Are you looking for the ideal summer cotton sweater to layer over your new warm-weather maternity wardrobe? Of course you are. You’ve indulged in a few cute sleeveless tops for your pregnant summer and now you need something to throw over them that won’t cause you to sweat profusely because, let’s be honest, pregnancy-induced hot flashes are probably causing you to do that anyway.
Nicol Caramel’s Cotton Summer Maternity Cardigan is the perfect answer to chilly summer nights or, more practically, an office that is kept at near Arctic temperatures during the summer. 
Spun from luxurious Italian cotton, this cardigan has a drawstring empire waist and is just sheer enough to provide warmth while also looking incredibly season-appropriate. The cardigan is available in three neutral colors–copper, blue, and sand–and each color pairs with a matching cotton voile scarf. Honestly, look at this Italian model at right–how fabulous will you look in this ensemble this summer.
Milan-based Nicol Caramel, perhaps my favorite maternity designer, always runs small so do buy up one size if you are between sizes.
Tagged as:
European Maternity Lines
What are you going to wear on Tuesday night? Perhaps you are going out for your very last childless Valentine’s Day celebration? Or perhaps you booked a babysitter weeks ago and have a well-orchestrated evening of non-alcoholic revelry planned with your partner?
Either way, plan to do so in Hatch Collection’s red silk maternity Dinner Party Dress. This dress is the ideal V-day dress, whether you are sporting a barely there baby bump or whether you could potentially give birth on Valentine’s Day. I have been wearing this dress virtually nonstop since I purchased it in the fall.
During the second trimester, it worked best with a belt over the bump, high-heeled boots or shoes, and an optional cropped cardigan or leather jacket. More recently, I’ve been wearing it loose with high, flat boots and a cardigan (bare arms are no longer an option). This eye-catching red dress is a surefire way to garner compliments from complete strangers about how much pregnancy agrees with you and I don’t know about you, but those seem increasingly hard to come by after 35 weeks.
This dress does have a low cut V-neck, so I took it to the tailor and had the spaghetti straps slightly shortened to prevent unforeseen exhibitionism. The dress also comes in navy, black, mushroom, and charcoal-colored silk, as well as a more casual striped jersey version. The navy striped jersey dress is on my spring postpartum must-have list. The silk renditions are priced at USD $348, the jersey at USD $248 in Hatch’s online boutique.
And, this very same dress was worn by Jennifer Garner at her InStyle shoot for the January cover of the magazine. I wonder if she’ll be wearing it out with Ben on Tuesday night. I admire Jennifer Garner for being a Hollywood A-lister, but not being afraid to look truly pregnant when she is expecting and donning real maternity clothing. I’d love it if Jennifer sent her hand-me-down maternity clothing over to Jessica Simpson once she is through with it, with a simple note attached that read, “For your own good, Jessica, please wear these.”
Tagged as:
Celebrities,
Dresses
Isabella Oliver has staged some impressive sales in recent months, but the line’s always-gorgeous maternity coats have been notably missing from the sale racks. That changed today with the launch of IO’s Winter Sale, which includes all of the most recent collection’s winter jackets and coats
–and yes, the sale includes The Everyday Blazer I have been lusting after since August. 
I have been waiting and waiting to buy this IO blazer in hopes it assists me in channeling Kate Middleton in her fitted Smythe hunting blazer and skinny J Brands for the last few months of my pregnancy. I know, very unlikley, but a pregnant girl can dream…
In addition to the Everyday Blazer, The Pea Coat
and the Luxe Wrap Coat are included in the sale, both at 30% off the rather steep retail price (both coats are made from a wool/cashmere blend). Jennifer Garner has been strolling through LA wearing both coats in recent days, as she obviously did not feel she had to wait for the sale. Kudos to the rest of us for waiting, however, as the color and size availability on the coats is still very good.
IO’s Winter Sale includes a wide range of pieces from the newest collections, but the discounts range from sizeable to extremely small, so make sure you check the discount before adding to your shopping cart.
Have you heard of Tiffany Rose Maternity? If you live stateside, then probably not. The UK-based maternity designer was founded in 2003 and specializes in occasion maternity dresses. Although it has outfitted numerous British celebrities, Tiffany Rose dresses are designed and manufactured in the UK and are not widely available for sale in the United States.
