Ledonna, so many thoughts ...

1. YOU ARE FREAKING AMAZING. Full stop. You are an amazing mom and person and that is more important than any issue of style or fashion.

2. I try to be charitable as I know you do too, but anyone who has the combination of unproductive time and lack of class, that they can laugh at someone else's clothing, I'm sorry, I just pity them. Thank God you're not as sad and sorry as them and move on.

3. This has been my pet peeve since I first became a mom almost 14 years ago. We don't shame surgeons for wearing ugly scrubs, or construction workers for ripped jeans and dirty plaid, why do we shame Moms for dressing for their job. I'm sorry, but if you are chasing a toddler, especially when you have all the additional challenges you and Zi'Joy are dealing with, leggings, sneaks and a t-shirt is 100% the right clothing for the job.

4. If leggings and a t are what you need to wear right now, I have no doubt you will make it look fab as I think you have been already! Your hair is fab, you have stylish glasses, you have some beautiful hair wraps and other statement items that you can add to be 'you' in your new uniform. It's a period of adjustment and you are new to this changed reality. I don't doubt you'll feel your way to the right style in good time; give yourself some grace and patience

5. Sometimes self-care does not mean shopping or doing your hair and nails or any of those things. Sometimes self-care means napping with your baby and just saying a big 'f it' to style and fashion and all that other stuff. Do what you need to do to get through this time! You have a whole cheering squad here would thinks you are FAB no matter what. xoxox

Hugs! You and Zi Joy Are Warriors and don't ever forget it! I don't think vibrant Ledonna is gone for good at all- because it's inherently you. Though you're facing a struggle, your energy still bursts through.

Oh Ledonna, you look far from craptastic, and I hope you can feel all the YLF love!! I completely get that getting settled (and continuining to find out what this "new you" looks like) is uncomfortable and even scary, but you have got this, sweet lady. You and Zi'Joy are such a strong and stylish team (also, I'm just so happy your little nugget is doing so much better!!), and look beautiful (even on what you think are "bad outfit days"). Your inner badasses shine through, no matter what you gals are wearing! And please give yourself all the time and grace you need to very slowly build on again from where you are now, there's no rush!

Oh how I want to thank each one of you individually Time always seems to run so swiftly. I have read each and every comment and taken each to heart.

I have felt so overwhelmed that it has manifested in my Ill fitting clothing choices. My grandma always used to say “You never are supposed to look like what you have been growing through.”

Well I have and I do. As soon as I typed this post I decided to be brutally honest with myself and tried on everything. While I had a pretty decent wardrobe nothing was really servicing my current life style or who I was becoming.

I read each comment here and decided to mentally and physically dress and shift my mind to the life I am living now.
I took stock of what I currently have and purged and paired down. Old pregnancy leggings gone Ill fitting tops gone, socks with holes in them gone Shoes that no longer service my life ill fitting gone. I had tops and only a few bottoms.

I made a list of what I needed. I set my budget and then I went back to Walmart. I asked my family member to watch my daughter as I took a few hours to myself to do what I needed. List in hand on monday I shopped for bottoms.

4 pairs of quality jeggings (various colors same brands)
3 pairs of jeans for my return to work ( same brand various washes. Looking for 3 more pairs before my return to work in April)
4 pairs of of nice athletic bottoms (for thearpy sessions with my daughter)

4 pairs of high top shoes for my daughter’s growing feet.

I am throughly satisfied with all of my purchases plus Walmart had a sale. I really could not wrap my head around going to different stores so Walmart met my needs and surprisingly their plus size section and selection has gotten very nice.

Next for me Shoes I wear a 12 wide now. Walmart cannot accommodate my shoe size so I’m trying to figure this out. My go to store used to be Payless but not sure where else to go but I’ll figure it out 2 pair are better than a whole bunch of cheep stuff

Thank you all again I think my life currently is athle-leisure wear.

Ledonna-sending healing thoughts to you and Zi’Joy. You are likely going through a bonafide trauma; you had the bottom drop out on the world you anticipated for your daughter and you very recently. There is ambiguity everywhere you turn. While it is stressful to be unsure, uncertainty is where hope and possibilities dwell. It is a lot. Of course, clothes aren’t your focus now. Waking up and doing it, ALL of it, is. Find your comfy, durable shoes and your version of a uniform and own them.

You are doing the work of heroes now; YLF is cheering you on. Hearing the progress is most encouraging and you and your daughter are each remarkable.

Good job Ledonna!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Glad you got a bit of time to yourself. A good clear-out can be very therapeutic. xoxo

You are on it, Ledonna!! The wardrobe update sounds good, and great that you got a bit of time to yourself. Now enjoy your new stuff, and know that you are amazing, inside and out!!

Good news! I’m glad that you asked for a bit of time for yourself. And what Eliza said, you are doing the work of heroes and athe-leisure is perfect uniform!