Fashion features | Seraphine blog

Urban Safari: Five Key Pieces to Work the Trend for Pregnancy

Get ahead of the stampede this season and work the trend in an urban safari inspired outfit! One of the hottest trends of SS14; these African explorer inspired styles were spotted all over the catwalks from Diane Von Furstenberg’s luxe gold shirt dresses and animal prints, to Orla Kiely’s preppy traveller girls in khakis and brightly coloured animal motifs exploring their safari adventure styled set!

The key to this classic trend is to combine neutral earthy tones – khakis, camel, sand and green, with funky tribal and animal prints like snakeskin, zebra and leopard. And to update the look for the new season, why not introduce a cheeky flash of colour into the mix! This is the perfect trend to work for pregnancy; with so many styling elements to mix and match with, you can go for an all out explorer style, or spice up a neutral outfit with a subtle hint of savanna chic.

Here are the five key pieces you’ll need this season to work the urban safari look:

Summer Slouchy Maternity Trousers

Our ultra flattering summer trousers are light, loose and easy to wear, and come in black, khaki or a stylish tribal print. These are an essential piece this season, and are perfect for working your safari chic look in the concrete jungle.

Style these super slimming trousers with a plain black top, gladiator sandals and some gold safari inspired accessories – we love this feathery gold necklace from Stella & Dot.

Linen Layering Maternity Top

Light linen layers will keep you cool in the hustle and bustle of the city just as well as they would on the African savanna, so our linen maternity top is a must have. It comes in soft ash grey or pastel peach – both of which look fabulous when paired with khaki!

Style this top with our next key piece: The Woven Maternity Shorts!

Woven Maternity Shorts

These high quality woven shorts will be the star of your summer wardrobe. Light and breezy, they fit comfortably under your bump for a perfect fit at every stage of pregnancy. Choose between classic black and cool khaki, and build up your summer safari ensemble.

Style them with a simple top, sandals and our Taupe Tie Maternity Cardigan for a look that says: “I am ready for adventure”. Accessorise with understated jewellery like Stella & Dot’s Wanderlust Triple Wrap Bracelet.

Summer Maternity Poncho

Our essential summer maternity poncho is fabulously loose fitting and comes in two super safari shades – khaki and sand. Loose and floaty styles tap into the more bohemian side to the safari trend, and this romantic maternity top is specifically designed to flatter your changing curves.

Style these tops with our ShoeTherapy Python Ballerina Pumps, skinny jeans and a long pendant necklace – try Stella & Dot’s stylish Sahara pendant.

Maternity Trench Coat

Bringing out the more structured military vibes of the trend, our Maternity Trench Coat in a classic camel hue will be the perfect piece to complete all of your urban safari outfits. With a self tie belt to define your figure and chic military style detailing at the cuffs and shoulders, this is a must have piece for your summer wardrobe.

Slip this coat on to complete any of your urban safari ensembles, or wear it over other styles to give a subtle nod to the trend.

Try it with a brightly coloured maternity dress and a safari print scarf to put a contemporary twist on the trend.

With these 5 key pieces in your summer style arsenal, you’ll be ready for any adventures that come your way!

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Rockabye Mummy – Top 5 Tips for Better Sleep Through Pregnancy

With all the excitement and anticipation of pregnancy (not to mention the hormones involved) is it really any wonder that sleep can be a little illusive when you’re expecting?

And if you’re having trouble sleeping, you can rest assured that it is not all in your head – In the first trimester there are the hundreds of hormones rushing around your system and the morning sickness to contend with, moving on to the second trimester and you may be suffering with heartburn or indigestion, and in the third trimester you’ll have baby pushing on your bladder, aches and pains and a huge bump to manoeuvre about!

When you do finally manage to drift off, you may even find that you start to dream more often and more vividly than usual! This is completely normal – just another one of those weird pregnancy side effects. But if you’re interested, check out this article from baby centre on how to interpret your pregnancy dreams!

