Advice from the A-list

ON AN EDITED WARDROBE

“The first 3 months of pregnancy the hardest because you feel thick. Try and wear fuller (non maternity) dresses for as long as possible. I would rather stretch out my regular clothing and not spend the money on maternity wear. Later, after giving birth (Rae Ann speaks from experience, she was pregnant with bebe number 3 when I interviewed her!!) I can always belt or tailor the stretch out dress or shirt.”

“An edited wardrobe of functional basics makes it easier to get dressed in the morning. It’s like a uniform. I had five silhouettes-a stretchy pencil skirt, Citizens of Humanity maternity jeans, maternity black trousers, Vince V neck sweater dresses, a black dress. The trick to making minimal basics look like a closet full of great looks is to mix and match with dramatic accessories like Belts, big necklaces, oversized totes and groovy costume jewelry (cuff bracelets, pendants, cocktail rings) Lighten the mood with colorful scarves and some print. I wore Animal print shoes to break up my neutral palette”.

7 TIPS TO SAIL THROUGH PREGNANCY WITH PANACHE

1. Pregnancy is about super-accessorizing. This is the time to discover accessories and have fun with dramatic pieces.

2. Invest in thin stretch cotton basics like tees and dresses.

3. Spanx underwear holds bellybutton in.

4. Have your tailor open up trouser seams at the side and put rubber bands in. You can have them removed later.

5. Think lean: Have six great basics to work with and punch them up: Underlay and overlay jewelry, belt a sleek cardigan under the bump, wear big bags.

6. Empire waist, shifts and A line dresses are silhouettes that flatter a pregnant body.

7. Don’t be afraid of happy colors and prints.

THE JOY OF BELTING

"My biggest accessory was an elastic DKNY belt and a ribbon belt. I wanted to have a shape during pregnancy and, by belting garments below the boobs, I could transform blah looking garments into an empire shape. The result? I looked modern, felt thinner and was far more comfortable than I would be with a restrictive waistband. I belted my husbands sweaters, his white crisp shirts and paired with leggings. I belted non-structured jersey dresses and tunics. It was an easy uniform.”

ON PROPORTION

“Everything you wear during pregnancy should make as much of a statement  as your regular wardrobe. You don’t need a ton of things, just have great basics and interesting high/low accessories to mix in. Think about proportion once you start showing. Balance a wider bottom with a tight sweater, wear a great legging under a floaty top or tunic. A cool boyfriend blazer (see page 53) with sleeves rolled up over a tunic and leggings is a super cute look. Keep lines vertical. Dark colors are more slimmimg. V necks lengthen the torso by showing décolletage.

Best Bets are amazing leggings (by Fogal or Wolford) that go under the belly, an LBD by Ella Moss or Isabella Oliver. Rachel Pally’s soft cotton jersey  dresses, tee shirt dresses from American Apparel, “wife beater” tanks to layer under everything, a great pair of Maternity Jeans, a trapeze dress, loose weave, open front cardigans, a long, fold down waistband skirt from James Perse, gauzy, vintage Mrs Roper caftans, empire waist dresses.

Every pregnant woman should rent the film Rosemary’s Baby. Mia Farrow was the most stylish pregnant person…her look—her pixie haircut, ballet flats, leggings, eyelet tunics—created a huge impact on fashion...her proportion was perfect.”

HOW TO LOOK SWELL IN VINTAGE

“As the belly swells, look for breezy Ossie Clarke and Thea Porter pieces. Favored by rock star wives and other glamour gals, These British designers specialized in dramatic empire waist silhouettes crafted with groovy fabrics and ethnic prints. For more casual fare, Biba’s designs from the 70s are wonderful. The body skimming dresses and tunics in geometric and art nouveau prints are lightweight, chic and floaty. Pucci stretch silk jersey dresses-to the knee and floor grazing- are glam and insanely comfortable. Wrap dresses are easy to find at every price point as they were made by many designer in the 70s. For parties, look for Stephen Burrows who is known for sexy draped jersey dresses in vibrant colors. 60’s party coats in lame and prints add glamour to simple black frocks. Breezy V-neck Halston caftans (popularized by Barbara Streisand and Elizabeth Taylor) in layered chiffon or tie-dye jersey are perfect for lounging about in the final trimester.”