Hi Ladies! I absolutely loved this thoughtful deep dive into the idea of "maternal" style and its wider representation of femininity, beauty, identity and class. A mother of two toddlers and proud owner of a handful of go-to nap dresses, I'm often grateful for the option to feel put together while also prioritizing comfort and ease. It's an article of clothing that facilitates inclusivity of women who (and I can only speak for myself here) would otherwise feel confined to elastic waistlines and flowy tank tops that breathe room for a changing body - which can be related to pregnancy and childbirth or not. This conversation spoke to me in such personal ways, but also piqued my professional ears as a researcher in the postpartum space. I am currently writing a paper detailing my recent study of postpartum body image with an emphasis on non-weight related physical changes (e.g., stretch marks, scars, changes to breasts and hips). The women who participated in the study's focus group shared such incredible insight into their changing relationship with their bodies and, as you might have predicted, most women felt negatively towards their postpartum weight and shape. The central argument of the paper describes a mother's mourning of a body that is now permanently changed, which adds to the complex nature of negotiating a new mothering identity. Notably, many women in the study, even those who returned to their pre-pregnancy weight, felt that their bodies would never be the same and spoke about the duality of grieving a former physical self while trying to make sense of a postpartum body as both a woman and mother. Your discussion of the nap dress being designed to accommodate women's changing bodies and signaling to women that beauty and femininity need not exist exclusively within structured bodices and skinny jeans filled me with inspiration, because those are the messages that I believe can meaningfully impact women's body image. I would LOVE to hear an extension of this conversation that focuses on body image in mothers and non-mothers, and unpacks the influences of social media, social support systems and body expectations. I'm currently pursuing my PhD in Human Development and Family Sciences and am centering my research around body image within the context of the relationship. It's crucial to consider partner support and behaviors in how we evaluate our bodies and I'd love to hear that piece explored in a discussion on motherhood and aging more broadly. Oh wow - this is a super long comment! I just really loved this episode and firmly believe that honest discussions like these make a difference in how we relate to ourselves and others. Thank you as always for the thoughtful and excellent work :)
Hi Ladies! I absolutely loved this thoughtful deep dive into the idea of "maternal" style and its wider representation of femininity, beauty, identity and class. A mother of two toddlers and proud owner of a handful of go-to nap dresses, I'm often grateful for the option to feel put together while also prioritizing comfort and ease. It's an article of clothing that facilitates inclusivity of women who (and I can only speak for myself here) would otherwise feel confined to elastic waistlines and flowy tank tops that breathe room for a changing body - which can be related to pregnancy and childbirth or not. This conversation spoke to me in such personal ways, but also piqued my professional ears as a researcher in the postpartum space. I am currently writing a paper detailing my recent study of postpartum body image with an emphasis on non-weight related physical changes (e.g., stretch marks, scars, changes to breasts and hips). The women who participated in the study's focus group shared such incredible insight into their changing relationship with their bodies and, as you might have predicted, most women felt negatively towards their postpartum weight and shape. The central argument of the paper describes a mother's mourning of a body that is now permanently changed, which adds to the complex nature of negotiating a new mothering identity. Notably, many women in the study, even those who returned to their pre-pregnancy weight, felt that their bodies would never be the same and spoke about the duality of grieving a former physical self while trying to make sense of a postpartum body as both a woman and mother. Your discussion of the nap dress being designed to accommodate women's changing bodies and signaling to women that beauty and femininity need not exist exclusively within structured bodices and skinny jeans filled me with inspiration, because those are the messages that I believe can meaningfully impact women's body image. I would LOVE to hear an extension of this conversation that focuses on body image in mothers and non-mothers, and unpacks the influences of social media, social support systems and body expectations. I'm currently pursuing my PhD in Human Development and Family Sciences and am centering my research around body image within the context of the relationship. It's crucial to consider partner support and behaviors in how we evaluate our bodies and I'd love to hear that piece explored in a discussion on motherhood and aging more broadly. Oh wow - this is a super long comment! I just really loved this episode and firmly believe that honest discussions like these make a difference in how we relate to ourselves and others. Thank you as always for the thoughtful and excellent work :)
Rachel B. (Bachelor sign off!)