A post shared by Seraphine Maternity (@seraphinematernity) on Sep 7, 2016 at 2:23am PDT

Here are our top 5 tips for getting a better night’s sleep during pregnancy:

1) Prepare

This is all about doing everything you can during the day to make sure that you are relaxed and ready to sleep when bed time rolls around. It’s ok to nap during the day (and sometimes it’s necessary) but try to keep it short and sweet – the optimum time is between 20 and 30 minutes, which is just enough to feel refreshed without reaching the deep sleep phase. Try to drink lots of water in the morning and ease off towards the evening to prevent nature calling in the middle of the night. You should also try to avoid caffeine, and exercise in the evenings as these are likely to keep you buzzing into the night.

2) Relax

Just as you would for a child who doesn’t like bedtime, think about establishing a relaxing bedtime routine for yourself. If you can, try to go to bed around the same time every night so that your body clock gets used to the idea, and think about establishing a few bedtime rituals to ease yourself into sleep. You could try a warm bath, or massaging your bump with pregnancy products like Mama Mio. Or you could read a few pages of a book (a nice one – keep work far away from your bed).

A post shared by Seraphine Maternity (@seraphinematernity) on Dec 21, 2016 at 1:31pm PST

3) Get Comfy

Finding a comfy sleeping position can be tricky in the final few months of pregnancy. But it’s been proven that sleeping on your left side is best, as it allows nutrients to flow easily to baby, while putting the least possible strain on your organs. You could also try a full body pregnancy pillow to keep you raised and supported in all the right places.

Of course the real key to a comfy night’s sleep is finding the right maternity nightwear for you. We have a fabulous range of maternity pyjamas and nighties, all made in the softest, most stretchy fabrics. You can choose from flirty lacey slips, relaxed button down nighties, matching maternity pj sets and ultra soft bamboo fibre separates! And you’re in luck, because right now we’re offering a fantastic 20% off across our entire maternity nightwear range, so shop now and prepare for a peaceful night’s sleep!

4) Visualise

Once you’re tucked up in bed, relaxed and comfortable, it can be frustrating if sleep doesn’t seem to be forthcoming. But there are things you can do to help the situation. We’ve all heard of counting sheep, but you may be interested to know that there are all kinds of other tricks that may help. Next time you’re lying awake, why not try imagining yourself a brand new dream house and decorating the rooms. Or you could try muscle relaxation – simply tense and relax all your muscles in order, starting with your face and working your way down your body to your toes and then back up again.

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5) Don’t Fret

And finally, if you’ve followed all the tips, done everything right and baby is still not letting you sleep, don’t lie awake fretting. Simply get up, go into another room and do something relaxing (or boring) until you feel drowsy again. A good midnight laundry folding session is surely enough to put anyone back to sleep!

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TOP TIPS TO STIMULATE YOUR BABY’S SENSES DURING PREGNANCY

It’s never too early to start bonding with baby! Stimulating your growing baby’s senses in the womb can be a lovely way of beginning to introduce the little one to the world that’s waiting to meet them.

Here are some fun ways to begin to awaken your baby’s senses through pregnancy:

Taste/ Smell

Mix it up and experiment with plenty of flavours and foods during your pregnancy and your baby will be able to taste and smell the differences! The foods you eat affect the flavour of the amniotic fluid, and your baby can taste the difference between sweet and sour. Some experts even believe that a babies who have been exposed to a variety of flavours in the womb are less likely to grow up to be fussy eaters! Here at Seraphine, we think this is the perfect excuse to go out for dinner and try all sorts of new cuisines – and we have the perfect selection of date night maternity dresses to choose from! For more info, check out this article on your baby’s developing nutritional intelligence in Plum Organics.

Touch

Why not set aside 10 minutes every day to massage your belly with specialised pregnancy products like Mama Mio Tummy Rub Butter or Oil. Taking this time out everyday will help you to relax, stimulate your baby through touch and will even help to prevent stretch marks while you’re at it. We think this is the perfect way to relax and wind down before bedtime – and this week we’re offering 20% off across our entire range of maternity pyjamas and nighties!

Light

During the final month of your pregnancy, it can be fun to feel how your baby reacts to strong light stimuli, so why not try shining a torch at your bump? This can even be a good way of keeping baby awake longer in the evenings so that mummy and baby can get a better night’s sleep! Just make sure not to do it too often, and only when your little one is awake and active or else you could disrupt their sleeping patterns.

