My Maternity Wardrobe Essentials

Because of the way a woman's body changes so rapidly and unpredictably during pregnancy, it can be difficult to choose clothes that are practical, comfortable and also look good on us in this period of our lives! Now that I'm on my second pregnancy and am reminded just what a challenge this is, I wanted to share some of my tips for building a good maternity wardrobe.

• Find a comfortable pair of jeans in a style you like. I like wearing dark skinnies and thanks to a tip from Laura of the wonderful Liparazzi blog, I discovered Topshop's Leigh maternity jeans. I might not have tried these on otherwise, as Topshop jeans don't usually fit me well, but these are by far the most flattering and comfy maternity jeans I've tried on. I bought them in black to go with most things and I hope one pair will be all I need. Click on images for links to the products!

• Dresses are the easiest thing for me to wear as I get bigger. I had an enormous bump last time and it wasn't long before I couldn't bear to wear anything with a normal waistband! Dresses which are cinched in or tie under the bust are nice and flattering for pregnant women, plus they show off your bump nicely. I like soft jersey fabrics which are comfortable and stretch as you grow. I've bought this green dress from Asos which is lovely in person and I can't wait to wear it as an everyday dress. Kate Middleton had this dress in navy blue and she always looked immaculate with her bump!
• Leggings! I have been wearing leggings since about week six of my pregnancy as I was gaining a bit of weight, feeling ill and generally needed maximum comfort/slouchiness from my clothes. Normal leggings will last you for a while but when your bump starts to get bigger I'd recommend over-the-bump maternity leggings. Last time around my favourites were from Dorothy Perkins but they seem to have discontinued their maternity line. Sad face :( If anyone can recommend me a good alternative I would be very grateful (my legs are a teeny bit on the short side)! In the early stages I'm wearing my leggings with loose tops from my normal wardrobe and as my bump expands I'll wear them under maternity dresses and tunics.

• Maternity bras. I must admit that I've been through hell with maternity bras, even to the point that in the latter part of my first pregnancy I ended up crying in a department store because they had nothing that would fit me! My normal size is a fairly standard 32D but boobs grow massively during pregnancy and I really feel for the larger-chested women who are just not catered for with suitable bras for pregnancy and nursing. My problem was that it was near impossible to find bras in the shops which had a 32 inch back and my eventual cup size which was F. Going up a back size and down a cup size just meant that my bra rode up and didn't support me properly. I'm currently wearing a Panache bra similar to this Sophie style from Asos in 32E, which is fairly comfortable to wear for most of the day. The best bra I found for later in my pregnancy last time was one from Miriam Stoppard Nurture at Debenhams. It was a t-shirt style with good support and very soft cups, so I bought a few and hope they will last me for this time too. They were also very good for breastfeeding. I think also this time I'll shop for bras online as there seems to be a better selection of sizes.
• Outerwear. I don't have too much to say on this as I haven't been heavily pregnant during the winter. I've found that wearing my normal coats, jackets and cardigans unbuttoned over the bump has been sufficient for my needs. I have got a zip-up maternity hoodie which was much loved in my last pregnancy, and almost became my comfort blanket when I got huge and full of aches and pains towards the end. That was from H&M Mama and I'm sure it will appear again later in this pregnancy!

I'll stop now as this post is getting long! But I do hope to show you some of what I'm wearing over the coming months as I grow ever larger. Do you have any maternity style tips? I'd particularly love some recommendations for decent tights and leggings :)

After a little hiatus I'm linking up again to the lovely Fashion Friday! 

Gifts for me!

When doing a spot of Christmas shopping, do you ever 'accidentally' buy yourself a few little gifts? Remember, you need to be treated too! Yesterday I enjoyed a little festive outing, started ticking off the present list and picked up these goodies for myself. Beaded necklace from Miss Selfridge and 'Beehive' lipstick from Topshop.

These will add a bit of pretty to warm winter outfits. What gifts have you bought yourself recently?

I'm linking up with What I Wore Wednesday:

And Fashion Friday:

Winter boots

The search is over for a pair of sensible winter boots, and luckily I found some I liked that were also a really good price.

