Sweater Fever

In my 20's I had a lot of fun with fashion. I mixed high and low, new and vintage, and topped it all off with thrifted treasures. When my son was born three years ago I discovered that although I was looking cute, it wasn't so comfortable taking care of an infant in some of my get-ups. I was more than happy to sacrifice comfort for style; that is until I had a thirteen pound baby hanging from my hip, and his doubly heavy, all-this-is-necessary diaper bag. Suddenly I was faced with a circumstance I hadn't even considered before giving birth ('I am not going to be a mother who gives up her style') and found myself in mourning for some time. Four inch wedges were traded in for flats; my favorite Via Spiga sandals were packed away after I nearly tipped over in them at a wedding (while holding my eight month old son); and saddest of all, vintage dresses were taken to consignment. Now after some time has passed and I'm no longer carrying my child everywhere the opportunity has risen for me to re-introduce some of my favorite pieces into my closet; only now my tastes have changed. I've actually become quite accustomed to these new modern, somewhat utilitarian styles. Where I used to shun brands like J. Crew and Gap for the more obscure boutique brands and less obscure vintage brands, I am now seeking them out more regularly. As a mother there is something to be said for an item you can make a snap decision with, knowing making a mistake is fairly limited. I can't spend hours and hours shopping like I used to and I never try anything on,  especially with my son in tow as he most often is. But with all these changes one thing has remained the same, my love for thrifting. I get almost as excited now finding these name-brand items as I did when I would find incredible vintage pieces, which is what happened this week when I came across two very cute, much needed sweaters at my neighborhood Goodwill (that to my delight is just a handful of blocks away, making it perfect for weekly walks in the crisp fall weather). I especially love the tan one with the brown yarn detail, and they both leave a little room for belly growth this winter.

thrifted Gap sweater

thrifted Liz Claiborne sweater