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Helen Skelton on Seraphine Maternity Clothes – “It’s a Whole New World!”

Helen Skelton is a TV presenter, best known for her work on Country File, Holiday Hit Squad, and for her stint as a Blue Peter presenter. She lives in Cheshire with her rugby player husband Richie Myler & their dog Barney (also a former Blue Peter star), and the couple are expecting their first baby in June. Helen shares how discovering Seraphine drastically altered her ideas on maternity clothes.

A post shared by Helen Skelton (@helenskelton) on Nov 26, 2016 at 5:49am PST

I swore off maternity wear until I found Seraphine. “Beautiful” and “Natural” pregnancy may well be, but sexy it is not. When I found out I was pregnant, with my hips, boobs and bump expanding by the day and constantly needing a wee I told my husband I would NOT be wearing any maternity gear! “Why?” I asked him “would I want to wear granny bras and huge rib tickling trousers when I feel this unattractive already! That’s only going to make me feel worse!?”

Then I caught sight of myself in a shop mirror, my baby bump spilling over the top of my unfastened jeans, my boobs bursting out of my ill fitting bra and my blouse straining over my bust. Not only does this look awful, I felt awful. I spend hours in a car or on a train most days and when you constantly need a wee, tight fitting waistbands aren’t the best.

I buckled. I gave into my husband’s nagging and my mum’s “I know best” tone and ordered one pair of Seraphine “over the bump light wash skinny maternity jeans.” I can honestly say it’s a whole new world! They are comfy, they look like normal jeans, I can show off my bump by pairing them with a tight stretchy tee shirt without feeling disproportionately huge. Since then I’ve bought three more pairs in different colours and fabrics. I’ve gone for over the bump each time.

Admittedly tops and jumpers are still a bit trial and error, I like things that are fitted enough to show my bump but not too tight to look spray on. My favourite Seraphine jumper is the oatmeal woven back nursing jumper. My friends literally gawped when I said that was a “nursing” jumper. They expected me to say it was from “Sandro” or some other designer store. I joked for about twenty minutes that it came with a breast pump. (It doesn’t).

Of course I was convinced at first I could pour my curves into stretchy evening gowns for do’s and weddings! However I spent an entire evening recently re adjusting my bra to keep my chest in check. There just simply isn’t enough material in a normal evening gown to cover my “double ee” chest at the minute. So I tried on Seraphine’s “lace detail wrap maternity gown” for an awards do recently and I honestly felt amazing. Proud of my bump, confident I wasn’t going to burst out of it and glam.

As I have told my husband so many times, for me, clothes aren’t about looking good to other people, they’re about feeling good. Now I have abandoned my prejudice against maternity clothes I am actually comfortable and therefore confident. Priceless when you’re pregnant.

Helen

Your True Colours – Discover Your Season & Style Yourself Stunning

Have you ever wondered why it is that you feel incredible in some colours, while others simply wash you out? It all has to do with understanding your colour season: Unlock the secret of your season & you’ll never have to suffer an unflattering shade again!

Back in the 80’s a psychologist called Carole Jackson revolutionised the way we think about colours in fashion with her ground breaking book, Colour Me Beautiful. Based on the colouring of skin, hair & eyes, she divided the population into 4 broad groups: spring, summer, autumn & winter, and identified the most flattering shades for each.

To determine your season, first figure out whether your colouring has warm or cool undertones – a good test is to think about whether gold or silver jewellery suits you better. If it’s gold you’re warm, and if it’s silver you’re cool. Then think about the colouring of your hair & eyes, and whether they’re mostly dark or light. Put the two together & you should be able to place yourself into one of these 4 categories.

If you have warm undertones and generally light, bright hair & eyes, you are probably a spring. You will look fantastic in light springtime colours – think about spring flowers and fresh green shoots. Warm, bright tones like coral and teal green will work beautifully.

