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Posts Tagged ‘Pregnancy Style’

Stylish (Non-Maternity) Options For A Mama-To-Be

Q. Hi Jordan!

I love your style and am hoping you can help me with something.

I just found out I’m pregnant!

I know it’s a little early to be thinking about maternity clothes, but the truth is I’m already bloated and cannot deal with anything tight around my waist. I’ve got a slew of bridal and baby showers coming up; can you recommend some stylish not-yet-maternity dresses that will work for the first trimester (and maybe beyond)?

Thanks so much!

Jessica

A. Congratulations!

I totally get where you’re coming from – it’s common to “feel” a little pregnant (and want to wear less constricting clothing) even before your body visibly changes.

This worked out pretty well for me because I favor the potato-sack-ish look in my regular life, so I had lots of pieces already sitting right there in my closet…but what I discovered early in pregnancy was that it’s not just about wearing flowy pieces: it’s about wearing pieces that have visual elements – ruffles, ruching, interesting draping – that keep the eye moving, and then drawing focus to your face with a pretty updo (your hair, just so you know, is about to start looking spectacular) and a pair of striking earrings or a collarbone-skimming necklace.

Above are some high-end examples, just to give you an idea of the kinds of dresses I’m talking about.

And here’s a real-world example: a dress I wore when I was about 4 1/2 months pregnant. See how that neat layered effect doesn’t say “maternity dress”…but still adds movement? It was also really comfortable, thanks to the elastic waistline that was hidden by the draping. (More shots of the look – and product info – here.)

The dress looks different on me now, of course, but I still love it.

Here are a few options I picked out for you that work for daytime events like baby and bridal showers.

L to R: Kate Dress ($230); Halston Heritage (available in select sizes in Tangerine; $85 on sale); Cynthia Rowley (also available in black; $169 on sale); MSGM ($225); Mariella Rosati (also available in navy and black; $109 on sale); Vix (has the same draping effect as the pink dress pictured on me; $166 on sale).

One last thing: if you’re looking to keep your pregnancy a secret until you hit the second trimester, click here for some more ideas.



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May 21st, 2013 | Style | 2 Comments »

What To Wear: To Keep Your Pregnancy A Secret Until You’re Ready To Share

Q. Jordan!

My husband and I just found out we are pregnant, but are waiting to tell everyone until the 3-month mark, due to health concerns and for our sanity’s sake.

In comes the dilemma: I’m a petite girl, and can’t quite figure out how to conceal a bump through the spring and early summer. Throw a girl some ideas!

- Jennifer*

(Above, Vicky B. uses the old wear-black-and-carry-a-big-bag trick.)

A. Congratulations!!!

OK, here’s the thing with pregnancy concealment: some people are going to figure it out immediately, no matter how hard you try to hide it, because there are just so many “tells” in early pregnancy. My plan was to keep the fact that we were expecting to ourselves for at least a couple of months, but the second that I went out to dinner with anyone and turned down a glass of wine, whomever I was dining with immediately screeched “You’re pregnant!” (Can you tell how often I turn down glasses of wine?)

Your best friends and closest family members may notice that you’re wearing slightly more relaxed clothing, or drinking ginger ale instead of Pepsi, or looking a little green around the gills…or may just feel like there’s something “different” about you. So my first piece of advice is to have a plan of action for when people start guessing: it’s totally your prerogative to tell little white lies or practice mini-deceptions to keep your secret (adding limes to your soda water to make it look like a cocktail, pleading the flu rather than morning sickness, etc.), but being ready for the questions will save you from getting flustered and give you the opportunity to break the news your way.

So. While I ultimately decided to just tell my family and close friends more or less immediately, mostly because I am incapable of keeping a secret, I wanted to wait to announce my pregnancy on my site because I knew that if anything went wrong it wasn’t something I would likely want to talk about right away.

And you may have noticed that I occasionally post the odd picture or thirty of myself. So while late winter is definitely an easier time to hide a pregnancy, still: it was a challenge.

First, my favorite pregnancy wardrobe discovery: the dress pictured above, a tank-style, sorta tent-y dress from H&M, was my go-to outfit all the way through. I’m about 6 1/2 months pregnant in that shot, so there wasn’t even a whit of hiding going on, but in the early days these dresses (plus a lightweight scarf and distracting hat/jewelry) did wonders to camouflage my tummy when I wasn’t ready to talk about it.

Some more ideas:

- Don’t completely overhaul your style – lest you raise suspicions – but veer towards looser, boho cuts with layered details (like that dress pictured above).

