By Donna Duarte-LaddA nursing mom’s wardrobe may change from ‘before baby’ to ‘after’ — fast becoming an array of deep v-neck tees and camisoles. Easy on, easy off. In the beginning, this is perfectly fine, as it is all about accessibility. Then style or rather the desire for a sense of fashion creeps in. With COVID, many moms are wearing relaxed pieces (read: stretchy) more than ever. As we navigate kids and quarantine life, this has made sense. However, as we enter into another school year of COVID life, moms want their style back. This is especially true for nursing moms who are in a bit of a double whammy dressing during this time.
For nursing moms, style in non-pandemic times can be a challenge. New mothers are dealing with how the style fits their bodies and functions in their life. Finding a wardrobe balance is essential, and balance is key when adding pieces that elevate your wardrobe.
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Liquid Gold Vintage
Special enough to go with your comfy jeans or over your nursing top while you have a ZOOM meeting or a social distancing mom meet up, this is where Liquid Gold Vintage, a black-owned and operated curated vintage for nursing mamas enters the picture. This well-curated site caught this former fashion director’s eye for being out of the box style that isn’t what others think nursing or pumping moms ‘should’ be wearing. Moms are sexy, stylish, and wearing something showcased on Liquid Gold Vintage celebrates women.
We recently chatted with Brooklyn mother, Alexis Kristiana, owner and founder of Liquid Gold Vintage, a Curated Vintage shop for the nursing (and breast pumping ) mama.
What inspired you to found Liquid Gold Vintage?
I’ve always had a deep love for standout vintage finds, and I found myself shopping for a lot of pieces that were nursing friendly after giving birth to my son.
I was struggling to find nursing pieces in stores and online that made me feel like myself and resonated with my style. I didn’t want to sacrifice style to be able to nurse comfortably. So I started looking for my own vintage pieces one day and it turned into an “I could make this into a business” moment.
The nursing clothes that are available to us on the market are just completely outdated and don’t reflect the waves that have been made in the breastfeeding community. I wanted to see clothes out there for the breastfeeding mamas that reflected that change. We need breastfeeding clothing that makes us feel empowered, confident, and stylish, so I went out and started curating pieces that would be that change.
What are some of the key styles and fits that a nursing and breastfeeding mom should look for?
Easy access to that liquid gold is the name of the game here. You want to look for pieces that button-down easily, nothing with teeny tiny buttons that will be hard to get open with a fussy eater. Think medium to big size buttons.
Anything that has snap closures in the front is also great, along with making sure the fabric isn’t too lightweight and can withstand any breast milk leakage that will and can occur! Be mindful to also stay away from fabrics that are itchy and can be uncomfortable for your nursing little ones. Think soft cottons, blends, etc.
Liquid Gold Vintage is curated, how does a piece make it into the collection?
First I take into consideration the uniqueness of the piece. Is it stand out enough? Will it make some breastfeeding mama feel better in it during her breastfeeding journey? Then I test out the functionality of it — I make sure it’s easy to nurse or pump in and that it’s comfortable for not only mom but for your little one you’ll be nursing. Lastly, I inspect the garment and it’s quality, making sure it’s worth adding to the shop!
This article first appeared on newyorkfamily.com