Spring celebs: Doutzen Kroes & Kate Hudson

Flattering spring styles: Tile Print Cropped Maternity Trousers, Coral Eyelet Belt Maternity Dress, Green Knot Front Maternity Dress

Summers have cool undertones and light colouring – you may have ash tones in your hair, which could range from mid brown to light blonde, and your eyes are typically an ocean shade. If you’re a summer, cool pastel shades will be your best friend. Think about seaside inspired ice cream colours, or any shade of the ocean – try turquoise, soft vanilla or periwinkle blue.

Summer Celebs: Jennifer Aniston & Angelina Jolie

Flattering Summer Styles: Printed Maternity Wrap Dress, Light Wash Under Bump Maternity Skinny Jeans, Front Drape Mint Maternity Top

If you have warm undertones and dark colouring, you may be an autumn – many red heads fall under this category. You look fantastic in vibrant autumnal colours. Think about the burnt oranges of autumn leaves and mossy greens of woodland walks.

Autumn Celebs: Isla Fisher & Alyson Hannigan

Flattering Autumn Styles: Khaki Knot Front Maternity Maxi Dress, Burgundy Maternity Shift Dress, Nautical Maternity Wrap Dress

If you have cool undertones and dark colouring, you are a winter. You can wear some of the most striking colours in the spectrum, as well as some of the most subtle. Picture stark black silhouettes against a pale winter scene. You’ll look great in bright fuchsia and canary yellow, or soft pale blues and pinks (though preferably not all at the same time!) – oh, and you look drop dead gorgeous in black!

Winter Celebs: Coco Rocha & Kourtney Kardashian

Flattering Winter Styles: Black Side Drape Maternity Dress, Fuchsia Knot Front Maternity Dress, Tailored Navy Cropped Maternity Trousers

Of course these are only guidelines, and this is a simplified explanation – the main thing is to have fun with your fashion & to find the right shades to complement your colouring. To find out more, you can visit Colour me Beautiful and arrange a private colour consultation with the experts!

Viva la Mamma! Mothers & Babies Rock the Runway at Dolce & Gabbana!

Viva la mamma! Did you see the gorgeous mamas & babies at Dolce & Gabbana’s Milan Fashion Week show? As if we needed any more reasons to love the Italian design duo, their show this year was a beautiful celebration of pregnancy & motherhood!

One of the standout stars of the show was the beautiful Italian model Bianca Balti, who is currently six months pregnant, and glowed in some seriously gorgeous designer maternity dresses. The audience loved her, and gave a huge round of applause when she first stepped out on the runway. Maternity fashion is without a doubt one of the hottest trends around right now!

Meanwhile the rest of the gorgeous D&G models walked the runway, each accompanied by her own beautiful baby! Sorry North West – babies on the front row are old news, now it’s all about babies on the runway.

Watch the Fashion Show

The tots ranged from babes in arms at just a couple of months old, to impressively well behaved toddlers in matching mummy & me outfits from the Dolce & Gabbana Junior collection. And it has got to be a testament to the impact of the clothes on show; that the models managed not to be outshined by their adorably tiny companions.

And speaking of the clothes… we fell in love with this collection. Showcasing Dolce & Gabbana’s genius signature blend of femininity, family values and subtle sex appeal; the show featured stunning lingerie inspired lace dresses, scrawled slogans, evocative red roses and sixties inspired silhouettes with chic matching coats. The collection even included an incredible range of silk dresses inspired by colourful children’s doodles – if it’s good enough for the fridge, it’s good enough for a dress!

We are so excited to see maternity fashion and the beautiful curves of the pregnant figure out on the front lines at Fashion Week. It seems that the trend for mothers and maternity is going from strength to strength – remember Chanel’s spectacular pregnant bride from last year’s couture show? What an inspiring time to be expecting!

Coco Rocha’s Magical Springtime Style in the Graphic Maternity Dress

This week the stunning super model Coco Rocha shared a beautiful snap in one of our most popular maternity dresses. The star (who has shared shots in our Black Maternity Shift Dress before) posted the picture on Twitter & Instagram. This time she rocked a natural look in our Graphic Maternity Dress; styling it with minimal makeup and sleek simple hair, against a magical snowy backdrop. We can’t get enough of this ethereal springtime shot!

