Gypsy Tendencies

Shopping for myself now that I'm a mother has taken on a new kind of meaning since I love buying clothes for the boys versus for me. But when I select pieces now to add to my wardrobe, functionality and comfort are definitely a priority. I want to wear things I can move in while taking care of the boys, yet, have character and fit in with my style aesthetic. I think there's a stigma of being a mom and having to dress a certain way that can be viewed as negative. Or, being a mom means you have to forget about your sense of individuality and self. For me, I want to be that stylish lady that happens to be a mom. Hopefully, a cool one. 

Let's ask my sons in a couple of years what they think of me and how I look... Should be interesting!

For our first outing, a trip to the park for a craft fair, I wore something gypsy inspired that I picked up from Urban Outfitters. This jersey tank dress was the perfect choice as it kept me cool, and had some wit to it. Each daily horoscope on the dress reads "The stars and planets will not affect your life at all." Paired with gladiator sandals and a fringed bag, this outfit is totally my Coachella mom look. 

Looking forward to adding more tank dresses to my closet - easy to style, easy to wear!

Outfit

Tank Dress - Urban Outfitters / Gladiator Sandals - Target / Fringed Bag - Steve Madden / Sunglasses - Urban Outfitters 

Strolling through Spring

Landon and Nathan will be 1 month old. I really can't believe that a month has gone by and the boys are a month old. I don't know where the time went. I probably lost some of it during the hours I wake up in the middle of the night for feedings, the naps, the diaper changes and the moments I get to hold them and just enjoy their smiles and sleeps. Being a parent is exciting and a learning experience. While there are many times I find myself searching for a mommy answer in the non-existent baby manual, I think it is absolutely true that your maternal instincts kick in, and you just figure it out...

Another aspect I'm still getting used to is not having a pregnant belly. Sure, I miss carrying the boys, and now I truly get to carry them in a whole new way. But, I will admit it's nice to have my body back and to return to wearing my non-maternity clothes. I always felt like I dressed like "me" when I was pregnant, but after a while, I did miss my old clothes.

On our first walk around our neighborhood, I put on this flower print babydoll dress I bought at H&M while I was pregnant. It's comfortable enough to spend the day in with the boys, yet, it's really feminine and can be dressed up with heels or flats.

Luckily, the weather has been on my side, and I've been able to not only dress myself in my best spring attire, but give the boys' daily outfits some adorable baby flair, too!

Details:

Floral Print Babydoll Dress - H&M / Blue Aviator Sunglasses - Urban Outfitters / Pink Flats - Old Navy / Baby Jogger City Select Stroller

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

Punk Rock Mom

While I don't style too many outfits with sneakers, I do have a pretty extensive collection of kicks. Converse are a must... My Air Force 1's are considered more of a collector's item than footwear (but I do wear them), and the hightop Reebok's I'm wearing are considered more fashionable than functional. I like sneakers that don't look like running shoes. 

And I'm gunna be honest - the day I took these photos I absolutely felt so pregnant. Oh, and I've officially hit 8 months!

I've been thinking about putting together a look that gives a nod to my days when my life revolved music. When I was a writer for music magazines. Although I'm not attending many concerts these days, I still love music culture. So when I found this baseball tee with The Beatles on it, the first thing I thought was:

"This is so punk rock mom."

I've been very lucky that many typical pregnant symptoms have just started to catch up to me now.

My hands have recently started to swell... so my wedding ring will have to be put away for a bit. 

And my feet... thank God it's not summer. 

My belly button - it's officially an outie.

All in all, I still feel like myself. But carrying around two human beings is absolutely a reality now that I feel the weight in my tummy. Walking is a little difficult. Driving can be uncomfortable. But to be honest, I have been so unbelievably blessed that I have had no complications throughout my pregnancy that I roll with the minor aches. It just means that I might have to put those heels away, throw on leggings and add a little extra lip gloss to my style routine... 

Outfit details:

Blank NYC Vegan Leather Panel Jacket / The Beatles " Good Day Sunshine" Baseball Tee - Forever 21 / Black Leggings - Destination Maternity / High Top Sneakers - Reebok / River Island Satchel / Henri Bendel Spiked Cuff & Henri Bendel Leather and Crystal Bracelet / Roman Numeral Cuff via Etsy

Preggo Is The New Black

I'll be honest with you: I spend the majority of my free time lately upstairs in my bedroom. My pregnancy has absolutely started to catch up to me. I feel bigger, heavier and tired more often, and after a day of work, I usually head upstairs with a book or pop in a DVD and just straight up relax or fall asleep. So, the amount of snow New Jersey has been hit with, combined with the freezing cold, inspired me to take outfit shots in my current favorite indoor place.

But even on days when I'm feeling a little under the weather, one thing I always do is get dressed in something that makes me feel like I'm... me. 

I couldn't feel more like myself in this "Preggo Is The New Black" Mesh Insert Sweatshirt that Preggo Leggings gifted to me, along with these ridiculously stretchy and comfortable red maternity leggings. The mesh panel has a "peek-a-boo" shoulder that allows me to dress it up with skinny jeans, or throw on a pair of leggings and heels for dinner with my husband.

There is nothing more prideful for me than celebrating my growing belly when it comes to putting together an outfit. Maternity clothing tends to have a stereotype that it's dowdy and bland. Totally not the case! Even if I wasn't a fashion blogger, being stylish while pregnant was important to me because I always wanted to maintain my sense of self - but just a different part of myself in a different stage of my life. 

