A Breastfeeding Wardrobe: Advice Plz!

Since having Max three (!) months ago, I am mostly back to normal physically. I am only ten pounds above my pre-pregnancy weight, so that's good! I have started going to yoga again and working on toning up.

Being slightly larger than before and also breastfeeding is making me reevaluate my wardrobe. I bought some new jeans since my old ones don't fit anymore, which was great. That made it so I had more than just leggings to wear and made me feel more like a human again! I got rid of a garbage bag full of clothes that are either too small or won't work with breastfeeding. Now I need a summer wardrobe that will work.

Mostly everything I have seen online is nursing tank tops with the hooks, button downs, and wrap tops or dresses. I am just wondering if you ladies have any tips for nursing through the summer months? What are some essential pieces that I should buy? Summer is so short here, I think I could easily get by with less than ten "outfits".

I also want to try to sew a few items (maybe three?) as well. I think the Camas blouse by Thread Theory with either short or no sleeves would work very well. I saw a cute button down sleeveless dress on Instagram, I know it was an indie pattern, but I forgot the name... Any other recommendations for patterns that would work and be quick and easy to sew?

And to leave on a funny note, I saw Gertie released a new pattern:

Link here

All I could think was "You could turn view A into a nursing top if you cut two holes under the ties" How funny would that be? :)

Vintage Clothes Shopping

I spend a lot of time on my phone, like when the baby is nursing. I have been wasting a lot of time on Instagram lately (@mollysews but it is mostly baby pictures at this point).

There are a few vintage clothes sellers that I follow on Instagram. I (and lots of you) love vintage clothes and I use them for sewing inspiration since they are often horrifically expensive and usually not anywhere close to fitting me.

Two points for discussion:

1. I really really enjoy looking at the clothes, which are often very simple 50s dresses, and then looking at how much they cost. They are often well over $100 and so simple that you could buy a similar modern pattern on sale for 99 cents and then make a replica for less than $30. That is really why I got into sewing; I am so cheap at heart and love to gloat about how much money I saved (which only makes sense when you either talk about vintage or designer, not regular everyday stuff). Do any of you like copying expensive stuff and the feeling super proud? Mmmm, my favorite!

2. I see them tagging and labeling so MANY dresses as 40s and 50s and they are often very clearly not. Frankly, the 40s were 75 years ago and there really cannot be that many pristine and intact pieces to sell. I think lots of times they are similar styles from the 70s and it's just wishful thinking. I see the same thing with 80s dresses that were inspired by the 50s. Sometimes they tag it as "inspired" but not always. Granted, I can't see the labels and that would help determine if they are or aren't. I know a lot of the styles and features that date an outfit to a time period from sewing from vintage patterns for so long, but I am sure lots of their buyers have no clue. But then again, they may not care. Do you think there can really be THAT many pieces (shoes and dresses) from the 40s or 50s?

Either way, I love looking at the pictures and thinking about how I could and would sew that myself!