It’s Preggo Style Day 2, people! We decided after our first day of monochromatic work attire, we wanted to spice things up a bit with some color. So our Day 2 outfit was focused on color and comfort, and an outfit we thought could work for a casual business day and for chasing after a four-year-old at the playground. So, basically, an outfit for every day of my life. This is what we came up with…
{click on photos to see at a larger size}
From Katie, my own personal Rachel Zoe: I think Megan looked at me a little crazily when I said I wanted to see these two items together. First we have the leggings from the previous look, which as I said before are comfy regardless if you’re pregnant or not. Then, peeking out from under a couple of other sweaters and dresses was this slightly neon, bold none-the-less, purple, form fitted, turtleneck-ish shirt. She was a trooper though and tried it on. We were both happily surprised to find out that it was not only super comfortable but also a fun, not crazy, look that was stylish, not crazy, and easy, not crazy, to wear. Again, it highlights the silhouette and the beauty of being pregnant. Not a bad thing (!). If you are less likely to wear such a bold color because, I don’t know, you are afraid, let me say DON’T BE, but then I would suggest going bold (I’m talking hues from a Crayola Crayon box), but maybe not as bright. Gap’s Ts do this to give you an example of color. This look paired with the patent leather ballerina flats (again with the shoe envy!) make this extremely comfy for a pregnant mother of a four year old who is on the go constantly (I really don’t know how she does it, I have a hard enough time walking my dog).
From Megan: Yeah, so Katie is TOTALLY right about me thinking she was nutso for putting this look together. I love my leggings. I love this shirt-dress. But together? You all know I have some weird quirks, and one is my total disdain for people who wear leggings as pants. THEY ARE NOT PANTS! (I’m looking at you, Lohan.) But Katie convinced me to try this with the greatest line of all time, and I quote, “As long as your camel toe is covered, you’re good.” Yeah, awesome. Katie is the next Tyra. But I actually liked the way it turned out! The daring thing for me wasn’t the color, but the length of the shirt, which is a non-maternity Target shirt-dress and goes to about mid-thigh length when I’m not pregnant. I can’t seem to find it on their website, but I believe it was in the juniors section and its Mossimo brand. If I could add about 3 or 4 inches to the shirt, this outfit would be perfect. And I have to note, this is by far the most comfortable outfit we tried. Lightweight and stretchy + flat shoes = preggo awesomeness.
From Katie: We got all “LC†on Megan’s hair to fully represent a look that will take you through everything a day could bring you and still look polished and fun. Again, the jewelry offered different textures (e.g. pearls to diamonds to silver plating), but all offered a balance through the tones of silver. The most recent glam girl I can think of that represents this mode of un-matching is Rachel Zoe (yes she has a jewelry collection that is reminiscent of 70s…big, over-the-top, yet laid back…which is SO not my style or Megan’s, but I like the idea). Finishing off the look are the ballet flats, which as mentioned above have an easy, comfortable style to them. I think every woman should own a pair of patent leather ballet flats, be it rounded or pointy toe; they are a must in every wardrobe because of their simplicity, elegance and can quickly spruce up any outfit.
From Megan: I have to say, I totally dig the LC braid that Katie whipped up, probably because LC and I are best friends. Truth. Not a lie. Anywho, I liked the idea of having my hair pulled back (for kid chasing mania and running around the office), but doing something a bit more unique then my usual ponytail. The earrings are from Target, purchased a million years ago. The silver bracelet is from Anthropologie and was a gift from my sister, as was the black pearl ring. I love simple jewelry, but like to try to bring in a statement piece, which is sometimes hard to do when your entire upper half is neon purple. This ring really does it for me because it’s bold, but the color neutralizes the boldness a bit so the entire outfit isn’t overwhelming. My other ring is my engagement ring circa 1920 from my great grandmother. It’s the most lovely piece of jewerly I own, for sure. I tend to buy shoes and then wear them until they fall apart, and these ballet flats are complete evidence of that. They are J Crew circa 2007, and I refuse to throw them away, even though they are obviously on their final leg (you should see the bottoms, oy). Like Katie said, black patent leather goes with everything, and every girl should own a pair they wear to death. Although mine seem to be discontinued, they have a great pair at Target on the cheap that are pretty similar.
