Getting dressed postpartum can be challenging at best. Our bodies are in an in-between state, we’re either pumping or nursing or burping a baby throughout the day, and we often are tempted to wear sweats all day, every day just to find any comfort in our bodies at all. Here are the 5 pieces I find essential to make getting dressed in the fall during the postpartum period as easy as can be.

(click anywhere in the image above to shop that item.)

First things first: A couple important things about your fall momiform:
+ 1. Choose a color palette. There simply isn’t time to have a million wildcards in your wardrobe. I like to stick to a color palette where I know at least 85% of my wardrobe works together. For me, it’s stripes, white, rust, black, army green and charcoal. You can of course have that really cool pink coat or the mint green sweater you love, but choosing a color scheme just takes the guess work out of getting dressed in the morning. We ain’t got time for that, you know?
+ 2. Try things on. Get in your closet and try on the things you’d like to wear this Autumn so you know what you’re really working with. Often times we think to ourselves “Well I’m 3/6/9 months postpartum…I’m sure that will fit” but nothing feels worse than going to get dressed in the morning to find three outfits are too small. Once you know what fits, go ahead and move what doesn’t either to one part of the closet, to bins you can put in storage til next Fall or to a closet somewhere else in the house.

Now you’re ready to put together outfits from what fits and works in your color scheme and you’re equipped to shop for what you truly need after seeing what doesn’t currently fit. One more point: I’m not including leggings in this list (if you want to read about my favorite leggings, head to my Postpartum Essentials post here) because most of us need zero prompting whatsoever to slip into our athleisure. Robes, nursing bras and leggings are the obvious choice but you won’t find those here. Deal? Deal.

Jeans: Okay, you may be shaking your head at me but before you close your browser, stick with me here. I always find I feel a little bit more put together when I’m wearing real pants throughout the week and denim at a great price point is the best way to do it. I find a high waist, straight leg fit is most flattering. A white, black and dark pair will match everything you could throw at them this season. Remember this rule: don’t be afraid to order a few sizes up if need be. You brought a baby into this world and your denim size says absolutely nothing about you.

Tops: I snuck a few in here. 1. The simple tee 2. The cozy pullover 3. The oversized cardigan. 4. The oversized blouse. I don’t restrict myself to nursing tops at any point of breastfeeding. As long as I can pull up my top somehow or button it down, I’m good to go. This means no bodysuits and no high-neck dresses, but everything else is fair game. So mostly, I’m looking for what is comfortable, simple and cute. This specific scroller has my favorite tops (sweaters, tees and blouses) from ShopBop since they’re currently having a Sale and I’m all about investing in tops postpartum rather than bottoms.

These are my favorite postpartum sweaters from other stores:


And my favorite postpartum tops/tees that are flattering on my body (aka not suction cupped to my middle) and are comfortable as can be:

The One-Stop Outfit: The matching sweatsuit and the jumpsuit are my best friend in every season but they just shine in Autumn.

The right shoe: The five Autumn shoes I’d call essential are a slide, an all-white sneaker, a sneaker that pulls an outfit together while still being comfy, a combat boot and a rain boot or hiking boot that can get straight up destroyed. If you’ve never invested in a sneaker like a Veja, please take advantage of the incredible Shopbop sale and start here. In fact, scroll through all the shoes on Shopbop because shoes are, again, much more friendly than pants postpartum and often times if we let ourselves accept it-our feet grew during pregnancy and we can use a new pair or two.

A hat: A hat is a mom’s best friend. Especially a postpartum mom. Didn’t have time to wash your hair? No problem. Wear a hat. Have spit-up in your hair? Don’t worry. Grab your hat. Dry shampoo not doing the trick? I think you see where I’m going with this. If you think hats aren’t “your thing,” give a beanie and a fedora a try and think again. Trust me.

Alright, friends. I hope you find this guide helpful as you approach getting dressed this season. At the end of the day, clothes are just clothes and nothing can make up for a mind dissatisfied with the body it’s in. Fight more for that peace than for new clothes, and when you’re ready- I’ve got your back.