michaelstars.com
{ 0 comments }
Basics
If you didn’t take the plunge and spring for yesterday’s Decadent Monday cashmere outerwear pick, you likely now find yourself in the same predicament I proposed yesterday–what coat are you going to wear when the weather turns really cold?
It is only on the rare occasion that PF goes super budget-friendly and recommends a trip to Target to buy clothing, but I speak from experience when I tell you that Liz Lange for Target’s line always includes a decent basic wool maternity coat in its winter collection and this season is no different. For a mere $41.99, pregnant fashionistas can ensure their bumps will not go cold this winter with the Liz Lange for Target Maternity Wool Coat, a mostly wool, lined, double-breasted maternity trench, available in black or dark grey. Liz Lange’s Target coats will last you the winter and will absolutely look appropriate over your more expensive maternity wardrobe pieces. Lange always keeps her winter coats for Target classic and simple, which is why they work, despite being cut from mediocre-quality material. You will not end up wanting to keep this coat past the season, but it will serve you well while you are wearing it and come spring, you will be happy to get rid of it, knowing you truly got your money’s worth.
{ 1 comment }
With so much shopping being done over the past week, I thought readers might have a bit of a shopping hangover. I know I do. So, today’s recommended maternity piece is a must-have essential, but very inexpensive.
As all of you likely already know, if you’re pregnant, you need a BellaBand. Whether you’re newly pregnant and trying to keep your unbuttoned nonmaternity trousers on or very, very pregnant and no longer able to wear your-under-the-bump trousers without some assistance, it’s smart to keep a few BellaBands on hand for those mornings when you pull something on and it suddenly doesn’t fit anymore.
What you may not know is that Ingrid & Isabel recently released a new and improved BellaBand that is equipped with a band of silicone to keep it in place, as well as extra material to make it longer. Ingrid & Isabel’s New BellaBand, as it is very simply called, is priced at $28 for the basic black, white, grey or nude band, while the New Lace Bella Band is priced at $32 and comes in black or white. I’ve found that the addition of the silicone strip does make a difference, because the band really adheres to the top of your trousers and you don’t have to worry about it riding up while your waistband rides down (make sure you position the silicone strip at the bottom when you pull the BellaBand on).
At a certain point, even a silicone-equipped BellaBand is not going to keep my under-the-bump J Brand skinnies up and I accept that. But I’ve managed to add a couple of weeks to their prominent position in my maternity wardrobe rotation and for that alone, I am grateful to I&I.
{ 1 comment }
Happy Turkey Day! PF’s Black Friday round-up is on its way later this evening, but I had to give readers a heads up that David Lerner’s Luxury Collection of Maternity Leggings just went on sale at MyHabit.com, Amazon’s sample sale site. I’ve received a few emails asking where to buy these designer maternity leggings, and they are no longer available on David Lerner’s site. This is the first place I’ve seen the entire collection for sale since Lerner first released it over a year and a half ago, and this sale is offering discounts over 50%.
A pair of super-chic chocolate brown maternity cargo leggings for a mere $59 (usually $165)? How can you say no to that?
{ 0 comments }
Layering is a crucial maternity fashion concept for two primary reasons: 1) it allows you to make the most of your maternity fashion investments and wear them year round, and 2) when the hot flashes start, it’s nice to be able to take things off. Today seems an especially good day to remind readers of that, because I endured my first round of third-trimester hot flashes last night. I could have sworn the restaurant turned the heat up significantly somehere between the entrees and dessert–none of my dining companions seemed to agree with me and I had to go stand outside and cool off for a good ten minutes.
Purchasing a few basic winter tops to wear underneath your favorite fall maternity dresses and tunics can be a great way to make the transition into winter. In search of a basic top I can wear under all of my short-sleeved sweater dresses, I ordered a selection of white and black turtlenecks and long-sleeved T-shirts last week in hopes of finding the perfect layering basic.