Alrighty, Day 2 is done! The key word for this outfit is simplicity. And of course I have to point out that this is another day where not one piece is actually maternity. Cha-ching, more money in the bank for me! What do you guys think? Good? Bad? To purple? Too short? Too tight? Too legit to quit? Let us know, we’d love to hear your thoughts!
{You can find Day 1 of Preggo Style here, or learn about the project here}
http://www.crazybananas.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/07/Crazy_Banans_Logo_WebsiteBanner.png00Meganhttp://www.crazybananas.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/07/Crazy_Banans_Logo_WebsiteBanner.pngMegan2010-10-19 10:47:192012-05-22 13:40:45Preggo Style - Day 2
Okay, here we go! Day 1 of the Preggo Style Project (note: I hate the term “preggo” but it somehow stuck during the development of this whole idea, and now my brain can’t seem to think of another title for this series…if you have any ideas, feel free to leave them in the comments) is focused on work-appropriate attire. We wanted to find a look that would work for a business casual work environment, and could also carry over to after work activities. For this, I knew it had to be comfortable, especially in the shoe and torso departments, as long days seem about a million hours longer when you’re pregnant. So without further ado, here is our first look!
(click on photos to see at larger size)
From Stylist Extrodinaire, Katie: For me, this look represented a work chic option for those days at the office where you might need to dress up a bit more, say for a luncheon or meeting. I love this look because it’s looks easy and comfortable, yet can keep up with you as you run around. Nothing beats the comfort of leggings – pregnant or not. If you do not own a pair of leggings, matte tights, textured tights or some knee high socks (that I absolutely love at the moment) would rock this look as well. The dress offers a bit of texture to the look, with its geometric pattern, while the cardigan ties everything together. We went for a monochromatic look, opting to stay within neutral tones, but you could “get all crazy” (Megan face) and add bits of color (say in an accessory, or the knee socks you could wear).
From Megan: This outfit pretty accurately represents how I’ve been dressing for work, at least during this last bit of my pregnancy. I apparently own way too many empire waisted / loose-fitting dresses, because most of my non-maternity dresses have been able to be worn throughout each trimester. The dress is a short-sleeved J Crew number I got two years ago on some crazy online sale (it is no longer listed on their website, boo). The sweater I bought at Costco last year when I was under-dressed during a Fall shopping day and needed something to warm up. I wear it all the time, so I’d say it was fate, even though I’m not a big advocate of buying clothing where you buy your bulk toilet paper. I’d tell you the brand, but I cut out the tag because it was super-itchy so I have no idea what the brand actually is. The leggings are from Francesca’s Colletions on the Plaza in Kansas City. The brand is Iris and I love them because they are non-maternity, but cut to somehow fit under the belly, rendering them totally useful throughout this pregnancy. I have two pairs and I wear them constantly.
From Katie: What I love about Megan’s pregnant style is that she loves her figure. She doesn’t want to hide her silhouette and I think that is marvelous. So to tie in (literally) the dress and cardigan combo, we took her existing skinny belt and created an empire waist. The skinny belt was extra fab because of its hint of greenish-bronze that went along with the tones of the look. The jewelry, all separate and different pieces Megan owns, were also a perfect tie in. My belief is that it shouldn’t be to matchy-matchy. Choose one element that can tie all of the pieces together (in this case, we chose color) and let the different styles and textures blend together. The necklace is a perfect example of doing this (in one piece!). While we laid out various looks, I immediately started to scheme about how I could steal these boots (which I thought were Frye’s) without her noticing….but then, you probably shouldn’t steal from pregnant women…and then she told me they were BORN boots. BORN! (!!!) (…check out the knee sock/tight combo! <3 <3 <3) So, I just settled on being jealous of her awesome buy.
