How to Stay Cute with a Baby Bump

Pregnancy has been a wonderful, scary, and exhilarating time. I was lucky enough to escape morning sickness, but still paid my dues with shortness of breath, bad sleep, and an embarrassing number of trips to Pizza Hut. I also discovered how tasty hot sauce is on salad. (Don't knock it until you've tried it!) One of the greatest challenges has been maintaining my signature style while eliminating virtually any garment that requires an exposed waistline. But, it can be done! Here are my tips on how to keep your bun warm in a cute oven:

1. Show a little leg. . .leggings that is! Leggings are not only versatile, they are inexpensive. You can wear them just below your bump for comfort. Printed leggings are fun and totally on trend. If solids are more your style, you can never go wrong in black leggings. They also have special maternity leggings that are perfect for the last trimester. When your belly feels larger than life, showing off sleek gams gives you a dose of "I'm sexy and I know it!"



2. Take girliness to the max: Maxidresses and skirts are perfect for pregnancy. As your bump grows, wearing short skirts with a top tucked into an exposed waistline may not be the most flattering look. Instead, think long. Buy cute maternity maxiskirts (here's one). Tip: strapless maxidresses make excellent maternity skirts since you can use the tube top as a cushion for your bump!

3.  Top shop: The maternity section is full of practical empire-waist blouses and basic tees. But wearing what's practical isn't exactly my forte. So, I wore "regular" tops in a larger size. Make sure to choose flowy or stretchy fabric and try everything on. Skip the button-up tops unless they are specifically designed for moms-to-be. And look for tops that hit at least mid-thigh because your bump will make any regular top shorter. If larger sizes don't work for you, no need to panic. I did eventually find some maternity tops that did not look "maternity" (see one here). In the later stages of pregnancy, a few maternity tanks or tees, topped with a "regular" cardigan or scarf to keep it fun, is probably a smart idea.

4. Embrace mom jeans: I'll admit that I was stubborn and wanted to hold onto my pre-pregnancy wardrobe as long as possible. But by 5 months, I could no longer button any of my pants. You could put a rubberband around the buttons or buy a stretchy band of fabric that holds up your pants. My suggestion? Invest in a nice pair of maternity jeans. Well-fitting maternity jeans can be expensive, but you really just need 1 or 2 pairs to mix and match with other items. I found a pair at a resale shop for a very reasonable price that are even more flattering than some of my regular jeans! I also distressed a cheap pair of bootcut maternity jeans (find out how here). What size should you get? Look for whatever your pre-pregnancy size is, so if you were a size 8 before, go for size 8 maternity jeans.
5. It's a beautiful life: Don't get too hung up on the number on the scale or the size you're (temporarily) wearing. It is weird seeing your body change. It sounds nuts, but for a few weeks, my first thought when I looked in the mirror was, "I need to hit the gym." Then it hit me that, um, my body was supposed to be changing. So be proud of your new curves and upcoming role as a mom! That tiny life (or lives) inside you is truly beautiful, and so are you.

0 comments:

Post a Comment