And Coco isn’t the only one to love this maternity dress – country songstress Carrie Underwood recently wore it on the Rachael Ray Show, and Good Morning Britain presenter Charlotte Hawkins was pictured wearing it in Hello! Magazine this month to debut her beautiful baby daughter Ella Rose – proving that the dress is perfect for post maternity too!

The Graphic Dress is a firm favourite with celebs, TV stars, fashion bloggers and real mamas alike! We always love to see how you style our maternity clothes, and love these images from fashion bloggers Lee Anne from Life in ATX, Jess from K and J Diaries, and Shrinkabump.

How would you style the Graphic Maternity Dress?

Behind the Seams at Seraphine: A Sneak Peak at Our Design Process

Here at Seraphine, all of our maternity clothes are designed in-house at our London studio. Our talented team of designers and tailors see the entire process through from start to finish, ensuring care & attention at every stage.

This week we are offering you a sneaky look behind the seams at the Seraphine design process!

It all starts with a beautiful idea, captured on paper. At this stage of the process, our designers put pencil to paper and visualise the maternity garments they want to create, from fabrics and fit, right down to the most delicate detailing.

When creating new designs for our LUXE Collection, we work with the finest silks and lace. It’s at this stage that the designers start to develop the design from a two dimensional drawing, into an actual garment that moves, drapes and flows. This is the time when the designers get to have fun with the fabrics, experimenting with the pattern to achieve a perfectly flattering drape.

Once the designers are happy with the drape and the pattern, they’ll make a mock-up also known as a toile, to see how it all translates into an actual garment. This is a really exciting stage, as the maternity dress begins to take shape.

Now the mocked up maternity gown is ready to be tried on for the first time! It’s at this stage that we bring in fit models to see how the dress works on a real pregnant woman. The designers look to see how the garment fits, drapes & moves, and ask for feedback from the model; then make any necessary amendments to the pattern.

A real labour of love; the finished garment goes into production and is ready to be worn! A beautiful option for your next glamorous occasion, direct from the Seraphine design team, to you.

Mother’s Day Gift Guide: Treat Your Mum & Yourself

Here at Seraphine we celebrate Mother’s Day every day – you mums & mums-to-be deserve to be spoilt! There is no one else like a mother – you are the carers, the counsellors, the chauffeurs and the chefs, the best friends and the biggest fans. You lay down the law and dish out the discipline, and are always right there with the best kind of hug exactly when it’s needed.

Browse our Mother’s Day gift guide for beautiful ideas to spoil your mum, and stunning Seraphine pieces to treat yourself!

The sun has been out this week and there’s a hint of spring in the air, so now is the perfect time to treat yourself to one of our stylish maternity dresses. And our Reversible Bamboo Nursing Shawl makes the perfect gift for a new mum… start hinting now! We also love this shimmering compact mirror from Aspinal of London, or why not surprise your mum with a beautiful bouquet from Selfridges, or spice up her life with a designer scented candle from Jo Malone.

If your mum is a keen baker, she’ll love this beautifully feminine cake stand in fine bone china from the Miranda Kerr collection. Or why not spoil her (or yourself) with a new designer fragrance set – we can’t get enough of Modern Muse by Estee Lauder. Maybe it’s time to invest in a beautiful Stork Sak baby changing bag, and while you’re at it; our Florrie Floral Print Maternity Dress is a stunning option for a spring party, and the Special Occasion Maternity Coat would add the perfect finishing touch to the look.

Splash out and spoil mum with an extra special bouquet of flowers, or even something beautiful & sparkly from Links of London. And don’t forget to leave this page open somewhere conspicuous where your other half is bound to see it – if you’re lucky you might open up a present on the 15th to find a Wool & Cashmere Seraphine Maternity Coat or a stunning Silk Floral Maternity Maxi Dress from the Seraphine LUXE Collection!

Wishing you all a very happy Mother’s Day for the 15th!

