Dressing the Bump

I have a confession…when I first found out I was pregnant, I said again and again, I’m not going to wear “maternity clothes”. I had this idea in my head of the look and design of maternity wear being frumpy, not cute, not fashion forward. Don’t get me wrong, there are certainly some maternity items out there that are…how should I say…dated?

However, you get to a point of being pregnant when clothing cut for your average body is just not comfortable. I started searching online for maternity brands, there are a lot of well known brands doing maternity lines but I think the brands I loved the most were those who are solely focused on maternity wear and nothing else. They get that pregnant woman are already feeling “not cute” no matter what they have on and tend to have a much better selection for whatever style you are looking for.

One of the best brands I came across was Pink Blush Maternity. Pink Blush has a GREAT selection of dresses, tops, bottoms, active wear, sleepwear, hospital robes, nursing accessories, and now, baby accessories too. And the best part, everything is so affordable! Because when you are only needing these items for 1 season, the last thing you want to do is spend a fortune!

I decided to try out one of their maxi dresses, the Overlay Chiffon Maxi in Light Pink, and was so happy with the fit and quality. This dress is going to be a staple for me this summer.

By now you probably know my absolute favorite photographer, J Soltman Photography, who shot these gorgeous photos at Pittock Mansion in Portland. We had fun walking around the grounds, seeing all the friends, couples and family enjoying the views and having picnics. You can hike up to the mansion from the trails below for a fun day or half day hike or drive up and stroll around or tour the mansion.

My advice to fashion forward mamas-to-be…
1. Don’t be afraid of maternity wear, it has come a long way in the last few years. One of the most important things is your comfort; dresses, tops and maternity jeans that are made to fit your bump will do wonders for your comfort level.
2. When choosing a flowy style dress, choose something with a waistline just above your bump or a fabric that drapes well over the bump. This will help accentuate your new “accessory” without making you feel large or wide.
3. Don’t be afraid of fitted dresses. I have felt the most confident in fitted t-shirt dresses that are gathered or ruched on the sides. Own that bump, be proud of it.
4. Flowy tops with skinny maternity jeans are a great idea! I know it’s summer and I’m all about dresses in this heat, but if you want or need to wear pants, the contrast of a skinny jean with a flowy top will have you loving your bump style.

I’ve already picked out some of my favorite items from Pink Blush that are going into the rotation for the rest of the summer!

Ivory Grey Striped Fitted Short Sleeve Dress

Black Hi-Lo Dress

Ivory Crochet Tie Front Boho Top

Colorblock Halter Maxi Dress

Enjoy dressing your bump and have fun with it! Something tells me I will miss it when it’s gone 🙂