Reclaiming Confidence Postpartum with Fashion Rental

Meet Georgia, founder of Seven Collective and a longtime Rotator whose postpartum journey has been intertwined with the By Rotation community.

Navigating the early months of motherhood with style, Georgia has embraced renting as a form of self-love. From Charlotte Simone gilets to comfortable Daily Sleeper sets, discover how fashion helped her feel like herself again during a time of change.

Scroll to read Georgia’s story and what she rented postpartum.

How has By Rotation been pivotal in navigating your postpartum journey?
Practically, it has helped me find things that I genuinely love that fit me during a time when my body is still changing. I don’t want to go out and buy new clothes that may only fit for a few months, or equally buy clothes in a smaller size that then may put pressure on me to squeeze into. By renting via By Rotation it means I can just dress myself as I am now with pure acceptance, at a fraction of the cost, and that is very freeing.

Postpartum is such a time of transition, how did renting clothes through the app help you feel more like yourself?
I’ve used By Rotation for years both as a lender and as renter, and I love that this solution was never marketed to me as anything to do with 'postnatal' or motherhood. It felt like I was doing something I had always done, which is comforting in a time of huge change.

I believe clothes are our armour, and an extension of who we are and in a time where you’re told you should be sat in pyjamas and tracksuits, it was liberating to go and pick gorgeous clothes that I knew would make me feel good and that would also fit me. Obviously you’re not going to be in gorgeous designer clothes all the time, but my son was born in the depths of January - typically a very wet and gloomy time in the UK - so my partner and I pre-empted that we would make ourselves go out for nice lunches with him in the pram - and it was just nice to be able to rent something that would make those moments feel more of an 'intentional event'. In the past, I would usually rent something for weddings/parties but this time I was renting things to just go out for a nice lunch to celebrate my son's arrival.

People are often quite reductive about fashion - it can often be called shallow etc, but for me - dressing myself via the app felt like one of the most grounding ways to remind myself of me.

A lot of new mums feel pressure to “bounce back” or fit into their old clothes, how has renting helped you release that pressure and embrace where you are right now?
I had an eating disorder as a teenager so I have done lots of work around body image, and my body changed significantly during pregnancy - as it needed to. I had the tools to anticipate this and knew how to be kind to myself; one of the rules I gave myself was that I wouldn’t even look at my old clothes for a long time. I knew these old, 'smaller' clothes could represent an element of 'challenge' to try and get into them, and potentially taint the happy time of Motherhood with these negative pressures and old triggers. I instead had this time using By Rotation to discover new clothes, in new sizes, while my old clothes are being rented out and paying for the new!

What role has personal style played in rebuilding your identity after becoming a mum?
Motherhood is an evolution but the transition can be murky in terms of how we see the 'self' -  I knew something that would be grounding for me and my identity - would be dressing in a way that expressed myself. I think it’s just one of those small things in life that is actually about 'you'. What do you like? Which brands do you like, which shapes, patterns? In Motherhood, your whole being is about another person, which of course is necessary to an extent, but I think we underestimate the power fashion has as something which takes us back to who we are.

Were there any specific pieces where By Rotation really came through for you?
Yes, I rented a gorgeous Charlotte Simone gilet for a special lunch at Daphne‘s, which again was perfect for that sort of awkward period postpartum where your bump is slowly going down. I also rented a gorgeous Daily Sleeper Black pyjama set for when I was giving a talk six weeks postpartum, wearing that just made me feel so confident, it was flowy and beautiful, and the material was gorgeous.

With By Rotation, it's not just about renting 'expensive' things for a fraction of the price - you really feel the quality of well made clothes, and that post partum, just felt like an act of self love.

There’s something really powerful about letting go of your old wardrobe; how did it feel knowing your pieces were being rented and enjoyed by others?
I love the fact that many of my smaller clothes are having a life of their own at By Rotation - my 16Arlington sequinned top goes out most weekends, which is helping fund my postpartum rentals and the cost of being a new Mother. I think if I were to have sold those clothes - it would have felt like a dramatic statement - like goodbye fun clothes, making me feel like I need to go out and buy some Victorian smocks! Whereas I know I may revisit them some day.

How has your relationship with fashion changed since becoming a parent?
I think I definitely have become more 'dressy' in (rare) moments where I might not be with my son. I see those moments as a time to 'dress up'. Day to day my fashion hasn’t changed too much, but with events, I think I’m going for the more stand out pieces, in the past I’d throw on jeans and a bomber and a kitten heel but now I feel like every event is an 'event' and I want to dress UP.

What would you say to a new mum who’s feeling disconnected from herself, unsure what fits, or overwhelmed by the idea of dressing her new body?
I’d say it’s completely normal. For 9+ months your whole body has been defined by another person and the anticipation, and when that person has arrived your body is in this almost awkward space where you have to reconnect with its new purpose - of being YOU and keeping you alive and well. I don’t believe we need to immediately 'love' our bodies, I think 'acceptance' is just as powerful.

Unfortunately we’ve been conditioned from a very young age to believe that when our bodies evolve / grow - that that is a bad thing - but it isn't, and By Rotation allows me dress my body in every phase of life, whenever it may change/ evolve. I’d say remove any sense of shame or try and remove the emotion around the 'sizing' and just think about what you WANT to wear and what would feel good, and just size up almost in a very 'neutral' way.

Practically, I would encourage pregnant/new mums to get their old wardrobe up on By Rotation and just as there's a big list for a baby stuff/a hospital bag - I would almost set aside budget for YOU and your wardrobe during the first few months, both for fashion and function.

I love By Rotation for the convenience of what it gives me, but its financial help also can’t be understated. I have made quite a lot of money from my existing wardrobe which in turn can help me pay for both new clothes and also just life as a new mum. I am buying myself a Victoria Beckham dress for my son's Christening which I can see from the app is a popular style - I predict recoupment!

List your wardrobe on the By Rotation app now.