From Megan: The necklace was a gift from my sister for my birthday this year…in fact most of my jewelry comes from two places, gifts from my sister or made for me by my sister-in-law. When I first laid eyes on this piece, which she’d purchased at some random purse party sale thing, I thought it was a wee bit much for me. But when I saw it with this outfit, I really liked it. We shortened the chain length a bit so it hit at a more flattering angle, and I think it works. The charms all represent something about me and it even has two empty photo frames for pictures of the kids. (Awwwww!) The boots, as Katie mentioned, are Born’s and they are too awesome for words. My sister-in-law had them when I visited her last year and I coveted them so much, I tracked them down for myself. By that time, it was almost spring so I got a killer deal, at Dillard’s of all places (they retail for $180, but I got mine at $75ish if I remember right). They are easily the most comfortable shoes I own, so they have been go-to footwear this fall, as I’m carrying some extra poundage on my poor feet. The earrings and bracelet were both also gifts from my sister, I believe from Express, circa 2004. The skinny belt is from the J Crew sale bin.
My favorite part about this outfit, other than it’s comfort and styling, is the fact that not one part of it is maternity wear. Proof you don’t need to spend a ton on special maternity gear to get a classic look. Yay for saving money!
Up tomorrow….a bit more color and another, more casual, work look….
http://www.crazybananas.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/07/Crazy_Banans_Logo_WebsiteBanner.png00Meganhttp://www.crazybananas.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/07/Crazy_Banans_Logo_WebsiteBanner.pngMegan2010-10-18 13:54:462012-05-22 13:40:29Preggo Style - Day 1
When I was pregnant with Lucy, five odd years ago, I was still figuring out who I was in every single sense of the word. Not that I’m not doing that same thing now, I mean, it’s a constant learning curve to figure out who you are, but at twenty-eight I feel much more comfortable in my skin than I did at twenty-two/twenty-three. And I mean that both literally and figuratively. Not only did I have no clue what I was doing as a new wife, new (surprise!) parent-to-be, friend, working mom…on and on and on, but I didn’t feel comfortable in my body.
When I got pregnant with Lu, right away I lost 15-20 pounds. And let me tell you, the first 10 pounds were pretty awesome! But after that, man, I was hungry. Most of the pounds came off due to stress (OMGI’MHAVINGABABYWTF!) and the ever-dreaded morning sickness. I am not a lucky pregnant person during those first few months, and I suffer from morning sickness pretty badly. I basically didn’t eat for two months, so obviously, weight was lost.
So up until I was about 6 months pregnant, people honestly couldn’t tell. I’m tall-ish and since I had so much weight to put back on, I really didn’t balloon out until later. And my job, though stressful, had an extremely relaxed dress code, so I spent most of that pregnancy in sweatpants and old t-shirts. I certainly had no interest in pregnancy fashion, or looking cute while pregnant, because I basically felt that was an impossible task.
Me at 5 Months Pregnant with Lucy…Trent in his bearded wonder days
This time around, things are a bit different. I still didn’t show much until later, but I definitely got to a bigger belly much more quickly then last time. And this time my job, while so much better then where I was during the first pregnancy, has a more strict dress code. I’m not wearing a suit every day or anything, but they tend to frown upon sweatpants and stained t-shirts.
*Quick sidenote: Can I just emphasize how incredibly lucky I am to have the body I do? I swear, I have met women whose pregnancies are just awful, uncomfortable months of yuckiness, and mine, truly, are not that way. I have the first two months of sick, tired, OMGIWANTTODIE, but after that, it’s pretty much on cruise control. I get tired, but not too exhausted to function. I don’t really have bad reflux or swelling or early contractions or whatnot. Maybe it’s my karma for the morning sickness thing? No idea, but I think I may need to make a sacrifice to some lady-god to thank her for this gestation luck…*
One thing that is exactly the same regarding both of these pregnancies is, honestly, I’ve never felt more comfortable in my own skin as I do when I am pregnant. I remember feeling this way with Lu and wondering if that was normal or if I was just a complete weirdo…and I’m still not sure. Maybe it’s because when I’m pregnant I feel like my body is doing something really incredible or maybe it’s because I give myself a pass on the nit-picking, as I’m supposed to look different then normal, but for whatever reason, I love how I look and have way more confidence then when I’m not with child. So this pregnancy, I decided I wanted to look cute, because damnit, I am! But, and this is where I promise this post will go somewhere, I didn’t want to spent too much money in the process.
