Festive and fabulous!
BALANCING one’s femininity and maintaining an enviable style can be a challenge during the journey of motherhood. For Rochele Spencer, fashion designer and owner of design house Yours Truly Rochele, working in the fashion industry while executing her duties as a mother has been quite the challenge. Determined to write her own narrative on modern-day motherhood, Spencer credits her support system and choosing to do motherhood her way as the keys to success.
“In today’s world of social media, motherhood is often glamorised and portrayed to be a walk in the park. It’s all too easy to get into the trap of not being enough with the influence of Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter,” said Spencer. “It’s easy to compare yourself to others. But you have to stop doing that. This is your existence, and you get to decide how you want to do it. Allow yourself to let go of the demand for perfection. I do the best that I can and I try not to beat myself up on the days when it’s tough because I know I’m giving my all,” she asserted.
As a Baileys Modern Mom for 2022, for Spencer, being a mom means having some independence while at the same time creating a nurturing environment for her family. “Over the years the role of mothers has changed significantly from the expectation of being a stay-at-home mom to us now being more independent. Some of us are even the bigger breadwinners in the family. A modern-day mom is a woman who manages to be independent while finding a balance to be a great mother just the same,” she argued.
The journey of motherhood is challenging, especially when it comes to practising self-care and expressing your unique sense of style. Spencer was keen to point out, “Being fabulous as a mom is possible. However, it’s not only about looking fantastic, it’s also about feeling fabulous and being your best self in order to look after the people you care about. Making time for yourself may require some forethought and planning, but it is really vital. Though it can be difficult to navigate, the journey is hard but it is extremely rewarding. My daughter is six and I still don’t have everything figured out yet, but I do my best.”
When balancing a career and motherhood, support is critical. “I’m extremely grateful. As the popular saying goes, ‘It takes a village to raise a child’ and without my village, I could not do it all. My village consists of my mother, sisters, friends, and Madison’s dad. They all play such a huge role in the day-to-day responsibilities of having a child. They are there to support me even when I’m not able to fully give of myself as a mother,” explained Spencer.
In keeping with its ethos, Baileys, the Original Irish Cream, saluted the brilliance and magnificence of women and gifted swanky Mother’s Day packages to modern-day moms, including Spencer, to celebrate their success at raising families while becoming the best versions of themselves. Spencer was humbled by the recognition.
“I do consider myself to be sophisticated but I’m also very festive and big on having fun. At the end of a rough day and just balancing all, I like to indulge with friends or just some alone time. Sometimes you do feel guilty about getting some alone time but it is a major part of how I balance. Time with my friends, family or partner, even simple things such as getting the house alone makes a world of difference.”
Spencer continued, “The modern mom knows that happiness is a choice, if we’re not careful, with everything going on and with how life can be, you can get lost. Mental health and depression are real, especially for mothers. It’s important to find new things to try out and new places to go and spend time outside of the routine of being a mother.”
