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Emma Dalton-Brown, Contributor

Twenty-two months folks! That's how long it's taken me to fit back into my prepregnancy clothes! I'm not even counting some of my shirts, which have become decidedly too short. Or is it my lactating breasts which have remained decidedly too large? Either way, those have finally been given away (the shirts, that is). I will admit that I kept them in the hopes of wearing them once more. But in order for my top to shrink down to size, I'd have to stop nursing my son, and that isn't happening for now. No comments welcome. Please!

The point is, however, that I am finally feeling good about my body. I've remained the same weight since Christmas, but somehow things have returned to the proper place recently. After nearly two years of taking no interest in fashion, I've developed a sudden urge to be in vogue. I'm a thirty-something mother of a 14-month-old boy, who is as handsome as a golden retriever puppy, and I want to match! I don't mean that I am going to go and bleach my hair. My friends saw the outcome of that a year ago! Let's just say they didn't call me 'baldy' for joke! Anyway, what I do intend to do is make an effort to look my best when I leave the house.

Being unsure

Generally, maternity clothes are frumpy. If you can afford it, then you have a chance at looking slightly glamourous. Once the baby is born, you go through a long period of awkwardness. The elasticated-waisted pants you wore for nine months are dropping off, but the tailored ones, from what seems like aeons ago, cannot be buttoned up! Inevitably, you wind up wearing tracksuit bottoms (and nursing tank tops)! Of course, if you had the money, you could hire a personal trainer to squeeze in a daily, vigorous, exercise regime. That's if you had the time, what with having a baby and all! And if you didn't need the energy to breast feed and deal with getting up all night long, you could cut down on your food intake! Alas, things have changed, for the good!

That being said, at last I feel like my body belongs to me again. I actually remember the exact moment it happened. A few weeks ago, a friend of mine took me to see a relatively new designer, Juliette Dyke, whose line of clothing carries the label 'Julan'. I had an image of cool maxi dresses in my head, but nothing could prepare me for what I saw. The most exquisite and stylish couture, which could easily contend in New York City, hung in the sewing room of this youthful Jamaican designer. And before you start whining about prices, hers are more than fair and reasonable. Put it this way, you aren't finding a better deal, even for less unique clothes, than what Ms Dyke has to offer.

I eagerly tried on as many dresses and jumpsuits as I could, in between finding things for my son to play with. It's not easy parading in front of a mirror, with a toddler pulling down a rack of fashion! I was determined though! Even the difficulties to zip some things over my chest did not deter or dampen my enthusiasm. These clothes simply gave me inexplicable euphoria. I'll admit that I am a happy person anyway, and I have nothing to complain about in my life, but who doesn't like to experience importance to a certain degree! I simply felt exactly that. Three visits later (just to make sure), and I was walking out with several items in hand. If the young models who donned these on the runway can be trendy, why can't all of us mummies follow fashion?

Emmadaltonbrown@gmail.com