The wonders of growing a human - clothing and all

I always thought that when I became pregnant that I would ease into the maternity fashion because I figured that in this day and age that there would be something out there for the plus size woman...sadly I have been disappointed.

You see, for the past few months I have been on this endless search for clothing that is going to make me look and feel pretty but to also fill me with confidence with an ever increasing bump! I have gone shopping and found basics like shift dresses, singlets, plain tees and the ever so common maternity jeans...but I'm just not that impressed or excited by these options..I want something with style!

Target seems to think that a maternity midi dress (see photo below)

will suit all types of pregnant women...I will happily accept the criticism and say that it DOES NOT! You see, if you are a woman who is taller than 160cm and you have a lovely figure to begin with then I don't think you would have a problem. But if you are like me and appeared "shapely or curvy" before and are sitting at only 161cm tall, then this dress makes you look like a child dressing up in your mums clothing. Yes it fits your bump, but I don't think it does you any other favours....

I tried this on and it came down past my knees!!... #notattractiveonashortperson

 

Asos Maternity seems to think that we are all made of money! What seems like a lovely dress that would fit me and would be very comfortable and wearable throughout the day becomes a little bit of a hassle when you have to fork out nearly $58 for it:

  

Don't get me wrong, I will happily pay for quality....but do I think this dress is worth it??...no.

Pea in a Pod and Ripe Maternity have gorgeous clothes. But what they consider to be a sale when the original cost of the dress is $139 and the new "reduced" cost is $109 (see pic below)...to me that ain't much of a bargain!. I'm not saying that their clothes aren't worth it, I just can't pay that much for something that I'm not going to wear for a long time.

Friends and family that know me, know that I will happily fork out $$$ for a quality dress that I'm going to get a lot of wear out of. I used to buy a new dress from CC every week because I knew that I would wear it again and again and I believe that it was genuinely worth it. I still have a lot of CC dresses in my wardrobe, some of them fit over my belly, some of them don't... I know that I will happily slide back into them once I've got my groove back! Below I'm wearing a CC dress, I was 28 weeks at the time and the empire waist on the dress fit me just perfectly! I do wish that City Chic would think about releasing a maternity line, as it would make such a difference to all us curvy ladies out there that still want to look fabulous on our journey to motherhood!

Now, before you go thinking that I'm just going to bag anything & everything...I will tell you that I have found some awesome items recently that have become comfy staples in my pregnancy!

I've visited each and every shop that I could think of to find the perfect comfy pant that would at least look flattering but would also be comfy to wear to work or around the house and I have to say that I found a pair in an unlikely place: Millers...I don't usually shop there but I went out on a limb this time and just swallowed my pride for a moment! Now I've tried to copy the picture to show you all, but it isn't working and I'm sure that it's because I'm using my hubby's computer there is some kind of lock on transferring pics (he's a stickler for adblock and all that stuff)... I have provided the link below for you:

http://www.millers.com.au/Printed-Soft-Pants.aspx?p6368163&cr=r0pb__023229

Now I didn't get this particular look as the ones that I have already bought are out of stock but the look is all the same. Harem style cut with a light feel that is comfy as well as easy to dress up or down. I bought myself two pairs as I'm sure I will end up going for comfort in these last few weeks rather than fashion! Lol!! 

The other Harem style pants I have found were at Big W and they are very similar in fit and material. The best thing about both the pair of pants was that they were $30 or less!

I'll give all my friends who haven't had a baby yet a fair warning that all you want in the last month of pregnancy is comfort and ease of putting the clothing on and/or off! To all the women who have looked glowing and put together all throughout your pregnancy, I commend you! I am at the stage of "bugger it..I'm done" LOL

The one thing that I can say that I have learnt throughout this pregnancy is that you learn as you go. I have never had body confidence and am the first to admit that! I have moments where I think I look fantastic and have that pregnancy glow, and then there are times when I just feel "blah"...but when I'm in one of those moods/moments, my beautiful hubby pulls me straight out of it and tells me that he loves me! Being told this when you are swollen and unhappy is like magic! Suddenly you feel on top of the world!

