First of all, I want to commend you for getting pregnant when empire waist dresses and long tunics are in style! Unlike our poor suffering sisters who were baking their babies during the midriff-baring croptop era, when you couldn't get a shirt that went down past your bra, or pants with a zipper more than an inch long, you've timed it just right stylewise.

A week ago, I was griping about the sad state of my style now that I was toting a large pumpkin around with me everywhere. I was rescued by loyal, trendy, Caterina.net readers! In conversations with friends, we decided there were two ways to go when you're expecting, clothingwise: one is the Flaunt the Bigness strategy ("Want to gain 35 pounds? Ask me how!!) and the other was the Modest, Not In Your Face Pregnancy. I am also trying to avoid cotton jersey knit as much as possible. Down with cotton jersey! Here's how to bring out your Inner Hipster, while pregnant:

Bella Band. Best thing ever. You can wear your regular everyday pants, unzipped, with these holding them up. My friend Julie told me about this early on, and it's a lifesaver.

Thrift Store Coat.

Bright yellow! I got this in a thrift store, but there's a similar one in orange at Anthropologie, the Glee Overcoat. It seems absurd to spend a lot of money on clothes you won't be able to wear after the baby comes, so thrift stores, hand-me-downs and other means of making do with what you've got are the most sensible way to go. And on the non-maternity clothing front, Anthropologie is very much an empire waist and smock jacket kind of place, so you can get a bunch of good stuff there.

Forever 21 Tank Tops

You are looking for looong shirts, and these blue and green ones from Forever 21 fit the bill perfectly! They're also ruched, which means a lot of extra stretchy fabric to arrange over your bump. I'm telling you, clothes from non-maternity sources are always more chic than what you can get at the maternity stores. These were like $15-18 each.

Topshop, in the UK, ships to the US for only 10 pounds for any amt. My friend Amy told me about this one. Here's a dress I got, which they call the Charcoal Braces Tunic Braces! How cute and British of them to call the suspender parts "braces". I can imagine braces on your teeth would be very cute while you're pregnant too. Braces on adults are always cute.

Grey Heather Coat with Awesome Collar

I got this *fantastic* coat at Topshop online, but even though it was on their site a week ago, it's not there anymore! Sold out? What happened? Non-pregnant women have stopped me in the street to ask me where I got it. I told them it was a maternity coat, they said "I don't care! it's awesome!" Maybe it'll be back when the seasons change again? One hint on the Topshop order process -- it wouldn't accept my phone number! I tried a dozen different things, but what they want is a seven digit number, no area code. Weird, but hey, it's the only way it'd take my order. This was 78 pounds, I think. You do the currency conversion.

Boob. Look, they're called "Boob" and they're awesome. I want everything here. But then again, maybe I just want to look as svelte as the "pregnant" women in the photos. Same thing going on at Isabella Oliver. Who are those skinny people? Their babies are going to be underweight!

Completely Inappropriate for Maternity Boots

If you're interested in encountering the Pregnancy Police -- those busybodies who will interrupt you in restaurants to tell you what you should and shouldn't eat -- wear some shoes like this out on the town. Pregnancy Police don't want to see pregnant women tottering about in high heeled boots, it makes them livid. I got these after my other white patent leather go-go boots bit the dust. They're completely impractical, and I'm really not going to be able to wear them for several months, but buying them really cheered me up. They were also crazy inexpensive, like what? $59.99 or something? From Sketchers.

I've not had any success finding a formal party dress though. The closest that I've come is this Blue Taffeta number from A Pea in the Pod. Most of the stuff you see out there is black jersey, and we all know how I feel about jersey. The next closest is this silk flowered one by Tiffany Rose, which is a tad too foofy for me, but isn't too bad.

Some other basics:

• Good Jeans. Find ones you like. I got a pair of Liz Lange jeans at A Pea in the Pod that they don't seem to have online anywhere, but which I wear almost every day.
• Old Navy Olive Cords I wear these almost every day, when I'm not wearing the jeans.
• Black Panel Skirt. This may be the best thing I bought. It looks good with everything, and is very flattering. And I'm more about legs than my slender waist these days! I wear this with everything -- sweatshirts, dressup blouses, jackets. It's great. So far, Mom's the Word is the best maternity store I've found in San Francisco -- there's also a Walnut creek location.

LINK | 12:32 PM | TB

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