Spotted at London Fashion Week: The Trend Report

Designers, celebs, super models & fashionistas from all corners of the globe descended on the UK this week, ready for London Fashion Week 2015! The great British weather did its thing & rained on everybody’s parade, but no amount of rain could put a damper on the incredible style and creative spirit on show.

At such a huge gathering of fashion expertise, trend setters and stylistas, you can be pretty sure of finding Seraphine maternity clothes somewhere in the mix. And it didn’t take us long to spot glamorous model Alice Skewis looking chic in a pair of our Premium Under Bump Maternity Skinny jeans. Alice has modeled for Seraphine in the past and we love her style!

Here at Seraphine we’ve been busy spotting the biggest trends both on and off the catwalks, and are now ready to share our full fashion week trend report. These are the must-have looks that were strutting down the catwalks, sparkling on celebs in the front row, and dominating the street style in the fashion capital this week.

Taking inspiration from fashion decades past; the designers were loving retro geometric patterns this week. In particular we loved Temperly London’s bold geometric prints, and Jonathan Saunders’ colourful pop art inspired patterns. And of course the street stylistas didn’t disappoint, offering everything from exotic mosaic styles to sharp geometric looks.

Geo Print Maternity Wrap Dress

Faux fur in every conceivable colour & combination was big news this week. Hannah Weiland’s brand new British faux fur fashion label Shrimps was the brand behind last season’s most coveted coats; and this season she presented her first full fashion collection. Not only that, but Shrimps’ fun-loving faux fur coats ruled London’s street style – with two of Britain’s leading trend setters Alexa Chung & Pixie Geldoff rocking matching leopard print Shrimps coats!

Get the look:

Olive Green Faux Fur Scarf

Black Faux Fur Collar

We were obsessed in New York, and the fascination for fashion polo necks has continued into London. Polo necks are having a definite fashion moment right now, with almost every single designer featuring at least one elegant roll neck in their London show. And the celebs and street style fashion moguls were right there with them – at the Top Shop Unique show alone we spotted Alexa Chung, Cara Delevigne, Ellie Goulding & Paloma Faith all sporting stylish polo necks!

Get the look:

Black Roll Neck Vanessa Dress

It looks like we have some very exciting things ahead for fashion next year… We’ve had a fabulous time style spotting in London, and now it’s time to put what we’ve learnt into practice & start working those trends!

Two Stylish Celebrity Mamas Spotted in Seraphine LUXE This Week

Seraphine LUXE maternity dresses can always be seen at the most glamorous events in fashion & film, and with the Academy Awards and the incredible style of Fashion Month hanging in the air, right now is the perfect time to spot expectant celebrities wearing Seraphine LUXE! This past week alone we were delighted to see not one but two glamorous mamas-to-be looking stunning in Seraphine LUXE: Avant-garde theatre director & the new Mrs Benedict Cumberbatch, Sophie Hunter, as well as international super model Coco Rocha!

She’s the one who broke our hearts this Valentine’s Day by taking the dashing Mr Cumberbatch off the market for good in a quietly tasteful ceremony on the Isle of Wight. And as much as we’d like to hold a grudge, we simply can’t help but love Sophie Hunter and her fantastic maternity style.

The newlyweds are honeymooning in LA this week, where they attended the Oscars, and were spotted strolling together, Benedict with a protective arm around his new wife, and Sophie looking effortlessly glamorous in our Silk Printed Maternity Maxi Dress and a stylish pair of shades.

A hugely successful theatre & opera director in her own right, Sophie is a career girl, a true creative and – much as we hate to admit it – a perfect match for our Sherlock. The couple are expecting their first baby later this year and we wish them the all the best for the next few months.

Also spotted in Seraphine LUXE this week was the gorgeous Canadian super model Coco Rocha, who shared a stunning shot in Seraphine with her 894,000 Instagram followers this week. The picture shows a fully made up Coco in our Silk Chiffon Polka Dot Maternity Dress, balancing a bottle of Fiji water on her blossoming bump!

