Runway Maternity Fashion: Moody Mamas

It’s hard to believe that one week ago, I was pregnant and now I’m not.  I’m not complaining…at all.  It’s just the strangest feeling to be pregnant for almost an entire year and then one day you’re just not.  I am overjoyed at having our baby girl with us.  I’m not one who does pregnancy well.  I don’t glow and generally just feel awkward.  Because I think that there might be a women or two out there who feels the same way I do, I appreciate and support companies that strive to help the pregnant woman look and feel beautiful.

Moody Mamas is a line of maternity and nursing clothing popular among celebrities (Jessica Alba and Tori Spelling).  And I’m not surprised that this is the case since they’re clothes are hip and trendy.  When I got pregnant with my son, I only knew of one store that sold maternity clothing (and you are probably all familiar with it).  I wish I had known that other options like Moody Mamas existed.  Most pregnant women experiencing normal, healthy pregnancies continue to work and engage in their normal activities.  It becomes increasingly challenging (especially in that third trimester) to find comfortable, fashionable clothing to wear to work and outings.  Whether you need something casual for the weekends or something more formal for work or going out, you’re certain to find that Moody Mamas offers much in the way of style.

Now, if you’re like me, you perhaps can’t justify spending a lot of money on an entire maternity wardrobe that will only be worn for less than one year.  Many woman spend up to $1000 on a maternity wardrobe they will likely never wear again (unless they have more children).  Fortunately, Moody Mamas recently announced that they would be selling their clothing online at Target.  When I visited their online site, I found that the most expensive piece retails for $59.99 (compared to pieces starting at well over $50 on their main site).

Moody Mamas was surprisingly started by two women who’ve never had children.  Their goal was to design a “bold, daring collection” inspired by the runways.   Some of the styles are hip while others more sophisticated.  Much of what I’ve seen I’d wear long after the pregnancy (particularly since I don’t see myself fitting into my pre-pregnancy clothes in the foreseeable future).   Target offers comfortable lounge-wear, nursing essentials, everyday casual-wear, and dresses for going out.

I received a gorgeous pair of black pajamas.  They’re super soft and cozy and I wore them until I delivered. Fortunately (or maybe unfortunately) they still fit since I am still rocking a bump!  I can actually wear the pajamas for lounging around at home because they don’t really look like your typical pajamas.

If you’re looking for affordable maternity and nursing wear that you’ll enjoy wearing during and after your pregnancy, check out Moody Mamas.  You can also visit their main site and click on “Steals & Deals” for savings up to 60%.  They’re also having a sample sale if you’re in the Los Angeles area.

Disclosure: I did not receive compensation for this review. I received a product, courtesy of the company in order to facilitate my review.

Fall Fashions From Bella Blu Maternity

I’ve finally entered the third trimester and I’m so happy to be counting down the weeks until our little girl is born.  The weather is finally cooling down (for how long, I have no idea!) and it’s time to break out the fall and winter clothing.  I actually love winter clothing…jeans and nice cords are my favorite…long sweaters and boots to accessorize!  So now that I’m pregnant, I’m struggling to find clothing that works.  If I’m going to spend money on maternity clothes (which we all know are only worn for a short amount of time), I want them to be comfy, stylish, and durable (meaning, I don’t want them falling apart in the wash).  Bonus points if I can wear the clothes in that awkward, postpartum, in-between sizes stage (which lasted way too long with my son).

I recently had an opportunity to preview Bella Blu Maternity’s new fall and winter fashion line of maternity clothing.  Check me out in the Abbie Maternity Top:

I love the fact that the top is stylish, comfy, and doesn’t actually look like a maternity top.  It’s got cute ties at the neck, 3/4 sleeves and hugs my baby bump perfectly!  I’ve washed it a few times and it still looks and fits perfectly (it hasn’t shrunk or faded!).  I can guarantee you that I’ll be wearing this once our little girl is born because my body tends to hang onto the baby weight once the baby is actually born!

