Share your post-child style tips with Ecover - £300 voucher and invite to style event to be won NOW CLOSED

[JustineBMumsnet]

Having children is a big life event that involves lots of changes - from the amount of sleep you get to your clothing choices, and Ecover would like to hear about your style tips or laundry dilemmas post children.

Here’s what Ecover has to say: “Ecover’s new concentrated detergents are ideal for your baby's tiny clothes and gentle on their sensitive skin. But what about you? Ecover are hosting a style workshop with a top UK stylist and there’s a chance to either win an invite or a £300 voucher!

When you’re a mum your priorities naturally shift and precious ‘me time’ becomes scarce. We’re excited to be partnering with a top UK fashion stylist to host a feel good workshop for mums! She’ll be covering topics from fashion trends and “go-to” outfits to handy laundry tips to help families tackle their ever growing laundry basket.”

Perhaps you have practical style tips you wish you’d been aware of when you first became a parent? Or maybe you have style or laundry dilemmas that you still wish you had a solution to? Is the kind of outfit you feel great in the same as it was pre-children?

For a chance to win a £300 voucher (for a retailer of your choice, from a list) or an invite to Ecover’s Style Event on 18th September, post on the thread below sharing your style tips or laundry dilemmas.

Please note, the prize draw for Ecover’s style event will be run on the 13th September. The thread will be closing on the 18th September, and the voucher prize draw will take place at this time.

Thanks and good luck!

MNHQ

Standard Insight T&Cs apply

[helly27]

Forget all about the colour white as when children come along you won't be able to wear it

[MakeTeaNotWar]

For me, it's all about comfy clothing (often an elasticated waistband!), flat shoes and dark colours that can disguise a grubby hand print. For the DC, just simple t-shirts, leggings, tracksuit bottoms - comfort over style every time

[UpOnDown]

Not bothering with makeup any more

[annieno1]

Plimsoles are great and go with every thing

[MiddleClassProblem]

Buy clothes that are easy to wash and can go in the tumble if needed. Full time parent with zero social life I have no other clothes to wear!

[emmmaaa26]

Dress in whatever make you happy and smile, not for everyone else's benefit.

[FlukeSkyeRunner]

I definitely favour clothes that don't need ironing since having kids. When they were tiny i asked anything with dangly bits, belts, loose waterfall cardigans etc as they would hang on to them and pull them out of shape.

[WowOoo]

Keep things simple and classic and don't buy anything that you'd stress about getting ruined. It's easier to mix and match if you stick with your favourite colours. Lots of muslin cloths on shoulders will give some protection.

[mrsminx]

I wish I had a solution to getting all stains out of clothes - DS isn't the problem, my husband makes more mess! My style tip for after pregnancy would be not to stress how long it takes to get back into your pre-pregnancy clothes, everybody is different and some find it harder than others. Love your body - it gave you a child

[1969angep]

When DS was born I actually lost weight and revelled in wearing nice clothes when wandering out with the buggy etc. However by the time you've been puked on, grabbed a thousand times by sticky hands or used as a hanky you soon realise it's best to leave the best clothes for those times you're child free! I rely on Crocs these days (sad I know) but their flip flops are awesome in summer and lined ones are just perfect in winter! They're supremely comfy and you can run in them! For the same reason I wear a lot of "sportswear" now - its about practicality and not fashion now!

[Dormouse1940]

New mum's: tops with patterns help hide sick stains!
Also, big scarves: can make you feel a bit more 'put together', can hide sick/food/leaky boobs, can be used as a cover-up for a more discreet breastfeed and, when the worst happens, can be used to swab down/wrap up a baby when they unleash the apocalypse in their nappy.

I confess (style police will be after me but hey) that maternity jeans were a REVELATION to me- who knew jeans could be so comfy? Don't tell anyone, but sometimes I still wear mine- no one can tell under a top and they're a bit more forgiving than regulars!

Dry shampoo- for those days when you're hair is definitely past it but you haven't got time/cba to give it a proper wash.

