I'm Pregnant: How to Dress for Your First Trimester

I'm pregnant you guys! I am so thankful that Elle will get to be a big sister this September. Being an only child, I always have wanted to know what it would be like to have siblings. I won't ever know that, but I will know what it's like to be a parent to siblings. YAY! I'm a mom of two!

With this fun announcement I thought I would share about how I dress during the first trimester because I think it's the hardest one to find clothes for. You don't feel well from the all-day sickness and you just look like you have a food baby. Anyone else been there? Here are two different approaches to getting dressed:

1. Flaunt it. If you have a bitty bump and you want the world to know, wear tighter fitting clothes. This vintage inspired dress from Frances Vintage is a great example. It clings to my body and accentuates my bump. I love dresses because you only have one piece of clothing to worry about and they make you feel so pretty.

2. Hide it. If you don't want people doing a double-take or the thought of people thinking you've really started to pack on the pounds bothers you, opt for hiding your bump until the second trimester. A-line maxi dresses work really well for this such as this festival dress from Lulu*s.  I paired a leather jacket that stops right at my waist, which further disguised any change in my figure. Can you tell?

All in all pregnancy during the first trimester is really hard because you're very tired, and if you're like me you feel super sick. I promise that wearing clothes you feel good in helps you feel a tad bit better. I will be sharing my bump style throughout my pregnancy, but I'll also be sure to share with you non-maternity clothing for the majority of those that aren't in this life stage. Have no fear!

Photos by Katina Patriquin.

Mama Drama - My Maternity Photo Shoot

I couldn't have dreamed of a better photo shoot to celebrate becoming a mom. My dear friend Gina Meola knocked the ball out of the park with her brilliant photography skills. Even though she mainly photographs weddings, she was amazing enough to share her talent with me and celebrate this new chapter in my life.

The same goes for my good friend Kim Cornwell who has been a part of almost half of my photo shoots, and a HUGE support in helping me be the fashion stylist I am today. My hair is always in the best hands with her, and she had a blast making my hair the curliest and biggest it has EVER been in my life! It was AWESOME. Not only is she a brilliant artist, but a super encouraging woman that you just want to be around all of the time.

Lastly, Azure Schaffer is a new friend of mine, and the perfect person to do the makeup for this shoot because she is also expecting a baby this fall. She not only is an expert at making people look beautiful, but she is a FINE ARTIST. Her skills with her brushes are equivalent to painting. She dreamed up an awesome look for this shoot, and really tied everything together with her choices.

I hope you love the photos as much as I do. It was SUCH a fun experience to celebrate my little girl growing in my belly!

If you're curious about the clothes, I wore a striped dress from H&M, a lace dress that I found at Marshalls, and a silk blouse by Vince. I kept everything bold, simple and contrasting - perfect for black and white as well as color. Also, nothing was maternity wear. I've really found that maternity clothes don't fit me well, and it's best to just go up a size in regular clothes. I hope that gives ladies out there hope that they don't have to give up their love of fashion while being pregnant.

To see more photos from this session, please visit Gina's blog.

Maternity Photo Shoot Inspiration

Two weeks ago, I had special maternity photos taken by my dear friend, Gina Meola.

Tomorrow I'm going to share them with you, but today I wanted to show you my inspiration behind the concept of the maternity session.

I really wanted this photo shoot to not only celebrate becoming a mom, but who I am all together - a woman, a fashion stylist and a mother. So, we turned it into more of an editorial styled shoot with lights, a blank backdrop, dramatic hair and makeup.

No props. No gimmicks. Just fashion and baby bump!

Can't wait to show you the result!