A pea in the pod

Love me!!

Today I am a little over 39 weeks pregnant!! WHAT?? How did the time fly so quickly? How is it that baby girl is going to be here in less than a week? I don’t think I’ve wrapped my mind around that completely!! She is due March 28th, but really she’ll come whenever she decides she’s ready to make her appearance into the world.

I’m starting to find that dressing is more of a challenge. These photos were taken a couple weeks ago and I don’t think that this shirt would fit over my current bump situation. Lately wearing a maternity t-shirt and jeans or a dress are my go-to-looks. Note to all my pregnant readers: Invest in maternity T-shirts from the beginning. I bought a couple of them when I first went maternity shopping. At that point I really didn’t need them but still wore them. They have been my savior these past few weeks. Many other shirts are just not long enough to cover the bump, or wearing really large loose things makes me feel huge with all the swelling and weight gain. Its nice to have something that accentuates your curves while providing proper coverage. I will link the ones I have at the end of my post.

Pregnant or not, boyfriend jeans are always a good idea. So comfortable and chic. I added a white button down shirt and sweater to dress them up a little. Since I have stuck with simple versatile pregnancy items, I transform my look with my accessories. I added some cobalt blue for a pop of color.

Shirt: Rosie pope maternity //

Cardigan: Aritzia (Similar longer version here) //

Jeans: Motherhood Maternity //

Glasses: Ray-ban //

Necklace: Aqua Bloomingdales old (Similar here and here) //

Maternity T-Shirts: A pea in the pod similar here and here //

Getting the Royal Treatment at A Pea in the Pod

I started my blog several months ago as a creative outlet. What started off as a hobby and something I wanted to do for myself has really become something I am passionate about and so excited to share with all of you. The moment I felt like a true blogger was when I was personally invited to attend A Pea in the Pod Maternity’s “Get the Royal Treatment” Event at their Beverly Hills location.

I was given the opportunity to meet Olivia Capone Myers Style Director of Destination Maternity and the Seraphine Maternity founder Cecile Reinaud. I have been such a fan of both A Pea in the Pod and Seraphine Maternity ever since I got pregnant and was introduced to the world of maternity fashion. In previous posts you will see many of my outfits consist of items from both these stores. The event was held Friday February 20th from 3-6pm and featured the new Seraphine Spring Collection. Many expectant Moms-to-be came to the store and benefited from great styling tips and advice from the experts themselves. I was so excited to pick their brains and get guidance on what to expect from the last few weeks of pregnancy and especially the next stage of motherhood.

The event was very luxurious with pampering hand massages from the beauty brand Basq NYC, Macaroons from Bottega Louie, and Belvoir sparkling elderflower water. What else could a pregnant woman ask for!?!? Oh thats right, there was an opportunity to win a $300 shopping spree at Seraphine.

Hopefully there will be many more events such as this in stores located near you. I would recommend this experience to all.

Some items from Seraphine Maternity’s New Spring Collection

Myself with the beautiful Olivia Capone Myers

Caftan: Seraphine Maternity //

Jeans: AG Jeans (A Pea in the Pod) non-maternity here //

Espadrilles: Chanel //

Since it was a presentation of their spring line I wanted to wear something colorful and fitting for the event. I loved this gorgeous Seraphine Caftan and can’t wait to wear it to the beach. Its a perfect maternity piece that will still be something I can wear postpartum. I decided to style it with these jeans and espadrilles for a boho summery look that was appropriate for the event. Sometimes its good to think outside the box and you can transform an item to give it an entirely different look/vibe.

Barcelona for the day!!

This holiday season my husband and I decided to visit both of our families. I am quickly approaching the point where traveling is off limits so it was time to make the most of it and share our pregnancy with our loved ones. Family is so important and it really meant the world to us being able have them witness this little miracle growing inside. Our first stop was Barcelona. I love this city. The food, atmosphere, architecture and shopping are always on point. I may be slightly biased though since this magical city is where my husband and I got married over 2 years ago.

We only had 4 days and it was jam packed with family lunches and dinners. I wish we had more time, but I know we will be back soon enough.

I kept my look comfortable for our hectic day running around the city. As mentioned in a previous post…I am such a fan of the poncho. It’s an ideal layering piece and works perfectly during pregnancy. I love mixing maternity and non-maternity items.

I have noticed that when I go shopping I’m automatically drawn to items that are pregnancy friendly. I no longer stop to admire crop tops, skirts, jumpsuits etc… I tend to veer towards the flowing dress or oversized sweater. I guess I’m figuring out how to dress for my changing figure even on a subconscious level.