- Pair a flowy top with a super lightweight scarf (lucky you, scarves are in fashion even in warm weather these days, thanks in large part to Jessica Alba)

- Wrap tops (like the one pictured above) are your best friend – especially in a silky, patterned fabric, there’s so much going on there that no one will be able to tell what’s shirt and what’s shape.

- Extend the life of your non-maternity jeans by purchasing one of those waist-expanders…or by pulling a rubber band through the buttonhole to keep them closed.

- Distract with bells and whistles: the aforementioned scarves, hats, and oversized jewelry (try earrings that keep the focus on your face rather than necklaces that will draw attention to your midsection).

- Layer on a lightweight vest – especially one in an attention-grabbing color paired with a dark color underneath.

- On cooler days, try a boyfriend-style blazer in a lightweight fabric with a single low button that hits at the waistline (the blazer pictured above was one I wore constantly during the first couple of months).

Anyone else have suggestions for Jennifer?

*Name posted with reader permission.



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April 10th, 2012 | Best, Style | 5 Comments »

Last Shot

I remember many, many months ago, before we found out we were expecting, reading a post of Alishan’s in which she said something along the lines of “I have been pregnant for 7,825,934 months, and I am done.” And back then, I was all, “Oh, when I’m pregnant I’ll never feel ready for it to be over…it’ll be such a magical time, I’ll never want it to end!”

Nope.

Want it to end, thankyouverymuch.

The morning sickness that I recently discovered can reappear towards the end of a pregnancy (and there I went feeling all left out because I didn’t get it in the beginning) is less-than-fun, but mostly I’m eager to meet the little dude who’s been elbowing me and making weird shapes out of my stomach these past many weeks.

But you never know: this might be the only chance I ever get to experience pregnancy…and it is an extraordinary thing, so I’m trying to find ways to make the most of every remaining second. These are the last days that I can feel secure in the knowledge that my baby is totally safe, tucked away in a place where I know exactly how best to care for him, with every single one of his needs being met as soon as it arises.

And these are the last days that I’ll be able to enjoy this shape of mine, because enjoy it I do: I went from being someone who was totally perplexed by (and a little nervous about) all the crazy physical and emotional changes that a woman undergoes when she’s pregnant to being someone who thinks that pregnancy is…

well…

the best.

And so there will be no sweatpants and flannel button-downs for me (well, not all the time, anyway). I’ve got only a week (maybe two) left, and I’m showing it off.

With a gold chain-link belt wrapped around my stomach.

And SNAKESKIN PANTS.

That, OK, don’t fit exactly right, and most certainly aren’t anywhere close to buttoned…but did I ever imagine I’d be in the mood to wear snakeskin pants at nine (actually ten) months’ pregnant?

Never in a million years.

But in the mood I am!

And I think that’s just fabulous.

On me: H&M blazer, Kain Label tee, vintage chain-link belt, Zara pants, Camelot boots c/o Nine West, vintage bag, Double Wrap Watch c/o Sasha Rhett.

P.S. Today is Nine West Boot Day, and if you go here and enter the contest you’ll have a chance to win Nine West’s entire Fall Look Book. Which would obviously be the best thing ever.



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October 4th, 2011 | Style | 10 Comments »

How ‘Bout Them Apples?

Ever since seventh grade (the first year I attended a school with no uniforms), I’ve worn a variation on the same thing for the first day. That includes the first day of every year of middle school, the first day of every year of high school, the first day of every year in college, and the first day on any job I’ve had since (dress code permitting; although even when I’ve worked office jobs I’ve worn an officed-up version). First dates, too. I’ll admit, there’s a touch of superstition involved, but it’s mostly just about wanting to feel as good – and as much like myself - as possible.

And this is how I feel as good – and as much like myself – as possible:

1. Jeans.

2. White top.

3. Brown and black accents.

One year – I think it was eighth grade – I decided to switch it up a bit on the first day of school by throwing a hat into the mix, and so I wore a fairly ridiculous thing that my grandparents had bought me on my last trip to visit them in LA. You know which hat I’m talking about: floppy, big brim, enormous pinned-on flower. You had one. It was probably in eighth grade.

In the years since I’ve fallen out of love with bedecked toppers and then fallen back in – hard. This new one is a shape I haven’t worn in awhile, but am pretty psyched about: sort of half-flapper, half-crazy old lady, the color makes it wearable during the day while the velvet band and enormous feather detail make it…oh, just so much fun.

Try it. Go buy a hat with velvet and feathers on it, and you’ll see what I’m talking about.

So much fun!

I’ve gotten a bunch of emails from expecting readers asking if there’s any particular brand of jeans I recommend for maternity wear, and so I absolutely need to tell you about these. I also need to tell those of you who aren’t expecting, because they’re thirty bucks, they’re from Forever 21, and they are 100% not maternity, and yet they’re so unbelievably stretchy and comfortable (with extra waist-expansion thanks to a lace-up front with a panel rather than a zipper) that they feel like leggings while looking like the perfect fall denim.

