Helen

A week(‘s worth) of return to work outfits

Styling a week of outfits heading back to work post baby

I recently passed a huge milestone with my return to work after having a baby. This wasn’t without complicated feelings; mostly I was just sad that such a special time of our lives was over, and at the thought of not getting to spend so much time with my lovely baby. But I was also looking forward to getting into a new work routine, getting out and about a bit more, and of course, getting to dress up again! I’ve always been into ‘workwear’, and although I now take a far more relaxed approach to this than I once did, there’s still a simple pleasure to be found in putting together outfits that make one feel confident and comfortable.

I’m actually doing a No Spend Year for clothes this year (read more here), so I’ve had to challenge myself to put outfits together from what I have already, regardless of how differently a lot of my wardrobe fits, and if I’d like to fill it out with other pieces. A nice challenge!

In this post I’ll be sharing some of the outfits I wore in my first couple of weeks back at work. I had intended it to be a single calendar week, but thanks to illness, I was in and out a bit. I suspect this may be a fairly common experience for parents returning to work!

Black, green and white

Helen wearing a white shirt with the sleeves rolled up to just below her elbows, with a khaki knitted vest over the top, and black wide-leg jeans and black chelsea boots.

For my first outfit back, I chose something comfortable and comforting. These black jeans have become a staple, having been sat in my wardrobe for a while unworn. Now they fit me a bit more comfortably, I’m enjoying their slightly wider leg. They’re not quite as nice as my Levi Taper Jeans, but they’re a good substitute. I’m very much in my knitted vest era (as you’ll see from the rest of this post!), and this is one I bought late in pregnancy and never really got round to wearing. As the weather is finally getting cooler in Melbourne, this seemed like the perfect time to fetch it out again. The shirt underneath is a vintage one I picked up I think a couple of years ago now, and which gets sporadic use. I was a bit gutted to find that it no longer fits over my chest (it’s certainly true that having a baby and breastfeeding can increase your cup size!) – it gapes terribly. But instead of relegating it to the back of my wardrobe, or even considering getting rid of it, I’ve just thrown the vest over the top. Vests are a bit more part of a finished outfit, as it were, than just a jumper or a cardigan, so I felt confident that I could get through the day without needing to take it off. It nicely camouflages the gaping, and I love how the collar and sleeves sit under it. Top the outfit off with my trust Ecco boots, and I had a lovely, comfy outfit with a bit of a vintage feel.

Splash of colour

Helen wearing a lime-yellow green dress with mother of pearl buttons all down the front and a collar that sits over the black cardigan she wears open on top. She also wears thick black tights and lace-up black ankle boots.

This outfit was inspired by one of styleidealist on Instagram’s reels, entitled ‘Cool girl’ outfit formulas for curves. Her dress was a bit more yellow, and she pairs it with a checked blazer. It was actually the blazer that originally inspired me to save the outfit, as it’s identical to one I bought last year. In the end, as my dress is a bit more vibrant than hers, I decided to lean into it being just about the colour, and paired with a simple cardigan instead. The dress isn’t designed as a nursing or maternity one, but the buttons down the front make it perfect for this anyway. The boots are one of my favourite pairs of shoes, which I found in the UK last year. They’d not seen the light of day much since becoming pregnant, so it was great to break them out again.

Mostly black (as usual)

Helen wearing black wide trousers with a green/blue tight t-shirt, a black chunky cardigan open, and black loafers.
Helen wearing black wide trousers with a green/blue tight t-shirt, and black loafers.

My classic work outfit formula has always been just as much black as possible, so this is probably closest to one of my old standards. The aim was to try these trousers out. Bought late last year, they barely fit me for a long time, but are just starting to feel comfortable again. They’re from Princess Highway, where they were described as culottes, but to be honest they feel a lot more like normal trousers. I’m not entirely sure they’ll become favourites, as I’m not in love with how they sit on me, either at the waist or with the slightly weird exposed ankle I get with the slightest bit of hip angle. I topped it off with a cardigan and top, both from Witchery. I can never decide if this top is green or blue – it looks more green in person than in photographs, but it’s still marginal. The loafers are a pair I picked up from French Connection, when it was doing a big sale just before changing their name here in Australia. I don’t think I’ve ever worn them out, and I can tell that they’d give me big blisters if I tried to! I think I’ll have to try breaking them in around the house first.

Light academia coded

Helen wearing a white balloon sleeved shirt with a ruffled collar underneath a beige knitted vest, with blue wide-leg jeans, black boots, and a black belt with a gold squared gold-coloured buckle.

This was I think my favourite outfit of the week! The vest was a Christmas present from my mother in 2023, and I’ve got lots of use out of it since then. The shirt however was a bit of a splurge from Witchery, and I’ve hardly worn it. The fabric is quite thin and see-through, which you can probably make out from the sleeves, so I never know quite how to wear it. Pretty much every bra is visible through it, so you have to decide whether to wear a cami underneath, which looks a little bit weird, just go with it, or add an outer layer. So the rise of knitted vests present the perfect solution. I love how the collar peeks out of the top, and the sleeves are really highlighted next to the darker knit. This is a real light academia/Instragram knitter coded outfit, and I love it!

A Uniqlo pick

Helen wearing a creamy mid-calf length linen skirt with a tight black t-shirt, black tights, and black chelsea boots.
Helen wearing a creamy mid-calf length linen skirt, with black tights, and a chunky black cardigan with three large tortoiseshell buttons down the front, and black chelsea boots.

I’m sounding like a broken record now, but this skirt is another piece I bought late last year and didn’t fit, but is now finally getting comfortable again. It was actually one of the ‘picks’ from my Uniqlo and Ines de la Fressange collection Picks and Passes post (read here). If I was leaving the house I would probably feel the need to iron it, as it’s incredibly creased. By on a work from home day, I thought I could get away with it. The skirt is also pretty see-through – it actually came with a slip skirt, so at least they’re acknowledging it. But as I wanted to wear it mostly with black, I thought I could manage with just a thick pair of tights underneath. The t-shirt is actually a nursing top, which makes pumping a lot easier! This outfit was inspired by Marina Torres on Instagram, in a post entitled ‘Day 2 of spring outfits I can’t wait to wear’. She went for bare legs and ballet flats, but I’ve made things a bit more autumn/winter with the tights, and those lovely boots again. The cardigan in the second image is one of my favourite pieces from Witchery, bought I think two years ago.

There you have it, my week’s worth of return to work outfits. I’ve really enjoyed getting back into putting outfits together, and feeling a bit more inspired with my clothing again. I may not love everything going back to work entails, but it’s been fun having a chance to play with my wardrobe a bit again. I hope this might offer some inspiration if you’re trying to get back into ‘proper’ dressing after, like me, being stuck in leggings for the majority of your pregnancy and postpartum journey! Do you have any tips for returning to work after having a baby? Be they clothing related or otherwise, I’d love to hear them in the comments!

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