A few weeks after Ryan Norville gave birth to her second child—when the Paris-based floral designer finally felt ready to wear something besides maternity PJs and terrycloth robes—she came to a stark realization: Norville had no idea what her personal style looked like postpartum.
Disoriented and eager to reconnect with pre-baby Ryan, the new mom of two tried wearing the items she used to love. “With my postpartum clothes, I went to a different extreme in wanting to feel like myself again,” Norville tells Marie Claire. “I would dress up and be a bit more glamorous, hoping to recognize myself in the mirror.” But the woman Norville now saw looking back was, understandably, different—and she had a new set of wardrobe priorities than before giving birth.
"I spent too much time believing that successfully styling myself meant my body had to look and function exactly as it did before having two children," she says. "Once I accepted, first, that this was nearly impossible, and second, that I was a completely different person in every way, the process became much more enjoyable. It’s still a journey, but one I’m having a lot more fun with now."
Norville’s postpartum fashion ups and downs are common. Yet, the challenges of getting dressed after giving birth rarely take center stage—which is why Marie Claire spoke with seven stylish moms (including Norville) about rediscovering their personal style post-baby. From embracing fun-filled postpartum fashion to debunking the myth of “bouncing back” and highlighting why the best button-down shirts are a breastfeeding essential, these moms share their insights—highlighting how style can be a grounding force amid the uncertainties of new motherhood.
Camille Darby
The mom: Camille Darby, the global VP of brand marketing at Condé Nast, who gave birth on Aug. 2, 2024.
Personal style as postpartum self-care: To no surprise, motherhood consumes almost every ounce of my brain space, so maintaining my personal style is met with deeper intention. I want to stay connected to parts of my individual self without trying too hard or being in denial about the realities of taking care of a baby. Finding time to tap into my creativity when putting together outfits, whether easy-breezy or fabulous, is therapeutic for me, so I do my best to keep that going.
A standout silhouette: I love to keep several styles of oversized white button-down shirts, and I consistently reach for a few of my favorites from Zara, H&M, and Gap. There are endless ways to dress down or elevate a white button-up: I wear it as a swim cover-up, with knit skirts and boots, with jeans and a pair of heels, or with sweats, fly sneakers, and an oversized blazer.
A postpartum hero item: The barrel-leg jeans from Free People—particularly the animal print pair. The high waist, loose fit, curved leg shape, and neutral leopard print work well with so many types of tops, from a roomy, patterned crop top to a long layering knit. When I throw them on, I feel like the work needed to pull off effortless style is already done.
Amrit Tietz
The mom: Amrit Tietz, a DJ and co-founder of Spread the Jelly, an independent publication dedicated to modern motherhood, who gave birth on Feb. 23, 2023.
On the "bounce back" myth: I think what surprised me with postpartum was how long it took for my body to recalibrate; it took me almost 18 months to get back to some of my pre-baby wardrobe. I shared a lot of that journey [online] because we don't get that narrative much. We're all so conditioned to "bounce back"—and that isn't the case for most women.
Amrit's default easy outfit: I wore a lot of oversized shirts with sporty track pants. I own many button-up shirts in different fabrics—I love crispy cotton for the daytime and something on the sheer side with a cute lace underlayer for the evening. As for bottoms, Relax Lacrosse is a favorite for their athletic shorts, and Leset does a really nice fake pant—by that, I mean it's a tailored pant with a sneaky elastic waist...I lived in those!
Playful accents and add-ons: I used accessories a lot as a way to stay in touch with my personal style. Even if I was wearing a sweat set, a fun earring, a statement necklace, or eyewear always made me feel like myself. I am a big jewelry person—Eliou, Chan Luu, Kimai, Completed Works, Dorsey, and Simone Rocha are some of my favorites.
A postpartum splurge Amrit's still wearing: My feet went up a full size, so I had to buy new shoes...which was heartbreaking because I had quite the collection. I invested in these Khaite boots, and honestly, the cost per wear has been remarkable. I wear them all the time. They're extremely comfortable, go with everything, and were very worth the spend.
Harling Ross Anton
The mom: Harling Ross Anton, writer of the style newsletter Gumshoe, who welcomed her baby in Aug. 2023.
Connecting with her fashion identity post-birth: As time passed [postpartum], I found a lot of emotional comfort in returning to the rest of my wardrobe and feeling really grounded by how familiar it was amidst a time of so much change. The essence of my personal style hasn't changed since becoming a mom, beyond the practicalities of getting dressed while breastfeeding or giving spaghetti with tomato sauce to a toddler. Instead, my style has felt like one of the few things that anchors me to who I was before I had a child. I've really appreciated that as I've leaned into the process of transformation in so many other respects.