The Lola Dress
Well, they should be, because PF just ordered her first Tiffany Rose dress and I absolutely love it. While the line focuses on occasionwear, it does offer a small, but unique collection of day-appropriate dresses that work for the office or for that one day you feel absolutely enormous and decide that a beautiful dress is in order. I really wanted something that I could wear to the office and then wear to a few evening holiday events and I chose the Lola Dress, which is available in a deep maroon with a blush-colored draped neckline and sash. The Lola dress is made from very forgiving jersey and has a subtle shimmer to it–no worries, it is very much day-appropriate. I was a bit worried about the neckline but it is actually quite demure and covers absoluely everything it should. My favorite aspect of this dress is the fact that it is as much a third-trimester dress as it is a first-trimester dress. The material is so stretchy that if I am still upright, I will still be wearing my pre-pregnancy size come the end of February.
The Amelia Dress
I am such a huge fan of my new Lola dress that I am currently pondering which of the Tiffany Rose Winter Maternity Collection should be my next investment. The Blue Lace Amelia Dress reminds me of Kate Middleton in that gorgeous blue lace Erdem Resort 2012 dress last summer, but who am I kidding, I am way too far gone to be channeling the size 0 Duchess these days. Make sure you take a look at the collection, if for no other reason than you unfortunately will not see many tasteful, sophisticated maternity dresses like this for sale here in the United States. Over here, we are stuck waiting for Mariah Carey and Jessica Simpson to release new maternity lines. I don’t need to tell you that tasteful and sophisticated are not likely words I will be using to describe those upcoming maternity collections.
If you’re going to go overboard with only a select few maternity items, I’ve always been convinced that the jean was your wisest luxury maternity investment, for the very obvious reason that you wear them constantly. But with my discovery of the David Lerner Maternity legging this pregnancy, the legging is giving the jean some serious competition. The reason for the turnabout may not become entirely obvious to you until the third trimester, but when it does, you’ll find yourself extremely happy that you made the investment in a pair of luxury leggings that don’t p0ll, don’t stretch out, and are well-tailored enough to remain just the tiniest bit flattering after you hit the 30-lb mark.
I, for one, am at the 40-lb mark and when I stand in front of my closet every morning, I now find myself wanting to wear my David Lerner maternity leggings every chance I get, more so than my coveted J Brands and Sevens. They are not only comfortable, but they are thick enough that they feel just a little bit like shapewear. And wiggling into a pair of maternity jeans is becoming an increasingly arduous process.
I’ve written about Lerner’s gorgeous leggings several times this pregnancy, but they are extremely hard to find online and I was thrilled to discover this morning that shopbop.com
has restocked its David Lerner selection today with two new pairs of exclusive maternity leggings: a pair of full-length Black Maternity Zipper Leggings and a pair of Black Cropped Maternity Leggings. The Maternity Zipper Leggings are priced at USD $143, while the Cropped Maternity Leggings are USD $121–hence, their inclusion in the Decadent Monday column. These leggings are not going to be available for sale anywhere else and the sizes do tend to go fast, so for those of you early on in your pregnancy, think carefully before you resist and tell yourself you aren’t going to spend $143 on maternity leggings. You’re likely to think they’re the best investment you’ve ever made come 30 weeks or so.
This week, PF has gone high-end and low-end in helping readers choose a new maternity coat for the upcoming winter. Today, PF is going right down the middle of the road with Bellybutton Maternity’s Black Puffer Samantha Coat. I just ordered this coat and though I usually wait until I receive something to recommend it, it is really cold here in DC today, so many of us may not have the luxury of time at this point.
Bellybutton Maternity, based in Germany, released a very similar version of this puffer coat last year, but it’s been updated with an adjustable belt that tightens across the back. I was, of course, worried about choosing a maternity “puffer” coat–really, who wouldn’t be? But I looked everywhere and this coat provided the best combination of practical all-weather winter wear with a bit of on-trend style. Not to mention the fact that during the winter, anyone with a toddler needs outerwear that is going to be impervious to tiny runny noses rubbing up against it on a consistent basis and this coat can be easily wiped down. I am depending on the belt in the back to provide enough above-the-bump definition to prevent me from looking like the Michelin Man.