The winner? Pickles & Ice Cream’s Side Ruched Turtleneck. This thin, comfortable turtleneck comes in white, black and dark grey, and works perfectly underneath sweaters and dresses. It has a bit of spandex in it, and I was worried it might be a bit too restricting underneath a sweater, but because it is so thin and not particularly tight around the body, it is a comfortable layering piece. This top is just the tiniest bit sheer, so if you were going to wear it alone, plan to wear a camisole underneath. The turtleneck is part of Pickles & Ice Cream’s in-house maternity collection and is priced at USD $59.
_________________________________________________________________
{ 2 comments }
Buying jeans is a very personal decision, especially when you are pregnant. One woman’s perfect jean is another woman’s denim nightmare. So, I’m not going to recommend a specific jean to all of you. As with any pair of jeans, maternity or not, you aren’t going to know if you like them until you try them on and get yourself in front of a full-length mirror. Instead, here is a short list of what you should be thinking about before you purchase maternity jeans.
1. The Waistband. Normally, buying jeans is all about what your posterior looks like in the mirror. As you may have noticed lately, your fashion priorities have changed a bit. The type of waistband you choose is now suddenly the most crucial aspect of your maternity jeans. There are several options: under-the bump, under the bump with a thin elastic panel for extra hold, and completely over-the-bump. Recently, more denim designers have offered over-the-bump options in their maternity lines and this is a very good thing for all of us. While you won’t find a more avid devotee of the Mama J by J Brand line than me, J Brand’s maternity jeans are all designed for under-the-bump wear with elastic inserts built into the natural waistband. At a certain point in most women’s pregnancy, under-the-bump is no longer an option because they simply don’t stay up. Both Paige Premium Denim and Seven for All Mankind have recently introduced over-the-bump waistbands to their maternity selection, allowing you to ensure that a pair of jeans you buy at week 9 will still be wearable at week 39.
2. The Cut. Wide leg, bootcut, straight leg, skinnies, pencil leg, jeggings–you can find all of these trendy cuts in maternity styles these days. The only way to decide which you prefer is really to try them on. And you may have to be flexible about your preferences as your pregnancy progresses. For example, I love J Brand Mama J Skinny Maternity Jeans, but by the last few weeks in my pregnancies, I usually can’t fit them over my calves. Hence, I usually choose wide leg or bootcut styles for the last trimester.
3. The Price. You can buy yourself this $240 pair of Seven for All Mankind Bootcut Maternity Jeans at right and chances are, you’ll love them and wear them to death. But, you can also buy yourself a pair of Maternal America jeans for about $100 and you’ll likely love those too. MA in particular does great denim and also does an impressive job of updating their most popular designs each season.
Now, where to shop. Remember, you’ll want to check the return policies of any online boutique where you buy maternity denim. If you can’t return your purchase easily, I don’t suggest buying there unless you really know what you want already. Piperlime has a great selection of maternity denim and you can’t beat their free shipping and free return policies. Also, they often have a good selection of maternity denim on sale. Right now
, the Paige Denim Blue Heights 14 High Panel Maternity Jeans
(pictured above) are discounted from USD $179 to USD $119.99.
These are very flattering maternity jeans and have been vastly improved since Paige added the over-the-bump, 14″ panel to the waistband. shopbop.com
also has a good selection of high-end maternity denim as well as free shipping and free returns.
Zappos.com carries Maternal America’s much-loved skinny maternity jeans (pictured at right) for $106 and again, there is free shipping and free returns. They are currently in stock in both the dark wash and the lighter stonewash color.
Maternal America – Maternity Skinny Jeans (Dark Wash) – Apparel
Maternal America – Maternity Skinny Jeans (Stone Wash) – Apparel
Good luck. It may take you a few rounds to find what you need, but take comfort in the fact that there is so much to pick from these days. Only five years ago, when I was first shopping for maternity denim, Pea in the Pod was the only show in town.
