Installation Two: Stretch Marks to Stilettos

Once again it is time to revisit my friend Page Crawford Fehling, who is now at week 27 of her pregnancy. Last week I styled three pregnant women and one that had a baby about 6 weeks old. Each of the three women were in a different trimester and the last feeling the pains of her body recovering back to where it was before pregnancy. Styling each of the women came easy and was a joy for me to view them all in their various excited stages. I selected clothes from Passage Consignment and Old Navy to work with all three. As I mentioned in my first blog about Page back in December, mu-mu's are no longer a pregnancy requirement. The segment should be on soon on our local NBC station. 

I should have grabbed Page and dressed her as well, because we had an opportunity to sit down and chat as she interviewed me for the segment.

At this point, Page's baby is the size of a rutabaga. Hmmm, nice, huh? Page was wearing the black stretch knit skirt and a grey top we chose in an earleir session. Wondering how pregnancy number three feels different to her. Either way, she was still rocking her high heel shoe booties and tights. Some women get more beautiful with pregnancy, and she certainly does.

Here are just a few tips to think about as you may be approaching your last trimester as Page is:

1. This is a great time to reach out to friends that are at the very end of their last trimester or have had their babies for clothing you may be able to borrow for the home stretch. I expect your friends are sick of their pregnancy clothes and happy to lend them to you before they burn them!

2. This is a great time seasonly to hit the maternity stores, discount stores (like Old Navy) or consignment stores for last minute layering items, a good light-weight cardigan, or a sleeveless A-line or empire waist dress. Sleeveless items will carry you through spring and early summer.

3. See if there are any bathing suits from holiday cruise wear at the stores. Buy it big and grow on!

 

4. Invest in some colorful flats to punch up outfits for spring. Look for flats that are well cushioned with a sturdy heel in rubber or leather. Page could ease out of the black tights and shoe booties and throw on a metallic blue or emerald green flat to wear with grey or black bottoms.

5. As for Page, she has to dress for tv, so there are many rules of thumb. I have no problem if she continues to wear grey or a beautiful purple, like the color of the blouse pictured here. Transition for spring with a necklace (in Page's case) with a tonal look in color that may be a softer shade of purples or pinks in smaller beads but enough to make a impact, but not keep viewers distracted from her reporting.

6. Page can also transition her bottoms from black or brown to navy. Navy works great for spring, as well as for television.

Final thought for Page as she rounds into her third trimester: keep true to your own style, pregnant or not, and maintain the challenge of wearing clothes that show your shape and are not frumpy! You will feel only as good as you look, so take the time to dress!

Stretch Marks to Stilettos

Catchy title, right, and I bet you're wondering what this blog is all about. I met Page Crawford Fehling from my days of doing the fashion segments on My Carolina Today. Then, she was one of the original three hosts of the show. Page is now doing traffic and anchoring on the NBC morning show. When I met her, Page was pregnant with her second child and I remember thinking how maternity clothes had changed since my pregnancy some 20 plus years ago. Somehow I can't see Page in the mu-mu's I used to wear.

So Page is back for an encore with baby number three. Exciting for her and Jake, and a blast for me, because I'm going to dress her monthly. I thought about how fun it would be to watch her baby bump grow and talk about transitioning an everyday wardrobe to what will eventually need to be a maternity wardrobe. Each month for the next nine months, I will feature Page in two outfits, along with style tips for maternity dressing and helpful hints as her baby bump grows. If I know Page, she will be rocking the stilettos for a while!

Page is 17 weeks along and here are my initial suggestions:

* This is a wonderful opportunity to ask your friends to borrow maternity clothes. In  speaking to Page she said she had numerous friends who were pregnant currently or recently. As long as they are further along than you, they may have clothes they can no longer wear and won't mind lending or giving you.

* I would encourage Page and her friends to get together and do a maternity clothing swap. I would expect most everyone would be willing to swap a garment or two for anything that was new to them! The best way to recycle!

* If your jeans are too snug to snap or button, take a rubber band through the buttonhole and then wrap it around the button. Presto, you just gave yourself a bit longer before having to buy maternity jeans.

* The store bought alternative is the belly band that fits around the waistband of your jeans and hides the zipper closure. Personally, I'd opt for the rubber band and find a pair of jeans down the pike!

* Lastly, I would suggest going through your closet and breaking your closet into three sections. Maternity wear is the obvious first section, and then in the second are items that can be used for maternity such as camisoles, tank tops, long sweaters, button down tops, leggings and maxi dresses and skirts. The third section are items that are a no-go for the pregnancy. Wave them good bye and plan on getting re-acquainted next year at this time!

* Don't forget to go through your husband's end of the closet. His button downs can be used for layering and worn open with a tank underneath. His button up cardigans or v-neck sweaters are also great to use as needed. Add a scarf to draw attention up around your face and not directly to your stomach. Yank up your sleeves and add a chunky bangle, tights and boot and I expect you will feel just as sassy as ever. Page and other pregnant women....this is when I would opt for a riding boot, ballerina flat or driving moccasin and not the stilettos!

Check out Page in her two the two outfits that we coordinated for work. I love adding accessories. Page has purchased two knit skirts to wear. One totally neutral and another to transition into spring. Layering non-maternity tops as we have is helpful and extending her wardrobe.

 

Until next month's installment of Stretch Marks to Stilletos...from my closet to yours - Suzanne