babyurbeautiful

It has been 3 months since my son was born, and I am actually gaining weight rather than losing it! As Mum to a baby and a 2 year old, and with a constant breastfeeding appetite, I can't resist reaching for the Green and Blacks of an afternoon (and evening) to see me through!

My main gripe is that my belly seems to have gone outwards rather than inwards. Since I won't have time to exercise it off any time soon, I decided to invest in a few key bargain priced pieces for Spring, to cover my tummy.

Boohoo has some brilliant cheap clothes that won't break the bank (especially if you are on the pittance that is maternity pay), and they look good too. Here are my picks:

Tanya Daisy Print Woven Tea Dress
Product code: azz31632
£10.00
from www.boohoo.com






















Sasha Oversized V Neck Jumper
Product code: azz38162
£10.00
from www.boohoo.com





















Roxy V Neck Oversized Tee
Product code: azz34629
£10.00
from www.boohoo.com




















Luisa Laguna Batwing Cardigan 
Product code: azz33127
£22.00
from www.boohoo.com




















Happy hiding!

CB

Is it me or are men’s trousers getting even tighter?  So much so that I’m starting to become worried about their ability to father children. Will there be a whole generation missing because of a short-lived fashion trend?

It first came to mind while watching those space programmes on Channel 4. Dermot O’Leary was wearing a pair of trousers that really didn’t leave much to the imagination in the crotch area. I found myself wondering how aware he was about this and whether he felt the need to stuff a salami in his pants to fill them out for the benefit of viewers. After all no-one wants to embarrass themselves on TV by outing a small willy.

apparently they're called meggings for god's sake

Then this morning on the tube platform I was standing next to a young man, quite good looking though obviously a creative type, possibly a hipster, who was actually wearing jeggings. I admit I wasn’t sure at first so I was forced to examine his legs closely, but they definitely were not just tight trousers.

I’m all for men wearing the latest fashion but in my book leggings are a step too far. It’s just too girlie. Plus, if he removed his coat, who knows what would have been revealed about the length and volume of his junk.

This wasn’t the end of it though. The icing on the cake was his full beard and handlebar moustache, which he no doubt twiddles as he makes evil plans while sitting there scratching his sweaty balls through his jeggings.

RL x

This might be an unpopular opinion but on my daily commute there's nothing right now that makes me (admittedly unreasonably) angrier or more bemused than Cath Kidston 'handbags'.

Why women feel the need to carry around what can only be described as glorified plastic shopping bags is beyond me. None of them are pensioners so it can't be that. And none of them are also carrying babies so they can't be nappy bags either.

Hubbies- are you looking for a fun last-minute Valentines Gift for a wife or partner who is a Mum or Mum-to-Be? You may be interested in this unique item!

Angelina Jolie recently surprised hubby Brad Pitt with a heart-shaped island for his 50th birthday present for  a wopping US$12.2 million, see this pic:


As a (much) cheaper option for Brangelina lovers, the Easigrass team came up with their own version for Valentines Day 2014.


You can now buy your very own bright pink easi-island replica, called an easi-heart, created in award-winning easigrass, for just £49.99 including UK delivery.

So not only can you take your island anywhere, you can use your easi-heart as a bathmat (ie go for a walk on your island) or lie on it when sunbathing (as you would your own island). Ha, fab! It also means you can lay in the garden on a damp but sunny day without worrying about the mud!

Each easi-heart is made on a bespoke basis and measures 1m2.

Available from www.easigrass.com

N.B Easigrass can do you a nice lawn too if you have kids running around and want to avoid the mud and keep it good for playtime in all weather :)

CB

I wrote recently about the back-to-work wardrobe I was planning, inspired by watching Suits on TV.

So I'm 7 months pregnant and have so far avoided purchasing a Winter Maternity Coat, which I will only get 2 months use out of! However, with temperatures dropping and the forecast lengthy cold snap predicted, combined with the fact my coat buttons won't do up andIi just popped a seam at the back squeezing into it (oops!) I'm thinking I may have to invest in one.

I want something that is a reasonable price and can be worn afterwards too so it's not a waste of money.

Here are my faves:


New Look Maternity Cocoon Zip Detail Coat With Rib Collar And Cuffs 
£49.99
Available from www.asos.com

Looks great and could convert after the birth. Made mainly from Polyester though so maybe not as warm as wool.





H&M Mama Parka 
£29.99
Available from www.hm.com

Could work well over lots of knitwear and keep the rain off, though not giving much warmth itself but defo a bargain and could be worn afterwards.



Black Padded Maternity Coat Yasta
£48
Available from www.yummymummymaternity.co.uk

Looks very warm and it's waterproof, good for days out with the toddler a long time after the birth.
or paying that little bit extra:

Black Knitted Maternity Cape 
£79.00 
Available from www.seraphine.com

A stylish piece from my fave mat wear shop, in wool so hopefully warm, and you could wear knitwear underneath to keep warm. Also easily fits into post pregnancy wardrobe.


Decisions, decisions...

CB

One of my favourite TV shows right now is 'Suits' and since I'll be heading back to work in a few weeks, I'm taking inspiration from the ladies on the show for my back-to-work wardrobe.

While my company isn't quite as corporate as Pearson Hardman, I love the tailored, sexy and feminine look of the outfits the female characters wear on the show. I'll be looking out for a few key pieces along these lines to keep me from looking mumsy at work.

Here's my rundown of the Suits workwear style.

Jessica Pearson - Managing Partner
Jessica's wardrobe is uber tailored, super sexy power dressing. Slim fitting dresses and skirt suits are the order of the day with ruching in key places to leave something to the imagination. Gina Torres who plays the character has an amazing figure so some of these will be hard to pull off.

