It’s hard being postpartum in the summertime. I went bathing suit shopping late last week, which was truly horrifying, I am still not emotionally ready to blog about it. But I am currently giving thanks for long, cotton maxi dresses. Those last few stubborn pregnancy pounds are lingering, those varicose veins are not disappearing as quickly as I had hoped, and while I am still breastfeeding, none of my pre-pregnancy clothing fits past my neck anyway. While I was pregnant, I wrote about several maternity-friendly long cotton dresses I highly recommended here and here. I’ve since had them hemmed and tailored for my post-pregnancy body and I don’t know what I would be wearing without them this summer. I just realized I never blogged about Splendid’s Blue Ombre Strapless Maternity Dress, which I wore during the last days of my pregnancy and have been wearing all summer. 
It’s Splendid, so I don’t have to assure you this is an extraordinarily comfortable dress. And because it is Splendid, it also is not a bargain. At USD $210, this maternity dress is an investment. But I am living proof that you will get your money’s worth and wear it for months after you give birth (you’ll need a good tailor to straighten out the hem). I use it as a day dress, as a beach cover-up, and after a particularly grueling day with the boys, I have been know to sleep in it. But it’s also a very pretty dress, and I get compliments on the color all the time. Throw a cardigan over it and it will work for fall as well.
One problem–it is sold out in size Medium, and is only available at Pea in the Pod here in sizes Small and Medium. Splendid typically runs slightly small but because this is strapless, I have found it fits true to size.
My god, it is so hot here in Jerusalem today. My car thermometer read 95 degrees at 930am this morning. It is too hot to take the baby outside, so I have all of the boys stripped down to their diapers and have pulled out the water table and the garden hose for them to play with. Luckily, the filthy garden hose somehow seems to provide hours of entertainment.
If you live somewhere almost as hot as this place, perhaps you are looking to add to your summer maternity wardrobe this week. Blossom Mother and Child, the ultimate in high-end maternity fashion, launched its 40% off Summer Sale this week with much of its Spring/Summer 2009 line included in the sale. Click here to browse the entire sale. Three of the items I purchased and raved about here in February are not only all part of the sale, but are also still available in a wide range of sizes. If you are only looking to buy one piece, go for the Maternity Safari Shirt at left, selling here for the reduced price of GBP 59 (USD $98). Available in both blue and white, this 100% cotton shirt is perfect for the hot summer days ahead and is a key basic for your maternity wardrobe. And, it is such a beautiful shirt, I am still wearing mine two months postpartum (the buttons at the neckline allow for easy nursing access).
The Silk Georgette Maternity Pleat Top is also part of the sale and is reduced to GBP 131 (USD $217) here (it was originally priced at GBP 219). Still a bit of a splurge, this top is, however, guaranteed to have a prominent place in your non-maternity wardrobe. I wore it often at the tail-end of my pregnancy, so it does work through the third trimester (I did need to wear a tank top underneath). But it is such a well-tailored top–there are small pleats at the empire waist rather than elastic–that it also manages to work well as a non-maternity tunic top.
I try very hard not to be swayed by celebrity maternity fashion, so I tend to ignore what most of the starlets are wearing during their pregnancies. After all, those of us who are not Nicole Richie can’t fit into Balenciaga pants when we are with child, let alone afford them in the first place. But I recently came across this photo of “Gossip Girl” actress Kelly Rutherford in a beautiful Paulina Maternity summer dress and I felt compelled to share it with you. I LOVE “Gossip Girl.” I feel I am entitled to such guilty, mindless pleasures while I am stranded here in the Middle Eastern desert and I have been known to check iTunes about 25 times a day on Tuesdays waiting for the new episode to appear so I can download it and watch. It is going to be a very long summer without Serena, Blair, and Chuck.
But I simply had to blog about Kelly Rutherford’s breezy, white cotton maternity dress (Kelly plays Lily on “Gossip Girl”). I am not simply admiring Kelly’s maternity fashion from afar, I do actually own this dress and bought it from Paulina Maternity at the tail end of my pregnancy thinking it would be perfect for those last few hot weeks. It is called the “Never Ending Story” dress and it is absolutely lovely. It is ideal for those hot summer days and evenings that stretch ahead of you in July and August. The 3/4 sleeves may not be what you have in mind for a hit summer day, but they do do wonders for covering up pregnancy-induced upper arm fat.
