Maternity essentials

Now that I am a million months pregnant, I am looking back and making an inventory of good/bad purchases I made. Here are what I consider to be good investment, "buy the day the stick turns blue," maternity essentials:

Bump pack £14.99, +New Look

I mentioned this before in my what to buy a pregnant lady cor Christmas post. It really covers the basics so you will be comfortable and stylish through your pregnancy.

Nightie £78, +Free People 

Probably the best investment for your pregnancy. A nightie is comfy and key in your sleep wear wardrobe when you have several bathroom trips a night.

Shop Intimately Free People!

Jeans £225, Blossom Mother & Child

As I said in my maternity jeans post, good jeans are one of the best investment you will make. Don't try to make it through without them; do yourself a favor, go to the shops, and find yourself the perfect pair asap.

Tights £24, Spanx

Do you really need maternity tights? YES. You won't need them in the first trimester but you will be really glad to have some that actually fit your body later in your pregnancy.

Blazer £169 £101, +Isabella Oliver 

A blazer is the perfect layering piece so you can stay warm but look chic and professional.

Basic Tee £10, +ASOS

This is kind of a no brainer. Do I really need to explain?

Dress $76, Michael Stars

You need a dress that is simple, comfortable, and flattering so that you can accessorize it and make it fierce.

Shop MichaelStars

Wrap cardigan £49.89, +MAMALICIOUS 

My wrap cardigan has become absolutely key to my pregnant wardrobe. It is so versatile to keep you comfy and warm. PLUS this is a piece that could be part of your regular wardrobe as well your pregnancy and nursing wardrobe.

Maxi dress £90, Madderson London

Maxi dresses are great for layering but they also bring the glamour. If you want to make an impression at a holiday or maybe your baby shower, then work it in a classic floor length dress.

Everyday wireless maternity bra £40, +figleaves.com
Ok, don't buy this the minute the stick turns blue, but buy it in your second trimester for sure. Do not try and wear your old bras, unless you really want to punish yourself for some reason. Your chest and cup size will go up steadily through your whole pregnancy, so get something you can grow into.

Sturdy fashionable flats are absolutely essential. You gotta find some great shoes so you don't look frumpy without your heels.

Sandal £46.39, +Nasty Gal 

Oxford £100.73, +Nasty Gal 

Shop Nasty Gal!

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Keep it cozy

Obviously I have a thing for sweater dresses.

What's not to love? Who doesn't like to wear a dress and be warm?! Those are just the ones I can still wear; I have a bit of an obsession. Living in a place that is cold and damp most of the year, a sweater dress has kind of become my uniform. I wouldn't know what to do if I ever moved some place sunny.

There are some great sweater dresses in the shops this winter season. You might even be able to catch some of them at marked down prices for the January sales!

Cable knit tunic, £110 £77 by Blossom
Ladder stitch jumper, £34 by +Topshop
Striped tunic, £14.99 by +New Look
Stripe navy and ruby £28  by Heavenly Bump
Studded sleeve dress £41.48 by +MAMALICIOUS
Kingsley jumper £115 £80 by +Isabella Oliver

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Her

I can not wait to see this movie. Spike Jonze has a pretty excellent track record of directing, although I was pretty disappointed by Where the Wild Things Are. I still have hope, Adaption and Being John Malcovich were stellar. Maybe I just really like Charlie Kaufman. We'll see.  

This film looks like it really explores what intimacy can mean in modern life. I hope it dives in deep. Frankly, I just love to look at Joaquin Phoenix. He's one of those people that are memorizing on film; Kirsten Dunst is like that too. Marylin Monroe. My obsession with this man started when I saw the Master. He. Was. Incredible.

Olivia Wilde tweeted this picture from the premiere:

I'm not sure what her role is in the film, IMBD says "blind date", but she is absolutely glowing. The dress is a stunning cobalt blue and it really suits her. I love how she is showing off her baby bump loud and proud. Gorgeous.

Get the look by accessorizing one of these:

Panel wrap dress, £38

Navy shift, £39

Ruched shirt dress, £99

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Isabella Oliver orange sale!

Today you can get 36% off all clothes from +Isabella Oliver! 

This is the place to get designer maternity clothes worn by celebrities like Gwen Stefani, Jennifer Garner, and Reese Witherspoon.

Leather Leggings, £279

Obi Belt, £59

Everyday Blazer, £169

Emily Dress, £99

Ruched Cami, £32

Skinny Jeans, £95

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Put on that party dress

Party season!

So you can't drink the eggnog, you can still look good. I am partial to a good sweater dress during the holidays but I'm a simple woman. Here are some charming party dresses that declare: "Hello world, I'm pregnant and fabulous."

Maxi Wrap £189 Isabella Oliver's ultimate glamour, dress to impress and it's multifunctional!

Blue Skater Dress £27.99 What a cute festive little number.

Sweater Dress £46.89 Rock it with some colored tights, if you have any that fit!

Reindeer Dress $59.69 Nothing says holidays like a reindeer print. It looks like wrapping paper in the best way.

Printed Cowl Neck £17.99 Gap has pretty much everything on sale right now, yes please!

Sequin Dress £34.09 I love that this has sequins on the front AND back.

Empire Cocktail £55 Elegant and comfortable. Win.

Wrap Bodycon Dress £38 Perfect for showing off your curves.

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Do I really need maternity tights?

They're all stretchy so what's the difference? Can't I just go up a size if I need to?

No. BUY MATERNITY TIGHTS.

You can get away with wearing non-maternity tights for the first and maybe even second trimester but come the third you will want maternity tights. You need to wear things that will accommodate your bump, especially if they squeeze you around your tummy.

The main reason for buying tights that were actually made to fit you rather than going up a size is that you may not have gotten any larger around the legs. Baggy tights are not cute. You are a lot bigger in one place so get some clothes that conform to your flesh balloon. Don't try and make it work with droopy tights. Just buy some tights that fit already!

You don't get the variety in maternity like you normally do but here are some basic options:

ASOS £8

Spanx £24

Isabella Oliver £24

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Best Performance: Maternity Jeans

I was a maternity denier. I was convinced that I could wear leggings for 9 months and then my mother basically forced me to go shopping for jeans that would actually fit. Dammit, mother knows best. I love my maternity jeans...which is a sentence I never thought I would say.
I am definitely not a model, so trust me when I tell you that my jeans look great and are super comfortable even if the picture isn't so hot. They are by A Pea in the Pod, which has a huge range of designer maternity jeans. It's an American store but they ship to the UK.

In maternity, I think over the bump coverage is more comfortable and flattering than under the bump. I've heard other people say the opposite so try them and find what's right for you. Here are my top 10 picks starting with my favorite category, dark and skinny.

A Pea in the Pod ($95)

J Brand Maternity (£245)

Hudson ($215)

Isabella Oliver (£95)

Sometimes people like a bit of variety, and maternity jeans are a really good investment if you wear jeans normally, or are planning on having multiple pregnancies. You will want more than one pair.

Citizens of Humanity ($139.99)

Gap Jeans (£44.95)

Joe's Jeans ($189)

And for those of you who are wild and can't be tamed, here's some denim that is fabulous and not blue. I love the +MAMALICIOUS snake skin jeans! Rock and roll.

Mamalicious (£34.09)

Seraphine ($49)

Mamalicious (£46.89)

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