{ 2 comments }
Trying to decide whether you need a maternity slip? You do. Unless you are going to be wearing trousers and jeans exclusively throughout your entire pregnancy (and that’s no fun), you’ll eventually need to be wearing a slip anytime you pull on a maternity dress. Very few maternity dresses are lined and it’s obviously impossible for wrap dresses to be lined. You may be able to get away with just a dress and your skivvies during the first few months, but once things really start bulging in various directions, you’ll need to be wearing an extra layer to smooth things out underneath your dress. Tights and body shapers help, but nothing is more effective underneath a dress than an old-school, full-length slip.
There are maternity slips out there to be purchased, but my favorite maternity (and non-maternity) slip is Commando’s Seamless Slip. This full-length slip comes in two versions: the Commando Tailored Long Slip Accessory
and the Commando Full Cami Slip Accessory.
The Long Slip has a V-neckline and hangs 19″ below the waist. This slip is ideal for underneath your longer maternity dresses. It’s tagless and has no seams, so no additional bumps. Commando slips also have a brilliant weight system at the bottom that prevents them from riding up underneath your clothing. It’s not foolproof, but it works better than any other slips I’ve tried at keeping everything smooth and in the right place. Let’s be honest–once you get really big, reality is such that there is just about nothing that’s going to stop you from having to pull and tug at your clothing constantly in order to keep yourself decent.
The Full Cami Slip has a scoop neckline and is cut shorter than the Long Slip. At 18 weeks pregnant and 5’4″, it currently reaches my knees. This is a good piece to wear underneath your maternity tunics and shorter maternity dresses.
Both slips come in both nude and black and have fully adjustable straps. Those straps are a crucial feature because come the third trimester, you’ll want to lengthen the straps so the slips still hang properly. There are only two sizes, S/M and M/L, but I would suggest taking the larger size unless you are very petite. This is supposed to be a form-fitting slip for non-pregnant women and you’ll be grateful for the extra room.
{ 0 comments }
I received a thankful response from PF readers after recommending my favorite maternity leggings yesterday, so I am going to continue with the theme and devote this entire week to recommending must-have maternity basics. As you might expect, these are not going to be inexpensive basics. I truly believe in splurging for the best quality when buying items you will be wearing over and over again. Indeed, maternity basics like leggings and T-shirts are often in daily rotation in one’s maternity wardrobe, which makes quality important. And such is the case with the crucial maternity wardrobe staple, the white maternity T-shirt.
Michael Stars’ recent decision to discontinue its ”Maternitees” line has left many of us with a large void to fill in our maternity T-shirt drawer. I always relied on Michael Stars as a one-stop shop for the perfect white maternity T-shirts, both short-sleeved and long-sleeved. It is still possible to find them this season in certain boutiques, but I’ve searched and there are no white tees left to be had.
So, I have stoically moved on and found two new favorite white maternity tees:
Blossom Mother and Child Ltd‘s V-Neck Long-Sleeved Nolan Top is the perfect maternity basic. It fits well and close to the body, doesn’t stretch out with wear, and is ruched both through the bust section and through the mid-section of the top. The high-quality jersey is soft and opaque, although I always prefer to wear camisoles underneath maternity T-shirts (no one needs to see my misshapen belly button). Unlike many of the maternity T-shirts I ordered, tried on, and returned, I would feel very comfortable wearing this shirt on its own, i.e., no camouflaging cardigan necessary. Priced at US $77 in Blossom Mother and Child Ltd
‘s online boutique, this is not a throwaway maternity tee. The shirt washes well on the delicate cycle, so if you are a diligent laundrydoer, you might be able to get away with owning just one this winter. The Nolan shirt does, however, come in three other colors–black, navy and pink, so once you’ve pulled it over your head, it will be hard to own just one.