I will tell you, this dress is perfect if you are really, truly, very pregnant. 
And if you are very early on in your pregnancy, it can be cute as well. It also works if you are still trying to camouflage your pregnancy or if you’ve just had a baby and are trying to disguise your new muffintop. But note that it has no definition around the middle (no empire waist, no sash in the back) and if you are in that second-trimester stage where you just kind of look pudgy, this dress may not be your most flattering bet. The Never Ending Story Dress is available here for USD $259 and is still available in all sizes. Paulina Maternity’s line definitely runs small, order the next size up to make sure it fits.
I’ve been slightly obsessed with finding the perfect pair of white maternity jeans this spring and have devoted some serious time (and a bit of money) to finding the best pair out there. I wanted a pair with a slim leg, but not too skinny, and a pair with a well-fitting waistband in which a very pregnant woman could feel comfortable.
The clear winner is the white AG 5-pocket Slim Leg Maternity Jean, available here at Pea in the Pod for USD $245. I know, I know–the price is high. But I tried out several pairs of more reasonably priced white maternity jeans, including pairs from Earl and from Citizens of Humanity, and these were the most stylish I could find, as well as the most comfortable (those two qualities do not usually come together, especially with maternity clothing). Besides the chic, slim leg fit, these jeans also have Pea in the Pod’s trademark Secret Fit Belly waistband, which I’ve blogged about here before and will be a lifesaver for you late in the third trimester when it seems virtually impossible to keep your pants up.
If you feel guilty about making such a pricey investment, remind yourself that it is Memorial Day weekend, the official start of summer, and there is no better summer basic than a pair of white jeans (my mother always insisted one simply could not wear white clothing until after Memorial Day). These jeans look good with everything, from the most basic tank top and sandals for daywear to a chic summer blouse and platform heels for evening. If you are about to give birth, plan on relying on these as a staple of your postpartum wardrobe as well. They are trendy enough that it won’t look like you are still wearing maternity clothing (I speak from personal experience). AG jeans fit true to size but as I find is the case with all designer maternity jeans, it doesn’t hurt to order one size up.
And make sure to check the blog this weekend–I am working on a summary of all the Memorial Day online sales. A few good maternity sales, and some really great sales on children’s clothing…
You all may have noticed this already, but Liz Lange finally launched her new and updated website, which displays her new and updated high-end maternity collection for Spring 2009 (click here). There is, however, one major problem–you can’t buy the new maternity collection from the website. Lange’s prior website had an online boutique, which was frequented by women such as myself, who did not live near a Liz Lange boutique and therefore could not shop in the Liz Lange stores. This time around, Liz is relying on Nordstrom and small, independent boutiques to sell her maternity clothing and unfortunately, there is not much of a selection available online. (Nordstrom, for some reason, only purchased items in black and white–how boring). A few of my favorite pieces from Lange’s Spring 2009 collection are simply nowhere to be found online. For instance, where does Liz expect a geographically-challenged girl like me find the Penelope Maxi Dress above in this great blue print? Or in the solid purple color in which it is also apparently available? Maybe they are selling in one of the small boutiques carrying Liz’s line, but us online-only shoppers have no access to it. It just seems unfair, Liz.
I was able to locate the Lynn Hammered Silk Top in navy blue online at Bellydance Maternity and I have been wearing it often enough these days that my dry cleaner commented that I always bring it in full of stains (have I mentioned how much I love it when Israelis come out and tell you exactly what they are thinking?). According to Liz’s website, this tasteful, versatile silk top is also available in lime, yellow and lilac, but I can’t buy it in those colors because it is not available online. This is a great maternity top for the final trimester because it is long enough to simply cover everything up, and pretty enough so it doesn’t look like that is what you are doing. It has a great neckline. And it is a great top for the first few postpartum weeks. The Lynn top is available here in navy blue for USD $105.
