I’ve been getting a lot of questions about baby shower dress inspiration and thought it would make for a fun blog post. Early on in my pregnancy I decided I wasn’t having a shower this time around. I was pregnant with Crosby exactly two years ago and was blessed with two beautiful showers for her. We have a lot we can reuse on baby boy and I’m often sent new products to try out. There’s really no need for another shower.

I will admit, as I got further along in this pregnancy I realized the shower is for more than just the stuff. When you don’t have one it makes your pregnancy almost feel anti-climatic and a little sad that there’s no celebration. But that’s probably the pregnancy hormones talking.

Let’s talk baby shower dresses! 

First of all, don’t feel like you have to wear a maternity dress for your shower. For my first baby shower I actually ended up finding my dress at Forever 21 (see the blog post here). There are so many cute options that are non-maternity and still work with a growing bump.

I love this dress (also comes in black) for a shower. It looks super comfy and would be so flattering with a baby bump.

Another favorite from Free People is this dress (comes in ivory too). The square neckline is a fun touch, but the dress itself is so flattering. I love a tighter dress with a slit with a baby bump. I’m thinking about ordering it for maternity photos in a few weeks.

I think wrap dresses can be really flattering for pregnancy. This one is really pretty and would work great with a bump.

I took a deep dive down the Forever 21 site to find the best bump-friendly dresses. First we have this one that I actually wore in our family photos last fall. I went with a small and there was still plenty of room for a bump and think it will actually fit better now. I also love this one with the crochet top. This flounce maxi, this baby blue one, this sweet one with the floral print and this leopard print slip dress. My tip for purchasing from F21 or really any non-maternity dresses is to go up at least one size. When in doubt order 2 different sizes just in case.

As far as maternity dresses go, my favorite place to shop for them is Asos. I got my blush baby shower dress there two years ago (see post here). Lots of the maternity dresses are just maternity versions of regular dresses on their site and the others are usually cute too. This one is so pretty. Another one I love is this one. It’s actually really similar to the dress I wore.

Pink Blush is another maternity go-to of mine. Their dresses are cute and flattering for pregnancy. Love this one (it comes in green and blue too) and think it would be perfect for a shower. This off-the-shoulder dress is another option I love.

dress

dress

Hope you had a great weekend – thank you for reading and following!

What day is it? Is anyone else in a post-Christmas fog? The days between Christmas and New Years always seem to blend into a weird haze and I never really know what to do with myself. This year I’m being lazy and productive… the best of both worlds. Jeff’s been cleaning out the garage and once he finishes that we’ll be tackling the guest room. But let’s move on to what I’m wearing.

sunglasses, dress c/o (also here), similar shoes 

I wore this gorgeous Cleobella maxi dress to an event at their store a couple weeks ago. Jeff and Crosby tagged along and we were able to shoot it at their pretty space. The dress is not maternity, but I went up a size and it fit perfectly with my bump. I was 22 weeks pregnant here (I’m 24 now) and seem to be getting bigger by the day. The holiday indulging I’m sure doesn’t hurt that… ha.

There are some really great post-holiday sales happening now and I wanted to share my favorite items that I own all on sale. This dress is 45% off making it just over $50. Perfect for NYE. I have this top in a few different colors and it continues to be a fav in my closet. Currently on sale for $34. This fun striped sleeve sweater is on major sale with code GOBIG. This square neck sweater is marked down to $30, it’s such a great basic. I love this coat, it’s so pretty and a fun statement and currently 50% off.  My favorite metallic silver moto jacket is 55% off, making it just over $150. Another fun piece for NYE. This pretty duster is currently under $40. And lastly, these booties are currently under $70.

sunglasses, dress c/o (also here), similar shoes 

Thank you so much for reading – hope you’re having a relaxing week!

The holidays are right around the corner (hello November 1st tomorrow), which means it’s time to start thinking about and planning family photos. The past couple of years I waited until the last minute and we just took our photos for our holiday cards at home… which was fine. But this year I got it together early and am excited to send our cards out.

I wanted to share how I plan out our outfits for photos. Jeff completely trusts me and will usually wear what I pick out for him. Although, truth be told, his outfit is usually the most basic of the bunch. But I’ll get to that.

Step one: choose a color scheme.

Since we were shooting at the beach at magic hour I wanted to keep our outfits on the neutral side. I usually start by choosing mine or Crosby’s outfit and build from there. For this one I chose my Cleobella dress first. Then I picked this simple blush romper for Crosby, pulling from the blush in the flowers on my dress. Last I chose Jeff’s beige sweater and jeans. A super simple outfit I knew he’d wear and flows well with ours.