 I will confess that being pregnant teaches you things about your body that you didn't know before and that the whole process is quite magical! Seeing your body grow and change is just plain weird sometimes but at the same time just so bloody cool! When you first feel those flutters, it's unlike anything you've felt before. The only way I can describe it is like having an upset tummy but without the sick feeling. It feels like someone is patting their fingertips on you from the inside. When the full on kicks start a little later, its like watching Total Recall, seeing the weird alien thing move in the guys' chest! I'm not kidding! Watching your belly move like it's never moved before is just plain bizarre!! I have spent many a night just lying back on the couch and watching my tummy move. If it didn't, I poked and prodded it, drunk cold drinks and ate ice cream! LOL...Sounds like the coolest diet don't you think! But these things are always guaranteed to get bubs going..hahaha!

Well, after trying to put this post together for what seems like 6 months...I feel that I have achieved what I set out to do! I haven't got very long to go and I hope that even once bubs makes an appearance that I will keep this blog going as it is my therapy without forking out a huge amount of money!

Ramblings it may be, but I think of it as a way of talking out loud without anyone stopping me or telling me to "shut up!"....and on that point...I'll leave it there!

 xxMel

Dropped off the radar....But I had a good reason!

So I dropped off the radar for a little while, but I had a legitimate reason. You see, being married almost 2 years coming up to April this year my husband and I were and are still very happy. But there was something that I had been wanting for a little while...

I wanted a baby!

 It's not to say that my husband wasn't keen on the idea, it's just something that scared him... a lot...

What got me upset wasn't the fact that my partner in life and love was being honest with me and telling me his inner most fears, but the fact that many people I knew or had worked with were happily announcing they were pregnant on facebook and it just got me down. I kept on looking at life and thinking:

"This is not fair"

"Why not me"

"When is it my turn?"

I hated the fact that I was looking at the world in such a way that it consumed me and made me feel shit about everything. A great friend (she'll know who I'm talking about...hopefully..) told me that I just needed to be patient and posted the following picture on my fb wall:

 

I smiled, nearly cried and thought..."what the hell am I doing???"

I have a wonderful husband, a great job, the most AWESOME friends and a supportive and loving family!

From this moment on, I took a breath and just made a resolution that I wasn't going to stress this time away and be joyful in the fact that nothing...yes I said NOTHING was wrong with my life!

The funniest and best thing happened less than a month later.....

I found out I was pregnant!

Now let me tell you... It has not been smooth sailing! :( I have been sick and tired....and I'm sick of being sick and tired....

...BUT...

It's all worth it, let me tell you! Seeing that little thing wriggling around in my tummy is the weirdest and coolest thing ever!!

Now, if I stick to this years' plan of giving myself a purpose I want to continue blogging and explore the world of fashion from my perspective and continue to be true to myself. The one thing that will probably change about this blog and it's posts will be that I will be a pregnant woman exploring fashion! I think that most of my wardrobe will go happily into maternity wear, but when I try to find affordable maternity wear in Australia....I'm a little stuck!

On this new fashion tangent I'll continue to talk style, substance and all things fashion-y! I hope to find a new appreciation for my body while it continues to grow my precious little bub inside of it and hope that even though the blog has changed...slightly...that you will continue on this journey with me!

Mel xx

Famous Style Icons With A 2014 Twist!

When you look at the Style Icons of the past, you see so many gorgeous, confident and beautiful ladies that OWNED what they wore! They had style and flair and it is so inspiring just looking at how they worked it!! I thought that since their style has influenced us in so many ways, that I would explore a few of these lovely ladies and how we can translate their bootylicious style in to today's day and age!

First Up....

