Spring 2010 Collections

15% Off Sitewide At Shopbop Today and Tomorrow

May 4, 2010

Shopbop released its Spring Friends & Family code today and it is unfortunately only a paltry 15% (it was 25% last year). It almost makes you sort of miss the depths of the recession, doesn’t it? Use promotional code “INTHEFAMILY15″ at checkout for 15% off sitewide today and tomorrow (Tuesday and Wednesday).

You may not have noticed, but Shopbop recently created a “What to Wear When You Are Expecting” section here. None of the recommended clothing is actually designed specifically for maternity, except for the jeans. But they do carry unique dresses and tops from Rachel Pally, Velvet, So Low, and Splendid, all of which are designers you usually also find at Pea in the Pod and at Bellydance Maternity. I would so rather buy from Shopbop than Pea in the Pod, even if their F&F sale is rather unimpressive this year. If you aren’t familiar with the designer Sunner, I do highly recommend using the F&F discount to purchase one of their empire-waisted tunics for the summer, like this one at left. They are ideal for both the newly pregnant and the recently postpartum. They run a bit small, so buy one size up and you’ll have something to carry you through the awkward first few weeks of pregnancy and those equally awkward first few weeks after the baby is born. All of their clothing is just so pretty and feminine, it is nice to be able to reach for one of their maternity-friendly tops when you are feeling exactly the opposite of pretty and feminine.

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Slacks & Co. Steps Up And Fills That Void In Your Closet

May 3, 2010

I have been waiting for weeks for today’s post because I feel I can now comfortably tell you all about the new UK-based maternity line Slacks & Co. Slacks & Co. is the maternity designer we’ve all been waiting for because they are pursuing an extraordinarily brave business plan and making high-end maternity trousers exclusively. I couldn’t have been more thrilled when I read about their entry into the maternity fashion market this past spring, but I was also very skeptical, because designing maternity trousers seems to me to be the most challenging aspect of designing maternity fashion. And so many maternity designers–even those I praise for other items–just do not do trousers so well.

Consequently, I felt I really needed to wait for the ladies at Slacks & Co. to send me a sample that I could try on and wear around town a bit. Mail takes absolutely forever to get out here to the desert, so my new Slacks & Co. white Milan pants just arrived on Friday. I wore them on and off all weekend and it is official–these are my new favorite maternity trousers.

First off and most importantly, these are trousers I would buy regardless of whether I was pregnant or not. In fact, when I first opened the package, I checked twice to make sure these were not a pair of white cotton Theory pants I purchased for myself on Shopbop last week. Slacks & Co.’s Milan skinny trousers are made from thick, high-quality cotton mixed with just a bit of spandex. They are quite fitted through the legs and are accented with zippers at the bottom hem and zippers in the front. They basically look just like a pair of trousers anyone would buy for their Spring 2010 wardrobe. Of course, Slacks & Co. has added a comfortable under-the-belly band to the top of these chic trousers so although they don’t look like maternity, they do fit like maternity. I was actually impressed with the band–it did not stretch out and kept its grip through a few wears. With a third trimester belly, however, you may need to add a Bella Band to the top of the Milan because they are a very fitted cut through the hips and I could envision them slipping down a bit once your bump is at its largest.

You may view Slacks & Co.’s full collection on their website here. Slacks & Co. released eight trouser cuts for Spring 2010 in two separate fabrics–the stretch cotton I detailed above and light Italian wool. For Fall 2010, the new line will launch 8 trouser cuts, adding Rome, Berlin and Boston to the collection. They will also add stretch corduroy and stretch velvet to their current choice of fabrics. Each of the trousers is named after a major city and the Spring 2010 versions of both the Los Angeles and the New York trouser are currently for sale online at Harrod’s here and here for GBP 165. Curiously, the same trousers are selling here at Rous Iland for substantially less, so I would check this site out first. The Milan skinny trouser is also selling here at Rous Iland for GBP 139. Slacks & Co.’s line is not very widely available yet, and are only available in European maternity boutiques, so email them directly at info@slacksandco.com if you have any questions regarding purchase. The prices are high, but you really cannot find maternity trousers like this anywhere else–for example, Slacks & Co.’s promotional materials discuss how they used Tom Ford’s early work at Gucci as their inspiration for their debut collection this spring. I know maternity fashion and trust me, you’d be hard pressed to find another maternity designer who is channeling Tom Ford. So, if you are one of those pregnant fashionistas who has been struggling to find the perfect skinny trouser to show off your new gladiators this summer, Slacks & Co. should be your new go-to designer.