I also love the Cathy Off-the-Shoulder Top in this floral print but again, no online availability. Liz, please open up your online boutique again. Not all of us are lucky enough to be able to pop over to the nearest high-end maternity boutique and pick up your collection. Take pity…
Fashion fads always pop up in maternity fashion a little later than they do the mainstream fashion scene, but I was hoping this whole ripped boyfriend jean fad would skip over maternity clothing completely. Baggy, slouchy jeans are not really flattering to the pregnant body anyway. And I am embarrassed to admit that when I look in fashion or tabloid magazines these days, I don’t really even know who the starlets wearing “boyfriend jeans” are anyway. Who is Ashley Tisdale and what has made her a celebrity? And who is Audrina Partridge? I am obviously old, I have too many children, and I have been living overseas for too long, because I still can’t figure out why I should care that these girls dress like they stole a slightly overweight man’s old pair of jeans.
Regardless, Paige Premium Denim has come out with a maternity version of the boyfriend jean, the Jimmy Jimmy Maternity Boyfriend Jean. The jean is newly available for USD $195 here at Shopbop. I must be honest, I am really not into this look. When I wanted distressed jeans in middle school, my mom told me she refused to pay for jeans that looked like someone else had worn them before I had and I have to admit, I kind of agree with her now. But I am obviously out of it, I don’t even know who Ashley Tisdale is. If these jeans are a must-have for you, they are still available in a good range of sizes.
I don’t usually buy Olian Maternity clothing, because I feel as if Olian’s line is so widely available that every other pregnant woman I pass on the street is going to be wearing the same top I am wearing (although I live in Jerusalem, where a good portion of the population wears exactly the same religious outfit every single day, so I really don’t know what I am worried about). But I knew I’d be in need of some comfortable trousers once I got home from the hospital, so I bought Olian’s Belted Maternity Cargo pants and I absolutely love them.
Made from 100% cotton, Olian’s Cargo Pants are extremely lightweight and perfect for spring/summer, especially if you aren’t so into showing off your pregnant legs but don’t want to suffer in the hot weather. The waistband is a midrise elastic band, which I’ve found isn’t always the best option if you are extremely pregnant, as it can slide down and drive you crazy. But I’d say that at 12 days postpartum, I now look about 5 or 6 months pregnant and the pants stay up, fit perfectly, and are so very comfortable. Needless to add, they are also a great postpartum option for these slightly uncomfortable weeks when even the thought of putting on a pair of stiff, denim jeans might make you cringe in pain. Olian offers the pants in navy here or white here at Bellydance Maternity and at a very sensible USD $98, you can buy both and add them to your summer maternity wardrobe basics. They fit true to size, so stick with your pre-pregnancy size. Bellydance is also offering free shipping on orders over USD $75, so be sure to enter code “SHIP75″ when you check out.
Finally! Veronique Maternity has pulled itself together and posted its Spring 2009 collection in its online boutique. I so love that store but they really have not caught on to the whole e-commerce thing. 
It’s a very small selection, but there are several pieces that you won’t be able to find anywhere else, most notably the Nicol Caramel over-the-belly trousers and capris. 
I’ve blogged about these pants before and in my current state of advanced pregnancy, I am reminded of just how crucial these pants are to one’s maternity wardrobe. 
Not only are they made from top-quality materials and well-tailored, but because they have no waistband or no additional elastic at the waistband to deal with, you can wear them without worrying if you shirt is hiked up, or if you are showing off any unappealing skin. And they really do stay up all day, no embarrassing adjusting needed. They are available this spring in trousers (USD $220), capris (USD $205) and in bermuda short-length (USD $205) here on Veronique’s website. The over-the-belly design is also available in a skirt, but I own two of the over-the-belly skirts and they aren’t my favorites. While the over-the-belly cut works wonders with pants, I feel as if the skirt never quite looks right on.
Veronique also offers very unique printed maternity dresses from designer Nieves Lavi. These are designed exclusively for Veronique and you won’t find them anywhere else. Both cost just over USD $400 here, but I’ve tried Nieves Lavi’s pieces on in the Veronique boutique and they are beautifully made. The only reason I don’t own one is because they fly out of the boutique so fast, my size is never available.
Veronique’s online boutique is also carrying a unique selection of summer sweaters and blouses that you likely have not seen on any other maternity websites, so head over to peruse the collection. In the T-shirt section, you’ll also find Michael Stars basics and the infamous “Under for Veronique” tank top, which is made from 90% bamboo and is absolutely lovely, but costs USD $65. As someone who has tried just about every maternity tank top out there, you don’t need a $65 tank top to layer under your maternity clothing, even if it is made from bamboo–if you’re pregnant, you’re going to have uncomfortable hot flashes and sweat regardless of whether you are swathed in bamboo or not.
