Maternity Style

My Maternity Must Haves!

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Guys! I only have 2.5 weeks left. Holy cow. Well, I am sure it’ll be more like 3.5 weeks left but I am trying not to think about it like that (stupid always being late baby arrival). I thought since I was nearing the end of this pregnancy, I would share my must haves that’ve gotten me through the past nine months. These are staple items that can help you build a fun and successful maternity wardrobe. You don’t need a ton of maternity specific items but a few make life easier (and more comfortable) if you do invest in them.

1. Vim & Vigr Compression Socks: Totally helps with swelling and they look cute too! I would wear these almost every night before bed to help circulation after busy days on my feet chasing the girls around.

2. Maternity Tights: Especially now that fall is coming around, every pregnant lady should have a good pair of black maternity tights. Don’t try to fit into a non maternity pair- ugh! They will not be comfortable. I love that these sit up high over my belly. Thick and soft!

3. Honest Belly Balm: My skin gets so itchy when I am pregnant. Does yours? Love this belly balm from Honest.

4. Belly Bandit Post Pregnancy Wrap: Now this is something I actually haven’t tried but I did just buy it for after the baby is born. I never tried anything like this after Finley or Rowan’s birth but thought I would give it a go this time around. I’ve heard good things. We’ll see!

5. Belly Bandit Support Band: Now this! This is a life saver! Whenever I would be active (walk, hike, etc…) ooooh that round ligament pain would set in. This support band would allow me to continue exercising without much pain at all. Totally helps distribute the weight of your belly. I would wear it under my tank top so you wouldn’t even know I had it on. I’ve used this thing so many times!!

6 + 7. Speaking of working out! This active wear from Old Navy was hands down my favorite. There are some really expensive maternity active wear items out there but ultimately wasn’t something I decided worth the hefty price tag. These maternity pants and tank from ON were perfect though. Not bad on the wallet and perfect for what I needed. I wore the same size (medium) the entire pregnancy. So it’s worth the purchase.

8. SHAPE WEAR!! Ladies. Get yourself some pregnancy shape wear. You won’t regret it. I wore mine all summer long under tank dresses, skirts and tighter fitting maxi dresses. Just helps round out your already beautiful pregnancy curves. I’m telling you, you’ll love them!

9. Tank Dress! Get yourself some kind of neutral tank dress whether thats grey, black or striped. I promise you’ll wear it all summer, fall and winter. So comfortable and so easy to layer as seasons change. Make use of the non maternity clothes in your closet by throwing on a denim vest in the summer, an open flannel in the fall and a chunky and warm cardigan in the winter. Here are some other styles I love (HERE, HERE and HERE)

10. WORLD’S GREATEST LEGGINGS!! I’ve tried a few of the more expensive maternity leggings this time around and I have to say without a doubt that the Blanqi Maternity leggings are by far the BEST. Like seriously! THE BEST. Don’t even mess around trying out different brands. Spend the money- you won’t regret it! While you are at it… love their support tank as well!

11. So these are not maternity but I just love a good bralette. These ones from Aerie are by far my favorite. So comfortable and easy to wear. Looking for a little extra support while you sleep? These fit the bill perfectly!

12. JEANS! One of my top pieces of advice for pregnant ladies is to invest in good maternity jeans. You don’t need a ton. 1 or 2 pairs will do but seriously it will make all the difference. I am a big fan of the over the belly panel, extra skinny leg, with a lot of stretch kind of jean. These Joe Jean’s have been my go to’s. I wear them almost everyday. They are on sale right now and there is a sale on sale!! Buy one, get one 50% off. That is a pretty good deal on designer jeans if you ask me. Love this pair as well!

13. This Target white V-Neck has been my most favorite. So perfect to wear on it’s own or layered under something else. I like the fit and material of it. Its a rayon/spandex jersey knit so it’s thin and stretchy. Sometimes the cotton maternity tees seem so thick to me. I really like this one.

14. The perfect Maternity top. I would tell everyone to go get at least 1 or 2 nice maternity tops that aren’t just a cotton tee or tank. Something that makes you feel special and not frumpy or huge. I just got this lace one on sale and every time I wear it I get so many compliments.

15. The Maternity Midi skirt: I really didn’t find a whole lot I loved from asos maternity this time around. I really kind of hated the fabrics of everything but I did LOVE this skirt. It worked so perfect paired with all the cute crop tops that were out there this summer. The skirt goes up over the belly and then the crop tops would be the perfect match.