One note regarding fit–the designers acknowledge that they are focusing on slim-cut trousers that mirror today’s runway fashions, and therefore hug the pregnant form. That being said, they do fit true to size–as long as you recognize you are not going to be lounging in these trousers at 9 months. Go up one size if you think you’ll still be in your skinnies come Week 39…

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Pure T Does Dresses for Rosie Pope Maternity

April 23, 2010

Pure T maternity shirts recently joined the ranks of my absolute favorite maternity basics. I unfortunately didn’t discover them until just after my own pregnancies, but I got my sister completely hooked on them. And based on a few reader emails, I think I managed to get a few of you hooked on them as well here. Pure T’s pieces are just so soft and comfortable and their Fall 2009 palette was chocked full of gorgeous jewel colors. I sorted through the Fall 2010 samples while I was in New York and they are, of course, also beautiful. High-quality cotton, well-cut styles, and great colors–what more could you ask for in a maternity T-shirt?

Well, you could ask that those same T-shirts be cut into lightweight cotton summer maternity dresses–which is exactly what Pure T has done in its Spring/Summer 2010 line for Rosie Pope Maternity. Pure T has taken its popular T-shirts–like the striped V-neck Brooklyn T or the Henley T–and turned them into 100% cotton summer day dresses. I would have bought the Brooklyn dress for myself this summer if it had looked just a little less like a maternity dress. But if you are reading this, chances are you need a maternity dress. The Brooklyn dress is available here in Rosie Pope’s online boutique for USD $98 and the Henley dress is available for USD $98 in white and tangerine here and here. Pure T’s dresses are cut loosely, so you may need a belt around your hips or around your (new) waist when going out. But chances are, you’ll wear them loose when you are lounging at home in the hot summer weather or even to bed in those last few days of pregnancy when the line between clothing and pajamas becomes very blurry.

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J Brand’s White Maternity Jean Is Cropped For Summer 2010

April 19, 2010

It’s hard to believe but Leighton is celebrating his 1st birthday today (which also means that I have officially not been pregnant for a full year–a personal record for me). Here’s a photo of him from this past weekend. Leighton now weighs 27 pounds, has some serious curly hair going on, two crooked front teeth, loves to eat pickles with hummus, and is really just the funniest little guy ever. He never fails to make us laugh. We celebrated his 1st birthday with a very casual pizza party on Saturday afternoon and all of his closest buddies were there. He was, predictably, much more interested in devouring pizza than he was in his guests. We then spent yesterday at the beach where he got to eat ice pops in the sand, another of his favorite activities. Happy Birthday LeiLei!

Over the weekend, I noticed that J Brand’s new white Aspen Maternity Jean is now out in a cropped version for summer. The price is, inexplicably, only two dollars less than the full-length version, but I don’t ask too many questions when it comes to buying J Brand jeans. Not only do they always fit well, but I love that they never have any labels or sequins or studs or glitzy embroidery. They are, quite simply, the perfect, understated jeans. And I particularly admire that they have seized on the maternity market with their Mama J line, continuing to bring out new styles and colors for the pregnant J Brand addict. Click here to buy yours for USD $187 at Pickles & Ice Cream. Remember, J Brand jeans do run small so buy one size up if you will be in your late second or third trimester this summer. Also, remember that as much as I love J Brand’s Mama J line, I readily admit they are not the most comfortable maternity jeans out there. But if you are in the market for white maternity jeans, chances are comfort is not your top priority anyway.

