Tuesday, November 20, 2012

The vintage baby bump (how not to spend huge $$ on maternity clothes)

We're pretty big on vintage, second hand and of course handmade in this house.  We generally like to stay away from crappy mass produced things that come from sweatshops in third world countries.  So when we found out we had a little one on the way we already knew for sure that we were going to stick to our usual ways!

Once my clothes started to get a little snug it was clear that my wardrobe was going to have to go through a bit of a transformation.  I did begin by checking out some maternity stores and seeing what was out there, but quickly realised that there was NO WAY I was going to spend hundreds of dollars on clothes I would only wear for a few months.  I also wasn't going to be seen in public wearing my old leggings and an oversized t-shirt of Nic's.  So I had to consider my other options.  The first thing I did was raid the top of my mothers wardrobe (knowing that she isn't the kind of person to throw anything away... ever) and was super happy to discover that she still had a stack of dresses that my grandmother made for her when she had me!  They are all long, flowing cotton numbers made from bright fabrics with beautiful details on them.  This led me to realise that the 70s (I was born in the early 80s but my mum was a bit of a hippie) was going to be my era!  I started to keep my eye out whenever I went into second hand stores and over the last couple of months have managed to pull together enough dresses and blouses to last me until the end... I hope!  Best of all the most I have spent on a dress so far has been $20, and I'm fairly certain it's one I will be able to wear until the very end.

 Just because you're wearing a dress from the 70s doesn't mean you have to also put flowers in your hair and clogs on your feet (although that could look cute, hmm).  These flowing numbers work really well with a denim or vintage jacket, a thin leather belt above your bump and a pair of ankle boots or sandals. And of course because they aren't 'maternity' I will be able to wear them well after baby arrives too.
xx

6 comments:

  1. Good work, you! I did succumb to a pair of preggy jeans, but having 3 kids meant I got plenty of wear out of them (including after baby, when things still aren't back to normal size). And then I passed them on to a friend :) x

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    1. I have to admit that I do own a pair of pregnancy jeans too. They are an old pair from a good friend of mine and when it's too cold to wear dresses (which is still way too often) I pretty much live in these pants!

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  2. Your frocks are SO pretty!!! I think so many vintage dresses would work as maternity clothes. I have quite a few smock styles already, & I'm not even pregnant. You certainly are on super stylish mumma to be! Xx

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  3. I really love all these dresses!!! xoxo

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  4. You are glowing with your baby bump and beautiful 70's dresses! How special that your Grandma made them for your Mum when you came along, and now your wearing them...its like 4 generations tied together through a love of beautiful frocks!
    xoxo Amie @ Spoonful of Vintage

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