Audrey Hepburn - 1961

She was famous for the LBD. We all remember her in the infamous Breakfast At Tiffany's

 

So lets see how we can bring this into 2014!

 A simple black bodycon dress

Pair it with a replica of that Iconic pearl necklace & earrings and you've got a modern take on a classic style!

Dress from Asos - www.asos.com
Jewellery from Ali Express - www.aliexpress.com

Marilyn Monroe - 1955

We all know that Marilyn wore THAT dress...you know...the white one!

 
 It's hard to find a dress similar to Marilyn's Iconic dress these days that either comes close or looks too much like a costume. So I thought I would put a bit of a spin on it and take aspects of that time and try and give it a modern take.

This is her white dress with a twist! The pattern consists of cute little multi-coloured hearts, a cinched in waist and the skirt has still got a little bit of flair that we all love!

 

Dress from City Chic - www.citychic.com.au

 Jackie Onassis - 1963

Undoubtedly the most Iconic outfit that Jackie O ever wore was the pink two piece suit on the day of JFK's assassination.

To bring this look into 2014 I've taken the colour and found a great winter coat that I am totally crushing on right now! The Princess Coat!
 

 Next step, pair it with a cute little pill box hat & add a cute little bag! Voila!!

Coat from City Chic - www.citychic.com.au

Bag from Colette - www.colettehayman.com.au

Hat found on Ebay

Ava Gardner - 1940's

The Tea Dress was very popular at this time and Ava Gardner wore it well!

 

 This style is relatively easy to update. Searching the net, there is an abundance of Tea style dresses and they are all quite affordable. I found the dress below at 

Queen of Hollaway - www.queenofhollaway.com.

You see, the thing with fashion is that it's a never ending cycle that continues throughout history. Many of these styles have been worn, recycled and then re-worked in a new decade! I can say that in my 31 years, I have at one time or another owned one or more of these iconic styling pieces.

I'd love to know who your favourite fashion icon is?

How they've influenced you in this day and age?

&

If you could go back to any time in history to "live" that fashion, what decade would it be?

Mel xxx

A little bit of self therapy: writing a letter to myself....

I have always thought that writing a letter to my younger self seemed like the silliest idea ever, but in the last week I have been on a new journey where I am learning about myself and trying to be healthier in mind and body...so here goes...

Dear Mel,

Do you remember when you were younger and didn't have a care in the world? Do you remember that you never used to worry about the person sitting next to you on the bus or think about what a random person in the shopping centre was thinking about you? What happened to that person?!

I remember you growing up and thinking that your brother was cool, if not a little annoying and that you had the best group of friends in the world. Things have changed since then, people have moved on and you have become a whole new person. I am proud of the person that you have become. You have worked hard to follow your dreams and to have finally accomplished and secured your dream job! You have met and married the most wonderful man and you still have a stunning group of friends...albeit different ones but still a stunning group of friends! 

My concern for you now is that you think too much about other people and what they think of you when all you should think of is what you think of yourself. You see, from my perspective I see a shadow of your former self and think of memories of when you were so much more bubbly! When you met your husband you were silly, you would dance in public like no one was watching and you would live life to the fullest. I see that you still do some of these things but are more concerned about what the repercussions are. You used to get excited about the weekend coming because it meant that you didn't have to wear a uniform and that you could go out in one of your fabulous outfits and you would pick out an outfit, put it on and then go out and have fun. These days, I see you fretting over outfits, changing 3-4 times before you leave the house and hating what you see in the mirror - I want to tell you to stop that! I want to tell you that you are beautiful and that no one can tell you not to be you and that the people that you think are judging you, really aren't paying any attention to you at all. I want you to continue on this journey that you are on and BE STRONG, BE CONFIDENT & above all BELIEVE IN YOURSELF! You are stronger than you think you are and even though you think you can't get through this stubborn period, you will and you will love what is on the other side!

Xx Mel

Now, I'm not going to apologise to the people that say this is a silly idea because I really don't think it was...it made me think about myself and what I want in life and what I really needed to address at this time in my life. 

