waist-friendly pieces...

I'm five months in to having my second baby, and let's be honest, my body is not what it used to be. My middle is squishy, and I don't really feel like wearing super-fitting low-waisted jeans and worrying about my muffin top spilling out. I am also coming to the realization that your body is just different after kids—especially after multiple kids and when you're not a young spring chicken anymore (hello mid-30's!). And, I won't even talk about the change in your boobs post-baby!

This doesn't mean I've given up on working out or eating healthy but I've also come to realize that even if you're back at your pre-pregnancy weight or clothing size, things don't always fit the way they used to. So I'd rather start dressing to complement my best assets and make myself feel comfortable in my body the way it is now.

Here are a few of my favorite "waist-friendly" pieces that I find help to complement the waist while also being flattering on the rest of your legs with their cut (ie. not sweatpants or overly baggy unflattering pants). 

1. Pants with some draping and a tapered leg like these J.Crew Reese pants. These are like a mix between a dressy pant and sweatpants and look great with heels or booties.

2. High-waisted jeans like Madewell's high-riser jeans. I've come to the other side and no longer need to (or want to) wear low-waisted jeans. Those were for the days of my youth, and I wear jeans that are a little higher in the waist that to tuck in that post-baby belly a bit more than the jeans I wore pre-baby. These are still super-flattering and don't look like "Mom jeans" at all.

3. Shorts with hidden elastic waistbands like these J.Crew shorts. These shorts may look like any other cute, summer shorts with a fun pattern on them. But the sides have extra elastic at the waistband mixed with the structured front closure that give them structure but also gives extra wiggle room in the waist.

4. Stretchy pants with a tapered leg like Hatch's easy pants. These are like chic sweatpants that you can get away with wearing and not look like you're wearing sweatpants.

dressing the bump / a re-cap!

One of my favorite projects last year was this Dressing the Bump series we created that chronicled my second pregnancy through video and provided style tips on what to wear through every stage of growing that beautiful baby bump. I honestly feel like my best and most beautiful self when pregnant, and I loved helping other mamas out there embrace that bump while we're lucky enough to have one.

Here's a re-cap video (below) we made to give an overview of the series which I hope you'll share with your expecting friends, family members, and co-workers!

From 12 weeks to post-partum, this series covers:
-how to mix maternity with non-maternity pieces
-how to choose the best sizes that will last throughout your pregnancy
-what style and cuts flatter a bump the best
-how to emphasize your best (pregnant) features
...and more!

I get teary watching this and seeing the evolution of how my body changed and grew to create a new life. You can see all eight videos in this series by clicking the thumbnails at the end or by watching this full play list! 

dressing the bump / post baby!

We welcomed Coco Grace Cho on October 20, 2014, and we couldn't be happier that our family is complete. During my pregnancy, we covered what to wear while rocking that baby bump, but what do you wear while your post baby bump is still around? We filmed this a month after I gave birth so my post-baby bump is similar to what it looked like in the first trimester. Here's the last video in my Dressing the Bump series with some tips for what to wear post-partum as well as pieces that work well for nursing.

Thank you so much for joining me in the Dressing the Bump series. It was so fun to make, and I hope helpful to those of you expecting as well!

You can find all sources for the clothing worn in this video below...

happy friday + a few more maternity photos...

Last month, I shared our last photos as a family of three. And a few weeks ago, I had a chance to take some solo maternity photos with the ladies of The Fox and the Sparrow who offer pop-up sessions all around the country. Since I never had maternity photos taken when I was pregnant with Ruby (and this is the last of our babies), I took the opportunity to capture my pregnancy in a different style than my usual—a little boho, a little vintage, and a little romantic.

They took care of hair and makeup, floral crowns, and wardrobe options. It makes it super easy to just show up and not have to worry about planning anything yourself. When you're 37 weeks pregnant, achy, peeing all the time, and super tired, it's just nice to let someone make you feel like a real babe. I'm writing this post a little sleep-deprived from a newborn and a little spent from a toddler who's getting used to said newborn. So it's fun to look back at these now and think I had no idea of all the love (and exhaustion!) that would soon come my way.

So, the moral of the story is...take some maternity photos and capture that amazing time however you feel comfortable doing it. I said I didn't want to do anything with a bare belly but we found ways to show off the belly without showing it all. Have a great weekend guys!