The Bellybutton Maternity Puffer Coat is available in all sizes in Pretty Pregnant’s online boutique for USD $312 (including VAT) and the listing includes a catwalk video, which gives a helpful illustration of how the adjustable belt shapes the coat. The same coat is also available in larger sizes only at Everyday Maternity, but is priced at a more reasonable USD $273 (including VAT, but with free shipping).
While you are browsing Pretty Pregnant today, also take a look at Fragile Maternity’s Camel Hair Wrap Coat, which is reduced by 30% for today only as part of the boutique’s Countdown To Christmas promotion. This coat normally retails for more than USD $600, but is priced at USD $430. It is lovely, and also equipped with the crucial “wrap” feature, rather than buttons, which guarantees it will grow with you and then still be wearable once you’ve slimmed down.
Now that it’s cold out, what are you going to do about the fact that your winter coat doesn’t fit anymore? More often than not, pregnant women try and make it work anyway. Why should I spend extra money on a maternity coat, many, many women have asked me. It doesn’t matter if my coat doesn’t button, I’ll just wear a scarf and make sure I have a sweater underneath, they rationalize.
It may not surprise you that PF does not agree with that perspective. I have been pregnant for four of the past six winters and not only do I have a great deal of experience with the evolving fashion of maternity coats, but I also believe now more than ever that a maternity coat is an essential winter basic. First of all, you are likely going to wear this piece every day for the next three to five months, so spending some money on it is not wildly irrational. Secondly, it’s not as if your non-maternity coat is going to fit once you walk out of the hospital. You’ll need to wear this coat through the postpartum period and potentially longer if you are nursing. And lastly, you are pregnant, in a somewhat fragile condition, and depending on where you live, it may be damned cold out over the next few months. You need a coat that buttons properly and keeps you warm. Trust me, live through one pregnancy winter cold (for which you will be unable to take any cold medicine and therefore will be unable to sleep) and you’ll be kicking yourself for not taking PF’s hard-earned advice and buying yourself a proper-fitting maternity coat.
You do not have to spend a fortune on a winter maternity coat. There are numerous options out there that are very reasonably priced and will keep you as warm as the more expensive coat. I am going to be writing about a few of those coats this week, but it is Decadent Monday, and so today I am going to draw your attention to the ultimate in iuxury maternity outerwear, Blossom’s Black Cashmere Maternity Coat by Clements Ribeiro. Clements Ribeiro designed an exclusive maternity line for Blossom a few years ago, so this coat has been part of the British maternity boutique’s collections for several years. It is, in a word, perfect and therefore still part of the boutique’s in-house collection. It iis black, single-breasted, well-tailored, cut from a high-end cashmere/wool blend, and completely versatile. You may wear this coat to work, to a cocktail party, or wear it over your jeans and stained nursing T-shirt, it works for all situations. This coat is the ideal luxury maternity basic and now that the weather is turning cold again, I am patting myself on the back for cleverly investing in it several years ago. I actually want to wear this coat again, as opposed to a few of the lesser maternity coats I have managed to collect over the years.
Blossom’s perfect maternity coat is priced at approximately USD $638. Stay tuned all this week for outerwear recommendations that do not cost $638.
It’s cold today–winter sweater cold. My kids left for school in hats and gloves for the first time this morning. And I left the house wrapped in a real honest-to-goodness wool sweater, reminding me yet again how much I love my Isabella Oliver Cosy Belted Cardigan.
I bought this cardigan in 2006 during my very first pregnancy and it is obviously a keeper (surviving four pregnancies in five years makes anything a keeper). Back then, IO only sold it in grey, but the cardigan is now also available in black and ivory. There is certainly no shortage of maternity-friendly cardigans out there, but this sweater is a true piece of maternity wear. It ties on the inside and then wraps completely over your bump to tie comfortably in a long sash. This is a cardigan that is cut to cover everything effectively, even at the very bitter end of your pregnancy. I love it with a button-down blouse or turtleneck underneath, but the shawl collar is generous enough, you can wear it with a simple T-shirt underneath. I also find this cardigan is very often and easily worn in a more “casual” setting, such as over that pair of maternity pajamas that don’t quite fit anymore or over a nursing gown in the hospital when visitors unexpectedly show up. Priced at USD $189, this piece is worth the investment.