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The Maternity “Tregging” Arrives

April 16, 2010

I am not a fan of leggings or “jeggings” or even “treggings,” but I acknowledge that I seem to be missing something because just about everyone else out there is really into them. What is a “tregging”? I know, I had to look it up too. It is apparently a pair of trousers that fits just like a legging, i.e., it has all the details that a pair of trousers might have but is skin-tight. I had asked Amanda at Everyday Maternity to recommend her must-have item this spring and she emailed to tell me that she doesn’t get the jegging/tregging thing either, but she can’t keep Boob’s new maternity “tregging” in stock. So, I do feel obliged to let you all know that Everyday Maternity just restocked Boob’s must-have maternity tregging, and it is available here for GBP 49.99 (USD $77) in almost all sizes (Small is already sold out). It is really hard to go wrong with Swedish designer Boob–I’ve never bought anything from them that I didn’t love and it’s not the quality about which I am dubious. I just don’t understand why the very clear line between trouser and legging has to be blurred. Just buy one or the other, who cares if your leggings have pockets, you aren’t going to put anything in them anyway. Wow, I sound like an old biddy, I am showing my age here.

Anyway, if you buy them, let me know if you like them. You can reach Amanda directly at amanda@everydaymaternity.com if you want to ask any questions before you buy.

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NOM Maternity Delivers Better Quality And Is Only Getting Better

April 12, 2010

During my whirlwind tour of New York City’s maternity boutiques and showrooms last week, I was particularly impressed with the new offerings from NOM maternity. NOM has an interesting history–it was founded in 1998 by a Los Angeles designer and focused on trendy, somewhat sexy pieces that could often be seen in the pages of tabloid magazines on the backs of pregnant celebrities. When I was first pregnant, I purchased a few of NOM’s pieces directly from their online boutique and I was not impressed. The quality was poor and though the prices were not as high as you might expect from an LA boutique designer, you unfortunately got exactly what you paid for (or hadn’t paid for) with NOM. Just about all of those NOM pieces I bought back in 2006 and 2007 were quickly donated to charity. They were definitely not keepers.

But in mid-2007, Belly Dance Maternity acquired NOM, creating NOM by Belly Dance. Since then, the quality of the NOM collection has only improved. The line has thankfully shed a bit of its flashy, LA-centric style and has instead been re-directed toward better tailored pieces made from higher-quality fabrics (most noticeably, NOM has cut way down on satin–there should only be so much satin in a maternity line, I think). My casual observations were confirmed by several maternity retailers I chatted with in New York. And they were all especially excited about NOM’s Fall 2010 line, which will hit stores this summer. I also loved the upcoming fall line and couldn’t believe I was thumbing through a subtle, tasteful NOM collection when I first spotted it across one of the fashion showrooms.

NOM’s Fall 2010 collection is not yet available for viewing online, but a wide selection for Spring 2010 is currently available at Belly Dance here. One of my perennial favorites from NOM since the Belly Dance acquisition is the summer linen cargo, which is available in navy and white. There must be other fans of these pants, because NOM brings them back every spring. They retail for USD $98 at Belly Dance here. These pants run slightly large and I was not happy with the strength of the elastic used for the under-the-bump waistband. But I had the elastic replaced and reinforced by a tailor and then wore them constantly last spring and into the summer during those first few postpartum months. They are comfortable and they are flattering in a slouchy, casual kind of way. If you just don’t think your pregnant self can pull off J Brand’s new white maternity jeans this summer, opt for this more forgiving white linen trouser.

Any by the way, have you used your More of Me Maternity discount yet? Just a few more days for PF readers to get 25% off sitewide at More of Me Maternity here. Stop trying to convince yourself that you are going to fit into your non-maternity dress one last time for that upcoming shower or summer wedding and indulge in a fun new maternity frock from indie maternity designer More of Me. Just use code “FASHIONISTA” at checkout.