A tip, it always helps to pull everything out and take a quick pic to make sure all the colors, etc look good together.

A funny story about these shots… we started the shoot in the park above the beach and slowly made our way down. Once we got down to the sand Crosby was so excited all she wanted to do was run around. Our photographer took advantage of the happy toddler moment and was taking pictures of her running at the waters edge. All was good until a big wave came and knocked her down. She got soooo soaked. Luckily I brought a change of clothes but forgot a hair brush and her hair was wet. The rest of the shoot (this outfit) was mostly from far away so you couldn’t see how miserable she was.

Look #2:

For this look I knew I wanted Crosby to wear this Burberry dress. Her grandma got it before she was born and I’ve been waiting for her to fit into it. Next I picked my dress… I liked how the red ombre complimented Crosby’s dress. And again, last was Jeff’s look, neutral and tied the whole thing together.

Outfit details:

look #1:

My dress is Cleobella but old. Similar here and here

Crosby’s romper

Jeff’s sweater is old J. Crew – similar here, jeans

look #2:

My dress

Crosby’s dress

Jeff’s shirt and pants

Happy Halloween – thanks for reading and following!

I’ve always been a sucker for a white top. They’re so versatile and can be worn year round. This one is the Lola top from Cleobella and it feels extra special because it has little bits of metallic woven into it. I can easily see it worn around the holidays with darker denim and boots… and then again in the summer months with shorts and sandals.

sunglasses, similar hat, top c/o, jeans, similar tote, shoes

I went in between with my look here since that’s kind of where we are season-wise… although it did rain drizzle yesterday.

I paired it with my favorite jeans from last year, these fun new metallic sneakers and of course my trusty hat… aka dirty hair fixer. I bought my hat in New York a couple years ago and it continues to be the most worn straw hat I have. They never brought it back, but if they ever do I’ll probably buy two more… that’s how much I love it.

I wore this over the weekend while out and about with Jeff and Crosby and was so glad I was wearing these shoes because I ended up chasing my toddler through an outdoor mall. #momlife

As usual I’m looking forward to the weekend and actually next week! We’re going out of town and will get to be in chillier weather. And by chilly I mean the high is in the 50’s and low’s in the 30’s/20’s… that’s pretty cold for us! I’ve been going through Crosby’s closet to make sure she’s set for the cold and picked her up these boots since she outgrew her pair from last year.

I’ve started a mental list of what to pack for myself and it definitely includes this faux fur jacket in the prettiest blush, this cozy cardigan, this fun long sleeve striped top for layering and this bold moto jacket.

sunglasses, similar hat, top c/o, jeans, similar tote, shoes

Hope you’re having a great week – thanks for reading and following!

dress c/o, old shoes (similar), necklace c/o (similar)

I’m thinking this maxi dress would be perfect for a fall wedding. Don’t you? The colors, print and cut-outs really make it stand out and I’m excited to wear it more this season. I don’t have any weddings on the calendar, but it’s definitely in the running for Jeff’s High School reunion in a few weeks.

If you need a little refresher on wedding attire etiquette… check out this post from last year.

I feel like choosing the right dress for a fall wedding relies heavily on the color. Years ago I wore a lighter colored dress to a September wedding and immediately regretted it. It felt way too spring/summer. Now, I really try to pick a color that goes with the season the wedding is in. In the fall and winter you can definitely get away with deeper jewel tones that might not work as well during the warmer months.

I wore this dress last month and think it’s another great fall wedding option. The colors aren’t quite as dark but definitely work for the transitional period. Plus the cut is really flattering and different. Wrap dress-esque without being an actual wrap dress. If that makes sense.

Another dress I’m loving is this one and I think it would be so perfect for a wedding. It’s unique, love the lace detailing and belt and the price is great. I only wish I had somewhere to wear it.

If shorter dresses are more your style, I found this one that’s so pretty. I love the deep berry color and the high neck balances out the shorter hem.

For a black tie wedding I love this dress. It’s a bit of a splurge but I think it would really work for a fancy fall wedding.

dress c/o, old shoes (similar), necklace c/o (similar)

Do you have any weddings coming up this fall? Let me know what you’re wearing if you do!

I’ve been dying to visit the Carlsbad Flower Fields the past few years but was never able to get down there during the season… until yesterday. Jeff, Crosby and I headed out the door bright and early to get to the fields when they opened and it was seriously SO gorgeous! Let me apologize in advance for the number of photos in this post… we were a little snap happy with how pretty it was in person.