Motherhood changes everything, down to the way you dress. That does not always have to be a bad thing. This Mother’s Day, BAZAAR speaks to Nelissa Nezam on how she is navigating her shifting style identity.
Nelissa Nezam and her sons, Kyro Shakur and Zayn Rakeem (Photographed by Lily Allissa)
For Nelissa Nezam, the difference in her daily attire before and after becoming a mother was not drastic, owing to her refusal to buy maternity clothes during her pregnancy. “I was quite stubborn; I just sized up!” she laughs. As a full-time mother to two sons, seven-year-old Kyro Shakur and two-year-old Zayn Rakeem, however, she noticed that her approach to dressing has become more intentional: “Before I was a mother, I had a phase of exploration and self-expression without much restraint. I would try almost every trend at least once.”
“In a way, motherhood gave me clarity,” she continues. The period of adjustment after her first pregnancy was a tough one. “I underestimated just how much I would be going through both emotionally and physically. By the time I had my second, I felt far more prepared. I understood my body better, but more importantly, I gave myself more grace. I wasn’t trying to force myself back into who I used to be. Now, I have a stronger sense of self, which naturally translates into my style.”
Nelissa Nezam styles herself and her children for this Harper’s BAZAAR Malaysia feature.
“Motherhood doesn’t take away from who you are—it adds new layers to you.”
These days, Nelissa is focused on striking the balance between style and comfort, collecting pieces that are easy, wearable, and more authentic to her personality. Nelissa applies the same mindset when building a wardrobe for her children. “When it comes to how he wants to dress, my older son, Kyro, definitely has more of a voice now. I’ve enjoyed involving him in the process. I’ll take him shopping and let him pick out a few pieces, and then we meet somewhere in the middle,” she says. “But I admit, I am fully embracing that I still have creative control over what Zayn wears, because he’s too young to care.”
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- Nelissa Nezam and Kyro Shakur,
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- Nelissa Nezam and Zayn Rakeem
Nelissa hopes to impart her style philosophy to her sons: “I want them to understand the importance of always putting their best foot forward and taking pride in how they present themselves. It’s not just about how you look, but how it makes you feel.”