Hatch by two birds, the new maternity line from cutting-edge bridesmaid dress designer Ariane Goldman has already been raved about by mom bloggers, fawned over by style magazines and newsletters, feted at the W in Downtown New York, and blessed by fashion royalty like Christy Turlington Burns and Gilt founder Alexis Maybank. With such a high-profile introduction into the fashion world, I was suspicious and felt I had to try it out for myself before jumping into the fray.
All the hype was right–Hatch by two birds is a truly beautiful maternity collection. With 14 separate pieces offered in varied subtle fabrics and colors, the collection centers on loose-fitting, draped dresses, both short and long, rendered in high-end silks and cottons. The Errands Dress, the Airplane Dress, the Afternoon Dress, the Soiree Dress–I don’t happen to have this many varied occasions to attend right now, but I like the idea of it. It’s also easy to choose just one favorite dress and stick to it. Because you can choose between such a wide selection of fabrics and prints, you can select the Dinner Party Dress (pictured above) and buy it in striped jersey for casual weekend wear or in red silk for your holiday party.
Hatch by two birds’ prices range from USD $98 for the Long-Sleeved Tee to USD $348 for the Silk Soiree Dress. Yes, I know, definitely at the high end of the maternity wear spectrum. But the pieces are all made in New York and $5 from each purchase made in the online boutique is donated to EveryMotherCounts, a charity founded by Turlington Burns and devoted to global maternal health. Supporting a small, independent maternity designer while also supporting women’s health? Hard for a devoted fashionista to say no to that…and, of course, you do also get the pleaseure of wearing that beautiful dress.
It’s not often that I have the opportunity to write about a new collection from a “veteran” maternity designer. Most new maternity lines are from ambitious new designers entering the market or from mainstream fashion designers who decide to dabble in maternity for a season or two.
Such is not the case with Vanessa Knox, the American-born lingerie designer who co-founded Isabella Oliver Maternity in London in 2003 and has just launched her own new maternity line out of London. This woman knows maternity clothing and she knows what sells in the maternitywear marketplace. Hence, pieces from her new maternity line, Vanessa Knox, do bear numerous similarities to many of Isabella Oliver’s classic pieces, particularly the form-fitting jersey dresses in bright jewel-tone colors. But the collection also includes new, much-needed contributions to the high-end maternity scene, like the hooded lightweight Briony Maternity Trench Coat. A dressy, work-appropriate trench coat designed specifically for maternity and also equipped with a practical, detachable hood? I’ve yet to come across a maternity coat that looks classy, but also might actually keep you dry in a thunderstorm, kudos to Vanessa for designing one. Vanessa’s pure wool Cable-Knit Maternity Cardigan is also an appealing inclusion in the new collection. 
While maternity cardigans are just about everywhere, maternity cardigans spun from 100% merino wool are not so easy to find. Vanessa has thankfully recognized that though maternity sweaters may not occupy prime geography in your closet for many years to come, there is no reason they all need to be made from polyester. And the most beautiful, though least practical piece in the new collection is the Ophelia Silk Print Maternity Evening Dress. I have 4.66 children and have absolutely nowhere to wear this gown, but I still really, really want it hanging in my closet.
Vanessa Knox’s prices are what you might expect from one of the maternity industry’s most successful designers–high. The online boutique is currently priced in British pounds, so once you’ve done the truly depressing conversion to American dollars, the collection’s prices start at USD $85 and peak at USD $573 (for the Ophelia gown). These are certainly investment pieces. But, the quality is superb, the tailoring expert, and your purchases show up in a beautiful, bow-adorned silver gift box–which, after ordering a good portion of my maternity clothing from sample sale sites, is a perk not to be underestimated. If nothing else, take a look through Vanessa Knox’s online boutique…and then forward this posting to whomever is buying you a Christmas gift.
