Guide To a Stylish Pregnancy

 

This article was written when I was in my 34 weeks (and 4 days) of my pregnancy. Obviously, my belly (and unfortunately the rest of my body) was b.i.g. Getting dressed got even more challenging. I would live in my sweatpants everyday if I could, but being pregnant is one of, if not the most, wonderful things that can happen to a woman, so I think one should embrace it, and try to look pretty and not frumpy and dull. Trust me, people love looking at pregnant women who still look stylish, fresh and glowing, something that I haven't quite achieved..:D, but I still want to share some tips that I've learned during my first and second pregnancy, I believe can be useful for other mommies to be..

Show some skin and your curve

Your legs are probably getting bigger from the swelling, and so do your arms, but that doesn't mean you have to cover them with long sleeve and long pants everyday, unless it's winter time in where you live. It is better to take advantage of your sudden voluptuous body. Try fabric that stretches, and if you have to wear loose tops, try to slim down at the bottom by wearing leggings or skinny pants. Loose clothing only make you look bigger and shapeless.

Don't be afraid of color

Black is slimming, but color makes you happy, I would rather look happy than look slimmer but gloomy.

Minimalism

Simple cuts work better for pregnant women, it's better to avoid fancy details like ruffles and prints that are too noisy. This is especially important if you don't plan on buying lots of clothes during your pregnancy (supaya nggak terlalu ketauan kalau kita pakai baju yang itu itu aja..:D). I avoid horizontal stripes too..:D

Play on Accessories and Make up

That way the focus will be on the pretty accessories and your glowing face, instead of on the clothes you've been wearing over and over again.

Invest in maternity clothes

With the current trend now that are maternity-friendly (trapeze shape, baby doll, etc), I can get away without buying any maternity tops or skirts. There are so many skirts that have wide stretchy waistband that are so comfortable for the growing belly, but not so much for pants, especially when your legs are getting bigger. And if you can't find non maternity clothes that fit you well, it is much better to buy maternity tops instead of going two size up on your regular clothes because maternity clothes are designed to accommodate your bump, so they won't make you look big all over.

Here's my list of items to invest:

Maternity leggings (I don't care if legging is out...they are the most comfortable thing for me)

Bella band (click here, for more info), you can also replace it with tube top that's made out of cotton and spandex, I've done this trick, and they hold the pants just as good as the band

Jeans, because you can wear it day in day out.

Think long term

When you buy your clothes, and if you plan to breastfeed later on,try to find clothes that can be practical for breastfeeding such as wrap tops, clothes with buttons.

Organize your closet

To make dressing up a tad bit easier, try to rearrange your clothes and group them by size so you know which one you can still wear and which one you can save for post pregnancy. That way, you know exactly what group you need to pick your clothes from, so you don't have to try 5 different outfits before you can find the one that fits you.

That's all I can think for now. For newly moms as well as moms to be, please do share your experience regarding cruising the pregnancy stage with style here with us...=)

*images from motherhood.com