My Everyday Style | 31 Weeks

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Oh man! Took a bit of time off there. I just can’t seem to find the time to sit and write on this ol’ blog. I have blog post ideas and backed up photos from the beginning of the summer. One of these sleepless nights (dang pregnancy!) I just need to get them all typed out into drafts. So! How is everyone doing? I joined Snapchat! Am I crazy? I don’t know yet? I can barely figure it out BUT I am kind of loving it. I LOVE making daily little stories that I can save to my phone and have to watch over and over. What a fun way to remember the regular, everyday things we do. I also love watching friends in their day to day as well. Are you on Snapchat? Do you love it or hate it? Any tips you have for me. There is so much I do not understand. It makes me feel so old.

Come find me on Snapchat @ Jenloveskev (betcha couldn’t have guessed that)

We went home to Massachusetts last weekend to visit family, sneak away for a date and go to Kev’s sister’s baby shower. I wore this dress to the shower and felt pretty dang good. It’s not maternity but it worked out perfect. I just sized up a ton and made sure the front wasn’t too short after it had to cover my belly. Love me some T.J.Maxx. Hello 31 weeks! Just put my deposit on my birth pool. It’s getting real around here.

p.s. my hair is doing wild and crazy things this summer with the humidity but I am just going with it!

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OUTFIT DETAILS:

Dress: T.J.Maxx (similar here, here and here)
Shoes: Target (similar here and here)
Sunglasses: Toms

Maternity Style | Week 28

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We are at the tail end here of week 28. Hello 3rd trimester! Boy, oh boy! The summer is getting’ HOT and I am feeling like a stuffed sausage in most clothing. It’s funny when you get to this point and you think “there is no way I can get bigger than this” and then you realize you have like 12 weeks left and you better believe you are getting bigger sister. Ahh! Before this pregnancy I was in a very happy routine of pant wearing bliss. Jeans were my best friends. Pregnancy on the other hand is not and jeans, shorts or any pants for that matter that are not these leggings drive me crazy (although I did just found some pretty awesome jeans). I’ve been wearing a lot of dresses and well, this skirt. It just feels so much more comfortable to me. Plus hats make any frizzy, humid bad hair day better.

What was your number one pregnancy clothing item?

OUTFIT DETAILS:

Leah Maternity Top: c/o Isabella Oliver
Striped Skirt: Old Navy (similar)
Sandals: old (similar)
Hat: He>I

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Our Everyday Style | 06.23.15 #25weeks

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I won’t deny that I kind of LOVE dressing alike with the girls. Sometimes more deliberate than others but I love when we match. That’s why I was pumped when T.J.Maxx and Marshalls emailed me about celeb moms matching with their daughters (see here, here and here) and challenged me to create our own mother/daughter look. It was right up our alley! They aren’t going to want to match or take group photos forever, right? Gotta live it up now. Rowan and I actually went out on a little Mommy/daughter date night together to go shopping for something. We went with an overall theme more than exact matching outfits. I am totally on board with all blue that’s in the store right now. I love all the indigo dyed things out there. So pretty! I was able to find a ton of super cute Lucky Brand tops (at a major discount!) in the kids section for Rowan. They all had the cutest details- like the crochet shoulders on the top she is wearing in these pictures. And don’t even get me started on the new items from June & January! This playsuit Finley’s wearing is pretty much the cutest thing I’ve ever put on her. *Swoon.

Sorry for the abundance of photos in this post. I don’t assume any of you want to see 500 pictures of my kids, unless of course you’re my Mom (hi Mom!) and then these pictures are for you. I just couldn’t help it. It was like every picture was gold. I love capturing their silly, loving and sweet relationship. Sisters are kinda the best. Can’t believe they’re both going to be big sisters soon. I always wonder how becoming a middle child will change Finley’s current personality. Any insight from Mom’s with 3 or more out there? Would love to hear your thoughts. Also, would you just look at Finley’s sassy little face!

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OUTFIT DETAILS:

JEN:
Chambray crop top: Marshalls
Maternity skirt: asos
Sandals: Marshalls

ROWAN:
Lucky Brand top: T.J.Maxx
Polka dot jeans: Target
Salt Water Sandals: Nordstrom

FINLEY:
Striped playsuit: June & January
Salt Water sandals: Nordstrom

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My Everyday Style | 06.16.15 (celebrating 9 years of marriage!)

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Yesterday Kev and I celebrated our 9th wedding anniversary. We were lucky enough to have my Mom in town still and she watched the girls for us most of the day. We didn’t have super plans or anything but we got to spend the whole day just together doing whatever we felt like. We ate lunch, walked around Saratoga, ate cookies and milk, went to the bookstore, watched Kev’s hockey game and sat outside on a beautiful night eating late night burritos. It’s always so nice to just have regular ol’ time together without little ones taking up all your attention. It’s been such a wonderful adventure these past 9 years. I am so thankful for them and for him. I look forward to all that is to come as well. We don’t buy gifts for each other on our anniversary, usually just trying to take a trip together(my fingers are still crossed we can make this work this summer) but we do try to make something for each other. My gift was centered around a bible verse I claimed as our motto for year 9. I hope to share that in a post sometime soon. Anyway, here are some outfit pictures/anniversary tradition photos. Did you know that Stitch Fix has a maternity service now? Hallelujah!!! It has been my saving grace. My stylist has been sending my the cutest things… like this dress! It feels like I’m wearing my pajamas, how could you not love that!! It’s got the cutest scoop neck at the back too, makes the dress feel extra feminine.

