Abbey Clancy: 'I'm conscious of looking after myself'

Abbey Clancy

ABBEY Clancy on shaping up after baby number two.

 

To look at Abbey Clancy it’s hard to believe she gave birth to her second child at the beginning of June. The 29-year-old model was back being snapped in swimwear just six weeks after having daughter Liberty Rose.

She even tweeted behind the scenes shots of herself wearing a sexy slashed Agent Provocateur swimsuit on a Mallorca beach.
Abbey, who also has a four-year-old daughter Sophia Ruby with footballer husband Peter Crouch, says she didn’t just ping back into shape and has been working hard in the gym because her body is her business.

But Abbey hasn’t been following any crash diets – just eating healthily.

“I have a huge appetite and need to eat as soon as I get up in the morning!” she says.

And the hard work paid off, with Abbey landing a job as the new face of fitnesswear brand Reebok.

Abbey also recently launched her first accessories range with Matalan. It joins her successful clothing line with the store and  is packed with gorgeous shoes and handbags with a sexy 70s vibe.

As Abbey was pregnant at the time, she directed the promotional shoot – and says it was fun to do something different.

“We used a fantastic model and it was nice to be on the other side of the camera for a change!”

Here’s what else Abbey has to say about the range, working with Reebok, plus her exercise and beauty secrets…

I’m so excited about the new range with Matalan. I never thought I’d have dresses, let alone an accessories range so I’m really happy.

With the shoe and bag collection, I tried to carry on that 70s vibe, there’s a lot of texture in there – suede, prints, snakeskin – and I think it looks “hippy” in a way. I just love that whole vibe anyway. It’s important not to lose your identity just because you’re a mum, so affordable fashion is a great way for any mum to stay on-trend and look great – even if it’s just a few statement pieces to update your wardrobe every season.

I wanted to match the shoes and bags with the dress collection, so Matalan can be your one-stop shop for the most amazing outfit which is affordable and looks great. I’m really proud of it.

My favourite piece is the fringed suede bag. It’s real suede, it’s £28 and it’s fantastic. My favourite shoes are the faux suede black platforms because they’re versatile. You can wear them with everything and they’ll take you all through summer and you can throw them on in the winter with a pair of black tights and still look cool. I really wanted to do shoes and bags because it’s a move on from my dresses – and you can dress an outfit up with a nice bag or shoes. There’s something there for everyone.

I feel extremely flattered when I see anyone wearing my clothes.

One of the most rewarding things is getting a tweet from someone in one of my dresses. I love seeing how different women across the country are styling the pieces up. It makes me really excited.

I’m like every other woman and get insecure about my body from time to time – it’s only natural.

Modelling swimwear and lingerie means that I’m on show in front of a lot of people, a lot of the time, so I need to be mindful of what I eat otherwise I won’t feel my best and it’ll show in the pictures. I’m really conscious of training enough, looking after myself and making sure that I still keep a feminine body with curves in all the right places.

There’s nothing better than riding my horse in the countryside. I just couldn’t wait to get back in the saddle this summer.

As everyone’s so busy, it can be hard to arrange a catch-up with my friends, so we often go to a Pilates class together and grab a healthy breakfast afterwards – it’s a perfect way to motivate each other and we squeeze in a gossip while working out.

Having a good gym kit really helps to make me feel confident and more motivated to work out.

What I love about Reebok’s clothing is that it’s so stylish – the bold patterns and bright colours are fun and I can go from the gym to the cafe or restaurant without feeling out of place, so it is an essential part of my wardrobe.

Gym kit has to look good but, for me, it is so important that it is functional too.

The Reebok collection is designed with functionality in mind; the clothes support me where I need support and the fabric is breathable so you feel cool and secure during even the toughest workouts.

When you’re tired and you’re up through the night, you’re thinking, “How am I going to do this?” It’s so hard. I don’t think anyone understands how hard it is when you have a baby.

But I don’t work every day, and Pete’s home at 3pm from training. My mum had four kids on her own so, if I had a nanny and no full-time job, it would be a joke. And I think the impossible happens when you leave your kids. I’ve seen so many nannies in the park on their phones, and the kids are running off… My mum was always a working mum. I don’t think it’s something you should feel guilty about, even though you miss them. I think it’s important to work.

It’s lovely having two girls to dress up!

I would absolutely love to design my own children and baby range. I really enjoy reading with the girls so would love to write children’s books too. Who knows what the future holds? Watch this space! Sophia is very much her own person and likes doing her own thing. She’s already developing her own little sense of style and will only wear what she wants to wear – she makes me laugh every day.

The new Reebok women’s collection is available from very.co.uk. Abbey by Abbey Clancy footwear and accessories are available at Matalan.co.uk.