And this isn’t the first time the stylish Coco has instagramed a selfie in Seraphine – just last month she posted a stunning shot in our Black Maternity Shift Dress.

The model and her artist husband James Conran are expecting their first baby – a little girl – later this spring and the couple couldn’t be more excited – Coco told Refinery 29 “This season, everyone’s asking what I thought of the clothes, but I’ve hardly noticed them. All I’ve been noticing are the baby outfits that North West is wearing!” With not long to go till baby Conran arrives, we think it’s safe to say that Coco has got fashionable pregnancy dressing down to a fine art!

Whatever the occasion, browse the Seraphine LUXE Collection to discover your dream maternity dress!

Discovered a new pregnancy skill – balancing @FIJIwater on the bump! I definitely could not do this 7 months ago. #StudyOfABump #TablesAreObsolete #EarthsFinest

A photo posted by Coco Rocha (@cocorocha) on Feb 19, 2015 at 4:37pm PST

Get the Best out of your Breakfast: Tasty Ideas for Busy Mums

We’ve all heard it before: Breakfast is the most important meal of the day – but it’s especially true when you’re expecting. Running out the door & grabbing a latte-to-go just won’t cut it any more – you are eating for two now, so a full healthy breakfast is vital to kick start the energy you’ll need to get you through the day. Whether you’re enjoying a leisurely weekend breakfast lounging in maternity pyjamas, or grabbing something quick before you head into the office – here are our top tips for getting the best out of your breakfast.

The humble slice of toast tends to get a bad rep when it comes breakfast – it’s seen as the safe, predictable, somewhat boring option. When actually, with just a little imagination and a touch of creativity in the kitchen it can be so much more! Your average slice can form the basis of a whole world of incredible culinary creations! The tried and tested options will always be a hit – let’s hear it for avocado & egg, a decadent smoked salmon & cream cheese, and a totally indulgent peanut butter & banana… But what about mixing it up with some brand new combinations? Try peanut butter with chopped celery & raisins – ants on a log on toast anyone? -, fresh basil with cream cheese & mixed berries, or creamy ricotta & honey topped with juicy sliced pear – yum!

Check out this mouth-watering Buzzfeed list for all these and more!

A breakfast smoothie is a fantastic way to kick off your day – packed full of vitamins, nutrients and all sorts of other good stuff; they taste great, are quick to make, easily transportable, and can even be prepared the night before, making for a super easy morning option.

These are a few of our favourite recipes at Seraphine HQ:

The Green Smoothie from Bri at Our Savoury Life.

The Berry Smoothie from Chungah at Damn Delicious.

The Chocolate Peanut Butter Smoothie from Ashley at Baker by Nature.

A bowl of cereal is another standard morning option which is often unfairly judged as unimaginative. All it takes is a bit of yoghurt and sliced fruit, raisins, nuts, seeds, chocolate chips, a drizzle of honey or whatever else you fancy, and you take your bowl to a whole other level.

Why not try making your own granola for a totally unique breakfast experience.

Hungry for more breakfast themed inspiration?… Check out our Breakfast Pinterest Board!

Actress Isla Fisher Rocks a Pair of Ripped Seraphine Maternity Jeans

Stepping out in her Seraphine maternity jeans for the second time this month, we loved gorgeous actress Isla Fisher’s stylish bohemian chic look this week.

The Confessions of a Shopaholic star styled our Over Bump Ripped Skinny Maternity Jeans with a roomy boho shirt, flat studded mules, a tan leather bag and sunglasses, and wore her long hair loose and stylishly tousled. The artfully ripped jeans added a cool fashion edge to her look, and perfectly complemented her laid back vibe.

These stylish ripped jeans are becoming a firm favourite of hers – She even wore them earlier this month to celebrate her 39^th birthday with husband Sacha Baron Cohen along with celebrity friends Courteney Cox, Liev Schreiber & Naomi Watts. The star had organised a gourmet cookery class at Eatz in West Hollywood, and our trendy ripped maternity jeans provided the perfect dressed down style for the occasion.

