Pregnancy Fashion

Hi everyone,

It's been a LOOOOONNNNGGG time since we've posted anything on this blog.  Life has been kinda crazy for both sisters and keeping up with the blog has become more and more difficult.  However, that doesn't mean we've given up on this blog--it just means that our posts may be fewer or not as consistent.  But I hope that we haven't lost too many of our followers and that we can get back to blogging more regularly soon.

So, as for myself, I am 26 weeks pregnant and one of the most frequent questions I get is where do you buy cute, affordable, maternity clothes.  Well, here is a little bit of what I've learned over the past two pregnancies.  First, there are many clothes labeled "maternity" but is no different than regular clothes after a couple washes especially as you enter into your third trimester.  Also, if it says "maternity" on it, expect it to be marked up in price since it's a specialized market. 

Whether it is maternity or non-maternity there are three things I look for:

1.  Material--I find that the best material is anything with a stretch or jersey.  I actually prefer not to get anything cotton, cause it shrinks, wrinkles, and loses its shape after a few wears.  Jersey will maintain it's shape and you can wear it after the baby not look like there's a pocket where your preggo belly used to be.

2.  Fit--I find that anything that sinches you below your bust is key.  Shapeless maternity clothes only makes it look like you have a potato sack on and often people may not even realize you are pregnant.  So, whether it's fitted so that you can see your belly, or it there's an elastic below the bust, or you wear a belt to accent the belly, show off that belly and wear it proud!

3.  Length--For dresses, full length maxi's are a pregnant lady's best friend.  They look great on, they are super comfortable, and you don't have to worry about shocking the world by showing off the bottom of your belly.  For shorter dresses, just make sure they don't hit you above the knee, cause likely then it'll fit more like a tunic and you may be showing off belly and underwear more than you would like.  Shirts for me are so hard since I have a long torso.  Most shirts are too short (even maternity ones) so I like to stick with short dresses (worn as tunics).

So, there it is material, fit, and length.  In general, I hate the idea of buying clothes I'm only going to wear for a few months, so it's all about versatility and making each piece go a long way. 

I will try to take some more photos but for now I have these three.  The first one was when I was 17 weeks and the other two are more recent at 25 and 26 weeks.

Happy hair day

It's been awhile since I've had a haircut that I've been happy with. There's this guy I've been going to the last five years and he sorda disappeared for a couple of years. Well thankfully I found him again!!  It's my classic do--I love this cut but he's really the only one who can do it well on me. Happy day today. 

Nordstrom Rack

With the weather cooling down and our trip to Portland coming up, I needed to buy EV some cool weathered clothes. We are blessed to have an awesome friend who gives us tons of hand-me-downs which covers most items most seasons. But for some reason this season she had tons of tops with not many bottoms. So I went shopping.

I can say that I've never been to Nordstrom Rack before. I think it's because I don't go to Lenox or North Point mall often. That all changed Sat thanks to my sister. Although I didn't find anything for EV or myself. I had to share with the world the most amazing find. I bought these shoes for Jimmy for $5. Yes, you read that correctly, for a total of $5. These shoes were originally $95. The brand is Rockport and it looks pretty kick-ass on Jimmy's feet. 

I foresee returning to Nordstrom Rack in the near future!

Airport Fashion

I do quite a bit of traveling and I've gotten both packing and dressing down to a science. For me, it's all about comfort, easy, and efficiency. I don't like to be the one holding up the line because I can't get my shoes off or taking things out of my carry-on. I travel light. For a two night trip, a simple large longchamp bag is plenty. 

Wearing:

Jcrew chambrey top

Old Navy floral print jeans

Steve Madden sandals 

Rugs

Rugs can make a huge difference in terms of how a space looks in your house. It can bring warmth, personality, and color to your room. The biggest challenge is finding the right rug, the right size, and the right price. And really it comes down to price cause I can often find a beautiful rug that's as large as I need it to be but usually WAY out of my budget. So when we renovated our house and got more hardwoods with a different color scheme, it was obvious that we needed new rugs. So, everyday I've been stalking online outlet sites like Joss and Main, One Kings Lane, and Gilt. Whenever we get a chance on the weekends we were going to Ballard's Backroom, Ikea, and Frontgate outlet. I've also been checking for sales on West Elm, Anthropologie, and Pottery Barn.

Well, today's the day we finally made a rug purchase. I'm usually a very decisive person but buying a rug has been the most indecisive I've been in forever. Now, the three things I mentioned above, I've come to realize you can't have all three. So, today we went to the Frontgate outlet in Roswell and bought a rug for an amazing price but it's smaller than I wanted. However, for the price and the look, it'll do until I find that perfect rug if it even exists. So, here it is. We paid $159 for an 8x10 rug (down from $599). It's perfect thickness and softness. 

Summer Days

This summer has been the rainiest. It's also sometimes cold in the mornings so I've been less than motivated to pull together outfits much less take pictures of them. I also have the problem of finding the right time. I'm usually running out the door in the mornings and by the time I get home I quickly change into my "home clothes". 

Anyways, I've been really into wearing short skirts lately. It helps my legs look longer and it's a great alternative to shorts for work. I love this linen skirt from Madewell and this tuxedo top is old but is another item I wear all the time. The shoes are from Zara and they are from the kids section. Love the detailing on them!!  I'm having a hair crisis so please ignore the poof on my head!

Custom Furniture

I think furniture shopping is one of the most stressful things to do, especially if you are looking for something very specific.  When we started renovating our home, I started to look for counter stools.  Let me tell you, it was not easy.  I had a vision of what I wanted these stools to look like and nothing online satisfied that vision.  My first thought was, I just needed to find the right shape.  I figured I could always repaint and reupholster.  Finding the right shape is not as easy as you think.  I wanted something that had upholstery on the seat and the back.  I wanted something that looked old french country.  And most importantly it needed to be affordable. Everything I found online looked the same and whenever I found something that could potentially be something I would consider, it was $$$$.  One day I found some stools for inspiration.  It was someone on etsy who collected stools from garage sales and thrift stores and reupholstered them.  After a few etsy convos with her, I was convinced that there was no way I was going to find what I wanted for the price I wanted.  I figured we just had to stand by our table with no chairs for awhile.

Then I went to Scott Antique Market and came across a company called Renewed Traditions.  They had the most amazing furniture and the price tag was unbelievable.  I was shocked.  Not only was I able to get my stools with my own fabric, but I also was able to get my farmhouse table and my entryway console and I paid a fraction of what I would have paid.  Seriously, if you haven't been to Scott's then check out their website and schedule yourself to go pronto.   Don't forget to print the coupon (it's per person).  Not only will you save some serious cash but you'll get furniture pieces that are unique, beautiful, and last a lifetime.  See below my chairs.  My table is currently being made.  Can't wait to get back to Scott's.