(I couldn’t find this exact pair on the site, but they’re from the Premium Denim Vintage line, similar to these.)

Now all I need is a new pencil case, and I’m set.

On me: Feather and velvet hat from TJ Maxx, Joie top, Forever 21 lace-up jeans, Juicy Couture sunglasses, vintage pin (worn on pocket), gloves from TJ Maxx.

Click here for Money-Saving Maternity Style.

Market photos taken at Union Square Greenmarket / Saturday, Oct 1, 2011



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October 3rd, 2011 | Style | 4 Comments »

Pregnancy Advice II: Money-Saving Maternity Style

Q. What basics were a staple of your wardrobe? What are key pieces to splurge on?

I wrote a post over on Mommyish about this a couple of months ago, but now that I’m at the end of the pregnancy it seems worth revisiting. First, let me re-state what I wrote in my intro post to this mini-series: pregnancy is an enormously individual experience and there is no one way to “do” pregnancy (style or otherwise) “right”; this is just what worked for me and helped me to save money while having fun with my changing shape.

When I found out I was pregnant, I have to tell you: I was a little nervous about the expense associated with buying lots of new pieces that I’d never wear again. But while I certainly picked up a few fun items here and there, I can’t tell you how much money I saved by being creative with accessories and layering, and by staying far, far away from those overpriced maternity stores. There is no reason to spend eighty bucks on a fancy maternity t-shirt when you can just buy a long regular tee at a discount store…or layer a long ribbed tank under a blouse or tee you already own, like I did above.

Splurge: The truth is that I didn’t splurge on any major items while pregnant, simply because my style tends towards being flowy anyway, so I already had a lot of pieces that I could just re-imagine a bit to work into a maternity wardrobe. That said, I can imagine that if I had been pregnant in the wintertime I probably would have picked up a 60′s-style swing coat (which could be worn post-pregnancy as well), a great pair of maternity jeans, and a pair of black maternity pants.

Steal: One of the most fun parts of the past few months was experimenting with different looks than I would ordinarily wear, so I’d definitely encourage you to indulge yourself a little by picking up things like inexpensive dresses and tunics. You’ll definitely have to buy a couple of new bras (go to Daffy’s), and if you want to keep wearing your non-pregnancy pants for awhile, a maternity belt is a must.

Shop Your Closet: I saved buckets of money by working in as much of my non-pregnancy wardrobe as possible. Sift through your closet for longer tops and tunics, tanks to layer under them if they’re too short/sheer, any and all pants with elastic waists, and every accessory you can find (hats, scarves, jewelry). And be creative, bringing back into rotation older pieces that you may not tend to wear in your “regular” life but that are fun to try out on your new shape (for example, you may usually feel uncomfortable in body-conscious tank dresses, but find that you enjoy wearing them when pregnant to show off your curves).

Of course, what you’ll end up wearing will have a ton to do with your personal style, your body type, your job, and the season (I personally found a summertime pregnancy wardrobe to be way easier and less expensive than I imagine a wintertime one would be, since I didn’t have to purchase bigger-ticket items like holiday cocktail dresses or coats…and because those light summer dresses are so comfortable and cheap), but there were definitely some pieces that I kept in constant rotation right through to the very end.

After the jump, what I wore the most over the past nine months, complete with a little photo retrospective (each image links through to the original post).

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September 30th, 2011 | Baby, Best, Style | 3 Comments »

Like A Rolling Stone

Let me tell you a sort of sad story about a twelve-year-old me.

I switched into a new school for seventh grade partially because I just wanted a change, but also because for the past couple of years I had been bullied pretty badly at my old school, and as Middle School began things only got worse. I’m not talking “Boys teased me for my skinny legs”; I’m talking about a genuinely miserable situation, more days than not. But I transferred, and as it turned out I really loved my new school: I developed some confidence over the interim summer and made new friends right away, and the creative, relaxed curriculum was much more up my alley than my previous school’s formal approach.

One of the most fun things about my new school: there were no uniforms, so for the first time in my life I could wear what I wanted, and the burst of confidence I felt about my new surroundings made me excited to experiment with style.

I still remember the outfit I chose for my the Community Service Committee introductory meeting, held at 8AM during the first week of school: a brown-and-white striped mock turtleneck, a short brown skirt, and white ribbed tights. I felt spectacular in it. I seriously thought it was the coolest thing I’d ever worn. And I sat in that Community Service meeting feeling excited, and hopeful about the year to come, and extra-special cool because I was at a “meeting,” which felt grown-up, and because I was drinking a Snapple Iced Tea, and that was the thing that year. We’re talking extreme sophistication.