And Isla isn’t the only stylish celebrity mum to love Seraphine maternity jeans! Our maternity denim boutique is one of the top fashion destinations for glamorous mamas-to-be, including big names like Alicia Keys, Mila Kunis and Jessica Alba – Kate Winslet loved her Seraphine jeans so much, she even styled them to walk the red carpet!

Currently 7 months pregnant, Isla is expecting her third child with comedian husband Sacha Baron Cohen. She’s been taking a back seat in Hollywood recently to spend more time with her growing family – last year she told the telegraph: “Family is 100 per cent my top priority” With 2 daughters, 7 year old Olive and 4 year old Elula, and a new baby on the way, we are loving Isla’s naturally chic maternity style.

Skip the Salon with Seraphine Founder Cecile’s Essential DIY Styling Tools

As a busy working mum, I know that it’s not always easy to find time to devote to the salon. But I’ve found that with the right styling tools, you can achieve the same results in half the time at home! These are my everyday styling essentials:

A Great Hair Day

When styling my hair, my first step is to wrap it up for 10 minutes in the Aquis Lisse Hair Turban – it’s a great hands-free way to dry your hair, which leaves you free for other things like putting on your makeup or sorting out the kids’ breakfast. It also reduces your drying time and minimises split ends.

After 10 minutes in the turban, the Babyliss New Big Hair 50mm hot spinning brush cuts out the blow dry stage, turning towel dried hair into a smooth bouncy style in one easy step – I love it!

And for days when you want a straight glossy look, the GHD Eclipse is the best set of straighteners I’ve tried – it gets gleaming results in next to no time.

A post shared by Seraphine Maternity (@seraphinematernity) on Jan 31, 2017 at 10:03am PST

Mani – Pedi

I am a Shellac manicure convert – the high-shine chip-proof gel finish is perfect for a busy lifestyle. But these days it’s increasingly difficult to find the time to head to the salon. The Red Carpet Manicure Gel Polish Starter Kit allows you to achieve the same indestructible style in your own living room – I tend to do mine in the evenings after the kids are in bed.

And for a quick DIY pedicure, the Emjoi Micro Pedi Foot Smoothing Device is a great way to beautify your feet at home.

Fabulous Facial

When there’s not enough time for a full spa facial, the Clarisonic Skin Cleansing System will achieve that same deep clean feeling every day at home in just 1 minute!

Wide Awake Eyes

When my boys were young and sleep was scarce, I discovered the power of perfectly curled lashes. The Shu Uemura Eyelash Curlers open up your eyes, and help you to look wide awake (even if you don’t always feel it).

Never underestimate the impact of beautifully groomed eyebrows! The Tweezerman Slant Tweezers make plucking and shaping a breeze.

Maternity Fashion Secrets: Style Your Nursing Shawl Like the Stars!

If there’s one fashion accessory that we’d recommend for every new mum, it has to be the Bamboo Nursing Shawl. Celebs and fashion conscious mamas everywhere have discovered the huge styling potential of this practical nursing piece – and this week on the blog, we’re showing you some of our favourite ways to wear it.

The stylish mums pictured above are showing off a classic way to wear the shawl: Draped over your curves and fastened at the shoulder. It’s a simple look that works equally well for a casual outing or a red carpet event – Former Pussycat Doll Kimberly Wyatt (on the far left) even wore hers to a glamorous West End premier!

Super chic & stylish right? Well that’s only the beginning! Here are just a few of the other ways to wear your nursing shawl – try fastening it at the front to form a cape, wrap it up as a cosy scarf, or style it as a glamorously draped pashmina.

All these styling options in one clever shawl – and we haven’t even got to the best part yet! The real beauty of the Bamboo Nursing Shawl is that it provides the perfect cover, allowing you to breastfeed your baby discreetly wherever you are. It’s made in ultra soft, lightweight bamboo fabric, which boasts anti-bacterial properties, and is kind against sensitive skin – perfect for you and your newborn.

However you wear it, the bamboo nursing shawl will make an invaluable fashion addition to your wardrobe for before, during & after pregnancy.