Bumped Up in Blue

My style has absolutely changed since I've been pregnant. Now at 34 weeks, I cherish the time I have to pamper myself in the morning, or the moments where I can stand in my closet and mull over what to wear. But, I've come to realize that those times will be fleeting once the boys are here - and I'm completely ready for it!

My time will be devoted to tending to my little dudes - and to say that I'm excited to see their faces soon would be a gigantic understatement. As I prep for my new role as a mother, I've been looking for style that can be summed up as effortless.

That's where this West 57th Satchel from Henri Bendel comes into play. Not only is it a beautiful shade of blue, the shape is modern... and effortless! I love that I can still be a funky mom with a bold and vibrant bag that is the perfect carryall for all my necessities. It makes the perfect statement for me as an accessory that let's me celebrate my sense of style, while being fun, luxurious and practical. 

Plus, as I warm up to the idea of there being more blue in my future, this gorgeous satchel will become my go-to for being a stylish mom that still loves fashion and eccentricity. 

Outfit details:

Faux Fur Collared Coat - LuLu*s / Pink Sweater - Liz Lange Maternity for Target / Floral Print Leggings - Destination Maternity / West 57th Satchel - c/o Henri Bendel / Lilac Knit Scarf - BCBGeneration / Black Wedge Ankle Booties - Modcloth / Alex and Ani Bracelets

Pixel Print Perfection

At 27 weeks, I now weigh the most I've ever weighed in my life.
And no, I won't be telling you how much that is...

With each week, I do notice myself struggling to do all the normal things you take for granted. Bending over, getting out of bed... putting on shoes. I haven't seen my feet since December. I definitely don't look at these tiny struggles as a downside to pregnancy, but rather it's something I laugh about with with my husband since he's the one that usually hears my small grunts and sees my attempts at getting up out of bed or the car. 

At this point, I haven't been buying more new maternity clothes. My abundance of cardigans is getting me through this last week's snow, when NJ was hit with stupid amounts of ice, sleet and snow. I'm relying on knit cardis to keep my bump toasty, and this ombre, pixelated version of a shawl cardigan is among my favorites. No joke - I saw some random singer during the Macy's Thanksgiving Day parade wearing a coat that was purple, red and black ombre, which I loved. Naturally, finding this sweater, along with the hat, appealed to my inner hipster.

To complete my hipster mom look, these shoes I scored from Francesca's for $9 (yes, you read that right), are just... awesome. You know how I love my gold studs and buckles... So comfy, and I can see myself wearing these with skirts next year... when I can actually see my feet again.

Outfit details:

Ombre Cardigan - Forever 21 / Crewneck Long Sleeve Maternity Tee - Gap / Maternity Leggings - Destination Maternity / Gold Stud Triple Buckle Boots - Francescas / Fringe Hobo Handbag - Steve Madden / Norma Bracelet - Erica Weiner Jewelry / Wool Fedora - Forever 21

Pregnant in Paisley

Now 5 months pregnant, I'm starting to not only show... but the struggle to dress myself is real. I've clung to my pre-maternity clothes for as long as I could... but the reality of waiting till next year to wear my many of my winter dresses is setting in. 

I purchased this paisley print dress when I was pregnant, knowing that it would give me some room for a couple of months. I ended up wearing it to a family function, and surprisingly, it wasn't strangling my stomach. The cardigan I'll get plenty of use out of, but those purple tights - no way. I haven't really seen many stores carry traditional "maternity pantyhose", so I've bought size Large in some cases... 

If I'm being honest - shopping for maternity clothes is kind of a bummer. Tops are fine, but pants, especially jeans - there aren't that many options. I wear a lot of black and grey, which is making me feel limited. I think this is why I'm trying everything I can to be as bright as I can with my outfits before I reach the point where I can give a s^&* about style and am more concerned with my comfort.

Regardless, I have to say it's really crazy to watch all the changes your body goes through when pregnant. These pictures are a couple weeks behind what I currently look like, but still, you can see my twin bump making its way out. I miss my waistline... and not seeing my feet when I look down has finally happened!

Outfit details:

Paisley Print Dress - Forever 21 / Knit Cardigan - Forever 21 / Purple Tights - H&M / Grey Wedge Booties - MIA Shoes / Rebecca Minkoff Bag (won it 2 years ago at a South Moon Under opening) / Gold Necklace - South Moon Under / Alex and Ani Bracelets

Totally Bumpin': Cozy and Comfy Maternity Style

Can we talk about this faux fur vest? The twins had something to do with me buying it since I have a major need to keep myself cozy this winter. Plus, I was going for a posh mommy vibe when I bought it... and I think I achieved the look I was going for at 19 weeks.

This outfit is full of cozy comfort:

The leggings are pre-preggers.

The Charlotte Russe sweater still covers my tummy, and accentuates it all at once.

The faux fur vest... Well, it's just all types of fab.

Add in the fact that it was 34 degrees and the curls that took me an hour to do came undone after 10 minutes of standing in the wind for these photos - but I still felt like a stylish mommy-to-be!

For 19 weeks, I feel great. I'm officially out of the morning sickness stage, and I finally feel like you notice that I'm pregnant. Right around 15 weeks is when I started to pop. And now that I have my energy back, it's allowed me to go shopping for the twins! Let me tell you - if you think shopping for yourself is fun, wait till you're pregnant and get to buy things for your children - it's the absolute best. The pressure to dress my babies as stylishly as possible is something that I don't take lightly. It's important that clothing give them personality - and of course, I'll have to wait for their individual character's to really come out. But if I can dress them in bold colors colors and patterns that are whimsical and oh-so-cute, than I'm happy to do so!

Outfit Details:

Fuzzy Faux Fur Vest - Forever 21 / Marled Maroon Sweater - Charlotte Russe / Floral Print Leggings - Forever 21 / Square Heel Ankle Boots - Steve Madden / Blottie Bag - Steve Madden / SmashBox Cosmetics Be Legendary Lipstick

Maternal Instincts

My very first official maternity post! YAY!

At 18 weeks, I'm sporting a bump that I love dressing up and showing off. 

As someone who is still in love with fashion, it's important that my maternity style be an equally interesting representation of myself and all the things I love to wear. I want to feel like me... just a pregnant version of myself. 

Of course, shopping for clothes does come with limitations, but I'm finding that empire-waist dresses are my absolute favorite to wear since they accentuate my tummy. Luckily, I'm still able to shop in non-maternity stores, and this dress from Forever 21 was the perfect holiday-inspired dress to wear during the cold months. The leggings were from my previous wardrobe, and I'm able to wear them below my belly and still be comfortable.

Although I will say wearing shirts that fit around my stomach do make me giddy. Not everything hugs my curves now, but when I do wear a more fitted shirt, it makes me proud to show the progress of my little ones growing each week.

To accessorize, I'm rocking this AMAZING bag I scored during a Black Friday Sale on SteveMadden.com. The combination of it being a saddle bag, plus, the fringe, makes it totally boho... a style that I'm wearing more and more in my pregnancy.

Outfit Details:

Plaid Dress - Forever 21 (currently offering 30% off for Cyber Monday) 

 Black Knit Leggings - H&M / Steve Madden Blottie Bag (currently offering 35% off and free shipping for Cyber Monday) / Patent Leather Wedge Boots - ModCloth.com (currently offering 25% off for Cyber Monday) 

SmashBox Be Legendary Lipstick in Primrose