My criteria were that my boots should be flat, black and knee high, and I found these in store at Marks & Spencer. No link as I can't find these online. They are pull-on with a stretchy back panel, so they hug my legs quite nicely. And after a whole day of wear today, I can report that they are remarkably comfortable for a new pair of boots. These look and feel good quality but only cost £39, so I hope they last through the winter.

I just noticed there is 20% off M&S online today!

Are you getting kitted out for winter weather too?

I'm linking up with What I Wore Wednesday

And Fashion Friday

The Pink Coat

You may have been wondering the reason all the fashion magazines are telling you to buy a pink coat this winter. The truth is, it's because of me. Last year I picked up this sugary pink number in a junk shop for £5 and wore it all winter. Obviously I was spotted by a few fashion editors and now the catwalks are rife with coats in all shades from pastel to fuschia. It's a tough life being a trendsetter ;)

I'm linking up with Fashion Friday:

And What I Wore Wednesday:

Budget beauty must-haves

Here are a few recent makeup discoveries that have become favourites of mine. What these all have in common is that they are easy to use and none of them have a decadent price tag. Along with some bronzer, blush and eyeshadow this was all the makeup I felt the need to take on holiday with me.

Rimmel scandal eyes retro glam mascara in black. I will resist spending £20 plus on fancy mascaras for a while after using this: it's as good as anything else I've tried, including my favourite Diorshow mascara. Although it doesn't have a rose petal fragrance like the Dior!

Bourjois color boost glossy finish lipstick in peach on the beach. This is a nice balmy formula and lovely brightening peachy shade.

Collection eyebrow definer in blonde. I've mentioned this before and I use this most days now on my brows, in spite of being someone who used to shy away from eyebrow pencils. It's subtle and easy to use. Not to mention very cheap.

Maybelline dream pure BB cream in light. This is a BB cream for oily skin with SPF 15. It actually works brilliantly for my oily skin, something I never expected from a BB cream. It was great on holiday in place of my usual moisturiser and foundation and I liked it so much I've continued to use it at home.

Have you tried any of these products, or do you have any budget beauty favourites you'd recommend?

Thirty-one going on thirteen

Wearing this oversized checked shirt takes me back to my early teens and the grunge uniform of the early 1990s. Now I'm just missing the Doc Martens, angst and acne of those days! Okay, admittedly the acne has lingered a bit ;)

It's nice to reminisce about my youth and feel like a teenager again in clothes similar to what I wore then. Perhaps I should revisit those DM boots too, although I think I'd miss out the bright coloured shoelaces that my friends and I used to add to them back in the nineties! Is there anything you wore at secondary school that you'd wear again now, or do you think the trends of your teens should strictly be left to the next generation?

This shirt is from Zara, the dress underneath is H&M.

I'm linking with Fashion Friday:

What I Wore: Marks and Spencer Blush Shirt

The last week has been busy and full of distractions, hence the lack of posts. I'm pleased to say that there's a new baby in our family and I am the proud aunt to a beautiful baby girl! We are all so excited and happy about this wonderful little addition. Congrats to my brother and his wife who will make the most amazing parents :)

As a quick 'what I wore' here is a new shirt I wore at the weekend. I think I'm still undecided on this shirt but it caught my eye in Marks and Spencer and I ended up wearing it to a friend's birthday night out. I hope I will get more wear from this and it won't end up being neglected at the back of the wardrobe! The night out was great - we enjoyed delicious food, interesting cocktails and funny chat at Bar Soba in Glasgow's West End.

My shirt was just teamed with my Marc by Marc Jacobs crossbody bag, some black Dorothy Perkins jeggings and simple black court shoes.

I'm making a late link-up to What I Wore Wednesday:

And Fashion Friday:

What I Wore: Polka dots

The matching phone and skirt here are honestly not intentional!

Cardigan from Primark, tshirt from H&M, skirt from Dorothy Perkins, sandals from F21, bag from H&M, phone case by Kate Spade via TK Maxx.

The weather has been transitional/unpredictable lately but I think I'll have to put away the sandals soon! What are you wearing as the seasons change?

I'm linking up with Fashion Friday!

What I Wore: Date night

Another largely black outfit! This is what I wore for our recent date night. This kimono jacket has been on a couple of nights out recently - I like how versatile it is. The simple dress underneath is one I bought years ago for about £5 at Dunnes and have worn about a million times, so that was a well-spent fiver! It was even worn as a maternity top but hasn't lost it's shape.