Velvet Ella Tunic
This soft, jersey tee by Velvet is not designed for maternity but it is cut extra long, so it works well for covering the bump. It is a bit sheer, so I purchased two and I’ve been layering them. It washes well and so, far, shows no signs of stretching out. I am not overly optimistic this tee will last me until the very bitter end of this pregnancy, but I love being able to pair a simple, crewneck white T-shirt with my skinny maternity jeans and not having to worry about wearing anything else. Throw on a great pair of boots or booties and you’ll be a vision of minimalist pregnancy chic.
{ 0 comments }
I am a reluctant convert to maternity leggings, but I will readily admit, New York designer David Lerner makes a really nice pair of leggings. Leggings are an anchor of Lerner’s mainstream collection and he has kindly included maternity leggings in his collection. David Lerner Maternity Leggings
are made in New York, cut from high-end black jersey and are completely smooth from top to bottom. There is no elastic waistband, so the leggings simply pull up over the bump without creating a line underneath your clothing. These leggings are thick and very supportive and although there is spandex in the fabric, there is no shine whatsoever, they are completely matte. Also, there is absolutely no issue with sagging at the knees or between the legs (a problem, I am quickly finding, with lesser quality maternity leggings). Most importantly, these leggings wash really well. No pilling and they do not stretch out.
Of course, $99 for a pair of maternity leggings is an investment. But in recent weeks, I’ve already spent more than that on several pairs of sub-par leggings. These are worth every single penny.
And just one more Missoni for Target-related note and then I’ll shut up about it. At Whole Foods on Saturday morning I saw three different women wearing exactly the same Missoni for Target sweater. Yet another reason I am celebrating having been unable to order anything last Tuesday–who wants to be wearing the same sweater as the woman standing behind you in the checkout line at the grocery store?
{ 6 comments }
I am curiously obsessed with Victoria Beckham’s pregnancy and I have been consistently combing the web looking for photos of her showing off her baby bump. She arrived in New York this past weekend to show her Fall 2011 collection and there are new photos of her coming out every day, but she keeps hiding her bump! Check out these recent photos of Posh looking chic and fabulous, but sporting some kind of death grip on her coat holding it over her midsection. 
Why, Victoria, are you depriving of us of fully enjoying your incredible maternity-friendly ensembles? The whole world knows you’re pregnant and even if someone missed it, you and your hubby keep tweeting about it anyway, so why the sudden reluctance to let us all salivate over your designer clothing?
In contrast to Posh, Natalie Portman is preggers and wants the world to know about it. I don’t like to do the “you too can own what that celebrity is wearing” thing, but Portman’s henley maternity T-shirt is one of my favorite new basics for Spring 2011. Sure, it’s great that Natalie is wearing it, but what is truly fantastic about this piece is the fact that it is very, very long. With this T-shirt on, Natalie can rest assured that the paparazzi will not catch a glimpse of her pregnancy-induced back fat, and so can you.
The Paulina Maternity “American Girl” shirt comes in 5 different colors–grey, blue, lilac, sea blue, and stone, and is priced at USD $71 here at Paulina Maternity. Sizes and colors are selling out fast so hurry up and shop before yet another pregnant celebrity catches on.
And speaking of back fat, a pregnant Kate Hudson wore this curious get-up to the Grammies on Sunday night. I love Kate Hudson, but really, what the hell is she thinking? I fear Kate might be giving Mariah a run for her money in the “that is most definitely not a maternity-friendly outfit” category. And I don’t think Kate will be rushing to buy Paulina Maternity’s maternity henley, as apparently, Kate is not the least bit concerned about photographs of her back fat.
Just to round out this celebrity-focused post, we can all breathe easy, as there seems to be no sign of a Spring 2011 maternity collection from Heidi Klum at Pea in the Pod. Heidi’s brief, but painful stab at designing maternity fashion was consistently amusing, but I am relieved that she has moved on. After hiring Nicole Richie and then Heidi Klum to debut two completely unrealistic and unappealing maternity lines, maybe Pea in the Pod has learned its lesson. Let’s hope so. Although I now kind of fear we’ll be seeing something from Kate Hudson very soon–perhaps an entire line of backless maternity wear?
{ 0 comments }