If you are pregnant make sure you sign up for your first maternity fix soon!

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OUTFIT DETAILS:

Dress: Stitch Fix
Sandals: Forever 21
Glasses: David Kind

And as I post every year… here are our past anniversary photos (love this tradition)…

Year eight:

In Costa Rica. Why are we not there again this year? jk
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Year seven:

Ogunquit, Maine. One of our most favorite places. We made a little video of that trip.
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Year Six:

Florida. I think we get a little too tan when we spend 3 weeks in FL in the middle of June. Ha!
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Year Five:

Paris, France. We just locked a lock on the “love” bridge.
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Year Four:

Hello super pregnant Jen! Although I still had 3 months to go in this picture.
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Year Three:

Just chillin’ in our front yard.
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Year Two:

We just had the closing on our very first house!! We celebrated in the empty house with Chinese food and champagne on the floor.
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Year One:

Living in Hawaii and loving life. We look like little babies.
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Maternity Style | Week 19

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Here we go! Another round of maternity style. I was looking back on week 19 with Rowan and week 19 (well 18) with Finley. Kinda funny to have them documented and so easily available to look at and compare. Blogs are funny like that. Anyway, I’ll try to keep up best I can. No promises for a weekly outfit picture but fingers crossed.

I have a love/hate relationship with dressing the bump (ugh- I don’t enjoy saying that hahah). It’s actually more like a ok/hate relationship. If you think about my regular style there is lots of tucking, cropped top types, button ups, high waists, and rompers. All of which DO NOT translate well to maternity. It’s left me feeling sort of lost on how I want to dress and not much room to make things work from my current closet. Why are maternity closes either so ridiculously expensive or so super ugly and matronly? Why is there no middle ground. Someone quick! Start a line of madewell-esque maternity clothes for me. I can’t decide if I prefer form fitting or loose and flowy. Both have there pros and cons. I’ve seemed to collected a handful of these type of maternity style dresses though… Midi length, form fitting and neutral in color. Seems pretty easy peasy if you ask me. These next few months will be interesting to say the least. Let the journey begin…


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IMG_2108^^best $1.99 I ever spent. These microphones are the best. Also note Finley’s awesome hair.

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IMG_2130^^19 week baby bump making it’s debut.

OUTFIT DETAILS:
Tally Mark Dress: Target
Denim Jacket: J.Crew
Clogs: c/o Lotta from Stockholm

Maternity Style: Week 37 & 38!!!

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Hello full term! Yay! We made it. Well actually I am closer to 39 weeks now than 37. (We took these pictures the other weekend, whoops!) This baby is coming sometime soon and we can’t wait. Well, I would at least like to wait until I am finished Christmas shopping for everyone on my list. I’ve been on a mad dash lately to try to get all my Christmas shopping done. I’m the girl that usually waits until the very last minute, but with a baby on the horizon I’m trying to be better about it. That’s why when Lucky and Last Call by Neiman Marcus asked to join forces for a post I gladly accepted. Have you been to Last Call before? It is awesome!! So many awesome designer items for great prices. I love that they have a ton of Ben Sherman stuff for Kev. I’ve gotten a few presents for family there already this year (Hello cashmere cardigans!). If I didn’t feel like a giant whale right now I would totally get this Alice & Olivia dress for a special holiday party!

I was pretty excited about this outfit! I felt pretty put together for being 37 weeks pregnant. That’s quite a feat now a days for me. I’ve been wearing this sweater nonstop since I got it in the mail last week. At church the other day I got 3 compliments from friends after I had hugged them on how soft I was. Now that is a sign of a good cardigan!

Happy holiday shopping friends!
Head over to Lucky to win a shopping spree to Last Call by Neiman Marcus if you want.

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OUTFIT DETAILS:
Neiman Marcus Ribbed Cashmere Cardigan: c/o last call by Neiman Marcus
Button up: Destination Maternity
Mavi Twill Maternity Jeans: Destination Maternity
Diaper Bag/Purse: JJ Cole
Elie Tahari Bow Flats: c/o last call by Neiman Marcus

Hi, I'm Jen!

Welcome to my personal lifestyle blog. It features topics such as motherhood, family life, fashion, cooking, and all sorts of adventures. I hope you enjoy what you find!

Jen Loves Kev
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