Remember how, if you flipped over a Snapple and patted the bottom, the top would make a popping sound? Well, I thought I’d flip it over and pop it a bit, to enhance the whole “oh, just hangin’ here drinking a Snapple iced tea” vibe. And of course, because this is how things work, the moment I did that the entire glass Snapple bottle fell apart – I mean that literally, the thing fell apart - and iced tea poured out all over my brand-new outfit, soaking me from the waist down and completely destroying those pristine ribbed tights that I had been so proud of. I handled it OK and sort of laughed it off…but wow, did I ever wish that wasn’t something that had happened during my first week at a school where I wanted nothing more than to not be that dorky new girl.

What does this story have to do with this post?

One, something about the outfit I’m wearing here reminds me of that outfit, pre-Snapple-dousing. The colors, or maybe just how good I felt in it.

And two, after we took these pictures (Kendrick took them) up on the roof, we were just hanging out and chatting in the sun, and I thought to myself that…you know, lately I’m just so damn happy. Not in a blinders-on, rainbows-and-bluebirds, everything’s-so-perfect way…but in a real, full way, a way I don’t know that I’ve ever felt before. Sometimes I feel like I want to hit the pause button on the movie of my life, because it just feels so precarious, like at any moment something will break and all that happiness will come pouring out.

But you know, if there’s one thing that the past few years have taught me, it’s this: things sometimes get worse, and they sometimes get better, but they always change. There’s not a whole lot of use in worrying about making sure that things stay the same, because the fact is that they won’t.

But I’ve also learned something else: that the stuff that feels too insurmountable and too painful to handle almost never is.

And stains?

They come out.

And even if they don’t…you just roll on, pristine tights or no.

Switching gears, now.

For this post, I was presented with a little challenge: TJ Maxx asked me and four other bloggers to build a look centered around a cashmere ruana (it’s that shawl thing I’m wearing above; I had to look it up, too), using items found at one of their stores. And so for a hundred bucks even, I put together an outfit that’s everything I love about fall: October-forest colors, super-soft accessories, and layer after layer after layer.

And major bellbottoms.

Love them.

These are kind of amazing, right? I couldn’t believe it when I spotted them: they’re the exact pair I’ve been coveting for over a year now…and they were $39. (My favorite cut for bellbottoms: a little loose through the leg, low-waisted, and with the biggest flare possible.)

This top, from Nicole Richie’s Winter Kate line, is the perfect thing to take me through the rest of this pregnancy…and I’m not exactly throwing it in the trash once the baby arrives (which should be any day now!). It‘s just gorgeous…especially paired with that to-die-for chain link necklace.

On me: Hat, blouse, ruana, and jeans from TJ Maxx (purchased with giftcard provided for challenge); necklace c/o Chloe & Isabel; no-name sunglasses.

If you’d like to check out how the other bloggers styled the ruana, you can click through using the button below. And be sure to vote for your favorite (either here or by commenting on this post below; both work!), because a vote automatically enters you to win a $100 TJ Maxx gift card (you can vote once a day between now and October 12 for extra chances to win).



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September 28th, 2011 | Best, Love, Style | 50 Comments »

American Classics

Fall is so exciting, no?

It’s the whole Back To School thing; I mean, I haven’t set foot in a classroom for more years now than I care to think about (save for a very expensive and slightly misguided stint at NYU for a Masters in Hospitality Management)…but still: the chill in the air makes me want to buy things like pencils and Trapper Keepers. But since I don’t have a ton of use for the aforementioned items, new, autumn-hued (and wildly affordable) clothing will have to do.

Let’s talk pattern-mixing. I love how the sheer paisley blouse and the striped cardigan totally shouldn’t work together, but do, and the reasons are these: 1) one pattern is small while the other is large, 2) both items are in the same color family, and 3) the rest of the outfit is simple as can be.

These are my new favorite shoes, without a doubt. They’re adorable, they’re cozy, they’re exactly what I’ve been looking for for fall, and they were less than thirty bucks at TJ Maxx. Score.

Three more weeks! Maybe.

On me: Cardigan c/o American Living for jcpenney, TJ Maxx sheer blouse over Abercrombie tank, Vintage Revolution jeans, Spike Ball Pendant c/o chloe + isabel, TJ Maxx boots, Rebecca Minkoff purse.

Lipstick: Maybelline Color Sensational lipstick in Ruby Star, one of my Best Fall Beauty Finds.

Get the look: 

Product info after the jump…

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September 20th, 2011 | Style | 9 Comments »

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