Maternity

California Cool!!

Bitter sweet feelings right now posting one of my last maternity looks on the blog. It’s so crazy for me to look at these photos with baby girl in my belly as she is currently in my arms gazing into my eyes. It’s been 3 wonderful and crazy weeks. I’m sorry I’ve been a little MIA on the blog as I’m trying to embrace all the time I have with my baby girl while she is still this tiny little thing. There are moments I want to pull my hair out, and then there are others I want to bottle up and cherish forever. Motherhood is such an amazing experience and I’m trying to soak up every second I have. Thankfully I still had some pregnancy photos to post, since most days I’m wearing nursing tanks and leggings. I try to get out of the house for a walk or running errands, but with Carlota feeding what seems to be every 30 minutes I need to be dressed appropriately.

I think this is one of my favorite maternity looks. All pieces are non-maternity and were found in the back of my closet. I wore a classic little black dress but made it daytime appropriate by adding this Zara shirt. Accessorizing with oversized shades, a hat, and ankle boots make this look perfect for a stroll around the streets of Silverlake.

Dress: Alice and Olivia old (Similar here and here) //

Shirt: Zara old //

Hat: Lack of Colors //

Boots: Anine Bing //

Fairyland Maternity Photoshoot

The past two weeks have been full of sleepless nights, crying temper tantrums, diaper changes and lots and lots of feedings. This morning baby Carlota was in her monster phase…which means she is finally fast asleep for a couple of hours and I have a few minutes to finally get a blog post in. I wouldn’t change it for the world!! We have so much love for our little munchkin and its all worth it.

These amazing magical fairy-esque photos are from my Maternity photoshoot with Shawna at Bleudog Fotography. For weeks prior to the shoot, I was debating whether to take maternity photos. I was looking online for photographers in the area and I think I contacted over 20 photographers/studios before finding this gem. Many had photo libraries of shoots that were not the vision I had in mind. The ones that had photos I liked cost a fortune, or weren’t located close to me. I started to get discouraged and thought about possibly not taking maternity photos. I was already feeling huge and not very glamorous. Did I really want to pay for photos that I’m just going to be disappointed with? Looking back at these pictures I am so happy I did them. Finding a photographer that has a similar vision or style is key to a successful photoshoot. Pregnancy is such a magical time in your life and I’m so thrilled Shawna was able to capture it so well for me. I will forever cherish my time having baby girl so close to my heart, feeling her kick and hiccup.

Dress: Asos on sale (Similar here, 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.

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.

Denim daze

I have always been a pants and shirt kinda gal. Even as a little girl I never liked to wear skirts and dresses. My mom likes to remind me of this when I wear them occasionally now!!

With my pregnancy I have started to take more interest in dresses and you will see more of them in future blog posts. I love the way they can camouflage or accentuate your curves depending on the style desired. There is a level of comfort and freedom with a dress that makes it perfect to wear during pregnancy.

I love this Gap denim dress. I liked it so much that I bought it in two different colors and patterns. You can see how I styled the other dress here. I have seen denim and plaid button down dresses in multiple stores this season and I think they are a great casual piece for anyone especially pregnant women.

I paired it with brown boots and a blanket scarf. I have had these boots for 6 years and I love their worn and vintage feel.

Dress: Gap (Similar here, here and here) // Scarf: Zara last season (Similar here, here and here) // Boots: Steve Madden (Similar here) // Bag: Louis Vuitton

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

California Casual

I am officially half way through my pregnancy…. 20 weeks!! I can’t believe how quickly the time has flown. Thankfully I have been blessed with an easy pregnancy. I have noticed that as the weeks go by and the larger my belly gets, the more I lean towards outfits that are comfortable. I think you can still be chic while dressing for comfort.

Leggings and an oversized shirt are the perfect pregnancy staple. I love this shirt because of the window pane pattern. Black and white are always my go to colors and you will see them a lot in my looks.

Adding the army green jacket gives my look a little life and color. I love the pocket and waist details of this coat. I think the cinched waist gives you some curves and helps to flatter the female figure.

I kept my jewelry minimal to compliment the casual look.

Jacket: Theory old (Similar here, here and here) // Shirt: Aritzia old (Similar here and here and here) // Leggings: A pea in the Pod Maternity // Espadrilles: The espadrille store in Spain // Necklace: Tiffany & Co

With Love….

