asos | Frocks & Frou Frou

So, I’ve been extraordinarily lucky that my breastfeeding journey has been (at least so far) relatively easy and straightforward. E is great at nursing, and my body seems to have taken to making milk with aplomb. I’m coping with the leakage (resuasble breast pads for the win) and the bras (Hot Milk for every day, and the terrific local brand Silent Arrow for something a bit more interesting) but I’m absolutely baffled why almost every brand that does clothing with breastfeeding access seems to assume that it’s synonymous with a nine-month pregnant belly. Surely once you start feeding the belly’s on the way out? No?

There’s a couple of brands that do non-maternity nursing clothes, but if you thought plus-size maternity options were a wasteland you should see what the plus-size breastfeeding options look like. I can squeeze into the largest size at New Zealand’s Milkbar, and I might be able to fit some items at Moolk, but otherwise I’m in button-up shirts and jeans (Good American. One day I might even get around the reviewing them).

I miss dresses, which might be why I’ve broken my own promise not to buy anything I can’t breastfeed in, and bought two brand-new, definitely non-nursing-friendly frocks. The good news is that they’re new new, so if you like them you should be able to find them in the shops right now.

The first is the gorgeous dove-grey dress above. I bought this one from Asos almost as soon as I saw the deep-v wrap over feature on the back. It’s pretty much identical to a dress that I bought years ago, grew out of, and then spent five years trying to replicate. except it’s not black (please Asos, do it in black).

While it’s still high enough to conceal my bra band, the deep v of the wrapped back will be lovely and breezy as the weather gets warmer. I rationalised my purchase by telling myself that even if I couldn’t feed in it, it would be perfect for when I (gulp!) go back to work in the new year. It’s only $56, and I’m deeply, deeply tempted to go back and buy it in the khaki too.

I don’t have “it’ll be perfect for work” as an excuse for this dress from Tirelli, unfortunately. I just saw the print and kind of had a moment, and suddenly it was part of my wardrobe. It’s made from a deliciously light cotton blend that I’m already looking forward to wearing on those nasty 35+ days. The dress has a drop waist, but skims my hips comfortably, and the tiered flouncy skirt is just crying out to be twirled in.

So that’s what’s new in my wardrobe!

Cardigan: Zara

Blouse: Modcloth

Skirt: Asos

Tights: Woolen Goods

Shoes: TUK

Sorry for the long absence – it’s been a busy few weeks, and so dark in the mornings and evenings that I haven’t been happy enough with any of the outfit shots that I’ve taken to want to post them on the blog.

I’ve been spending a lot of my free time sewing (it’s addictive!) so I’ve got lots of homemade pieces to show you, but today I’m wearing some old favourites from my wardrobe. I hope you guys don’t mind me wearing and re-wearing the same things over and over again. It doesn’t make for the most exciting fashion blog (and I know how annoying it is when you fall in love with something only to find out it’s six years old and you can’t buy one for yourself) but I guess it’s called an OOTD (outfit of the day) not BNOOTD (brand-new, etc etc).

Anyhoo. Every winter I go on the hunt for a pair of knitted-style tights that will fit. There don’t seem to be many plus-size brands who do them – and when they do they’re usually plain black. I had some luck a couple of years ago with (of all things!) Big W, but I think it was a fluke production, because I went back and bought heaps more pairs only to discover that were smaller & didn’t fit properly. Marks & Spencer did some in their ‘heat-tech’ range, but they got holey within a week, and they don’t look like they’re available anymore anyway.

I think I hit the jackpot this winter, though. I bought these marled grey tights off eBay a few weeks ago, and they arrived earlier this week. They’re apparently 80% cashmere…. I don’t know, maybe? They ARE warm though, and they fit comfortably around the waist without cutting in. The thighs are a bit snug, and I’ve been wearing them with plain knickers over the top to help keep them aloft, but I’m pretty happy with them overall. (I wish all tights could fit like Sonsee tights)

Meanwhile, last weekend I signed up for my first yoga class in, umn, far too long. And not just any yoga: AERIAL yoga!

Yoga teacher, and body positivity activist, Sarah Harry, runs a resource called Fat Yoga to help create inclusive and supportive classes for plus-size people to practice yoga without fear of judgement. Over the long weekend Sarah hosted a special aerial yoga class at Body Flow Yoga Studio, which is a lovely space not too far from me. It looked like fun, and something new, so I signed up to give it a try.

The ‘silks’ are basically little hammocks suspended from the roof and they give the yoga practice a lovely liquidity. I found them a little uncomfortable in some of the poses – when your body weight is resting on the strip there’s a fair bit of pressure there, but some of the poses were fully suspended in a kind of cocoon, and that was nothing short of divine. (I’ve pinched a couple of photos from the Fat Yoga Class facebook page to give you a bit of an idea).

I had a ball, and I’ve already booked a second class; just a regular beginners class, not a body-positive one (though I’ll be joining another member from Sarah’s Fat Yoga group). If you’ve got the opportunity to give it a try, I’d definitely recommend it!

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