What I would love to know is:

• Have you ever done this yourself?
• What was the outcome? Did it help you?

As always, I love the feedback :)

What's your "staple" item??

Let's face it... everyone has that one thing in their wardrobe that they see as their "Staple" item. In the last few days I have been thinking about what my staple item is and when I looked back at my work choices over the last 6 months I realized that a blazer is my "go to" item of choice!. I counted 7 different blazers in my wardrobe today... Hehe!. I've put some of my work looks together to show you how versatile a blazer can be!

Look 1

Look 1: I teamed some basic black pants with a white tank top and a Tiffany Blue coloured blazer. The blazer is a polyester/elastine mix and is just so light to wear! Perfect for the warmer weather, and enough style to still remain professional.

Look 2

 

 

For this look I've gone for a bright red blazer to create a colour blocking effect. I teamed it with a black faux leather skirt, a simple black singlet and some black stockings so that the blazer becomes the focus. This look is simple to achieve. Mix a fitted blazer with your choice of pants or a skirt. You could even play with fabrics, patterns or the length of your skirt!

Look 3

Look 3 is all about comfort! I've teamed a comfy grey tunic with some black leggings and a simple black blazer. I wear this look to work when I just want to go with comfort and ease of movement. This look allows me to move around on the floor with children and interact with them as well as talking to my clients. Oh and the star is a big hit with the kids! LOL!

Look 4

My final look is to show that you can put blazers with just about anything! Here, I've teamed a bright pink blazer with a patterned maxi. The colours in the dress are a mixer of pinks & purples. I used the blazer to pick up on the pink hues in the dress, which I think worked a treat!

As always, I love your comments and feedback, so it's back to you:

• What is your wardrobe staple? And how do you wear it?!

Mel xx 

Addicted to Florals....

So...it's been one of those weeks where each morning I have woken up, I've had absolutely no inspiration on what to wear to work.....

Normally what happens is the night before, I suddenly think of something I haven't worn and immediately place it on a hanger, awaiting the morning routine (NB: I actually have so much clothing that I could go a straight two months without wearing the same thing to work..oops!). This weeks' work attire has consisted of nothing but comfort! It's not to say that I gave up on myself and just went all comfy, I just didn't have anything that struck me and made me feel good about me. However, this morning I was staring into my wardrobe and noticed something quite funny.

.....I THINK I MIGHT HAVE A SLIGHT OBSESSION WITH FLORALS....

Exhibit A: My wardrobe - most of it floral dresses!

 Exhibit B: My recently found headband collection

 Now, the great thing about florals is that they can be dressed up or down. For a wedding, I think 

I would wear something like this:

A beautiful peach coloured dress with an empire waist and black piping around the bust to define that area. It's very light-weight and really comfy! I would pair this with some small black heels and have my make-up done to the nines!

 For a day that was filled with comfort but still wanting to make an impression, I would go with the following:

 

This dress is the epitomy of comfort! It is made from a 100% polyester and is so comfortable to wear in the current climate. It's another empire waisted style (which I think suits me well) with a pink and purple based floral print, finished off with black piping and thin black straps. I wore this exact outfit on the weekend when I went to the Hunter Valley with my hubby and some girlfriends to do "Lunch with the Llamas". I paired it back with floral sandals, and honestly it was the best outfit for the weather on the day...It was 40+ in the hunter on Saturday! The only downside to this dress was that while out in the paddock, saying hello to the Llamas and some goats...the dress apparently looks really tasty according to the goats!! They nearly had a couple of nibbles :)

With the end of my post in sight, I thought I would pose some question to you all...

I'd love to get some feedback!!

• What is your current clothing obsession?
• Does your wardrobe follow a theme?

Until next time beautiful people!

 Mel xx

Let's Jump into Jumpsuits!!