Andrea

A day at the mall

In the first trimester of my pregnancy, the last thing I wanted to do was go shopping. For me, this is as rare as snow in Los Angeles. I could spend the entire day browsing through boutiques and seeing what the latest trends are. Most pregnant ladies get cravings or aversions to certain foods……my aversions were to coffee and clothing!! (My two favorite things). Not having coffee daily was a good thing, since too much caffeine is not good during pregnancy. My husband would also say that my aversion to shopping was also a plus…..I would disagree. Thankfully after a few weeks this aversion disappeared and I’m back to my normal self.

Many women loose weight or gain just a couple of pounds during their first trimester. Maternity clothing is not really needed until later in the second trimester. For me by the time I was 7 weeks pregnant I noticed that a lot of my pants already started to not fit me. This was difficult for me as I felt like it was too early for maternity wear and I was starting to look frumpy. (No obvious baby bump yet). I’m assuming the raging hormone changes and the thought of clothing not fitting the way it used to was making me avoid shopping. I’ve slowly gotten over that, but I still have a daily struggle to find what works for my changing body.

Maternity Jeans have been my lifesaver. I think I bought them earlier than most women do. I was tired of trying on all my pants and getting frustrated when they weren’t buttoning up. I was thrilled when I found these Adriano Goldshmit 5 pocket jeans. Buying a pair of nice pregnancy jeans is a must. I still feel like I’m wearing a pair of my old jeans but they are so much more comfortable. They have a perfect stretch and no button so I have a lot of room to grow. Getting dressed in the mornings is much easier once I finally took the plunge on pregnancy jeans.

Jacket: Aritzia // Tank top: Anine Bing // Jeans: A Pea in the Pod (AG Jeans) Non-maternity here // Shoes: Steve Madden // Sunglasses: Karen Walker

Animal instincts

I love adding animal inspired pieces to my looks. You can pair them with a basic outfit to add depth and texture, or add them to a more colorful look as a neutral.

My style is most often very casual. My go-to look is usually a button down shirt and jeans. Especially during my pregnancy it’s getting harder to experiment with outfits. I kept my look sleek and simple, and added two animal inspired pieces to enhance my outfit.

The first look included an old Zara leopard coat. I don’t think you can go wrong with leopard. I usually wear it in the form of a scarf or shoes but when I saw this jacket a couple of years ago I knew it was a must have. I don’t get to wear it very often, but when I do, I always get compliments. I think a good statement coat is an investment…especially when it’s not expensive! Getting a basic print like leopard, houndstooth, or a bold color will be something that can last for many years and will always come back into style.

Coat: Zara old (Similar here and here) // Shirt: Equipment // Jeans: 7 of All Mankind (Similar here and here) // Boots: Stuart Weitzman (Similar here and here)

For the second animal inspired accessory I added a faux fur vest. The vest adds volume, layers and texture. I bought this vest last year at Club Monaco during end of the season sales. I am very happy I did since this year faux fur vests are everywhere.

Vest: Club Monaco old (Similar here, here and here) // Sunglasses: Karen Walker

With Love…

Andrea

Boy or Girl!!

As soon as we found out we were pregnant, other than wishing for a healthy baby, we were curious to determine whether we were having a boy or a girl!! My husband was especially anxious as he is already planning on painting the nursery and needed to know where we should begin.

One of my best friends who recently had a baby had a gender reveal party!! This was the first time I had heard of this and knew I had to do the same. Currently we are 17 weeks pregnant. Our gender revealing ultrasound was scheduled for week 20. On our 12 week appointment my OBGYN casually mentioned that it could be possible to see the baby’s gender at 16 weeks, and if the technician allowed us to sneak in the room, we could possibly find out then. My husband was convinced we were finally finding out!! At our 16 week appointment, we sweet talked and convinced our doctor and the technician to sneak us in the room and take a look. Although he was ready to find out right at that moment, I had asked them to write it down on a piece of paper and seal it. We brought this paper to our favorite bakery and had them put either pink of blue icing on the inside. Pictures and details of the party will be on my next blog post!!

Dress: Ted Baker Heels: Jimmy Choo Similar Here and Here

Husbands look: Jacket: Etro (old) Pants: Scalpers Tie: Scalpers (old) Shoes: Toms Similar Here and Here

As soon as I saw this dress I knew it was going to be my outfit for the party!! It has an A line cut with a front pleat that fits my growing baby bump perfectly. I love the embellished collar detail, it makes this simple dress complete with no accessories needed. I paired the dress with simple metallic heels. The dress is so bright I knew I needed something neutral to balance it out. These were my wedding heels and I guess are my go to special occasion pumps!!

Find out what we are having in my next post in a few days!! Thanks again for sharing this amazing journey with me.

With Love…..

Andrea