Don’t get me wrong….I can’t wait for the days when I can go back to endless fashion possibilities!! In the meantime, I’m exploring different ways to wear similar items while keeping my daily looks exciting!!

Poncho: Massimo Dutti (old) (Similar here, here and here) //

Shirt: Rosie pope (Non-Maternity here and here) //

Jeans: Genetic Denim – A pea in the pod (Non-maternity here and here)//

Boots: Yves Saint Laurent (More affordable here, here and here) //

The Poncho….this seasons staple!!

Christmas is quickly approaching….where did the time go!!!! I feel like this holiday season has just flown by. This is bitter sweet for me because its my favorite time of year but that also means I’m closer to meeting baby girl. After the holidays my husband and I have to kick it into high gear and start preparing for her arrival. So much to start figuring out!

I’m sure most have finished or at least almost conquered their holiday shopping. If you haven’t and need an idea, I propose a poncho!! They are that perfect throw to pull together any look. I love the one I’m wearing from Choices because it adds color to my usual neutral looks.

Poncho: Choices very similar (I also love these: here, here and here) //

Jeans: A pea in the Pod Maternity (Non-maternity here and here) //

Shoes: Converse (Also love the classic canvas) //

Bag: Louis Vuitton //

Its almost Christmas in LA and I’m wearing converse!! Definitely different than the freezing cold and snow that I will be encountering when I go home to Toronto for the Holidays. I must say I am looking forward to snuggling by the fireplace with a hot chocolate after a long day in the cold.

Heritwine Maternity Giftcard Giveaway

As soon as I got pregnant I started to worry about many things. One of my worries was, what am I going to wear as my baby bump gets larger? You barely see maternity clothing stores when you are out shopping….or at least prior to pregnancy I never took notice. I decided to do some research and found some department stores that had maternity sections. I was so excited to start looking for my “new wardrobe”, I already went shopping when I was only 8 weeks pregnant. To my dismay I was horrified.

The maternity section was stashed away in a corner, with items I would never be caught dead in. I’m talking about those horrid “mom” jeans, and floral shirts with empire waists etc. I can’t even remember anything else, I was so traumatized I must have blocked those memories. I was not going to let my fashion sense disappear just because I’m pregnant.

Thankfully I had come across other online maternity stores. One of those boutiques is Heritwine Maternity. I love when I can find affordable clothing that will make me look good. The Cardigan I am wearing is from this shop. We have teamed up to give one lucky reader a $25 gift card just by posting a comment below on why you would like to win. For an additional entry refer to my Instagram account (@withloveandrea) and follow the instructions there. With this gift card you have more than 60% off most items in the store. Many items can be worn for non-pregnant readers as well.

I love when Items are shipped with cute packaging!!

Cardigan: Heritwine Maternity on sale & an additional 60% off with the gift card //

Pants: A Pea in the Pod Maternity (non-maternity here) //

Boots: YSL Black Friday sale purchase (More affordable here, here and here) //

I have always worn a lot of black and neutrals. With my growing figure black always seems like a good idea. This Grey/gold cardigan is a perfect addition to add a little festive sparkle to my simple look. The best part about it is that I can wear it post pregnancy as well. I love when I find versatile maternity items.

Don’t forget to comment below for your entry. Contest closes Monday Dec 22nd 12pm PST.

With Love….

ANDREA

The Oversized Cardigan

I have always been a fan of the oversized cardigan and skinny jeans look. Its a way to dress comfortably without feeling overly frumpy. Keeping the colors dark and monotone gives an added slimming effect.

You can see the baby bump popping out in these two photos, but once you close the cardigan you can barely tell I’m 6 months pregnant.

I love the gold detail on these smoking slippers. I wore a gold necklace to complement the shoes and add some detail to the all black look.

Shirt: Equipment old (Similar here, here and here)

Cardigan: & Other Stories

Pants: J Brand Maternity (Non-maternity here)

Shoes: Guiseppe Zanotti (Similar here and here)

Glasses: Karen Walker

With Love….

Andrea

Happy Thanksgiving!!

I would like to wish you all a very Happy Thanksgiving!! There is always so much to be thankful and grateful for and I love that we have a day where we can celebrate this.

Thanksgiving is my absolute favorite holiday. I love the traditional Thanksgiving meal…and anyone who knows me, knows that food is always one of my top priorities. Today I am so appreciative for my family and friends. I feel so lucky to be doing what I love with my loving husband who is my best friend. I have wonderful supportive parents who have always supported and encouraged me to dream big. Life may not be perfect and there are always things we wish we could have but lets remember to be happy with the blessings we have.