Now, I have never thought that at my size (16-18) that a jumpsuit was something that I would be interested in, let alone look quite good on me (well in my opinion..anyway). I've always seen them as a skinny girl outfit and never looked twice at them. Recently though, City Chic has brought out some great simple jumpsuits that are funky enough to get noticed, but comfy enough to wear to work, a day out or even a night out!
So..the other day I took a squiz at the CC website and saw that the jumpsuits were on sale and thought that I might try my hand at them. So I did the deed and purchased the "Mono Madness" Jumpsuit. See below for pic:

As usual, CC clothing turns up promptly and always in great condition! Now, I have to tell you that I am not a leggy brunette...I am much the opposite! Im short! There..I said it!! With this in mind, I thought that being on the smaller side that the jumpsuit would swamp me. Well...it didnt! I am happy to say that it actually fit quite well in all the right places. I went for a small in CC sizing (16-18) and its just right!. It sits nicely around my legs, giving me enough room to move and provides comfort around my middle. The top elastic is tight enough to define the area, but loose enough to easily fit my larger bust. By now you are probably thinking what it looks like on an average person just like me, so here are some pics that I took to show the different looks that I think you can achieve with the 'Mono Madness' jumpsuit: 

  Look 1 - Work 

                             I teamed the jumpsuit with a CC peplum jacket, CC belt and my                                 yellow Kardashian bag for a pop of colour!

 Look 2 - Daytime/Weekend fun

        This time I teamed the jumpsuit with a bright pink cardigan bought from SES 

                                   a couple of years ago and a brown belt from CC.

I think that either way its worn, you could put heels or flats on with it, its that versatile! To dress it up for a night out, I would probably layer it up with some long black or chunky necklaces :)

So what do you think?


Mel :)

Well.... Hello There!

Welcome to my blog. This is hopefully the first of many to come and me exploring my style and substance this year! I have set myself a task of having a purpose in 2014 and one way to start this would be my first blog.
Having read so many fashion blogs from so many fascinating people over the last year, I am completely committed to trying my hand at this whole blogger world! :O) So here we go!!

A bit about me:
I'm 31 and live in Sydney. I am happily married to the man of my dreams (we got married in Fiji nearly 2 years ago) and I love my job! I am completely obsessed with City Chic clothing, as in they are the only clothes I wear! :) I love shopping, going out with friends and just enjoying the simple things in life. I have the BEST group of friends that I could ask for, and I'm not just saying that... You know those type of people that will stick with you through thick and thin, through massive fights or not speaking to each other in two to three months because your both so busy??? Well those are my friends! :) I am very lucky!!

What I thought I would do is to learn as I go...as you may have noticed...I'm a complete novice at this whole blog lifestyle. The name for my blog came to me the other night when I was trying to come up with the most creative name.....queue the weird late night thinking while lying in bed next to a restless husband.....and then suddenly it came to me! "Styling Me, Styling You"...You'll have to forgive the ABBA song that comes into your head when you read it but that's exactly what happened to me! And when getting some advice from some seasoned pro's in the blog world, one of them told me that when the name comes to you, it will stick! And so my blog was born! Ha!

Here's the plan:
I'm heading up the coast (Hunter Valley..YAY!!) this weekend to hang out with the coolest besties in town to chill and celebrate a long awaited birthday gift from my friends last year. So what I thought I would do is start with posting photos after my mini getaway and hopefully I will have learned how to attach them by then...LOL

I'm also hoping that through this blog to come to grips with the body hatred that seems to have a strong grip on me right now. I have never been one to "love" my body, but having gotten married and settled into married life...I seem to have lost myself and some of my confidence along the way. Don't get me wrong, I have the best hubby in the world and he tells me I'm beautiful and sexy and all that jazz, but I think as women, we all want to feel confident in ourselves as well... you know the feeling?

So...I've gotten to the end of my ramblings for my first official post and hopefully I will have someone check it out!

Bye for now :)

Mel