Alright, so I'm not an expert in fashion or anything (do I get some credit for my fashion writer stint at
female magazine though? no? oh well, thought I'd give it a shot), but I have narrowed down the top 5 basic things you must have in your 'pregstar' wardrobe, which will have you looking like a stunna soon-to-be momma even on your I-can't-be-arsed-to-look-human days:
- Maxi dresses
I cannot stress this enough. Stress, dress, that rhymes, it's a sign. Anyway, ladies, you can never have too many of these when you're pregnant. Thank god I was a fan of maxi dresses since Mahathir was still PM, so I have quite a few of these lifesavers in my pre-pregger wardrobe. Why do we love maxi dresses? They come with the C word - comfy. They also come with another C word - cute. We like these two C words combined together, I'm sure. You just slip 'em on, put on a pair of sandals, cute sunnies and you are off to conquer the world. Or in most cases, out for lunch and then back to the sofa you go. A tip though: some maxi dresses are very pouffy, and flare out too much, which may make you look like a walking tent and can be quite unflattering for preggos. Try getting one of those maxi dresses which don't cling to you like saran wrap of course, but still hug your hips just a tad and fall nicely, so people can see that bodacious, shapely figure you're rocking. And not too long too, we don't want you tripping over! The maxi dress I wore to my tea party baby shower is currently my absolute fave - it is
so comfy, it's ridiculous. Oh yes, pick a maxi dress in a light material, nothing heavy like velvet or suede, unless you want your thighs drenched in sweat. Mmm, sexy.
- Leggings, jeggings...anything else that ends with 'ggings'
Once you realise you can absolutely NOT fit into your old jeans anymore (this realisation hits you after you huff and puff and turn red in the face as you try to squeeze into the sucker, then you start seeing stars as you sit dejectedly on the floor with your jeans around your knees), see the light and turn to leggings. They feel your pain. They will not judge you, but will grow WITH you. Best thing is, they go with almost everything, because they're in solid black. Yes, black. No WHITE please, people. Don't do that to yourself. Or go ahead and get them grey ones too - I have one in black and grey. And if you're feeling fancy, get jeggings - the ones which look like jeans, but are sneakily leggings. People will think you're uber stylish because you're still wearing skinny jeans even when you look like you're carrying a watermelon under your top. When they go "wow, you can still wear skinny jeans??" just shrug, like it's effortless. Works everytime. Word of caution though : When you're in your third trimester, you may want to cut down on the legging lurve a tad bit, because you may feel a wee bit 'restricted' in the leg area. And lorrd knows we don't want to encourage bloating. Back to the maxi dresses then, I say!
- Tank tops (extra long ones)
Alright, this one's a little tricky. Tank tops are awesome. They are a basic in every wardrobe. But for pregstars, you may have to spend extra time picking out tank tops which will cover your tum-tum. Yes, it may be a tad frustrating finding some at first, but once you've found them, you'll be glad you made the effort. During my second trimester when I was slowly but surely outgrowing most of the tops in my closet, I went over to Forever 21 and literally grabbed every single tank top I saw. Everyone who saw me thought I was nuts. I was in and out of that changing room like a lightning flash (second trimester so I could move faster then) and the salesgirl had A LOT of folding up to do after I was done. Pretty sure she gave me the evil eye, but I was too focused on my mission to care. Finally I emerged triumphantly with 5 (or was it 6? Forever 21 was having a huge sale!) tank tops which were super comfy and covered my belly, with a lot more length to spare. I bought them in basic colours too - black, beige, grey, dark green etc) so they are very versatile when it comes to dressing them up. I team my tank tops with a light scarf sometimes. And of course, what elso do I usually pair my tank tops with? My leggings, of course. Oh, and I also wear them a lot with.....
- Cardigans or any cover up (boleros, blazers etc)
Another thing beginning with C that we like. Why do we like this? Because they are so versatile - wear them with dresses, tops, over your head when you're caught in the rain and need to make a run for it...but seriously, for days when you don't feel like showing the world your jinggly janglies (aka arms), cardigans are your lifesavers. I think at one point in my second trimester, I started wearing my long, slouchy black cardigan everyday, to a point where my sister even remarked
"Do you really have to wear that everyday?" Yes, kakak, I was going through a phase, leave me alone :p Anything along the lines of cover-up, is good. I am obsessed with my slouchy bolero thingamagic thingy I bought from Topshop months ago. A tad bit pricey, but I knew investing in it would be worth it. It's sorta like the one below, but longer and in a chiffon-ish, breezy-ish fabric (I know, I know, I can't believe I was a fashion writer at
female mag either):
Anyway, a 'slouchy' fit always looks super chic. Pair it with your maxi dress, like I always do!
- Babydoll dresses
This might seem a bit un-basic, but I find babydoll dresses to be just like maxi dresses - comfy and cute. I do have a few dresses I can still fit into due to their babydoll style, and have definitely maxed them out in terms of wear so far during my pregnancy. I find that whenever I'm too lazy to put an outfit together, I usually go back to my dresses. As simple as slipping one over my head, pairing it with some flats and off I go for the day!
So there you go - the 5 basic pieces! Can't live without 'em. That, and my pyjama pants!
Sloppy kisses,
Aainaa