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Spring 2010 Collection Goes Online at Veronique

April 4, 2010

I spent all day Friday in New York City, visiting maternity wear showrooms and maternity boutiques and I am absolutely brimming with new, fabulous suggestions for all of your maternity wardrobes. But you’ll have to wait one more day for me to start sharing those, because Veronique Maternity finally has its Spring 2010 collection online and as usual, it is incredible. So incredible, it is worthy of this early Sunday morning post–especially because Veronique’s stock sells out fast. Veronique is carrying its usual hard-to-find pieces from French maternity designer Veronique Delachaux and Italian maternity designer Nicol Caramel, but has also launched its first inhouse capsule collection this spring. The pieces are basic but as is to be expected from the best maternity boutique in the United States, they are very much on-trend and likely to be the most coveted maternity “basics” out there. I am impressed with the designs as well as the wide range of colors and patterns the collection includes. The price tag, however is high–this cotton tunic at right will cost you USD $125 here. It comes in blue, plum and black. The shirt dress here comes in a blue floral pattern, cherry floral, and solid navy, but is retailing for USD $255 here.

As for the other Spring 2010 pieces Veronique is selling in its online boutique, they are simply just to die for. French maternity designer Veronique Delachaux translates this season’s best trends into maternity wear. Snap up the nautical striped maternity sweater at far left for USD $115, pair it with Italian maternity designer Nicol Caramel’s must-have over-the-belly blue trousers in the new skinny cut and you’ll look as if you just walked off the French runway yourself. I also love the white cotton safari dress with the brown sash, also from Veronique Delachaux’s Spring 2010 collection and selling for USD $195. Unfortunately, Veronique does not seem to have included any particularly unique maternity cocktail dresses in its online collection this spring, which is unusual for the Madison Avenue store. I am going to stop by there tomorrow to peruse what they have in the boutique, I am hoping they have stocked their typical selection of unique spring/summer wedding and cocktail pieces in the store.

A reminder–both Veronique Delachaux and Nicol Caramel’s maternity lines run very small, definitely size up if you are unsure on sizing. Nicol Caramel’s over-the-belly pants, which come in a range of cuts and lengths here run particularly small and the new skinny cut most certainly does not allow for any additional wiggling room, so I would order them a full size up. Check out my blog about these amazing maternity pants here–you must at least try them out, they are worth the investment.

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Starting Today, PF Readers Get 25% Off at More of Me Maternity…

April 2, 2010

My apologies to all for this week’s temporary blogging hiatus. We flew the boys to the UK on Monday to visit family for their spring break vacation and it took a few days for them to adjust to the bitterly cold English countryside and to the concept that they could wake up and see sheep and cows from their bedroom windows. As you might imagine, when you are three years old and there is a mooing cow right outside the window, it is rather hard to settle down to sleep.

But, today’s posting was worth the wait, as I am announcing another exclusive promotional discount for Pregnant Fashionista readers. From today through April 15th, PF readers are entitled to a 25% discount on all items purchased from new independent maternity designer Jessica Boulanger at More of Me Maternity. Just type in code “FASHIONISTA” at checkout in More of Me’s online boutique here. I have blogged frequently about More of Me and I am a tremendous fan of this new maternity line, designed out of Washington, DC. Jessica designs clothing that is chic and of-the-moment, but also incredibly practical, as it is generously cut and therefore intended to fit to the end of the third trimester. If this is your first pregnancy, I challenge you to find a baby shower dress that both fits and flatters at Week 36.

With wedding/graduation/shower season coming up, I asked Jessica to personally recommend a few of her favorites for Spring 2010 and she readily obliged. Jessica recommends the Momshell dress in Pool, pictured at left. “This dress looks really, really cute belted above the bump,” Jessica writes and she suggests checking out J Crew’s Whipsnake Belt here for the perfect accessory.