On convenience and comfort: Initially, physical comfort and ease were big priorities. I wore a lot of button-downs as I needed easy access for breastfeeding, and I especially lived in the ones I have from Chava Studio since they're so soft and well-loved at this point.
Harling's swear-by recommendation: My nightgowns from If Only If were staples when I was newly postpartum. Even though they're technically sleepwear, they're so pretty that I still felt like I was wearing something special even if I kept them on all day (which I often did).
Crystal Anderson
The mom: Crystal Anderson, the head of creative at a very good job, an agency co-founded with her wife, gave birth in Nov. 2023.
Crystal's postpartum style advice: Give yourself grace. If getting dressed makes you feel good, do it. If living in sweats makes you feel good, more power to you! Finding your style again after such a life-changing moment can be difficult, and, as a society, we need to release birthing people from the stress to return to “normal"—there is no returning to normal!
Her most-worn postpartum outfit: I lived in big baggy sweaters and vintage Levi’s, and my loafers from The Row really got me through the first four months. [It was] such an easy outfit to be comfy but look put together for doctor appointments and walks.
A personality piece in Crystal's rotation: Getting dressed and feeling like myself was a top priority [during postpartum], so yes, I was breastfeeding in a Christopher John Rogers sweater!
Sarah Zendejas
The mom: Fashion editor and stylist Sarah Zendejas, who gave birth on Aug. 3, 2023.
What Sarah wanted from her postpartum clothes: I wanted to feel comfortable, effortless, and feminine. My first thought was what was the most practical and softest thing to throw on, especially living in New York City, where I was going to be walking around with my baby and my miniature schnauzer all day.
It is important for me to mention that I pumped for eight months as my baby and I were unable to latch successfully. Had I had to breastfeed while out and about, that would have absolutely changed my clothing decisions, as I would have prioritized easy access to feed above anything else.
The loungewear she loved: Bumpsuit’s Cloud set, the tees, and the lounge pants were the pieces I wore most at home after arriving from the hospital. Their roominess and softness made these sets the obvious choice when all I wanted was to feel comfortable. Eterne’s lounge pants, t-shirts, and sweatsuits were also in heavy rotation. The brand makes fantastic wardrobe staples.
Easy, one-and-done dresses: I gravitated towards airy and soft pieces when dressing pospartum. Merlette makes the most amazing airy cotton dresses that carried me through my pregnancy and were also perfect for postpartum, especially on those hot August days and nights. COS also makes easy and fabulous cotton frocks that were part of my core wardrobe during and post-pregnancy.
Sarah's hands-down hero brand: I cannot stop waxing poetic about Issey Miyake Pleats Please—chic, effortless, and will-grow-with-your-body pieces that no one should sleep on! I wore the dresses throughout my pregnancy and after, especially for nights out.
There is an array of gorgeous colors to choose from, a selection of silhouettes and lengths, but most importantly, you do not have to steam before wearing them—this is key for me—and you can throw them in the washing machine. How many pieces can do all of that?
Ryan Norville
The mom: Ryan Norville, a floral designer and two-time mom, who first gave birth in 2020 and again in 2022.
Advice on dressing a postpartum body: Allow yourself space to really take your time, and don't feel any pressure to be or look a certain way. Please use [the postpartum period] as a way to celebrate your body and all that it has done and what it continues to do. In the months following [giving birth], I found the perfect balance—accepting the newest form of my body and how to dress in a way that felt authentic to me but still in a manner that was practical enough that I could pull out a boob for my newborn when I had to.
Comfy-casual, the Ryan way: My hero items were cozy pieces that still felt chic and didn't scream "postpartum," which helped during that period of struggling with a new identity and everything my body just went through.
At one point, I bought almost the whole catalog on the Coucou Intimates website; they have simple but beautiful basics that I still wear daily. I love Baserange for similar reasons; they have the best, elevated, well-fitting basics that are really great transitional pieces. Not just transitional in the sense of the body healing after giving birth, but also that transition between trying to dress like your old self and still discovering your new self. I also lived in matching YanYan knit suits because they felt like a step above grey sweats. I would get compliments every single time I wore that suit.
Bettina Looney
The mom: Bettina Looney, a personal shopper, stylist, and influencer, has two kids: one 2 years old and the other 8 weeks old.
On surprisingly stylish PJs and lounge sets: I loved co-ords in super soft fabrics that were still feminine without being restrictive, like Skims Ribbed stretch-modal jersey pajamas—I lived in these and still do—Bumpsuits entire loungewear collection, and Skin Worldwide cashmere sets.
The postpartum item she's still wearing: I also have the Como Maxi Dress in both grey and beige from The Garment, total game changer as I was able to wear it at 40 weeks pregnant and now postpartum, too.
