I would love to make a little series this year about plus size maternity.
I think one thing about being pregnant that is difficult for most moms (even if yr stick thin) is letting go of yr closet for a extended period of time. We live in our clothing and we seek shelter and comfort and routine in our wardrobes. I love fashion but I do not love maternity fashion as a plus size gal. I have found that it is expensive to dress chic while knocked up if you are above size 12. (I know there is Old Navy but I hate to look like everyone else)
This time around I am trying not to purchase many items (even though I gave away most of my maternity wardrobe from Finn and Blaise- whoops) and be more creative. I have asked a very fashionable pal to think of a post for me and have been hoping that anyone out there can leave a comment about what they would like to see or learn or share a tip? I think when I search for plus size maternity I am hoping that I will land on a mom like me somewhere hacking some maternity wear and sharing tips and tricks.
So I thought I will try and do that for others.
Maternity Hack for Plus Size #1
Think outside of maternity and beg and borrow.
My friend Kate lent me her maternity clothes bin the other day and while she is much smaller than me she does have a bit of a Beyonce booty (It's hot- she won't mind me saying that) so sometimes she would buy a size up in stretchy dresses, tunics, and pants and those are working for me now.
She had a simple sheath stretch dress from Target (in photo above) that is the Liz Lange collection and although that little dress is a large and I wear a XL or XXL in that line I was able to rock it as a tight little tunic that I pair with cargo pants or jeans. I dress it down and I ignore that fact that it was a dress for a smaller person.
It works for me.
I say:
Borrow from friends - YES- even the smaller ones!
Get thee to the thrift store and look for stretchy tunics and dresses!
Wear them as long shirts.
The problem with being plus sized is that it can take a bit longer for the belly to show. This is the honest shitty truth. My smaller friends pop out these perfect tiny round bellies quickly and I look frumpy and square for a while. It sucks.
But, this time around I am determined to do what I should have done last two times:
Wear clothing that fits!(Big clothes are not attractive on anyone.)
Wear clothing tighter against my curves and be proud! (Create smoothness with bella bands and hug the tummy with fabrics)
Be Brave.
So. There.
Does that help anyone out there?
Is there anyone out there?
Let's talk maternity and clothes and style once a month?
xo
19 comments:
YES! thank you sister. Gorgeous gorgeous sister.
Yes! This is great - I was/am a plus sized momma as well. It was such a pain trying to find clothes for big ole me that weren't downright muumuu's! I love this post - kudos.
AMEN, sister! To all of it! It's darned expensive to buy cute clothes when you are larger than a size 16 (or even 12 sometimes, not that I've seen THAT number for a while!), and it's a million times worse when you're pregnant. GREAT idea for a series!!
You are hotness.
Yes for maternity clothing that fits.
Caftans make for depression.
Yes for borrowing.
And usually maternity clothing for me just meant bigger clothes. The styles most maternity shops carry are more than unfortunate. So I would usually go to somewhere like American Apparel that carried basics and just buy them huge.
And then later on I could give them to friends who would love and use them whether preggo or not.
(I am so jealous
of your gorgeous tummy<3)
Sara Sophia
HA. Helps if I could read. I was going to send this post to your 'very fashionable pal' but never mind.
I'm not plus size, although I am bootylicious, but when I was pregnant, I bought very few maternity clothes.
Mostly I did what you are saying, thrift store and stretchy. Yoga pants, short dresses worn as tops. I also bought some long tank tops (I think at Forever 21) and wore those underneath my own shirts, so when those rose up w belly, only the tshirt showed below. Layers saved my butt/belly when preg.
And summer time was all about flowy skirts with elastic waists, and maternity tanks from ON.
I DM-ed you about some options that I had boxed away if you'd like them. Most of the girls around me who get pregnant are not size 12s and 14s (which I was when I was preggers) and I totally remember feeling limited with the choices or the prices of the nicer options!
(I am NOT paying $129 buckeroos for a maternity dress I am going to wear for 4 months!)
I had to wear plus sized clothes too. Though my son was born in July, I'm still wearing my lame pregnancy clothes. It sucks being so unfashionable for so long.
Congrats on your pregnancy!!
I love this post; I love this series. I can't wait to see where this goes.
And you really are super hott. I love the way you're working your friend's dress in the photo. Awesome.
My problem was being both plus size and tall. I found good stuff at JCP online, which was nice, and not overpriced like that mall store that does plus size... you know the one. However even they were short by the end.
For casual, my two favorites were the pair of old farmer overalls I got at Fleet Farm and some 99 cent men's XXL t-shirts I got at Old Navy on super sale. They were long enough to cover the belly but snug and comfy. They have great tank tops in mens as well, if you're looking for layering pieces that don't cost a fortune.
What a great post, I was doing the same thing with the Ryan.
you have the "glow" already- you look AMAZING!
Ummmm, CONGRATULATIONS! I didn't know :).
I have a feeling A LOT of women would love this series if/as it materializes. It IS hard giving up your wardrobe for a season...and finding things to wear without going broke.
Great idea...and you're sassy as evah!
:)
Sometimes when I am shopping at Target I accidentally wander into the maternity section- because they put it directly next to/in with the plus sizes (wtf?!) and there are some cute things in there (it's like they WANT me to get pregnant). I think you are totally right- make non-traditional maternity clothes work for you. And ACCESSORIZE! That's a plus size girl's saving grace to make her style mark (at least it has been for me).
You're beautiful.
GUESS WE NEED TO FIND A SPONSOR FOR YOU MY DEAR...
GUESS WE NEED TO FIND A SPONSOR FOR YOU MY DEAR...
I totally agree - I made it through both my pregnancies by borrowing clothes. Maternity clothes are on the whole not well made enough to spend a lot of money on. Even better than borrowing or getting hand-me-downs is giving the stuff away when you are done. Except that one shirt, which I kept because it is cute even now.
I'm a UK dress size 16 but jeans size 12. I am top heavy and now that I am 20wks pregnant I am struggling even more with finding clothing that fits as well as looks nice. My boobs have quadrupled in size which is making most outfits indecent so I am layering all the way. I rarely buy maternity clothing but large tops in regular stores. I'm due in August though so not sure how I am going to get through the summer!
Maternity Dresses Including Tops and Jeans should be designed as comfortable as it serves relaxation to pregnant ladies as per their belly shape. You can find samples of perfect Maternity Dresses available on various websites but I especially recommend you to buy these stuffs from Fertilemind.com. This website really offers awesome collections of Maternity Clothing, Dresses and Apparel Pregnancy Clothes
Post a Comment