Daily Outfit: Pregnancy Uniform

Over at the Glamorous Housewife during the week she asked if we wear a uniform (she does).  I have to say that thinking it through I have noted that I have been while pregnant.

It's odd because I always just thought that my style was "vintage; sort-of"!  I don't have all vintage pieces nor do I go in for a specific era but I do love the look and feel of most vintage clothing from the 40s, 50s and 60s.

Being pregnant has also allowed me to wear the vintage clothing that was a bit too big for me but just had to have at the time.  I am also looking forward to carrying out this process in reverse as I gradually (hopefully) return to my former size.

So, when I found out I was expecting and had told everyone I bought a few things, very cheaply, thinking that I would have to buy new clothes every few weeks.  How wrong I was.  As I write this I am 39 weeks and 1 day and am wearing clothes that I was when I was not pregnant (a stretchy skirt and singlet) and while both are pretty tight, when I go out today I will wear a huge cardigan and look ok.

My uniform has turned into yoga pants and a singlet with a fancy top or cardigan for pretty much my whole pregnancy.  When working I would wear the one pair of "dress" pants that I bought (but they are not maternity) with a singlet and fancy top.  Here is an example of what I have been wearing underneath (I am almost 39 weeks in this photo):

 

 This photo from my baby shower shows me wearing my only piece of vintage maternity wear that my Mum got me from ebay.  I love the colours and how cool it is to wear (it's all cotton) but I hate how my arms look - hence the second photo - from the same day - with my trusty cardigan.

 

The cardigan has been great as I have been pregnant during the Australian Winter (which isn't that cold where I live).  It came with a skinny leather belt - but I don't like skinny belts and cannot get it done up anymore anyway.  I also found it great when I was teaching as it covered my bump (when it was smaller) and stopped pesky students asking questions - like "are you married?", "do you have any children?", "would you like to have children one day?" - that is the general line of questioning to "are you having a baby?" It looks something like this in real life but mine was from Best and Less:

From here

 

During my pregnancy I have had to go to three weddings and a few other special occasions.  For a night at the theatre last week,  and a wedding we had to go in early September, I wore this dress (I bought two in different colours - $20 each) which I accessorised with vintage.  With the mustard dress I wore vintage beads and had a shot silk coat (which in normally too big for me).  For the theatre I took a vintage bed jacket and some beautiful costume jewellery that my Mum had also given me.

This last photo I am not fond of but it shows almost the same thing, leggins and singlet on the bottom with a stretchy skirt and wrap cardigan on the top. This is our anniversary photo from this year (can you tell we didn't know how to use the tripod and everything properly in this shot) which was on August 27th, so I was 31 weeks.

 

Hopefully after I have had the baby I will have a chance to wear some of my more summery vintage clothes (I have some great blouses) as it will be hot.  I can also see myself sticking with the yoga pants for awhile yet!

This post has been linked over at The Glamorous Housewife

The secret is out...

So I know that I have not blogged in forever and my friends (that know I have a blog) have all asked why and here is the answer.  I am pregnant!

11 weeks and 2 days today.  It seems so surreal because I do not feel sick anymore and to look at me quickly I don't think you can tell but there you go.  On October 31st (or sometime near then), we will, God willing, have a baby.

Already some of my clothes are too tight to wear and be comfortable so I am going to have to go shopping.  It's coming into Winter here (Autumn really began this week with a freezing wind) so I can layer.  For inspiration I have been  watching Mad Men in Season 3 and 4 where Betty Draper and Trudy Campbell are pregnant but both of them seem to be pregnant in Summer.

 

Here is Betty just after she has had the baby but she is till in maternity wear

 

This is Betty in her new maternity dress for a big party - Derby Day at a country club.  I love her hair and make-up here and the belted waist of the dress but definitely not the sleeves.  I itch just looking at them.

 

This an at-home outfit of a skirt and smock style top.  I think that this would be the most comfortable to wear but again, not so great for Winter.

 

Here are the only photos that I could find of Trudy Campbell Pregnant.  The amazing shots on the left are from Tom + Lorenzo blog which breaks down each Mad Men episode and discusses all the fashion and a lot of the set as well.  I would like to think that if I decided to wear something similar to Trudy on the right to bed I would actually still be able to sleep.  I wish I could look that good when my tummy is that big.

Now for some pictures of two of the greatest style icons of the time, Grace Kelly and Jackie Kennedy.

 

Here Grace (Princess at this stage) is apparently quite pregnant and standing with one-time beau and fashion designer Oleg Cassini - fancy looking this good running into a ex?

 

I had to include one of the famous Kelly bag hiding the pregnancy - again with a coat.

 

 

These two are of Jackie.  One public and one private.  I love the amount of colour that Jackie wore.  I think the top picture convinces me to get a nice warm big coat to wear in Winter.

 

When I told my Grandma I was expecting she was telling me that she hates seeing pregnant tummies bare in public and she was telling me she used to have skirts with a cut-out bit for the belly.  I didn't know what she was talking about until I have seen the above illustration.  I think it's hilarious that none of the women illustrated are pregnant but I can see how the waistband of the dress expands to accommodate the growing baby.  Today skirt seem to be designed to wear under the tummy or have a giant elastic bit to go over the bump.

 

These two designs show how the smock style top covers the belly down to wear the skirt has the cut-out.  I think it would be hard to get them to sit right but they do look ok.  I think the green one at the bottom would be comfy for sleeping in.

I will maybe (depending how brave I am) do some outfit posts of what I wear as I progress.