Veronique’s prices in general may make your jaw drop, but if you take the plunge, you can be assured the pregnant woman in the office next to you isn’t going to be wearing the same thing you are.
I am usually extremely reticent to buy non-maternity clothing to wear during one’s third trimester, as I just don’t think there are many clothing items out there that can fit a non-pregnant woman while also fitting a woman who is at least 27 weeks pregnant (Nicole Kidman notwithstanding). But a recent ordering mixup with A Pea in the Pod resulted in my ending up with Ella Moss’s Odessa Maxi Dress, instead of the Splendid Maxi Maternity Dress I thought I was buying. Ella Moss does not design a maternity line, but you will find her dresses at numerous maternity boutiques because they are definitely first- and even second-trimester friendly. But I truly did not think there was a non-maternity item out there that was 37-weeks-pregnant-with-your-fourth-child friendly.
And I was wrong. Ella Moss’s Odessa Maxi Dress actually fits me extremely well and I am wearing it comfortably as I write this. I need to have it hemmed slightly, but there is no problem with the dress riding up in the front due to my protruding bump. The empire waist has a good deal of pleating across the front allowing for satisfactory coverage of even the most obvious belly. The V-neck is somewhat low-cut but you can wear a camisole underneath if you want to, or alternatively, show off your hard-earned pregnancy cleavage if you want to. The dress is made from 95% rayon/5% spandex and is a very soft, forgiving fabric, similar to the fabric I was expecting when I ordered the Splendid dress. Throw on a pair of flats or a pair of sandals and this dress makes the perfect day dress for the very pregnant or the not-so-pregnant, making it a great investment piece.
The Ella Moss Odessa Maxi Dress is also less expensive than the Splendid Maxi Maternity dress at a very reasonable USD $171 and comes in several different colors on several different sites. 
You can find it in black or waterfall (this blue color at right) here at Revolve Clothing or in shadow (gray) here at Bellydance Maternity. The shadow color is also available here at Blue Heaven Boutique for a slightly more reasonable $168. It does seem to run slightly small, so I would go one size up from your pre-pregnancy size to make sure you too are wearing it at 37 weeks.
A great-looking new maternity line is being launched in Washington, DC tonight and sadly, I am stranded here in Jerusalem and missing the festivities. More of Me Maternity, designed by former Capitol Hill staffer Jessica Boulanger, is making its debut in Georgetown this evening and I must say, I am impressed with Jessica’s first collection. I did try and recruit various family members and friends to attend the DC event and report back with photos and an eyewitness take on the collection. But unfortunately, trying to convince women who are not pregnant to give up their Thursday evenings and attend a maternity fashion trunk show is not so easy. You’ll have to settle for the promotional photos provided by Jessica herself. We here at Pregnant Fashionista are, however, already big fans of More of Me Maternity because the six-piece Spring 2009 collection is already available online here at More of Me Maternity. The legendary Liz Lange can’t seem to get her website up and running but Jessica has managed to do it and we pregnant online shoppers are very impressed and grateful.
I haven’t actually worn any of More of Me’s line yet, so I can’t personally recommend any one item. I am about to order the maxi dress at left in the navy, which is selling here for USD $249. More of Me’s prices are not low–the Little Black Maternity Dress at right is selling for USD $298 here. 
But I just love this little black dress, it reminds me just a little bit of Halston’s Spring 2009 line, which I absolutely love. Were it not for the perpetually annoying varicose vein issue, I would be strutting my pregnant self around Jerusalem in this dress ASAP (and looking ridiculously out of place wearing such a thing here in the Holy Land, but really, who cares?). Oh, and More of Me has a ribbed maternity tank top here that I am dying to try on in my current 36-weeks pregnant condition. It looks nice and long, comes in cute colors…will it become the go-to maternity tank top that has so far eluded Pregnant Fashionista?
Head over to More of Me Maternity to take a look and support Jessica. Maternity fashion definitely needs more people like her and severely fashion-starved Washington, DC just needs more …well, fashion, period. If you happen to be in DC tonight, the trunk show is being held at Dawn Price Baby on M Street in Georgetown at 6pm.
