, but also to feel good in the clothes I wear, and to leave the house feeling like I could take on the world. I’ve been trying to shake up my wardrobe a little bit, after realising that even though I can fit into my pre-pregnancy wardrobe now, that doesn’t really mean it’s going to look the same, and besides, fashion has changed a lot since 2015.

A few new Staple Wardrobe Items

To start with, I was desperate for a new coat. I loved my maternity coat, and even though I sometimes make use of the generous sizing to wear when Pickle is in his carrier, I can’t really wear it as an everyday coat. I’ve been wearing my outdoorsy Trespass coat a lot too (because, you know… it’s practical!) but wearing it doesn’t make me feel particularly cool or fashionable.

I thought this coat from J D Williams ticked all the boxes! It’s not too thick so is warm enough for during the winter months but should also do the trick in both Spring and Autumn too. It’s got nice big pockets to house all those things you want easy access to whilst chasing around after a toddler, and I’m a complete sucker for a coat with toggles! One day, I aspire to join the yellow coat brigade (fast becoming the staple Mum uniform, right?), but grey pretty much goes with everything.

Grey jumper with pink sparkles with a coat and scarf outside

Sticking to the grey theme, I also picked out this grey jumper, again from J D Williams, with lots of little pink sparkling embellishments on it. I love that the sparkly bits brighten up the outfit, and make me feel like I’m wearing something a bit special, even if it’s just to head to soft play in. The jumper is so incredibly soft, and doesn’t cling to those lumps and bumps that I prefer to try and hide. It’s the kind of ‘nice’ jumper that I get panicky about when putting it in the wash for the first time in case I ruin it with my ineptitude at household goddesstry, but thankfully – it’s already survived a few washes and still looks as good as new! Phew. Uneccessary disclaimer: if you look closely… you may spot I’m actually wearing this jumper back to front. That’s what sleep deprivation does to you, guys. Sorry.

I love me a posh jumper

Holly wearing a Joules Harbour Top wearing a Christmas Paper Hat and holding a glass of wine

At Christmas, I felt like my jumper game was seriously strong. Not only did I have the grey and pink one, but LPD bought me a lovely new striped one to add to my classy jumper collection too. I’m a big fan of a Breton stripe (again, standard Mum uniform!) and I felt like the bee’s knees in it. I’d pretty much just wear these two jumpers on rotation for the rest of the year had I not stupidly chucked the striped one in the wash at 4am a couple of weeks ago when I was up scarily early with Pickle one day and accidentally dyed it orange. I’m still grieving about it.

The final thing I picked from J D Williams was a pair of shoes. I’ve struggled with footwear since pregnancy. I outgrew pretty much all of my shoes by the time I was in my eighth month of being pregnant, and it took quite a while for my feet to shrink back down again. I’ve been pretty much living in a pair of lightweight trainers that I picked up from Aldi (such a sucker for stuff in the specials aisle!), but they’re starting to get a bit tatty now and don’t make me feel particularly glamorous. I’ve been on the hunt for a pair of boots with a bit of a heel that I can wear on days when I want to feel like the ‘old me’ again, and this gorgeous pair of tan boots from Heavenly Sole do just that! And the cherry on the cake? They come in a wide fitting – perfect for my post-pregnancy widened feet.

Heavenly Sole shoes from J D Williams in the mud

They’ve already taken a bit of a battering in the mud, but at least my feet have remained toasty warm.

Sprucing up everywhere!

With my new hair cut, new wardrobe items and new job on the horizon – it feels like everything is getting a much needed update! I even treated us to some new bed sheets this week as well. I went for a bit of a floral, busy print and now I feel I’ve opened the floodgates to becoming obsessed with floral bedding… someone stop me buying more before all my wages go on high thread count cotton!

Holly stood in a field wearing a coat with new straightened hair

Roll on the next chapter! With my new clothes, my snazzy new hair cut and a renewed sense of self-worth, I’m ready to tackle this latest adventure. All I need now is a new handbag…

Disclaimer: this post features items from J D Williams that were sent to me in return for being featured. All items were chosen by me and all views and opinions remain my own.