As this is likely my last pregnancy, I definitely didn’t want to spend a bazillion dollars on designer maternity gear, but I didn’t want to spend 9 (10) months schlubbing around either. I picked up some basics early on from Gap Maternity, my go to for all new stuff, as I know it will fit and is great quality for the price. I had a pair of jeans and a dress or two from my pregnancy with Lu that I wore this time around, but that’s about it. I trolled eBay and style blogger sales looking for deals on brands I knew I liked. And I have a few lovely friends that unloaded some of their old maternity clothes on me as well.
A few weeks back, a good friend who lives far, far away asked if I would post pictures of my pregnant self on Flickr so she could watch me balloon out from afar. After a few weeks of posting my “Preggo Style” I started to think about how almost all of my outfits were non-maternity, regifted, recycled or purchased used, and how it might make for a fun little blog piece. So I gathered my good friend Katie, a stylist extroidinaire, and asked if she’d help me do a piece on maternity fashion on a budget. She said yes because I am quite convincing. And a few days back, we gathered to “shop my closet” for maternity wear. Rules were at least several of the pieces had to be non-maternity, all had to include something regifted or reused, and everything had to be my own. One messy closet later, we had five days worth of outfits to share with all of you! This is something new for Crazybananas, but since I’m the CEO of Awesome around here, I decided trying something new might be good for all of us.
Stay tuned later today for outfit number one, and let me know what you think! Feel free to mock my craptastic modeling, but if you call my giant belly ugly, I might cry. Just, you know, keep it kind, people. I’m hormonal.
http://www.crazybananas.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/07/Crazy_Banans_Logo_WebsiteBanner.png00Meganhttp://www.crazybananas.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/07/Crazy_Banans_Logo_WebsiteBanner.pngMegan2010-10-18 08:36:452010-10-18 08:36:45On Figuring Out the Beauty Thing
Preggo Style – Day 2
/1 Comment/in Blond, Guest Banana, Pregnancy, Style /by MeganIt’s Preggo Style Day 2, people! We decided after our first day of monochromatic work attire, we wanted to spice things up a bit with some color. So our Day 2 outfit was focused on color and comfort, and an outfit we thought could work for a casual business day and for chasing after a four-year-old at the playground. So, basically, an outfit for every day of my life. This is what we came up with…
From Katie, my own personal Rachel Zoe: I think Megan looked at me a little crazily when I said I wanted to see these two items together. First we have the leggings from the previous look, which as I said before are comfy regardless if you’re pregnant or not. Then, peeking out from under a couple of other sweaters and dresses was this slightly neon, bold none-the-less, purple, form fitted, turtleneck-ish shirt. She was a trooper though and tried it on. We were both happily surprised to find out that it was not only super comfortable but also a fun, not crazy, look that was stylish, not crazy, and easy, not crazy, to wear. Again, it highlights the silhouette and the beauty of being pregnant. Not a bad thing (!). If you are less likely to wear such a bold color because, I don’t know, you are afraid, let me say DON’T BE, but then I would suggest going bold (I’m talking hues from a Crayola Crayon box), but maybe not as bright. Gap’s Ts do this to give you an example of color. This look paired with the patent leather ballerina flats (again with the shoe envy!) make this extremely comfy for a pregnant mother of a four year old who is on the go constantly (I really don’t know how she does it, I have a hard enough time walking my dog).
