18 July 2009 – Neutrals with a Pop of Baby, originally uploaded by academichic.

Sources:

• Beige cardigan: Pretty Good, from Marshalls
• White nursing cami: Target
• Cream skirt: BR Outlet
• Metallic wedges: Target.com
• Baby e.: self-made!

End Notes:

It’s been exactly one week since we brought baby e. home from the hospital. Ironically, today is also baby e.’s original due date. I suppose this picture can serve as my final bump picture.

Adjusting to motherhood has been just as exhausting and just as wonderful as everyone had predicted. Baby e. is a delight. I have been relishing the time that N. and I can spend with him as my gracious MIL and SIL have been in town to help us out.

I spent most of the week rotating through my trusty jersey skirts, but today I wanted to make one little contribution to our review session on neutrals and pulled out this airy cream cotton skirt that has a forgiving elastic waistband. The open front cardi — a just-before-baby buy — has a wonderful, snuggly drape and offers the necessary coverage-but-access for breastfeeding. This is a really light, soft palette for me, but, like S. discovered a few days ago it has a quiet sophistication about it.

And, of course, it makes the perfect backdrop for a little pop of baby.

18 July 2009, originally uploaded by academichic.

29 April 2009, originally uploaded by academichic.

Sources:

• Yellow cardi – Ann Taylor Outlet, remixed
• Lace cami – BR
• Woven belt – F21, remixed
• Flower pin – jerry-rigged by me
• Denim skirt – ON Maternity!
• Floral flats – Target, remixed

End Notes:

So our challenge from A. today is to wear floral. At first I told her I didn’t have anything floral that fits anymore. Then I got all delusional and thought that this shirt might still fit. It doesn’t, really, so I switched to these flats as my floral for the day and then, because I felt bad, added a lace cami (with flowers) and jerry-rigged a little broach together (with flowers). I had a run-in with a cabbage rose print Laura Ashley dress when I was younger and I think that was enough to make me skeptical for flowery florals and more drawn to Asian-inspired or stylized prints.

I love the conversation that S. and A. have gotten started about who you dress for, when it’s okay for style to fall by the wayside, and how you make working from home productive. Like A. said, I’m entering a new and sometimes overwhelming phase of being both mother and grad student. I’ll also be taking a year off teaching, first to focus on my little one and then to more expeditiously finish off the last of my coursework. Although I’ll get to officially take the fall off — and will definitely take a hard-earned mini break! — I do want to be aware of how routines and habits I set then can be conducive to the elusive work-life balance later.

I know that my style will certainly morph with a wee one around, and I’m okay with that. I don’t think that my love of color-mixing will evaporate, and I’ll pull the pencil skirts and big jewelry out when I don’t need to sit on the floor or worry about being clutched at. But I would love to hear from stay-at-home moms about the challenges (or fun parts?) of maintaining style. I’m especially curious if you draw a connection — as Stacy and Clinton of What Not to Wear fame often do — between looking put-together and modeling self-respect for your child or children. Even if a four month old can’t appreciate that, is it important to set the pattern early?

 

29 April 2009, originally uploaded by academichic.

13 April 2009 – Above the Belt, originally uploaded by academichic.

Sources:

• Sweater dress turned tunic: Target
• Belt: thrifted
• Jeans: ON Maternity, remixed
• Boots: Steve Madden Iriss, well-loved and remixed often

End Notes:

This week in our Fashion 101 series on Proportions we’re getting dressed with our “best” in mind. Can you guess which feature I’m highlighting today?

I’m thrilled to be pregnant and couldn’t be happier that I’m showing more. I’m still figuring out how to show my bump off best or if there are silhouettes I can wear now that would not have been flattering to my pre-preggers shape. I think today’s outfit — with a belt going under my bump — counts. A drop waist was never on my pre-preggers style radar, but I’m loving how this new belt-placement works on the body I have now. Inspiration points for this whole concept have to go to the fabulous Spanish mama over at My Daily Style.

The pregnant body occupies a strange place in our contemporary society, with a weird obsession over who is and who is not doing pregnancy “right,” judgments made solely by looking at a woman’s physical appearance. After struggling with PCOS, I’m even more determined to keep a positive body image throughout this longed-for pregnancy. All that to say, even the parts we love about our bodies often come with very personal stories, experiences that have powerfully shaped how we identity ourselves. Maybe that’s why today’s outfit, in all its simplicity, is a pretty big deal to me. Go, Bump, go.

13 April 2009, originally uploaded by academichic.