I know so many people may laugh at this but it’s a real thing and maybe there is some hidden psychological meaning, probably. But I can’t relate to my wardrobe, clothes help define you (not fully of course) and I have been redefined beyond believe. For obvious reasons before this happened my wardrobe had changed in places to accommodate pregnancy and breastfeeding. I’ve already got rid of the majority of these outfits. Painful as it was it had wider benefits. It’s not just motherhood that influenced what I wore even work played a part. So much of my wardrobe is over 2 years old if not more and represent a different time and a different Rachael.
"But I can’t relate to my wardrobe, clothes help define you (not fully of course) and I have been redefined beyond believe."
I had very limited post baby weight and very limited body changes to embrace after Louis was born but this tragedy has led to significant effects on my body. I initially loss lots of weight and then my figure went child like from a loss of muscle which is slowly getting better but it will take a lot of work. But I now have a waist which might not be as small and noticeable as it was but it’s a start. My right leg is getting bigger and stronger it was so thin and noticeable smaller and weaker. This continues to be one of my priorities along with improving my general fitness, strength and flexibility. A gust of light summer wind feels like a gale to me and rocks me to the core. I suppose these are the effects of muscular wastage that people don’t talk about.
It currently feels overwhelming what are these clothes? I wasn’t one to have a capsule wardrobe but that sounds sensible to me now. I need to limit choices and rebuild it become
a more manageable wardrobe. Luckily the moving gives me a soft approach to this with no finale decisions yet. I currently spend lots of time in active wear mainly kindly from Chris when I was in hospital but Sweaty Betty is not something that covers all events and occasions. I do look good active wear and it doesn’t need ironing which is easy but this is not my default. I need a few key and comfortable pieces.
"Sweaty Betty is not something that covers all events and occasions."
Shoes are a problem, gone are my heels now I need more stylish flat trainer options. Luckily lockdown has made more trainer options more fashionable and I think trainers like my Vejas look good with dresses. I know I’m not the only who has gone through this feeling, I know a bad break up can lead to a new hair style and wardrobe, it’s like that but on a huge scale. While this will be my excuse for a while Chris, you can just go with it for a while. I know that you share my feelings and have looked at your own wardrobe. This feeling also applies to furniture, everything has changed and we need to change with it.
Quick wins: well this is a biggy and would have been before, I made a tiramisu. It was so nice and the recipe could be split nicely so it was manageable and it lent itself to preparation while seating down as at the moment I can’t stand for too long. I did 4 loads of washing the other day, I don’t think you know just how many muscles you use sorting washing especially emptying a wash and hanging it up. The first time I did it I felt like I looked, like I had just done a marathon.
Successful food shop with Chris definitely still hate them! Have organised and got my own lifts to appointments, which has been so liberating. With the exception of baths and showers I’ve cleaned the bathrooms! Although we will prob get a cleaner I’m not going to waste my limited energy resources on cleaning!
More importantly I got a lovely manicure lighter colour than I would usually go for but it looked so good and I desperately needed one I hadn’t had one before lockdown and more excitingly I removed it when needed.
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