From Megan: Yeah, so Katie is TOTALLY right about me thinking she was nutso for putting this look together. I love my leggings. I love this shirt-dress. But together? You all know I have some weird quirks, and one is my total disdain for people who wear leggings as pants. THEY ARE NOT PANTS! (I’m looking at you, Lohan.) But Katie convinced me to try this with the greatest line of all time, and I quote, “As long as your camel toe is covered, you’re good.” Yeah, awesome. Katie is the next Tyra. But I actually liked the way it turned out! The daring thing for me wasn’t the color, but the length of the shirt, which is a non-maternity Target shirt-dress and goes to about mid-thigh length when I’m not pregnant. I can’t seem to find it on their website, but I believe it was in the juniors section and its Mossimo brand. If I could add about 3 or 4 inches to the shirt, this outfit would be perfect. And I have to note, this is by far the most comfortable outfit we tried. Lightweight and stretchy + flat shoes = preggo awesomeness.
From Katie: We got all “LC†on Megan’s hair to fully represent a look that will take you through everything a day could bring you and still look polished and fun. Again, the jewelry offered different textures (e.g. pearls to diamonds to silver plating), but all offered a balance through the tones of silver. The most recent glam girl I can think of that represents this mode of un-matching is Rachel Zoe (yes she has a jewelry collection that is reminiscent of 70s…big, over-the-top, yet laid back…which is SO not my style or Megan’s, but I like the idea). Finishing off the look are the ballet flats, which as mentioned above have an easy, comfortable style to them. I think every woman should own a pair of patent leather ballet flats, be it rounded or pointy toe; they are a must in every wardrobe because of their simplicity, elegance and can quickly spruce up any outfit.
From Megan: I have to say, I totally dig the LC braid that Katie whipped up, probably because LC and I are best friends. Truth. Not a lie. Anywho, I liked the idea of having my hair pulled back (for kid chasing mania and running around the office), but doing something a bit more unique then my usual ponytail. The earrings are from Target, purchased a million years ago. The silver bracelet is from Anthropologie and was a gift from my sister, as was the black pearl ring. I love simple jewelry, but like to try to bring in a statement piece, which is sometimes hard to do when your entire upper half is neon purple. This ring really does it for me because it’s bold, but the color neutralizes the boldness a bit so the entire outfit isn’t overwhelming. My other ring is my engagement ring circa 1920 from my great grandmother. It’s the most lovely piece of jewerly I own, for sure. I tend to buy shoes and then wear them until they fall apart, and these ballet flats are complete evidence of that. They are J Crew circa 2007, and I refuse to throw them away, even though they are obviously on their final leg (you should see the bottoms, oy). Like Katie said, black patent leather goes with everything, and every girl should own a pair they wear to death. Although mine seem to be discontinued, they have a great pair at Target on the cheap that are pretty similar.
Alrighty, Day 2 is done! The key word for this outfit is simplicity. And of course I have to point out that this is another day where not one piece is actually maternity. Cha-ching, more money in the bank for me! What do you guys think? Good? Bad? To purple? Too short? Too tight? Too legit to quit? Let us know, we’d love to hear your thoughts!
Preggo Style – Day 1
/3 Comments/in Blond, Guest Banana, Pregnancy, Style /by MeganOkay, here we go! Day 1 of the Preggo Style Project (note: I hate the term “preggo” but it somehow stuck during the development of this whole idea, and now my brain can’t seem to think of another title for this series…if you have any ideas, feel free to leave them in the comments) is focused on work-appropriate attire. We wanted to find a look that would work for a business casual work environment, and could also carry over to after work activities. For this, I knew it had to be comfortable, especially in the shoe and torso departments, as long days seem about a million hours longer when you’re pregnant. So without further ado, here is our first look!
