K/R NAS haul: Vince lemming dress & more

Here we go! My turn in the lemming dress! Let me know what you think and whether I should keep it or not. Also K/R on the rest of my NAS haul as well. I actually ordered quite a bit online (two different sizes of everything, multiple colors etc.) and almost all of it went back. Very frustrating. I brought one huge box back and I could tell the SA was internally groaning (and she kept saying, "Wow you bought a lot of stuff!" to me) and I still have two or three more boxes to return. So these are the very few things that didn't make me look pregnant with my huge apple belly. Although even these you can still see the belly in the pics, but it may be the lighting as well. Trust me, these were the best of the lot. Thanks so much for looking and any comments/advice/styling tips!

Here are the items I am (potentially) left with:
1-16. Vince lemming dress. Size 8 (6 was way too tight around my belly). I actually liked this a lot especially the color and comfort. DH is definitely not a fan though. When I tried it on this morning and I asked "Do you like it?" he said. "No. Why are you wearing such a huge shirt and where are your pants?" He was kind of joking, but kind of not. (The last time this happened to me was in the '80's when I wore a baggy sweater dress to school in 7th grade and got teased for having no pants on...I was mortified). I think he doesn't understand the concept of a shirt dress and he thinks I look like a sack of potatoes in this. He said, "You need a belt or something because it's hanging straight down and just looking baggy." I don't know...I think belting it would just ruin the line of the dress and reveal the tummy I'm trying to hide. I'm inclined to keep it despite the negative reaction from DH. I capitulated on the faux fur jacket a few years ago and returned it because it was more of a date night only item, but I'm willing to go to the mat for this one if you think it looks good on me...kind of like the H&M floral pants. I still love them and wear them whenever I don't mind DH's ribbing me about the clown pants. I think this dress is versatile and would work for both work and MOTG. I'm showing it three ways...bare legged with bronze sandals for work (4-7 is styled with jewelry and handbag), with jeans and sneaker booties for MOTG (10-12), and with faux leather paneled leggings and peep toe booties for the date night that is not going to happen with this dress (14-16). LOL. All comments on this sack of potatoes dress welcome!

8-9. Munro Abby sandals in bronze. I have this in black suede and wear those all the time. They are super comfy. What do you think of the color of these with my skin? Should I duplicate the black with a metallic?

13. Timberland black booties. I ordered both the wheat and the black to try, but I think the black suits my coloring better (bookending my hair) and my clothing color palette, and I like the bronze coloring on the toes. They feel very comfy and I don't feel the wedge is too high, although I can tell my feet pronate more in these than in regular sneakers because the arch support is very soft. I don't really know what to wear these with other than the boyfriend jeans I have on...they look funny with full length jeans tucked in. I think these could be great casual shoes though.

17. Karen Kane asymmetrical wrap hem shirt. My white Pleione shirt is getting a little worn and pilled on the arms, so I thought I'd try to find a replacement simple white shirt. 

18. Vince striped shirt. DD says I always dress too fancy (because I wear the same clothes for work and MOTG) so I'm looking for more truly casual tops to develop my casual MOTG wardrobe.

19-20. Vince textured zip sweater (the same one Angie bought). Not sure if this is too tomboyish for my style? I found myself wanting to stand with my legs apart in this one, unlike my usual pose with legs together...is that a sign?

21-22. Vince colorblock shirt. Another casual shirt that doesn't cling too much to my belly.

I already posted these in other threads, but here are the rest of the items I bought at NAS, for the sake of completeness:
23. Vince chevron tank and Zella Inspire capris
http://goldenpig.lookfab.com/p.....-food-baby
24. Caslon polka dot shirt
http://goldenpig.lookfab.com/p.....-food-baby
25. Theory Jodi sweater that Angie has (I think I'm going to exchange for the larger size medium) and Bailey 44 tulle skirt (totally frivolous but I think I will keep, much to my kids' delight).
http://goldenpig.lookfab.com/p.....kirt-x2-kr

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WIWx3: NAS and hiding the food baby

