Maternity Style | Midi dress and ankle boots
One of the unexpected – but very welcome – aspects of pregnancy for me has been the fact that it’s forced me to venture ever-so-slightly out of my comfort zone, fashion-wise. (And everything-else-wise, actually: let’s just say this has been one hell of a surreal year…)
Take this outfit, for instance. Now, I realise it doesn’t look particularly adventurous to most of you, but the fact is, the whole, “midi skirt/dress + ankle boots + slouchy sweater” look is one I’ve always loved on other people, but have never tried myself. Or rather, I HAVE tried it, but only in the comfort of my own home, because every time I put an outfit like this together before I was pregnant, I’d find numerous objections which would stop me wearing it. Ankle boots make my legs look stumpy. Slouchy sweaters make me look 6 months pregnant. My hair is really frizzy right now. (Er, that’s not an objection to the outfit, really, just a side-effect of the second-day hair I’m rocking in these photos – whoops!)
Now that I actually AM six months pregnant, though, that’s one objection out of the window – and as for the rest, well, I’m basically in a position right now where if it fits, I’m going to wear it, and stumpy legs be dammed. And, I mean, most people who see me just comment on the size of my belly anyway, so I guess if I’m going to try something different, now’s a good time to get away with it, huh? Which brings me back to this look…
This dress is from H&M, and I actually have it in three different colours now: this one, black, and pink. I’m probably going to keep on buying these in every colour H&M release them in, too, because, although they’re not maternity, they’re yet another one of those styles that are just so damn comfy and stretchy that you could happily wear them to bed. And, honestly? I sometimes do – the black version is actually my current favourite “nightie”, and I’m not even embarrassed to admit it, because it doesn’t ride up around my waist the way most nightdresses do, and it’s way more comfortable than PJs, too. I’m probably going to regret admitting that on the internet, aren’t I? Well, here’s an even more shocking confession, to help put it out of your mind:
I’m wearing tights in these photos.
NUDE tights.
50 DENIER NUDE TIGHTS.
50 DENIER NUDE MATERNITY TIGHTS: ones that looks so much like surgical stockings when I took them out of the package, that I immediately cringed in horror, then threw them directly into the bin. (I should probably point out here that I’m not normally that wasteful: it was just that they only cost me £3, so it didn’t seem worth the trip to the post office to return them, and I couldn’t think of anyone else who’d wear them, because who WOULD wear 50 denier nude opaques, seriously?) A few hours later, though, I sheepishly went and fished them back out again, figuring I might as well give them a chance, and honestly, I’m glad I did, because while they DO look like surgical stockings when you’re not wearing them, once they’re on, they just look like… well, LEGS, really. Also, they’re thick enough to keep my legs warm, without having to resort to black opaques (Which really wouldn’t have worked with this outfit), so I’m happy. Or as happy as someone in thick, nude tights can be, anyway.
I’ll leave it up to you to decide how happy that can possibly be…
WEARING:
La Redoute sweater (old)
ALDO boots (last winter)
Phillip Lim 3.1 Pashli mini satchel* (sold out in tan, but more colours here)
Related: How to Walk in High Heels
Chiarina
Oooh, I love this look, you look fabulous… I recently discovered stretchy midi dresses myself, they are so comfy I wear them around the house even when I don’t plan to go out at all, so I totally relate to sleeping in them. As for nude tights, its not fashionable to say so, but I wear them all the time because I love the way they disappear when on.
Ghalia
You look incredible!
Ginger
You’re wearing TIGHTS?!? *dies*
(Not really.) I’m rather a fan of nude tights, exactly for the reason you put: they just look like legs, but warmer, without doing black. (Which I like in its place, but not with every outfit.)
And by an odd coincidence, I’m also wearing ankle boots today! I find that a very neat, close fit around the ankle is the most flattering look. Wider shafts give a “flower pot” effect that’s a lot more stumpifying than narrow ankle boots like these.
Erika
I wore a pair of nude tights once in public and I’m still not sure how I felt about that. Mine were just as cheap, but I don’t think they looked as good as yours. On another note, stretchy dresses really are awesome! I need a few more myself.
Myra
your legs look long as you take big strides – not stumpy at all. Love this look.
Brenda
I have to say that you are fortunate. Fortunate that the only part of you that is swollen is your tummy — and that is awesome! When I was pregnant, every part of me swelled up. Even my face. One day I was going through a drive through (for dry cleaning! Not Dairy Queen!) and the girl who served me asked me if I was pregnant. When I said yes, I am, she said, “I thought so! You can see it in your face!” And she didn’t mean the nice glowy freshly pregnant look that you are sporting! Nope she meant that my face looked like a moon. Anyway, the swelling went away and everything went back to normal. I love this outfit and the colours are really great and autumnal on you! You can’t even tell you are pregnant in that last photo of you!
Myra
Brenda, there is a “knowing” that a woman is pregnant very early in the pregnancy that I can’t explain. I once had it said to me accurately when we hadn’t told anyone, and I once “knew” it of another woman. There was no visible sign of the pregnancy, I just “knew” she was pregnant. There may be a subconscious indicator, that may be visual, or perhaps olfactory. It surprised me both times.
Brenda
Actually, you are right Myra! There was a woman who worked in my husband’s office who could actually smell pregnancy in people! It was very strange. After I found out about her “gift”, I looked at her with a sense of mysticism and a little bit of fear! What else could she smell, I wondered???
D
Happy to see you happy!
Natt
I’m a definite fan of nude opaque. They cover every blemish, provide a very finished look, and are far more durable than sheers. I buy mine from the dance supply store, so they have the added bonus of being a single color throughout (designed to be worn with a leotard). You won’t get that unsightly panty-line halfway down your thigh if you opt for a mini or short shorts.