From Stylist Extrodinaire, Katie: For me, this look represented a work chic option for those days at the office where you might need to dress up a bit more, say for a luncheon or meeting. I love this look because it’s looks easy and comfortable, yet can keep up with you as you run around. Nothing beats the comfort of leggings – pregnant or not. If you do not own a pair of leggings, matte tights, textured tights or some knee high socks (that I absolutely love at the moment) would rock this look as well. The dress offers a bit of texture to the look, with its geometric pattern, while the cardigan ties everything together. We went for a monochromatic look, opting to stay within neutral tones, but you could “get all crazy” (Megan face) and add bits of color (say in an accessory, or the knee socks you could wear).
From Megan: This outfit pretty accurately represents how I’ve been dressing for work, at least during this last bit of my pregnancy. I apparently own way too many empire waisted / loose-fitting dresses, because most of my non-maternity dresses have been able to be worn throughout each trimester. The dress is a short-sleeved J Crew number I got two years ago on some crazy online sale (it is no longer listed on their website, boo). The sweater I bought at Costco last year when I was under-dressed during a Fall shopping day and needed something to warm up. I wear it all the time, so I’d say it was fate, even though I’m not a big advocate of buying clothing where you buy your bulk toilet paper. I’d tell you the brand, but I cut out the tag because it was super-itchy so I have no idea what the brand actually is. The leggings are from Francesca’s Colletions on the Plaza in Kansas City. The brand is Iris and I love them because they are non-maternity, but cut to somehow fit under the belly, rendering them totally useful throughout this pregnancy. I have two pairs and I wear them constantly.
From Katie: What I love about Megan’s pregnant style is that she loves her figure. She doesn’t want to hide her silhouette and I think that is marvelous. So to tie in (literally) the dress and cardigan combo, we took her existing skinny belt and created an empire waist. The skinny belt was extra fab because of its hint of greenish-bronze that went along with the tones of the look. The jewelry, all separate and different pieces Megan owns, were also a perfect tie in. My belief is that it shouldn’t be to matchy-matchy. Choose one element that can tie all of the pieces together (in this case, we chose color) and let the different styles and textures blend together. The necklace is a perfect example of doing this (in one piece!). While we laid out various looks, I immediately started to scheme about how I could steal these boots (which I thought were Frye’s) without her noticing….but then, you probably shouldn’t steal from pregnant women…and then she told me they were BORN boots. BORN! (!!!) (…check out the knee sock/tight combo! <3 <3 <3) So, I just settled on being jealous of her awesome buy.
From Megan: The necklace was a gift from my sister for my birthday this year…in fact most of my jewelry comes from two places, gifts from my sister or made for me by my sister-in-law. When I first laid eyes on this piece, which she’d purchased at some random purse party sale thing, I thought it was a wee bit much for me. But when I saw it with this outfit, I really liked it. We shortened the chain length a bit so it hit at a more flattering angle, and I think it works. The charms all represent something about me and it even has two empty photo frames for pictures of the kids. (Awwwww!) The boots, as Katie mentioned, are Born’s and they are too awesome for words. My sister-in-law had them when I visited her last year and I coveted them so much, I tracked them down for myself. By that time, it was almost spring so I got a killer deal, at Dillard’s of all places (they retail for $180, but I got mine at $75ish if I remember right). They are easily the most comfortable shoes I own, so they have been go-to footwear this fall, as I’m carrying some extra poundage on my poor feet. The earrings and bracelet were both also gifts from my sister, I believe from Express, circa 2004. The skinny belt is from the J Crew sale bin.
My favorite part about this outfit, other than it’s comfort and styling, is the fact that not one part of it is maternity wear. Proof you don’t need to spend a ton on special maternity gear to get a classic look. Yay for saving money!
Up tomorrow….a bit more color and another, more casual, work look….
On Figuring Out the Beauty Thing
/1 Comment/in Blond, Guest Banana, Pregnancy /by MeganWhen I was pregnant with Lucy, five odd years ago, I was still figuring out who I was in every single sense of the word. Not that I’m not doing that same thing now, I mean, it’s a constant learning curve to figure out who you are, but at twenty-eight I feel much more comfortable in my skin than I did at twenty-two/twenty-three. And I mean that both literally and figuratively. Not only did I have no clue what I was doing as a new wife, new (surprise!) parent-to-be, friend, working mom…on and on and on, but I didn’t feel comfortable in my body.