Here is a bit more information about Bella Blu Maternity from the site:

BellaBlu is an online maternity clothing store that knows just because your body has changed doesn’t mean your style has. You want hip maternity clothing that is trendy, cute maternity clothing that is fun and playful, and stylish maternity clothing that showcases your unique sense of style. We think you’ll agree, as you shop for maternity clothes online, that our apparel is some of the most fashion-forward maternity clothing available that every mother to be will love.

I love the convenience of shopping online.  In fact, because this baby is due so close to the holidays, I’ll be doing most if not all of my shopping online.  The site is easy to navigate and you’ll find clothing from top maternity lines including Japanese Weekend, Due and Sprout, and Ingrid and Isabel. Be sure to check out their clearance section as well.  Plus, when you shop on their site, you’ll save since their prices are lower than retail.  For an additional 15% savings at Bella Blu Maternity, just input the code “bellarockin”(without the quotes).  Shipping is a flat rate of $3.95 (ground, continental US).

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Ingrid & Isabel’s Maternity Wardrobe Essentials

Some women “do” pregnancy beautifully.  You see that sparkle in their eyes, that glow to their countenance…  Please don’t get me wrong… I am so blessed and honored to be pregnant again with a little girl.  And I am sensitive to the fact that many women struggle getting or staying pregnant.  But it’s hard, especially at 7 months, to feel beautiful.  Most days I want to lounge around in a comfy pair of pants and a shirt.  Couple that with the pregnancy-induced back pain and sciatica and you’ve got a mildly uncomfortable mama here.

I didn’t wear a supportive band around my pregnant belly with my son.  And what a mistake that was.  I have been told over and over again by various veteran mamas that a supportive garment can make a huge difference in the discomfort and back pain, particularly towards the end of the pregnancy.  Right before BlogHer, I received two BellaBands from Ingrid & Isabel (one in organic cotton).  The gal was so kind to send me two sizes and I have used those almost every day since I received them.  I have to go back and tell you that after my son was born, I wore a “girdle” (that sounds so OLD for me) to help hold my tummy in.  I became so accustomed to the gentle support it gave me that it felt odd not to wear anything once I found out I was pregnant.

The BellaBand is “a stretchy, seamless band of fabric that allows pregnant women and new moms to comfortably wear too-tight pre-pregnancy and too-loose maternity clothes.”   I also find that it provides light support and a bit of lift to my ever-growing pregnant belly.  A few months back, I could still “almost” fit into my jeans (except for the whole buttoning them concept).  I liked covering up with the band so I didn’t have to buy even bigger pants!  Nowadays I use it to cover up where my maternity shirts leave off.

The BellaBand is available in nylon/spandex or organic cotton/spandex.  I actually prefer the Organic version because it breathes a little better than the original.  I love the way it fits and feels and how versatile it is.  You can wear it in the beginning when you’re not ready for maternity clothes, in the middle when your maternity jeans are a bit loose (wish I had that problem), towards the end to keep your maternity pants up, and post partum when you’re trying to fit into your pre-pregnancy jeans.   The BellaBand is available in a variety of colors, including a new Fall Collection featuring three new colors (berry, storm, harvets) and a cute Lace Collection.  It’s almost like wearing another shirt, without actually wearing another shirt!

Ingrid & Isabel also offer Essentials Collection which includes Tanks, Camis, Belly Leggings, and Everywear Pants.  What’s great about these four pieces is that they can be worn with practically anything.  You can wear a cute dress or long shirt with the Belly Leggings, pair the Everyday Cami or Ruched Tank with a pair of jeans, or layer it under another top.  I received a pair of super comfy Belly Leggings and a matching Everyday Cami in black.  They’re both super comfy for lounging around!  The Cami is nice and long to cover my belly (thankfully) and the Belly Leggings are coming in handy for long shirts and dresses now that it’s cooling off.  I particularly like the fact that all 3 of these items can be worn after our little girl is born.  I appreciate companies that make versatile maternity and post partum clothing since this time in a mama’s life, while important, is relatively short over a lifetime.

For more information and store locations, please visit the site.