P.S. If you're interested in a future session with The Fox and the Sparrow, you can email [email protected] to be put on their wait list for 2015. They are planning on visiting Austin in the new year. They love to travel and open to other cities that people want them to come have a pop-up!

{Photos by Rachel Cast, styling by Tori Hendrix, hair and makeup by Erica Beukelman, and florals by Siren Floral Co.. Lace dress from Dreamers and Lovers.}

dressing the bump / 36 weeks!

Alright guys, this is my last pre-baby episode of Dressing the Bump! We're at 36 weeks and talking about how to layer for fall with blazers, jackets, sweater dresses, and long-sleeve rompers. 

These videos have been really fun to make for you, and it's also challenged me to really celebrate that bump while pregnant. I hope you'll share this series with your sisters, friends, and co-workers who are expecting! I have one last post-baby bump video coming after our little lady arrives and will cover that "post-baby bump" as well as some great pieces to wear while nursing.

You can find all sources for the clothing worn in this video below...

dressing the bump / 32 weeks!

We're at 32 weeks, and I'm excited to share the sixth episode of my Dressing the Bump series! This week, I'm talking about how to dress for formal occasions while pregnant. It can be tricker to get dressy while pregnant because there aren't as many options as when dressing casually. So, we're taking a look at a mix of maternity and non-maternity pieces to wear for weddings, work events, or a date night out.

You can find all sources for the clothing worn in this video below...

dressing the bump / 28 weeks!

We're at 28 weeks, and I'm excited to share the fifth episode of my Dressing the Bump series! This week, I'm talking about how to buy and wear vintage while pregnant. I love incorporating vintage into my wardrobe, but it can be tricky—pregnant or not. So, we're taking a look at some of the best vintage cuts and pieces to flatter a belly that can also we worn post-baby as well.

We have just a couple pre-baby episodes left, so if there's anything you'd like to see me cover in the last two, feel free to leave any requests for future episodes in the comment section below! And see all sources for the clothing worn below...

*Please keep in mind that all bellies are shaped and sized differently and grow at different rates. I hope you'll find these videos helpful at some stage of your pregnancy.

You can see all sources for the pieces worn in the video below... 

dressing the bump / 24 weeks!

We're at 24 weeks, and I'm excited to share the fourth episode of my Dressing the Bump series! This week, I'm talking about swimwear—both maternity and non-maternity—and how to rock that belly at the beach, the pool, or for summer lounging. I was a little nervous to wear a swimsuit for you all in this video, but I wanted to show you how much I think that baby belly deserves to be embraced no matter what time of year!

Feel free to leave any questions or requests for future episodes in the comments below.

*Please keep in mind that all bellies are shaped and sized differently and grow at different rates. I hope you'll find these videos helpful at some stage of your pregnancy. 

P.S. 20 weeks!

You can see all sources for the pieces worn in the video below... 

dressing the bump / 20 weeks + it's a...

We're at 20 weeks, and I'm excited to share the third episode of my Dressing the Bump series! This week, I'm talking about skirts and dresses—both maternity and non-maternity—and how fun they can be to wear during pregnancy. Also, at the end of this episode, I'll be revealing the gender of our second baby (Ruby was very excited to share the news)!

Feel free to leave any questions or requests for future episodes in the comments below.

*Please keep in mind that all bellies are shaped and sized differently and grow at different rates. I hope you'll find these videos helpful at some stage of your pregnancy. 

P.S. 16 weeks!

You can see all sources for the pieces worn in the video below... 

dressing the bump / 16 weeks!

My belly is growing, and I'm excited to share with you the second episode of my Dressing the Bump series! This week, I'm sharing some maternity essentials that are perfect for bringing in around 16 weeks—including jeans, shorts, and tees—and how they can be incorporated with your non-maternity clothing. I hope this inspires you pregnant mamas to get creative with your current wardrobe while also letting a few of those maternity staples in.

Feel free to leave any questions or requests for future episodes in the comments below!

*Please keep in mind that all bellies are shaped and sized differently and grow at different rates. I hope you'll find these videos helpful at some stage of your pregnancy. 

P.S. 12 weeks!

You can see all sources for the pieces worn below...