When I got pregnant with Lu, right away I lost 15-20 pounds. And let me tell you, the first 10 pounds were pretty awesome! But after that, man, I was hungry. Most of the pounds came off due to stress (OMGI’MHAVINGABABYWTF!) and the ever-dreaded morning sickness. I am not a lucky pregnant person during those first few months, and I suffer from morning sickness pretty badly. I basically didn’t eat for two months, so obviously, weight was lost.
So up until I was about 6 months pregnant, people honestly couldn’t tell. I’m tall-ish and since I had so much weight to put back on, I really didn’t balloon out until later. And my job, though stressful, had an extremely relaxed dress code, so I spent most of that pregnancy in sweatpants and old t-shirts. I certainly had no interest in pregnancy fashion, or looking cute while pregnant, because I basically felt that was an impossible task.
This time around, things are a bit different. I still didn’t show much until later, but I definitely got to a bigger belly much more quickly then last time. And this time my job, while so much better then where I was during the first pregnancy, has a more strict dress code. I’m not wearing a suit every day or anything, but they tend to frown upon sweatpants and stained t-shirts.
*Quick sidenote: Can I just emphasize how incredibly lucky I am to have the body I do? I swear, I have met women whose pregnancies are just awful, uncomfortable months of yuckiness, and mine, truly, are not that way. I have the first two months of sick, tired, OMGIWANTTODIE, but after that, it’s pretty much on cruise control. I get tired, but not too exhausted to function. I don’t really have bad reflux or swelling or early contractions or whatnot. Maybe it’s my karma for the morning sickness thing? No idea, but I think I may need to make a sacrifice to some lady-god to thank her for this gestation luck…*
One thing that is exactly the same regarding both of these pregnancies is, honestly, I’ve never felt more comfortable in my own skin as I do when I am pregnant. I remember feeling this way with Lu and wondering if that was normal or if I was just a complete weirdo…and I’m still not sure. Maybe it’s because when I’m pregnant I feel like my body is doing something really incredible or maybe it’s because I give myself a pass on the nit-picking, as I’m supposed to look different then normal, but for whatever reason, I love how I look and have way more confidence then when I’m not with child. So this pregnancy, I decided I wanted to look cute, because damnit, I am! But, and this is where I promise this post will go somewhere, I didn’t want to spent too much money in the process.
As this is likely my last pregnancy, I definitely didn’t want to spend a bazillion dollars on designer maternity gear, but I didn’t want to spend 9 (10) months schlubbing around either. I picked up some basics early on from Gap Maternity, my go to for all new stuff, as I know it will fit and is great quality for the price. I had a pair of jeans and a dress or two from my pregnancy with Lu that I wore this time around, but that’s about it. I trolled eBay and style blogger sales looking for deals on brands I knew I liked. And I have a few lovely friends that unloaded some of their old maternity clothes on me as well.
A few weeks back, a good friend who lives far, far away asked if I would post pictures of my pregnant self on Flickr so she could watch me balloon out from afar. After a few weeks of posting my “Preggo Style” I started to think about how almost all of my outfits were non-maternity, regifted, recycled or purchased used, and how it might make for a fun little blog piece. So I gathered my good friend Katie, a stylist extroidinaire, and asked if she’d help me do a piece on maternity fashion on a budget. She said yes because I am quite convincing. And a few days back, we gathered to “shop my closet” for maternity wear. Rules were at least several of the pieces had to be non-maternity, all had to include something regifted or reused, and everything had to be my own. One messy closet later, we had five days worth of outfits to share with all of you! This is something new for Crazybananas, but since I’m the CEO of Awesome around here, I decided trying something new might be good for all of us.
Stay tuned later today for outfit number one, and let me know what you think! Feel free to mock my craptastic modeling, but if you call my giant belly ugly, I might cry. Just, you know, keep it kind, people. I’m hormonal.