#NaBloPoMo November 8th: A Picture Says A Thousand Words...

We are nearly one whole week into the #NaBloPoMo challenge - to blog every day throughout November - and I'm already surprised at how much I've shared using some lovely prompts from BlogHer and the lovely Vonnie over at Nowt Special.

Today's prompt has been no different - to write about your picture on your 'About Me' PIcture.

This photo was taken back in August, just before I headed out for an incredibly rare night out with one of my best friends.  It was the first night out I had had alone since Daisy had been born and I was going to the cinema to see What Maisie Knew; a film I had been ridiculously excited to see for months.  I chose the photo as I think it's a pretty clear representation of me, my style and one of the rare photos I genuinely quite like!  It was a turning point for me and my blog, I had dreamt up a whole bunch of new blog projects, including the early stages of The Frugally Fabulous Year AND I was giving this lovely old Whistles blouse it's first post-pregnancy outing!

Positive Image
I love uploading the odd picture of me and Little D onto my blog and, like most mums out there, I take endless photos of each outfit she wears and each change she makes, but as my blog has developed over the last few months, I have realised the importance of showing more of 'me' than of 'us' - to reflect the 'lifestyle' nature of my blog, rather than the fact that I'm a parent.  Gorgeous as she is...of course! 

I like to think my readers can absorb themselves in my fashion and craft posts and get a glimpse of my life, my interests and my inspiration.  I guess I could be seen as confident, lots of people have said they wouldn't have the guts to 'pull off' my style.  I can't really be any other way - Mum or not, I don't care enough about what other people think and I'm not so much confident as positive; I believe in learning to see the very best in your beautiful self, without comparison.  As a Mum to a daughter too, I feel I have a moral responsibility to set an example of strength and positivity when it comes to body image.

The truth is, like pretty much everyone else who has ever given birth, I have found it hard to get used to a new body and a new way of thinking - something I've talked about in my Ditching The Jeans post and in a guest blog I did for Vintage Shopper.  My post-pregnancy body isn't quite shrinking back as quickly as I would like and my post-pregnancy 'treat outfit' (a 1960s vintage leather pencil skirt) is sat, gathering dust in my wardrobe.  

Those last few days...

I eat well, I walk pretty much everywhere with the pram and I'm desperate to get back into an exercise regime, that my lifestyle doesn't allow for right now.  So why beat myself up?  Hey, there is a big reason I stopped buying women's magazines - it's because the fairer sex are, indeed, not always fair at all.

Why Be Positive, When You Could Be Normal?
In an article in the Guardian recently, one writer discussed yet another epidemic sweeping the nation - a new obsession with the 'thigh gap' and the absurd suggestion that there should be one.  24 year old model, Robyn Lawley, graced the coveted cover of Vogue magazine, only to be condemned through various social media sites, for not having a 'thigh gap' to speak of.  So why, after years and years of mixed messages in the media and new 'imperfect' body parts to be paranoid about, from muffin tops to cankles, are we STILL turning on each other?

We know that airbrushing exists, we know that even the world's most beautiful, most esteemed females have off days and spots and yet, there still seems to be enough put-downs and imaginary beauty standards that all women MUST adhere to.  Nowa days, it's the norm to be bombarded with 'picture-perfect' photo sets and red circles of doom, adorning the hundred of magazines available to us.  It is normal to see most girls under the age of 18 try and copycat the styles of oversexed, under-stimulating pop stars and it is normal, somewhat sadly, to look for imperfection in everyday beauty.

But it shouldn't be.

Life is Peachy is my haven to showcase who I am, what I do and what I believe in.  I don't believe that women should compare themselves to plastic, processed images any more than I believe Miley Cyrus is flying the flag for modern-day feminism.  I want to reach a goal weight for ME, to wear my precious vintage skirt for ME, to dress to suit my shape and size for ME and I don't want to be forced to conform to unrealistic 'ideals'.  I choose to look, dress and feel the way that I do, because I have spent far too much time worrying about the size of my arms, my straight eyelashes and God only knows what else.  I choose to be positive about how I look, in the hope that I can inspire others to feel the same about themselves, whether carrying a little extra baby weight or not.  My body isn't the body it was, but it's the body that I'm in for now and I want to be positive about it, even if it takes a little longer to push the 'publish' button on those selfies!  

 

 

Outfit Post - Ditching The Jeans

One of my favourite outfits - Back in the Whistles St John's Wood Days!

Admittedly it's been a while since I did a fashion post.  I absolutely love finding quirky things to wear, that really reflect my self-coined 'Modern Gothic Librarian' image!  I'm not really much of a mainstream shopper and I would love to hear from other late twenty-thirty somethings who, like myself, feel as if high street stores are really not catering for our age range anymore??!!

Here I am in Croatia, 2011 - Holiday Chic

Anyway...that's another post for another time!  My style lies in a love of vintage and a love of the romantic gothic look.  I've always had one rule when it comes to image - I've never wanted to look like anyone else!  From my heady days as a velvet-skirt and Doctor Martens-adorning goth, to my stint as a bottle blonde with a wardrobe heavily influenced by the Harajuku movement; the key to me has always been individuality.

