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

My little boy changes in to shorts and tshirt as soon as he gets home from school. His uniform stays cleaner for longer that way. Also, I get him involved in doing the laundry as he loves to help and sort out all the clothes in to different piles.

My style tip for new mums is to invest in a lovely big tote bag in a colour that makes you happy (I chose red!) and use that as a change bag so that you combine a bit of glamour with practicality!

Good haircut, threaded eyebrows and neat, polished nails.

A decent foundation (Doublewear) and red lips.

Clothes that suit me rather than what is necessarily the latest fashion. For example those cold shoulder tops made me look really broad shouldered so I swerved those.

When my dc were young I used to get my clothes and theirs out ready the night before to save time in the morning. As soon as the dc get in from school we hang up their uniform ready for the next day as they change into something comfy, sometimes their pyjamas!

oh and another thing buy slip on easily trainers/shoes.life/time saver for when your hand are full and you need to just push your feet in with no bending or tying or movement from the upright postion your in!

Leggings were my post-birth saviour item! Leggings and tunics that were shaped at the top and baggy around the tum. Made me feel like I still had a bit of shape but I didnt really have to think about what I was throwing on as everything went together.

And Muzzy clothes over your shoulder when yours burping baby will save you ALOT of washing.

Once I had my first I discovered very quickly that you need comfy, hard wearing clothes that you can crawl about the floor in - that's where you'll spend most of your time! And that will continue for years. Now they are both at school, I can choose what to wear again sometimes - and even now and again, if I'm doing something nice, get to smarten myself up in a dress. However - I never have time in a morning before the school run and constantly look like the worst dressed & tattiest Mum at the school gates! The sorting me out and looking decent only comes once I have done everything for them and got them where they need to be.

Keep it simple and avoid dry clean only garments
Pre baby I was a Corporate hot shot - dry clean suits, heels ........
Post baby - I swear by black fitted jeans and easy was tops - some tailorred, some loose and I feel just as great, as well as being practical, they are easy to wash and easy to replace

black jeans to hide mucky mouth wipes/handprints
loose tops to hide post-preg belly..
easy care materials/ cheap buys so they are easy to replace or update, and everything washes at 40 degrees... also colour safe stuff as I have zero time to sort laundry
tumble dry or line dry depending on weather, and fold...only iron the absolute non-negotiables ie work uniforms and school uniforms

I love peplum , I love wrap dresses both are amazing to make me look fashionable but hide the post baby figure. Baggy jumpers and Hoodies work well too but I love to feel a little glamourois these days !

I was fashionable, stylish even pre children. Now it’s functional, comfortable and pretty neutral so I know whatever I grab from my wardrobe will go with something else.

I still try to wear jewellery, nail polish etc to make myself look like I have made some kind of effort.

It sounds really dull and depressing but I have actually found it quite liberating

Learn to Love your body! I hear so many mums complain about their 'mummy tummy' and how they will never be a certain size again but in all honesty it should be the last thing you worry about and really should not detract from enjoying motherhood! I bought a lovely outfit that was comfortable and loose when I was 3 months pregnant and aimed to wear it post 3 months

I have no style. Just what fits. Help!

When my son was a baby I learnt pretty fast not to wear anything to smart or that would easily stain as there were many 'accidents' in the early months, as time has gone on I have tended to veer towards classic separates such as simple black trousers and comfy but smart tops.

I must admit I tend to choose clothes on days I'm not working and with our toddler all day by
A) does it have pockets
B) does it wash easily
And until recently c) can I breastfeed in it.

Style really doesn't come into it. Although I make up for it on days I am working, I don't have to dress smart for work but I like to 'be a grown up' and not think about toddler friendly clothes those days so am often the complete opposite in a beautiful dress or skirt.

A massive scarf can perk up any outfit

Those mesh bags you can put in the washing machine are a god-send. Not just for bras but also little one's shoes, cloth belts, baby toys, even chunky jewellery!

Get clothes that don't need ironing and buy cheaper tops -they are likely to get ruined at some point by baby sick/purée/ other food!

I get up an hour earlier than my ds, so I can have a coffee, do my make up, hair, select my clothes.

Makes me feel a lot calmer being prepared and ready for the day, rather than other priorities eating away at that time and having to go out feeling half done and a hot mess!

I have a range of things that work, fit and don't need ironing. I have shoes in blue, black and brown, also boots. As long as the work dress matches / tones with the shoes and the tights haven't laddered, I am good to go.

Leggings with long tunic or dress or longer jumper, because with babies or toddlers there's lots of squatting to be done and it means the top of your knickers are covered/aren't revealed as they can be when wearing jeans.

Style has changed post children. Pre children, dare I say I was fashionable? I also wore heels and tighter clothes. Post children, my aim is simply to be smart and not mumsy/frumpy. Its probably in part due to the practicalities of having children and generally growing older.

I'd like to hunk I was rather fashionable prior to pregnancy and very fit, I then also purchased lots of beautiful clothing for my baby ... I thought I'd bounce back to size, and I fit in my jeans within two weeks but just because I could fit in them didn't mean they was comfortable or my body was back, I've realised that I'm never going to look like I did in a belly top, low cut top or my skinny jeans, however it's a small price to pay for my amazing little girl. Talking of my amazing little girl, she suffered with bad colic at a young age and was put on comfort milk by the gp this made her nappies fill and run, this meant changes of clothing every few hours. I soon learned to buy clothing for her that was comfortable and easy to change.

My fashion tip for anyone would be to go with it, there are occasions I throw on a jumper but equally there are occasions I can curl my hair and put a dress on (with slimming pants at the minute), however a baby is tiring and no one is judging. The world is changing and everyone is an individual people should not be judge for their looks or fashion.

*think not hunk

I think it's important not to fall into the trap of defining yourself by your motherhood. Too many women lose all sight of themselves once they've had a baby.
Why should anything change? I didn't follow fashion rigidly before I had a baby and I don't now. I wear what I want. I wear what I know suits me.

Washing tip would be to never ever ever use liquid or tabs or gel wotsits because they just clog your machine and make it smell. And forget all the guff from the manufacturers about 30 degrees and less. No, it doesn't make your clothes look, or smell clean.