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Summer Maternity Capsule Wardrobe 2014

October 22, 2013 / Style tips / 26 Comments

It’s kind of hard for me to believe that this time last year I was pregnant with Magdalene. She is 8 months old and I really can’t believe how fast the time has gone. I had to buy new maternity clothes suitable for summer because my previous pregnancy was during the months of winter.

I love the variety that is offered by some retailers, but I don’t always appreciate the price when the items are only going to be worn for a short amount of time. I fell in love with ASOS maternity and pretty much bought my whole summer maternity wardrobe online. I’m a size 14 normally so I bought size 16 maternity dresses and they all fitted like a dream.

So I thought I would do a Summer Maternity Capsule Wardrobe 2014 for those that are expecting this coming season. A lot of the pieces are sourced from ASOS maternity because I can vouch for their quality and their sizing. (They also do free delivery) The items can be worn throughout pregnancy and beyond if breastfeeding. I’ve included a scarf and necklace that can be used post baby too – the necklace is from Tiny and I which makes chew friendly jewellery for teething bubs and a scarf to add some interest to the outfits. You will be hot so remember to wear clothes that will allow for ventilation and keep you cool.

1. ASOS Maternity Sheer Panel Black Top $40.66

2. Sussan Multi Modern Floral Scarf $29.95

3. ASOS Maternity Animal Print Shift Dress $64.69

4. ASOS Maternity Support Leggings $40.66

5. Target Feeding Top in Shell Pink $20.00

6. ASOS Maternity Grecian Dress $83.18

(aaah, this green one has gone on sale and not many sizes are left, but they do have this dress in other colours and will bring more in, it’s an ASOS maternity staple)

7. Tiny and I Amalia Teething Necklace $44.00

8. Sussan Maternity Pencil Skirt $69.95

9. The Iconic Cody Trim Wedges by Spurr $39.95

If you’re expecting this Summer, what pieces have you purchased to get you through the hot season?

How to update your wardrobe when losing weight Part 3

October 15, 2013 / Fashion, Style tips / 61 Comments

I don’t do shorts very well at the moment. I actually have quite nice calves but from the knee up I’m fairly untoned. This was the main area that copped the excess weight when I was pregnant with Magdalene.

But shorts are such a necessity in summer, so I try to wear ones that cuff up just above the knee. If you don’t like shorts or you don’t wear shorts, the next best thing is a cotton pant that looks stylish and keeps the lower half of your body cool in summer.

Key Piece Three : Gypsy Print Pants

Gypsy Pants, as I like to call them, are similar to Harem Pants where they have a lower crotch and slim down at the ankle. Gypsy Pants tend to have the same width of pant from the hips to just before the ankle where it tapers in, where as Harems cling closer to the leg from the lower thigh down.

From my description of Gypsy Pants, they sound quite unflattering but having worn them, they are quite the contrary. I have found it is best to wear a tighter style for a more flattering fit and these pants are fabulous for when you are trying to lose weight because the waist band is generally elasticized or has a draw string.

I am wearing my Erin Louise Crimson Belle Gypsy Pants

I fell in love with these Erin Louise Crimson Belle’s and I got so many compliments when I wore them to a Church Family Picnic Event last week. The sizing is bigger than normal. I purchased the Medium and there was plenty of room in them. I am still a size 14-16 around the waist area, yet because of the elasticized waist I can wear them on my hips or at my waist.

I recently had a reader tell me she had bought a pair of these type of pants from Sussan from their Sleepware section. If they’re comfortable to sleep in, and you want comfortable, these are the pants for you.

1. Freez Genie Pant

2. Erin Louse Mexicano Pant

3. Sussan Tie-Dye PJ Pant

4. Erin Louise Confetti Pant

I’ve listed a few styles to consider if you would like to add these to your summer wardrobe. On the top half, just wear a plain tee and a necklace and you’re good to go.

1. Witchery Light Grey Marle Tee

2. Colette Tear Drop Necklace

3. Erin Louise Confetti Pant

4. The Iconic Mandy Metallic Sandals by Spurr

What do you think about the Gypsy Pant? Have I convinced you to get a pair?

How to update your wardrobe when losing weight Part 2

October 8, 2013 / Fashion, Style tips / 42 Comments

When you’re a mum, chucking on a dress is so easy. It’s the one outfit where the only thing that needs to be thought about is the accessories and shoes. For me, I’m still breastfeeding so I needed to find a dress where the neckline was easy to pull down for booby access. This Spicy Sugar Kaftan Dress was the answer. It has a belt that can cinch in the waist or at the hips which will look even better when I lose those extra post baby kilos.

A Kaftan Dress that allows me to breastfeed.

Key Piece Two : Kaftan dress

I bought this cobalt blue Kaftan dress from my local Boutique and I know that I’m going to get a lot of wear out if it even when my tummy and hips start to shrink because Kaftans are meant to be flowy and a belt can do wonders for your silhouette.

Living in Queensland and going to the beach for our annual holiday also means that this dress will come in handy as a summer beach cover up and because I’m fair, I love that it covers my back and shoulders… although I will need to be careful where the open sleeves bare my white arms.

I have worn this dress twice when having guests over because it is one those versatile dresses that can be dressed up or down. In this picture I’m wearing my Emily Green Bead necklace and matching turquoise earrings as well as my Coral Pink Flat Sandals bought last season from London Rebel.

If you are keen to add a Kaftan dress to your summer wardrobe, why not check out these styles online? Number 3 & 4 are the same Spicy Sugar design as the one I am wearing. I wear a size 14 and I am hovering between a 14 and 16 at the moment.

