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When I first started sharing that I was expecting, I had lots of women tell me, “Just wait… you’ll want to wear clothes that show off your belly,”… “OMG stock up on tighter dresses! As soon as you start showing you’ll LOVE them.”
Now, FYI, I’ve never been the kind of person that loves super tight tops or body con dresses. But as a first time pregnant woman, I diligently took the advice. I started purchasing tighter tops and dresses that could “grow with me” to display THE BELLY.
HA. Hahahhahahaha. Let me just say, hindsight is always 20/20.
During times of immense stress some women resort to eating, some resort to working out, some resort to changing their hair, and some – guilty as charged – resort to updating their “look”.
#facepalm and repeat after me: stupid, stupid, stupid.
It may have been the millionth online shopping order that arrived at our home, only to be returned unworn. Or it may have been the millionth meltdown in my closet — my poor husband asking,”Hey honey, how does the dress look?” only to be snapped at, “It’s horrible!” Or it may have been the millionth time I went to shoot an outfit for this blog, only to realize it wasn’t quite “me”.
Finally, whatever it was, somewhere in the middle of my second trimester, I figured it out. And now, my pregnancy style is very much what it was when I wasn’t pregnant. Lots of layers — think jackets and cardigans over tanks and tees. Longer tops with snug bottoms — think skinny jeans and leggings. Dresses — where the fabric and the cut can do the talking instead of THE BELLY — think caftan and tunic styles. And lastly, kimonos, like the one I’m wearing above. Don’t get me wrong, I commend women who love showing off their pregnant bellies with tighter clothes, I’m just not one of them.
To me, personal style is all about feeling confident and beautiful in what you’re wearing – not about what is currently “in” or what other people think you should be wearing. Overly tight everyday clothing has always made me uncomfortable, and I wish I hadn’t spent half my pregnancy wondering why I didn’t love it. Wearing shirts and dresses that showcase my bodacious belly, just isn’t “me”. It never will be, and that is OK.
Oh the money I would have saved on shipping had I realized this earlier. 🙂
Pregnant or not, it’s important to know what your personal style is. Like I said before, stick to your guns and you’ll never go wrong!