Kimono jacket from River Island, dress from Dunnes, tights from Topshop, heels from River Island.

Linking up with What I Wore Wednesday:

And Fashion Friday:

What I Wore: Black dress and floral tights

It's Wednesday again so here's what I wore: dress from H&M, necklace and tights from Accessorize, shoes from Deichmann. I have a bit of a penchant for interesting hosiery... I couldn't bear to wear black tights with this black outfit so out came these floral numbers in attempt to make me looks a little less drab on a rainy day!

I'm linking up with Mummy's Got Style!

What I Wore: An evening out

Pink top from Warehouse, cardigan from Zara, black jeggings from Dorothy Perkins, court shoes from Primark.

This is me before heading out for a few glasses of Pimms one sunny evening last week. We had a lovely time but I am useless in high heels these days. Note to self: stick to low wedges next time!

I am linking up with Transatlantic Blonde's What I Wore Wednesday.

Also Mummy's Got Style's Fashion Friday!

What I Wore: Animal print and pink shoes

Jumper from Gap, skirt from Dorothy Perkins, tights from Topshop, shoes from Deichmann.

I got a couple of these stretchy pencil skirts from Dorothy Perkins earlier in the week when they had 20% off in store. They're from the petite range although I'm 5'6, but I wanted them knee length rather than midi-length. Skirts like this are a great mummy staple as they are ridiculously comfortable and not too short for day-to-day wear! 

I'm linking up with Transatlantic Blonde's What I Wore Wednesday.

And Mummy's Got Style's Fashion Friday.

What I Wore: A Saturday night out

Yayyy! We had babysitters (husband's parents) on Saturday night so we were able to head to the West End for a friend's 30th birthday night out. It was great to do some catching up with friends over a few gin and tonics. It was a pubby, not a dressy affair and here's what I wore:

Top from ASOS, jeans from New Look, bag from H&M, cuff from F21, shoes from Oasis.

Close-up details: my bag almost got pinched before I went out.

Bright lips are MAC's 'Insanely It' lipstick.

New cuff I got in Forever 21 the other day - I like their accessories!

This cocktail was a far-too-strong one ordered at the end of the night. TAXI!

I'm linking up with Transatlantic Blonde's What I Wore Wednesday :)

...and Mummy's Got Style's Fashion Friday!

Novel and nails

'The Buddha in the Attic' by Julie Otsuka has been sent to me for review thanks to the Britmums book club. It arrived this morning and I am excited to get stuck into it! On my nails today is Essie's Play Date. What are you reading right now? Do you have a pretty colour on your nails?
Hannah x

What I Wore: Warehouse pink dress

This is a new dress I got for my Great Aunt's ninetieth birthday party, which we attended last weekend down in Kent. Unfortunately I was far too busy to think about getting a decent photo of me wearing it! But it's the kind of dress I love wearing and so I'll show you a picture of it hanging up instead. This was on sale at Warehouse, a shop where I quite often find pretty, feminine dresses perfect for special occasions. They usually have a good sale and I think this dress was down from £75 to £40. It's very well made so I think I got a bargain. What are your go-to shops for party dresses?

I'm linking up with Transatlantic Blonde's What I Wore Wednesday.

What I Wore Wednesday

Today's outfit is one from a rare Saturday night out! We had a girls' night at the comedy club Jongleurs thanks to my little sis who had won tickets. I thoroughly enjoyed myself and had a good laugh, particularly at the headline act Janey Godley who is a great Glasgow comedienne. My new favourite thing is this Kimono jacket from River Island - good for dressing up a pair of jeans!

Kimono jacket from River Island, top from Warehouse, jeans from New Look, sandals from New Look, bag from Marc by Marc Jacobs.

As per my usual Wednesday outfit post, I am linking up with Transatlantic Blonde. Check out the other links there for some outfit inspiration.

Novel & Nails

This pretty blue polish is 'Lapis of Luxury' by Essie. I can't quite believe it took me until now to discover the novels of rather classic author Molly Keane (better known by her pen name M.J. Farrell). I recently enjoyed the wit and romance of 'The Rising Tide' and now I'm getting stuck into 'Good Behaviour'. What are you reading or wearing on your nails just now?