Navigating Body Changes
When I was starting my business, I hired a private English teacher to help me improve my vocabulary around color analysis and image consulting. Since I began my career in fashion in Brazil, most of my education happened in Portuguese, and I wanted to become more confident discussing my work in English.
Over time, she became a close friend. One day, she told me she had started taking Mandarin classes. I remember being surprised and asking her why.
Her answer was:
She said, "I always need to be learning something challenging so I can relate to my students. When you know something very well, it becomes easy to forget what it feels like to struggle with it."
That was such an aha moment for me.
I found myself thinking about that conversation this week as I navigate the changes happening in my own body.
For years, my closet felt like a comfortable place. Honestly, my closet was a dream come true. And who cares if I'm a size 14? I certainly don't. Getting dressed was second nature. I knew what worked, what fit, and how to make sense of my wardrobe.
Now, pregnancy has changed all of that.
Every week, my body feels a little different. Pieces that worked yesterday suddenly fit differently today. My proportions are changing. My needs are changing. The way I move through my closet is changing.
In many ways, I feel like I am learning all over again.
And just like my teacher approached Mandarin, I am trying to approach this season with curiosity instead of frustration. This experience is stretching me, challenging me, and asking me to develop new skills and new ways of seeing myself.
Most importantly, I know it will help me become a better stylist. It will help me better understand the vulnerability that comes with body changes and the patience required to adapt to them.
So while I may not have all the answers right now, I am committed to the challenge.
Today, I spent almost an hour in my closet. My husband, who is not exactly used to seeing me trying on clothes like a maniac, looked at me and said: "Ana, that's a lot of time to pick an outfit."
To be fair to him, he wasn't trying to be mean. He was genuinely surprised. I laughed and told him, "Brendon, I wasn't just picking an outfit. I was relearning."
I explained that every piece I was trying on was giving me information. I was separating what works for my body now from what doesn't. I pointed to a small section of the closet and said, "That little section over there? That's what I know works this week."
This week, I'll pull my outfits from that section. Next week, I'll try everything again and see what changed.
He nodded, smiled, and told me I looked pretty. And the truth is, I do feel pretty. I feel incredibly lucky to be carrying my baby.
But let's be clear about one thing... I may be pregnant, but I refuse to be frumpy. 😂
When we enter our closets to pick an outfit in the morning, we go through all the "no's" before we land on a "yes."
No, that doesn't fit.
No, that's too worn out.
No, someone gifted that to me, but I don't actually like it.
No, that needs to be hemmed.
No, that's not my color.
Sometimes finding an outfit feels like searching for a needle in a haystack. It's exhausting, discouraging, and at times it can feel almost impossible.
But every time you identify a "no," you're learning something valuable.
When you take the time to test things out and separate what works from what doesn't, you're actually doing yourself a huge favor. That's why decluttering is so important. That's why bringing home random sale rack finds simply because they're on sale can make getting dressed harder, not easier. Every piece that doesn't belong adds another obstacle between you and the pieces that make you feel your best.
Letting go of the "no's" makes room for more "yeses."
In my case, I know these body changes are temporary. So instead of rebuilding my entire wardrobe, I create a new "yes pile" every few weeks. As my body changes, I revisit pieces, try things again, and see what works now.
It's a constant process of adjusting, learning, and giving myself grace.
I hope this post helps you make peace with your closet and reminds you that you're not alone. The beauty of life is that we are constantly changing and evolving. Our closets have to evolve with us.
Cheers to that!
And I'd love to hear from you: what's the biggest struggle you're facing in your closet right now? Leave me a comment and let me know what you'd like me to write about next.
Ana Harris - Personal Stylist
Color Analysis - Wardrobe Styling
Studio in Fall River, MA - Serving clients from Rhode Island, Boston, and beyond.
