WIW 8/26: Before and after--Olive green magic bump eraser

OK the first pic is awful (although DS is cute), but I'm posting it anyways because I learned a lot from it. In the morning I took the kids to the children's museum. It was a little chilly so I wore a sweater--an super old Gap olive green turtleneck sweater, because I decided I was in "embrace the bump" mode now. I wore it with an old pair of Japanese Weekend maternity jeans, and my Kate Spade Tretorn sneakers. Very comfy. But after looking at the pics, I realized I don't look good in this outfit. It makes me look and feel fat and schlumpy. The color is wrong for me too. So the sweater is going to go into the donate pile. It's really old so I don't feel bad about purging it...I mean, I just got rid of the mint green daisy skirt that was one of my absolute faves from the 90's, so I guess my tastes CAN evolve! This pic really reminds me of my pre-YLF days--perfectly acceptable then, but I'm not satisfied with it now.

I tried again that afternoon, and decided to go with something in the same color but that felt more "me". I was taking them to a kid's birthday party so I wanted to dress up a little and also hide the bump a little better. Take 2 was my olive green H&M safari shirtdress that I bought last fall. I paired it with a Linea Pelle braided leather belt and cognac Frye Melissa lace-up boots and leopard necklace and the Fossil velvet floral satchel I was carrying that morning. I could *almost* pretend I wasn't pregnant...the bump nearly disappeared under the belted shirtdress. And the dress was the same drab color as the sweater, but I felt much more fab in it!

Lesson 1--too clingy is not good. Lesson 2--Flattering cut can compensate for less than flattering color. Lesson 3--stick with what you love--dresses! Lesson 4--all hail the power of the waist defining belt, even if you have no waist!

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15 Comments

  • Kirti replied 11 years ago

    Natalie, congratulations! I missed commenting on your other post but I am so so happy for you :-)

    I think the shirtdress looks fabulous.

  • ramya replied 11 years ago

    DS is sooooooooooooo cute!!!!!!

    And that shirt dress is fab :) just Fab:)

  • Deborah replied 11 years ago

    Natalie that second outfit is fab. Good lesson here for all of us in terms of proportions and and the focus of an outfit:)

  • harmonica replied 11 years ago

    This is so much fun! I love how you analyze and learn and take command of your outfits (instead of the oposite) And we must have been pregnant "fat and schlumpy" twins... hihi.. #1 could be me! I would have been perfectly ok with it, comfy, but no extra sass or spark. #2 is your usual fab! :-) DS is super cute with the most adorable soft cheeks ;-)

  • lyn67 replied 11 years ago

    Super dress, congrats again:-)

  • replied 11 years ago

    Wow! I can't believe the difference! Are you sure pics 2-3 aren't old ones from pre-pregnancy? That's how much difference I see. Structure is the most wonderful friend.

  • Sylvie replied 11 years ago

    Beautiful lesson and thanks for sharing with us.

  • JR replied 11 years ago

    Such a great object lesson!

  • Transcona Shannon replied 11 years ago

    You look fab in that shirtdress - interesting lesson!

  • Scarlet replied 11 years ago

    Amazing! I love that dress outfit!

  • annagybe replied 11 years ago

    The dress does look really good.

  • Jem replied 11 years ago

    Amazing! You look fab!

  • Keix replied 11 years ago

    Yes, all hail the waist-defining belt! (And I say this as a rectangle-apple with no waist, either.) I love the magic disappearing powers of the shirtdress, too!

  • Lisa replied 11 years ago

    Wow your bump really does disappear in that dress. Great insight here.

  • DonnaF replied 11 years ago

    Finally catching up on old threads. Congratulations!!! And, wow! I am so amazed by the appearing and disappearing baby bump. Thanks for posting these educational pics.

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