The designer also suggests the Favorite Shirtdress in Lilac, pictured at right, and also worn with a belt above the bump. But this dress can also be worn with no belt at all, just “pile it with layers of necklaces” and you are good to go, Jessica suggests.

I can personally vouch for Jessica’s third suggestion, the Navy “Take it to the Maxi” Dress, which I own and wore throughout the last weeks of my most recent pregnancy. I absolutely love this dress and if you aren’t necessarily looking for a special occasion dress, but need a great weekend day dress for spring and summer, this is it. Jessica agrees and she writes: “This dress WORKS. It can truly be worn to a wedding or knocking around on a Saturday afternoon with flip flops and shades. Also, It fits beautifully up until you’re about to pop AND AFTER. Don’t ask me how this is possible, but somehow it is…I wore my maxi dress until the day I delivered Oscar (and I was no small girl) and for about 2 months after. Also, this dress is designed to skim the floor. I wanted to make something that would make women feel elegant and beautiful even with really large, swollen ankles. This dress hides them.”

This promotion come at the request of several PF readers who have become ardent fans of More of Me and I’d like to thank Jessica for responding to my repeated requests for a special PF discount. So, go forth and shop ladies, this is exactly what you asked for. Remember that More of Me is cut slightly large so stick to your pre-pregnancy size and size down if you are unsure of what size you should order…

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Stella McCartney For Gap Kids Launches Tomorrow

March 28, 2010

Just in case you have not been stalking your local Gap Kids store manager like I have, I just wanted to remind you all that Stella McCartney’s Spring 2010 line officially goes on sale tomorrow (Monday) at Gap Kids and online on Tuesday, March 30th. Parts of the collection did go on sale in the New York City concept store late last week and my husband’s brave cousin, Stephanie, managed to snag a few coveted items for the boys. She called from the sale location to tell me she almost went to fisticuffs with a Birkin-bag-carrying woman who also wanted a certain pair of Stella’s unisex orange jeans, but Stephanie luckily realized that they actually weren’t sold in toddler sizes, and relinquished them before there was any violence. Here are a few photos of the new collection, and as might be expected, the boys’ pieces are cute, but the girls’ pieces are truly adorable. Click here to see more at lilsugar.com. The collection ranges from infant sizes to teenage sizes.

According to a local friend here in Israel, the Stella McCartney for Gap Kids collection did go on sale today in Jerusalem and no, the store manager at the local Gap Kids has not yet called me…as I asked him to about 10 times over the past 4 months. Apparently, reiterated statements asking him to “please call me immediately when the boys’ collection comes in and I will buy absolutely everything you have in sizes 2T-5T” do not qualify as an enticing customer offer here in the world’s holiest city.

I think I may actually go home before I find a retailer in this country who I feel actually wants to sell me something. Sigh…

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J Brand Releases The “Mama J” Straight Leg in White

March 19, 2010

I love white jeans. Always have, always will. In suburban New York City in the late 1980′s, they were a must-have and I have not gotten over it. I recognize they are not necessarily for everyone and I also recognize they are a bold fashion choice when one is pregnant, but I can’t help myself from alerting you all to J Brand’s new Mama J Straight Leg Maternity Jean in “Aspen,” (i.e., white) now on sale at Pickles & Ice Cream here for USD $189. This is the first time J Brand has released the Mama J Straight Leg in white, and like all of J Brand’s new entries into the maternity market, they are definitely a must-have. The Mama J Straight Leg has a 16″ leg opening and has a 6.25″ rise in the front, but a 13.25″ rise in the back. The elastic panels are inset into the natural waistband of the jeans, so these are worn under the bump. I have these jeans in a dark wash and they are particularly worth the investment because you will wear them alot after you have the baby when you want to be wearing J Brands, but can’t quite fit into the pre-pregnancy pair crammed in the back of your closet. Pair these with a colorful fitted maternity top or a longer blouse, if you aren’t feeling quite so brave, and you’ll be all set for summer weekends.