Sorry I haven't been posting many WIWs lately. Not only has it been very busy lately (also DH and I went to Australia for 11 days sans kids for a diving trip! and we were on a boat with no internet/cell service), but I also have been pretty annoyed at my body lately. Over the past year, and especially since weaning DS2 in the spring, my metabolism has slowed way down and I have gained about 15 lb. And it's all in one place--my apple belly which was already large, has now become huge. I look like I'm 20 weeks pregnant. It's worse because the rest of my body is slim except for my belly. It's super embarrassing and I'm angry that I let it get so bad. I've been either pregnant or nursing for the past 8 years, and didn't realize how many calories that burned! Now my waist and hips are exactly the same measurements! I signed up for PN in January, but totally slacked off for the past 8 months. Now I'm trying to get back into it and exercising, but it seems overwhelming to try to find the time to exercise and eat right on top of my work and busy schedule with the three kids. Ugh. A lot of my wardrobe doesn't fit anymore, including most of my jeans. And NAS just compounded that frustration because I ended up having to order stuff mostly online. So far I've had to return everything but a couple of items because nothing looked right on me...anything with a hint of cling, or conversely anything that was loose and flared, made me look like I was pregnant and wearing maternity clothes. All the pants gave me muffin top. I ordered two sizes in everything yet they still didn't fit right. I'm still waiting for a few pieces to arrive, but feeling very discouraged overall. I do know some apple tricks given that I've been an apple for a long time and used a lot of my wardrobe while I was pregnant, but this time it feels different because there's no baby to look forward to and it's permanent. Here are a few outfits that hid the belly and I still felt OK in--the trick is I need slightly loose tops that hang straight down over the abdomen instead of flaring. And pants and skirts with elastic waists. Sheesh. I'm including some "food baby" poses so you can see I'm not joking...the right cut does make a difference!

1-7. NAS Vince chevron top, NAS Zella black Inspire capris. Topshop peeptoe booties. Spiegel jacket (I really like how this echoes the angles of the shirt), Michael Kors black satchel, Banana Republic outlet necklace. 

8-12. NAS Caslon long sleeve buttoned down shirt, Halogen pencil skirt in mustard, Dooney & Bourke mustard purse, Stella and Dot necklace, WHBM circle bracelet, Ugg blue Izabel Mar.

13-15. Pleione blouse, VC striped midi, Ugg black Izabel Mar, Brahmin striped satchel. Bonus kid photo bombs.

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NAS White swan/black swan: impractical tulle skirt x2 (K/R?)

Speaking of impractical items...I haven't actually worn this outfit out yet, and am trying to decide whether to keep it. Tags are still on so let me know if I can pull this off, or whether it's getting into Bjork swan dress territory (8)...can I really wear a tulle skirt, or do I look ridiculous? The kids are begging me to keep it because they want to play with it. Sweater is also from NAS and also a K/R. I recently watched Black Swan on an airplane ride (love Natalie Portman) and was inspired to change up the jewelry and handbag and footwear to transform from pretty white swan to edgy black swan (7) and to put my hair up in a messy ballerina bun. The statement necklaces are both from Stella and Dot...the white one has tulle and leather "feathers" and the black one is harder edged. The gold bracelet is more delicate and the silver bracelets are spikier. Excuse the shadows...the overhead lighting really accentuates the lumps and bumps and I've gotten a lot lumpier and bumpier lately. And this pale grey and white and blush look is kind of a departure for me...does this palette work with my coloring? Thanks for your comments!

Theory Jodi grey sweater (NAS)
Bailey 44 ivory tulle skirt (NAS)
Ugg Izabel Mar nude lace up pointy ballet flats (I thought it would be a fitting match for the ballerina skirt)
Kate Spade perforated floral purse
Stella and Dot "Birdie" necklace
Stella and Dot "Gracie" bracelet

Skechers grey studded wedge sneakers
Michael Kors silver studded satchel
Stella and Dot Palladian necklace
Stella and Dot rebel bracelet
F21 bracelet
Karl Lagerfeld watch

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