Mummy fashionista hits London Fashion Week

London Fashion Week has hit the Big Smoke - the perfect excuse to hop back on the fashion gravy train for the first time since the arrival of our beautiful baby boys, Freddie and Bert, in April 2009.

Being mum certainly rocks more than anything else I've ever done, but there's always room for a dash o' fashion in my life, plus being accosted by several handfuls of 'street style' snappers does wonders for a mummy's fashsteem (fashion self-esteem).

My last post I was celebrating the growing trend for make-it-yourself fashion, unaware of the Bean and Pea growing inside me. Fast forward 18 months, with my hard-earned creative space transferred to the temporary ownership of my two matching boys, and the hardcore, 24/7 schedule of mumhood, I haven't had much time to haul out the sewing machine. Miraculously, I did run up a bridesmaid dress when the boys were two months old - perhaps I was delirious? - and plan on getting back on the case in the very near future.

For now though, I'm drinking in LFW's best like a thirsty infant. I've made a mental note to self to seriously consider the ubiquitous shoeboot as one to invest in, although I'm not sure what my abdominals think about that... so I've also made a note to self to actually do the exercises that will mean I can wear skyscraper heels without causing long-term postural issues.

There lies the crux of the issue: I still want to wear the very same looks that I might've done BP (before pregnancy), but having gone through pregnancy and now being a mother, my criteria for selection and excitement is shifted somewhat. Always one to consider the ethics of a purchase, its provenance, its longterm relevance to my wardrobe, my checklist now has a lot of points before I'll make the commitment: Can I breastfeed in that look? Will milk/sick/food/snot show up on that pattern? Is it washable? I can happily report that the style switch is still flipped on, and there's no requirement to resort to ropey mum-specific brands to be, well, a practical but stylish mummy.

photo: at London Fashion Week. Beret and cape (handy when I was pregnant!), vintage. Make-up, MAC.