 





Rachel Zane, Paralegal
Rachel has a less high profile job in the firm and as such her style is smart and sexy but with a more relaxed vibe. She mostly goes with separates - pencil skirts and sweaters or fitted shirts.

 



Donna Paulsen, Executive Assistant to Harvey Specter
Donna's style is super-feminine - she wears mainly dresses that flatter her figure. Sadly The Google hasn't produced any decent images of Donna's outfits (possibly because she sits behind her desk a lot) so I have only one example to show here. I strongly suggest you watch the show if you want to see the full range!




















Since I don't have a TV budget to buy my clothes, this is the type of thing I'll be going for. I particularly love the V-neck fitted dress and the flower print dress from Debenhams - super sexy - and they'd look great with the ASOS jacket. Just add a pair of killer heels for added height and glam!

Damsel in a dress Debenhams.com

Wallis floral jersey dress Debenhams.com

PLANET ruffle front dress Debenhams

Definitions 2-in-1 dress Very.co.uk

Black roll-sleeve blazer - ASOS.com

Check blazer - ASOS.com

Black leather look pencil skirt DorothyPerkins

Blue tube pencil skirt DorothyPerkins.com

Printed sleeveless shirt Very.co.uk

Classic white shirt Next.co.uk

RL xx

Any mum-to-be who finds their new body incredible is lying! 

Before I gave birth to my daughter I spent a lot of time researching the best products for the baby and for the birth, and with ideas of retaining modesty during childbirth I purchased a couple of 'birthing shirts'. The advice is to find something to wear for the birth and afterwards which allows for skin-to-skin contact/breastfeeding afterwards, such as a button-down birth nightie.

I bought mine (two) from the Birthing Shirt Company (www.thebirthingshirtcompany.com) @ £39.99 each.



These shirts have lots of features appropriate to the birth/nursing such as: buttons down nearly to navel, made from bamboo which is not only an ethically sourced fabric but also has cooling properties, and a loose ruched fit with short sleeves. I found them very soft and comfortable to wear. However, I did feel a bit 'geeky' in them as they aren't at all sexy.

The main problem I had though was that I became so hot when giving birth that the shirt soon became soaked in sweat (yuk), and after many hours of labour I ditched it and went fully nude in front of my hubby, mother-in-law, and the midwife! I was ridiculously hot and couldn't stand it. (I'm sure this wasn't the design of the shirt, I believe this would have happened with any type). So it was lucky really that I bought two, because afterwards I was able to wear the clean one for nursing and recovery.

However, I ended up staying in the hospital for a week because my daughter had to stay in the special care unit due to complications (I understand the usual time is about 48 hours), which meant that I was very under-prepared and ended up wearing the same shirt for a few days until relatives brought me some other bits to wear. I wore track-suit bottoms on my legs too because I was actually cold in the air-conditioning. I lived in my dressing gown too, and wore a pair of disposable slippers I had from a spa hotel visit so I could chuck them afterwards.

Therefore, my recommendation to any new mums-to-be would be: go prepared with the appropriate birthwear but don't expect to stay in it, and pack some spare maternity/nursing pyjamas and a dressing gown for afterwards! Also, get a few items that are versatile for breastfeeding for use in the months after the birth, and that actually look nice!

Here are some of my faves for during and after the birth:

The Tayla Birthing Dress by Mummy Darling, £39.99

This is made of cotton and comes in three colours. It is a wrap-style that allows for breastfeeding and fetal monitoring, and has buttons up the back to allow for epidurals and TENS machines. It is also quite a nice style which could be worn during pregnancy and afterwards for nursing.

JoJoMamanBebe Navy Kimono Labour Wrap, £35.00

Made mainly from Cotton (95%) and a bit of elastane for shape, this wrap dress is a sexier option, yet still designed for comfort, as well as being easy to take off quickly if necessary! Again this could easily be worn before and after the birth.

Amoralia Super Soft Pyjama Bottoms from Isabella Oliver, £39.00


Perfect for pregnancy and for after the birth while your tummy is still big and sore! Stylish yet comfy. You could wear these to the hospital cafe and not be embarrassed!

Amoralia Soft Button Down Nursing Vest from Isabella Oliver, £25

This could be worn during the birth if you were really suffering from the heat, but also definitely great for afterwards to match with your jim-jams!

Amoralia Super-Soft Waterfall Cardigan from Isabella Oliver, £49

Be the most stylish new mum on the ward, by pairing the above vest and bottoms with this gorgeous super-soft cardigan which can replace your frumpy dressing gown. Great for pregnancy and nursing too.

Good luck to all you mums to be. I shall certainly be looking a little nicer this time around! (My second baby is due on 18th January 2014!)

CB

Another quickie!

Just discovered that John Lewis stock my fave maternity wear brand Seraphine maternity! Beautiful and practical maternity wear at a reasonable price, which mostly doubles from maternity to nursing. Great maternity work wear selection.

Check it out here.

Again the same reasons to buy from John Lewis including top customer service, easy returns, free delivery over £50, and the Never Knowingly Undersold price match promise!

Here are a couple of faves:

Seraphine Skinny Grey Jeans £52

I wear these everywhere!

Seraphine Nessa Jumper £39.20






Perfect for maternity then for nursing after you give birth.

Seraphine Gemma Button Down Nightie £35.00




Practical for both nursing and pregnancy but also still quite cute and sexy!


Visit www.johnlewis.com for more details

Have a good day!

CB