So for me, preggo really IS the new black!

Outfit details:

Preggo Is The New Back Mesh Insert Sweatshirt - c/o Preggo Leggings / Red Leggings in Kiss Me Hello - c/o Preggo Leggings / Bobby Brown Lipstick in Old Hollywood / What To Expect When You're Expecting (aka - the pregnant lady's bible) / Chunky Heel Combat Ankle Boots - Steve Madden

Denim and DVF

Thank goodness for denim chambray shirts. Up until I become pregnant, I actually never owned a denim shirt. The look of pairing it with skirts and prints was always something I loved, but for some reason, I think I was afraid it would look too plain. 

Boy was I wrong.

I found this super soft denim chambray shirt at Gap Maternity, and I immediately knew I wanted to wear it with my favorite fuzzy vest for extra coziness. At 7 months pregnant, I continue to grow bigger and bigger, and lucky, this shirt covers my tummy in warmthness as New Jersey continues to be pelted with snow week after week... after week.

Also, I finally filfulled one of my dreams - I am now the proud owner of this amazing 440 Courier Rail Quilted Bag from one of my favorite designers, Diane von Furstenberg. Long have I admired her work, and I've always wanted to purchase a bag of hers. I couldn't resist this beauty in black, and the luggage tag is just over the top adorable with her signature DVF lips logo. I'm considering it a preemptive push present to myself.

I'm currently 31 weeks pregnant, and I can say that it's starting to get harder for me to feel like myself. I'm tired more, I feel heavy and sleep is non-existant. I do my best to cope with it all because I know that it's just part of being pregnant. I don't mind the pain because I know when I see my two boys I'm going to forget any aches and pains I once had. 

Can't believe they'll be here soon!

Outfit Details:

440 Courier Rail Quilted Leather Bag - DVF.com / Denim Shirt - Gap Maternity (but here's the non maternity option! / Faux Fur Vest - Forever 21 / Black Leggings - Destination Maternity / Studded Ankle Boots - Francesca's 

Wrapped Up

This winter is making it brutal to dress my bump in things other than cardigans. While I can still squeeze myself into some of my pre-maternity clothing, at 7 months pregnant, I've reached the point where being creative with outfits is getting harder. The shirts I wore for the past 4 months are starting to rise up higher and higher, and the bottom of my belly goes uncovered. Thank God for my collection of wrap sweaters like this gold Aztec print number. It's got enough going on to be interesting and make me feel like I'm putting an effort into my outfit. 

But I really miss wearing skirts.

And ladies, catching a gust of wind up your belly when it's literally 4 degrees out - it's torturous. 

While a view of me from the front definately reveals I'm pregnant, I often hear from people that from the back, I look like my normal, pre-pregnancy self. 

What do you think?

As for an update on the babies - they are both doing extremely well. I have been very blessed that my pregnancy has gone smooth. But when you're pregnant, you worry a lot about what you eat, how much sleep your getting and if you're doing everything in your power to take care of yourself so it doesn't affect your baby, or, in my case, babies. I try to watch what I eat, but my sweet tooth gets the best of me at times. I've now limited myself to letting myself have one dessert/sweet treat every other day so I don't overdo it. 

I guess the worrying I'm doing now is practice for when the twins are here. Practice makes perfect!

Outfit:

Gold Aztec Cardigan - Forever 21 / Black Tee - Old Navy Maternity / Jeans - Destination Maternity / Quilted Shoulder Bag - Forever 21 / Gold Lurex Hat - Zara / Shoes - Chinese Laundry

New York Fashion Week 2015 Nail Art Trends

Of course, the clothing takes center stage at New York Fashion Week. Currently in full effect, NYFW has shown to be a vivid and inspiring arrangement of style - from the ethereal to the moody and mysterious.

Being the nail art admirer that I am, I love scrolling through my Instagram feed and seeing the various nail creations designers pair with their garments. And people keeping saying nail art is dead? Um, quite the opposite. Some of the most elaborate, intricate and mesmerizing designs have been placed on the digits of models as they hit the runways.

Here's a quick glimpse into the latest nail art trends to walk the NYFW runway so far:

CND for opening ceremony

Photos courtesy of Getty Images/CND

Just one of 3 designs featured at the opening ceremony Fall/Winter 2015 presentation, this hand-painted design CND (Creative Nail Design) created these photo film nails inspired by the legendary director Spike Jonze. A decoupage technique was used to apply Jonze's photography to the nails. 

Christian Siriano

Jamberry, known for their amazing and easy-to-apply nail wraps, worked with Christian Siriano to capture the essence of his jungle-inspired Fall/Winter 2015 Collection. Models wore hunter green  ombre nail wraps. I really hope they release this design to the public!

Photo courtesy of Jamberry

 

Photo courtesy of Jamberry

Each year during NYFW, the American Heart Association gathers a slue of celebrities to walk the runway wearing red dresses to raise awareness for heart disease and heart health. Again, Jamberry collaborated with this worthy-cause to create custom heart-themed nail wraps which you can buy for $15. For every sale of these custom Heart Health Awareness nail wraps, Jamberry will donate $2 to the American Heart Association.

Buy them at Jamberry.com!

Tracy Reese

Photo via Sally Hansen Instagram account

The nail palette at Tracy Reese's NYFW 2015 show featured Sally Hansen nail polish in subdued winter hues that are bold yet sophisticated. The colors, which will be available Fall 2015, include Yummy Yam, Winter Sky and Maasai Red.