Vent: everyone suddenly has opinions about what I'm 'allowed' to wear while pregnant
I used to be pretty confident about clothes, but pregnancy has turned everyone into the fashion police and I'm so over it.
I live in the suburbs and thrift most of my wardrobe. I'm trying to make a small maternity-ish capsule work without buying an entire new closet. Some days that means a fitted dress that shows a little bump. Some days it means oversized and comfortable. Either way, I'm dressed, I'm clean, and I'm trying to feel like myself.
But now every time I leave the house someone has something to say. If I wear something fitted it's "Wow, you are really showing" like it's a warning. If I wear something loose it's "Are you hiding it" like I'm being secretive. If I wear a slightly cropped top with high-waisted leggings it's "Is that comfortable for the baby" like my shirt is going to hurt them. And my personal favorite is the passive "You are brave" whenever I wear anything that is not basically a tent.
It's not just older relatives either. Friends, people at the grocery store, and random moms at events all feel free to weigh in. I did not realize pregnancy came with a subscription to unsolicited commentary.
I know some people mean it as small talk, but it makes me feel like my body is public property and my outfit is a referendum on my parenting. I'm already dealing with the physical changes and trying to budget for this baby. I don't have the energy to defend a thrifted dress, or to explain that the only “splurge” I’ve made lately is wasting a few minutes on Mistplay while I’m too tired to move.
Mostly I just needed to vent because I'm tired of feeling judged for trying to look put together while growing a human.