In case you are wondering if this has anything to do with the 90s thriller movie, then let’s put your mind at ease. Although the film’s concept is quite disturbing, that is perhaps more manageable now than what new mothers face these days.
More than most women with post-partum bodies feel that the clothes that are available today are not made for them.
Women in their 30s and 40s make for a huge consumer segment for modern fashion and if this is their experience with the current trend, then we do have a serious problem.
A recent study of 150 women around the world reveals that women who have recently had a baby or parenting infants are stuck with older styles of clothes.
Despite the rapidly changing trends, they have not been able to find anything that fits their present body, lifestyle, or even mood.
Here’s what the results conclude –
Clothes that don’t fit the changing bodies
During and post-pregnancy, women’s bodies undergo major changes, besides the natural order of changes that happen between the late 30s and 40s any which way. Now, the styles that are available today are mostly targeted towards women (and men) in their 20s since they form a bigger percentage of the market.
Thus, women with post-partum bodies have two simple choices – either fit into the trends or resort to their tried and tested the previous style. It’s truly disheartening.
Trends that don’t seem relevant enough
Well, the Kardashians and the Jenners might be “rocking” the bare-butt jeans but let’s get “real” here.
Fashion is not what stays on the runway. It’s what finds its way into people’s lives;
lives where people drive to work, take the train, do groceries, take the kids to the park, host Sunday barbecues, go for PTA meetings, get promotions, run a business, have family holidays, and the list can go on.
So, yes, when cold-shoulder jumpers, transparent leggings, ripped stocking, and so on, flood the shelves of malls and local clothing stores, it is no surprise that new mothers would not find that relevant enough!
Styles without any emotional connect
We had learned the difference between clothes and fashion long ago. The purpose of clothes is to cover your body. Fashion is what it makes you feel. With that logic, fashion needs to consider the psychological needs of the people it is meant for. But knowing what we know about available style options for new mothers, the logic is clearly not in place.
Psychologists have long concluded that dressing up is both an art and science. It merges the tangible aesthetics to our cognitive skills. You might have read an earlier blog on how clothes affect our minds.
The point is, fashion brands today are failing to look at people as “emotional beings” and rather look at them as “buyers”. On one hand, we keep saying that we should feel comfortable in our skin. On the other hand, people are not given that choice but are expected to resort to what is available.
The solution
If there is any plausible resolution to the problem, there is a simple one – fashion brands need to consider all these possible people while designing new collections. They also need to be in sync with the changing lifestyles, psychology, and body types of women, as they grow older.
And as for the mothers, we can say that you just need to find that style/s that resonates with you because there is something for everyone. Not even for a minute should you have to think that you need to change your body or style preference to fit into the trend.