1. The Iconic Tigerlily Laharia Mu Mu Dress

2. The Iconic Ouch Tribal Kaftan Dress * Tip: So that this dress doesn’t look so billowy, wear a belt at the empire line to give the dress extra definition

3. Freez Spicy Sugar Kaftan Dress

4. Freez Spicy Sugar Kaftan Dress Yellow Paisley

Are you willing to try the Kaftan Dress?

How to update your wardrobe when losing weight

October 1, 2013 / Style tips / 43 Comments

How to update your wardrobe when losing weight

My gorgeous Magdalene is 7 months old and sadly my weight has plateaued to a halt as I have been half-heartedly trying to lose my post baby weight. I have another 15kg I would like to lose. My dad tells me I’m kidding myself to lose that much weight and honestly, I’d be happy to lose 10kg because that would get me back to my pre baby baby weight – before I had my first daughter Esther.

But what do you wear in the meantime while you are trying to lose weight and your maternity clothes are too big and baggy and the rest of your clothes are too small because you’re a bit bigger all over? Or maybe you don’t have post pregnancy woes, but instead have the winter bulge?

I have had to invest in new clothes (and I’m still hunting for some dresses) because I don’t want to cry about not having anything to wear and I want to add some key trends to my existing wardrobe. I’ve chosen not to spend too much money because who knows how long I will be in them.

So I have decided to run a series on how to update your wardrobe when losing weight.

Key Piece One: Print Leggings

One of the first pieces I added to my wardrobe was a pair of Paisley Print Leggings. I bought these at a local boutique (In Style Boutique) because the pattern caught my eye and I like to support local businesses where I live. The leggings are a Brisbane brand called Molly & Maude and are supplied by Posh Designs. If you want to purchase the ones I’m wearing, contact Posh Designs for a local stockiest in your area.

I wear the leggings as pants with a white shirt or an oversize tee or tunic. The leggings make me feel and look slimmer than I am and they will only look better as I lose weight. Trend-wise, I say they are like patterned pants which have made a second debut this season.

I wore my leggings to the first day of the Problogger Conference and teamed them with my favourite white shirt from Ollie & Max – an item I bought upon recommendation from reading the blog Styling You. I bought this white shirt when I had Magdalene because of the generous sizing around the cleavage area. White shirts are a staple for any wardrobe and are great when you’re breastfeeding because they camouflage spewed spilled milk.

Day One at the Problogger Conference wearing my print leggings

I wore my Easy Steps Black Patent Wedges because they are so comfortable to walk in and gave me height to elongate my legs. I finished the outfit off by wearing a black bead and crystal necklace from Adorne and four resin bangles which I made myself and sell on my Styled by Bec Madeit store. If I can’t find arm candy in the colours I need, I make them myself using resin.

If you want to give leggings a go for your Spring wardrobe update why not try these styles?

Print Leggings

1. ASOS Only Floral Legging

2. The Iconic 1&20 Blackbirds Quartz Leggings

3. Freez Clothing Silence & Noise Legging

4. The Iconic Kardashian Kollection Lace Print Leggings

You may only wear them on cooler days or at night during the summer months, but when Autumn arrives next year you will be wearing them again to get more cost per wear. If they become too big because you’ve lost weight, know that you can wear them in winter or when you’re having a fat day. I’m not a pessimist, just a realist. 🙂

Can a stylist lose their style?

September 24, 2013 / Style tips / 75 Comments

Can a stylist lose their style? I say yes because despite the fact that I can style other women with ease, I have felt in the last 18 months or so that I lost my style mojo. I couldn’t define what I liked anymore or what was ‘me’.

Life changing events can do that to you. Like pregnancy and becoming a mum to another child. It was almost like what was the point?

But I hate being miserable about what to wear. And even though I had been pregnant before, the weight seemed to settle in new areas on my body and I found that some of my maternity clothes didn’t fit properly and I yearned to buy clothes in current trends to redefine my style. But when you’re pregnant, sometimes just finding a dress that drapes in the right area and doesn’t cost the earth is all you become concerned with.

So in the last weeks of my pregnancy, I went through all of my magazines that I had kept from the last three years and cut out pictures of outfits that I liked. I pinned them to a cork board and they have been hanging on the wall in my office ever since. It’s like pinterest but done old school style.

When a stylist loses their style, they pin pictures that they like…

When I look at my board I immediately think classic and sophisticated. Blouses with bows, draped cardigans, blazers with waist cinched belts, lady-like dresses and pencil skirts are the common themes in the outfits I have chosen.

And yet, I can’t wear these styles at present because they are impractical now that I’m a mum. Maybe that is why I have felt so lost – because the styles I like don’t work with the person I am at this present stage of my life.

So how did I redefine my style to suit my current circumstances?

I read fashion blogs like Styling You

I screen shopped ( window shopping but on the internet)

Dabbled on pinterest…

And I read magazines – old and new – to incorporate pieces into my wardrobe that would work not just during maternity, but beyond too.

It was all about finding the casual classics with the bows and frills that could be worn day in and day out to suit my new job – being a mum.

I also realized and made peace with the fact that my wardrobe would always be evolving (hallelujah!) and to not let my current circumstances stop me from wearing styles that I love to wear. The pencil skirt may not work right now, but a dress with an a-line will, and blazers may be suited for a night out, but a draped cardigan can make a boring jeans outfit look sophisticated during the day.

Have you ever had to redefine your style and what did you do about it?

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