I’m wearing one of my favorite Rails plaid shirts. I love the colors and the the inner lining. The quality of their plaid shirts are amazing and when not pregnant the fit is perfect. Since I can barely do up the shirt with my growing bump I opted to wear it with a simple gray tank. They are having their Black Friday sales online starting Friday with 30% off everything so be sure to check it out!!

Plaid shirt: Rails 40% off on sale (Similar here, here and here) // Tank: Forever 21 // Jeans: AG Maternity (Non-maternity here) // Sunglasses: Ray-ban // Espadrilles: Chanel (Similar here and here) // Bag: Goyard

Thank you to all of you who are reading this and sharing this journey with me.

With love….

Andrea

LA Tropical

The weather in Los Angeles has been all over the place. Most days this fall, it has still felt like summer. Thankfully these past few weeks we are starting to get cooler weather. I have been waiting for the crisp weather so that I can wear my plaids and fall layers. Unfortunately I think I will have to wait a little longer as this weeks forecast is in the mid to high 70’s ( 20’s for Celsius). I guess I can’t complain since back home in Toronto there is already snow!!

Todays look is a mix of summer and fall. This equipment shirt definitely has a tropical vibe. To make my outfit more seasonal appropriate I wore dark tones and layers.

I have had this cardigan for years. I love when you find something in the back of your closet and it was just what you were looking for to complete the outfit. Having classic pieces in neutral colors always come in handy.

Shirt: Equipment (Similar here and here) // Cardigan: Banana Republic old (Similar here and here) // Jeans: AG Jeans Maternity (Non-maternity here and here) // Hat: J Crew // Shoes: Repetto (Similar here)

Hope you all have a great weekend.

With Love…..

Andrea

Leopard and stripes & everything nice

The farther along I get in my pregnancy the harder I am finding it to dress the bump without wearing my usual leggings and baggy shirt. I am slowly learning how to style my changing body and I know this is only the beginning since I still have 19 weeks remaining and my belly will only get larger.

Thank goodness for a Pea in the Pod. I am so thankful I found their store in Beverly Hills. When I initially started looking at maternity wear I felt like a lot of the items were out of date and frumpy. Not something I would normally wear…so why would I want to invest and wear something that I wasn’t excited about?

As son as I entered A Pea in the Pod, I knew I had hit the jackpot. They had every brand of jeans you could imagine and all with the stretchy pregnancy waistband!! Other known brands were in the store as well, from dress pants, dresses, sweaters and more. I was finally excited to purchase maternity clothing.

Lately, my looks have been a mix of maternity and non-maternity wear. I am trying not to buy too many things that I will only wear for a few months. I have also bought some non maternity clothing that is looser or larger and will fit my growing belly. I make sure these are items I will still wear post baby. I have gone up a size or made sure the cut would work with my growing bump. Thankfully I love wearing oversized shirts so I can still stick with my usual style! I also have been finding it helpful to look at other pregnant fashion bloggers and instagrammers for inspiration.

Todays look is something I would wear prior to pregnancy. I love leather pants and thankfully with the belly band I am still able to squeeze into these. Something about leather that makes a woman feel super sexy.

Adding a blazer always makes a look elegant. I think its a good addition during pregnancy as its a way to feel sexy and chic with your growing body.

Leather Pants: JBrand (More affordable here, here and here) // Boots: Anine Bing (Similar here)

Black gray and white are my usual colors of choice. The mix of patterns brightens up the look and gives it some depth.

Shirt: A Pea in the Pod (Non-maternity here) // Blazer: Theory (Similar here) // Scarf: Banana Republic (Currently they have 40% off with online code CHEER)

Paradise Cove

Last week my parents came to visit me in Los Angeles. It’s always so nice to spend time with family even if its only for a short period. When I first moved to California my father and I stumbled upon Paradise Cove in Malibu. We were driving up the Pacific Coast Hwy to explore Malibu and enjoy the scenic drive. We noticed the sign for the cafe right off the Hwy and decided to try it out. Little did we know we were about to stumble upon a gem. The Beach Cafe is the only restaurant in Malibu right on the sand with its own private beach & cove.

During the summertime the beach and Cafe are packed with people, and its almost impossible to get a table. This past weekend was off season so we were fortunate to get a table right away and enjoy the beautiful view.

Even though we are well into Fall, the weather in Los Angeles has not been reflecting this. This past weekend it was in the high 80’s, so the beach was the perfect place to go. Since we were there for the sunset I brought some layers as California nights are always cool.

Purse: Michael Kors (on sale similar color here) // Shoes: Tod’s (Similar here and here)

Shirt: Zara old (Similar here, here and here) // T-shirt: Club Monaco old (Similar here and here and love this) // Jeans: A pea in the pod I also love these (Non-maternity here) // Hat: J Crew