I'm five months in to having my second baby, and let's be honest, my body is not what it used to be. My middle is squishy, and I don't really feel like wearing super-fitting low-waisted jeans and worrying about my muffin top spilling out. I am also coming to the realization that your body is just different after kids—especially after multiple kids and when you're not a young spring chicken anymore (hello mid-30's!). And, I won't even talk about the change in your boobs post-baby!
This doesn't mean I've given up on working out or eating healthy but I've also come to realize that even if you're back at your pre-pregnancy weight or clothing size, things don't always fit the way they used to. So I'd rather start dressing to complement my best assets and make myself feel comfortable in my body the way it is now.
Here are a few of my favorite "waist-friendly" pieces that I find help to complement the waist while also being flattering on the rest of your legs with their cut (ie. not sweatpants or overly baggy unflattering pants).
1. Pants with some draping and a tapered leg like these J.Crew Reese pants. These are like a mix between a dressy pant and sweatpants and look great with heels or booties.
2. High-waisted jeans like Madewell's high-riser jeans. I've come to the other side and no longer need to (or want to) wear low-waisted jeans. Those were for the days of my youth, and I wear jeans that are a little higher in the waist that to tuck in that post-baby belly a bit more than the jeans I wore pre-baby. These are still super-flattering and don't look like "Mom jeans" at all.
3. Shorts with hidden elastic waistbands like these J.Crew shorts. These shorts may look like any other cute, summer shorts with a fun pattern on them. But the sides have extra elastic at the waistband mixed with the structured front closure that give them structure but also gives extra wiggle room in the waist.
4. Stretchy pants with a tapered leg like Hatch's easy pants. These are like chic sweatpants that you can get away with wearing and not look like you're wearing sweatpants.
Yes! Great ideas, I’m over the low waisted pants as well!
Thank you! I’m 6 mo post baby 2 and need an appropriate spring wardrobe update!
I love those J.Crew shorts! I’ve always had trouble with a ‘squishy’ middle – so I totally live by dressing to complement my best assets and make myself feel comfortable in my body. Thanks for sharing! 🙂
The Madewell high-rise skinnies are my total go-to jeans! They’re great. Yes, I’m 35, and my one and only “baby” is now 10 years old, but I’m also thin and in decent shape. These are just good and grown up pants, while still being chic. I’ve always had curvier hips, a butt, thicker thighs, and a smaller waist, and these are great for hugging the curves without falling down, and without pinching the tummy too much. Plus, they don’t make your legs feel like sausages! So many bonuses!
Hi sweetie,
great selection
Kisses
New post on Maggie Dallospedale Fashion blog
Great choices!! May I add another “waist-friendly” piece? The boyfriend jean! I never thought I would wear this style but it is very forgiving. I recently wrote a blog post about it if you are interested. Thanks!
Alina
I love number 1! It looks real comfy and what’s greats it’s not that baggy. Might look into buying this for myself.
Love the choices and you should be very proud of your post baby body 🙂
http://www.southernfolly.com
Thanks, Joy. I really need some new clothes! My baby #2 was born a couple weeks after yours and I’ve been feeling fat and squishy. My favorite way to camouflage the bulges and look somewhat put together is skirts. Too bad the stretchy skirts I saved for post-partum are all getting holes and are no longer appropriate for wearing out of the house.
Thank goodness spring is slowly arriving so I can finally get out and start walking off the baby fat. Those J Crew shorts are good motivation!
This is relevant information for me (pregnant with my 2nd), but still kind of depressing! Especially the part about the boobs!
Do you have suggestions for pieces in a lower price point? I love the Madewell and Hatch pants but the idea of spending more than $100 for each is very intimidating.
Hi Mari,
I agree they are not the cheapest pieces, but I have found for staples like this that can last a while and go with a lot of things (especially the solid-colored pants or jeans) usually the ones at $100 or slightly more last longer and fit better. I also love ASOS or Gap jeans for a lower than $100 price point but I can’t speak to the fit for this particular focus of being friendly on a post-baby waistline.
Thank you!
Joy
I don’t have a baby but I’ve always had tummy area issues. Thanks for this Joy! By the way, your podcast is going up soon!
So glad you wrote this I just had my second last month. And I feel so frumpy not fat but frumpy. No one notices but I do. These are great chic choices.. thank you for the great selections!!
These are awesome choices. I’ll bookmark this for next time 😉
i so love your blog! <3 thanks so much for your honesty and sharing 🙂 these are great ideas! 🙂
oh i know this feeling. i just had my 2nd this last feb, and i can already tell that my body is not going to be the same… makes me miss my post-1st-baby body, ha! great suggestions; i’ll be keeping this in mind when i’m buying new jeans before returning to work!
I’ve also found Jcrew factory jeans to be pretty good as well. I have a pair I bought before I was pregnant with my second (almost five month old now) that are the only jeans that really fit me now. They are the same size as my other pre-second baby jeans, but just fit my post-second baby body better.
I totally feel you on this post! My son is a few weeks younger than Coco, and I think I need to clear my closet out of all of my old pants. They just do not fit the same way they used to, and I was back in those pants by this point post-partum with my first child.
JOY, that’s so true! Thank you for this very candid post. Things are most definitely NOT the same after baby. Great resources as well.
xx Liz
The best jeans I’ve ever found have been the Citizens of Humanity “Rocket” in a dark, solid wash. They retain their shape over several weeks (I rotate between two pairs and wash them only once a month or so when I remember that it’s been a while) and the higher rise means that I never have to hike them up or worry about muffin top.
When I wore lower rise options, I often wore longer tops which never really suited my proportions, but now I find myself tucking more delicate blouses into the Rockets, and I feel more womanly and sexy, even if I’m just running errands. I can’t recommend them enough for a new mom, or anyone looking for a figure-flattering denim alternative.
They are about $150-$200/pair, so quite the investment (for me), but with my job, I’m able to wear them nearly every day, and I’ve had each pair for about 3 years. So now, my cost per wear is in the pennies…