[Punkatheart]

I lived in jeans after I had my daughter and I wish that I could get out of the casual scruffy look. I don't think I do smart very well now and would love to have a bit more confidence to dress up....

[stephc007]

Everyone should know that your body will change shape after children and so it would be great if we could all have a personal shopper experience to get some advice on the new shape!

[GetKnitted]

Post-child style tips (all of which I sported early in motherhood, not always at the same time)

Snot on knees,
odd shoes,
breastfeeding top exposing boob
muslin over shoulder
sick down the back
hair pasted with weetabix
(clean) nappy velcro'd to sleeve

Did I get the right thread?

[babybat]

I've recently returned to work after maternity leave, and I'm slowly getting the hang of what my post-baby style is. I gained quite a lot of weight during and after pregnancy, so I ended up with a very small range of clothes that still fit me, and now I'm losing the weight I've found trying to stick to a capsule wardrobe is helpful.

So for work that means a ponte dress (mostly Boden, often off eBay) in black or navy, with opaques and a cashmere cardigan in cream/grey/black/yellow. Weekends are jeans, trainers, well-fitting t-shirt and a nice wool sweater. Not having to think about what goes with what is a big relief, and essentially having a 'uniform' works for me.

I'm hoping to gradually upgrade some of the clothes as I get closer to my weight loss target, and will be sticking to a fairly basic range of outfits, but in the mean time my main priority is looking clean and relatively presentable, rather than fashionable.

[DBhatt14]

A long necklace which goes up to my tummy tends to make me look slimmer and distracts the eye.

[farhanac]

Comfortable footwear, style can wait

[sophiefx]

I've recently had a baby so still have the baby flab on my stomach. What I tend to do is wear a tight tank top and then a baggy t-shirt over. Makes you look slimmer then you are!

[TheFirstMrsDV]

I have had 5 kids and the way I feel afterwards always caught me by surprise. I love clothes and have a lot but putting on prebirth stuff soon after having a baby can be a shock. Even if you havent put on much weight everything feels so different!
So be prepared and don't panic.

My style tip would be to buy a handful of those cheap pashmina type scarves in colours you are happy to wear.
They add interest to your wardrobe if it feels limited to stuff you can fit in to.
They hang down and give you the feeling of covering up new wibbly bits
They can be used for breastfeeding cover if you feel more comfortable with doing it that way
They are brilliant for emergency baby blankets if it turns chilly while you are out (particularly when you wander down the chiller aisle in the supermarket!)
When you are sick of the sight of immediate post birth clothes you can cut them up for rags and go out and buy new stuff without feeling guilty

[buckeejit]

Get your colours done & then just have things that go together-on the offchance someone isn't sick on you & an item of clothing is ok for another wear, straightaway wear it the next day!

[daniel1996]

My body changed after my babies, boobs bottom and belly all had expanded, yet I wore my pre-baby clothes . So I would have bought (charity shop of ebay) clothes which flattered and fit, not that were tight and made me feel like a whale. I would not worry about loosing the baby weight when there are more important things to concentrate on.

[sweir1]

We absolutely abused the lost property pile. Why not? It is only going to waste

[PussCatTheGoldfish]

Post kids, never ever wear, or dress the DC, in white. I learnt that after DC1's first leaky nappy.

Dangly earrings were swapped for studs when they were at the pulling stage. I abandoned necklaces for a few years too.

High waisted trousers (thankfully in fashion and easily obtainable then) were a brilliant for sitting on the floor, bending over tidying etc. No undies on show and a bit of post baby belly support.

[hannahbjm]

My god I definitely have style dilemmas. I am 29 and dont know whether to dress young or older now?! And i need something comfortable but still stylish and seems i am stuck in leggings and jumpers which I have had enough of

[defineme]

Post kids high waisted jeans are great for holding everything in. I wish someone had told me about pulling babygros/vests down rather than overhead. ..would have avoided pooh disasters spreading!