Having a baby will always means thinking more practically about what you wear - dry-clean clothes become the enemy and sky-scraper heels are just a huge no-no (unless you're Victoria Beckham, it would seem).  But I never wanted becoming a Mother to completely swallow my identity and, over the last few months, I realised I was beginning to feel a little less 'Mumm-me' and a little more 'Mummy'.  Why?  Well...I was living in my black skinny jeans!

JEANS ARE NOT IN MY GENES

I think jeans look great on other people, I am often envious of those who can pull on a t-shirt and jeans and instantly look awesome.  They are practical, versatile and a great staple for any wardrobe, except, it seems, mine!  I'm a dress-girl, I've said it a hundred times and I stick by it.  It is somewhat disconcerting to have a wardrobe full of dresses that I just can't wear right now; but either way I HAD to do something about this minor wardrobe malfunction and start the process of getting back to Emma: Mumm-me.

Not my bag!!

So I decided it was time, to ditch the jeans!  A big step for me - they saw me through my maternity and beyond, teamed with my Mum Mafia uniform of breton stripes; but if I was ever to feel that familiar sense of self-balance, they just HAD to go!  

INJECTING NEW LIFE

I've done a sneaky bit of shopping recently - my budget wasn't huge, but my mental health was thoroughly thankful for it! I found some beautiful pieces at reasonable prices, dresses that could be layered up as we head into Autumn, plus a gorgeous grungy chenille shaggy cardigan that I'm already getting a lot of wear out of! 

Collars and Pearls - What Would Dita Do?!

Over the next few weeks I'll post some outfits from my swag - skater dresses teamed with vintage belts, tea dresses and images of me finally feeling like I'm starting to be 'me' again. 

OLD CLOTHES NEW TRICKS


Part of the trick of feeling good in your clothes, is to find how to 'love' your old ones again! Which is never easy when you're wardrobe consists of 70% dry-clean only dresses, that you haven't a hope of fitting into.  YET.  So I've decided to really start looking at what I already have and the different ways in which I can try wearing some of my favourite garments - I'll try and inspire with some posts in the coming weeks!

What, this old thing? From my Whistles collection!

It had become too easy to shove my jeans on in the mornings and I've had to really force myself to push my boundaries and find 'me' again in my clothes.  It has worked though, slowly but surely, I'm seeing 'Mumm-me' in the mirror again!

Follow my blog for more updates and outfit posts as I search for the 'perfect' post pregnancy wardrobe!

Nurturing Mums: For All Your Post-Natal Needs!

As a new mum, your life is suddenly filled with excitement, fun and breathing life and soul into a new little human being.  It can be the most exciting and challenging of times, but it can also be the most anxious and fearful of times.  

One of my earlier posts talked about the anxiety brought on by the media, regarding dangers in cosmetics and household products for pregnant women, which you can read HERE .  But it isn't just pregnant women who are bombarded with scare-mongering articles; long after your bundle of joy is born, you are still battling with your conscience over what is best for you and your baby, not to mention whether you are raising your child in 'the right way'.

Everywhere you look, there seems to be confusing advice and information; health visitors and midwives from different sectors of the same city often have conflicting opinions and the last thing you really feel you can trust, is your own instinct.

Ladies and Gentlemen, allow me to introduce Nurturing Mums.

Set up by two lovely ladies, Gemma and Elise, who have 5 children under 9 years old between them; Nurturing Mums was created to bridge the gap between ante-natal support (yoga) and post-natal leaflets (too much paperwork) for women who desire more information/help post-natally with aspects of bringing up their babies. And no, not just with abs toning and weaning information!

As a new Mum myself, I was really interested in what Nurturing Mums had to offer, particularly as both Gemma and Elise had set up this company based on difficult first births themselves.  They had struggled with feeding, had felt judged for bottle-feeding and one had even suffered the trauma of the dreaded Emergency Caesarean.  The lack of consistent advice and help left them wondering if there was a gap in the market for women who, like themselves, had found aspects of new motherhood challenging. 

Based in North London, Nurturing Mums encourages the 'social' aspect of new Motherhood and offers post-natal courses offering practical advice and the chance to, of course, make new friends and learn together.  Their range of courses cover a huge range of troublesome problems such as getting babies to sleep,to baby stimulation right through to dealing with changing relationships after birth.

 All of this is offered in a consistent and non-judgmental environment, just the right sort of atmosphere for women who have just been through the biggest changes in their lives!  Since their launch, the ladies have had some fantastic feedback from their courses and many of their clients have formed strong bonds with each other and have continued to meet up on a social basis.  Why not read some of their testimonials HERE, to see why and how other mums have used their innovative services?  The reaction to Nurturing Mums has been a huge success so far, and for people like me, who dwell in other parts of the UK, there is even more good news; the ladies are rolling out courses both across London and the UK in the coming months!

With new courses and information being added all the time, why not pop over to the website Nurturing Mums and check out more specific course information - the lovely ladies are waiting to hear from you.

You can read about other Mums experiences on the websites 'Nurturing Mum of the Month' too HERE