Sound

Talk to your baby – read stories and play music because they can hear you! Not perfectly it has to be said, but they can respond to rhythmic speech patterns and music. As their mother, babies can distinguish the sound of your voice above all others and find it incredibly soothing to listen to. You can get dad involved in this too, as low frequency sounds travel the best, so why not let him read a story and introduce baby to the sound of his voice. Music is a great thing for you all to enjoy together, and it doesn’t have to be classical music either – any music that relaxes you will relax your baby!

For more info on prenatal development and how you can help things along, visit Brillbaby.com.

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Daydream in Blue: Stunning Blue Maternity Dresses for Spring

Spring is here and it’s time to switch those warm winter clothes for something new and fresh – and here at Seraphine we are daydreaming in blue! Ease yourself into the season of light, bright styles, celebrating clear blue skies, warm sunshine and breezy spring days with beautiful blue maternity dresses.

A springtime essential, a little blue dress can be styled up or down for any occasion, and whatever the weather. Dress your blue dresses up with a chic blazer and ankle boots for now, then transition the look with sandals and sunglasses when the weather turns warmer.

When it comes to the perfect little blue maternity dress, you have plenty of options to choose from. Our sky blue pleated maternity & nursing dress is a feminine option, and our classic knot front dress comes in a bright turquoise blue, royal blue or navy. Why not shake up your look with a chic printed dress in blue or even a stylish denim maternity dress to bring in the season in style.

Browse more maternity dresses online and find your perfect fit at Seraphine.

Pregnancy Cravings: Celebrity Mamas & Their Weird Food Wishes

Craving something strange? You’re not alone! Apparently, around 2/3 of mums-to-be will experience strong pregnancy cravings throughout their 9 months. These cravings can be so strange that they make others feel unwell and so strong that you’d be willing to go to great lengths to satisfy them – waking up your other half in the middle of the night to make you a mayonnaise and vinegar sandwich is nothing!

We recently came across this great list on Sheknows.com of the top 10 most commonly reported pregnancy cravings, and it got us wondering about what our favourite celebrities craved when they were pregnant…

Jessica Alba

A post shared by Seraphine Maternity (@seraphinematernity) on Jul 18, 2017 at 1:37am PDT

Jessica loves our Grey Luxe Skinny Maternity Jeans

Currently expecting baby number 3, Jessica had a thing for watermelon during her second pregnancy. She explained to Latina: “Sometimes you can’t get a food out of your mind. I could always eat watermelon. With Honor, I loved fruit, too. It’s a decent craving… You still eat cheeseburgers and pickles — you just want watermelon really bad. I don’t deprive myself of anything. I eat whatever.”

Whitney Port

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Get Whitney’s Look: Under Bump Distressed Maternity Jeans

New mama Whitney welcomed her first baby in July, but before she did, she shared a few of her top pregnancy cravings on her blog: ‘So, I haven’t really had those TYPICAL cravings like needing to dip pickles in ice cream. But there are a few things that got me through my first trimester and are continuing to be staples in my second.’ She listed all her must-haves, including tangerine Juice, chocolate milk, black olives, and roasted and salted pumpkin seeds among other things.

Mila Kunis talks pregnancy cravings – watch the video

Now a mum of 2, Mila shared her pregnancy cravings with Ellen back when she was expecting her daughter Wyatt. Mila was all about vinegar-based foods like pickles and sauerkraut – husband Ashton Kutcher even put together a special ‘cravings fridge’ for her, filled with the stuff!

The Duchess of Cambridge

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Get the Duchess’ look: Fuchsia Knot Front Jolene Dress & the Blossom Knot Front Maternity Dress

The Duchess of Cambridge managed to keep most of the details of her pregnancies away from the public eye. But as well as a penchant for Seraphine maternity dresses, she was reported to be craving Haribo sweets and a very specific spicy vegetarian curry from a shop in her home town Bucklebury.

Binky Felstead

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Get Binky’s look: Grey Marl Roll Neck Maternity & Nursing Jumper

Made in Chelsea star Binky recently welcomed her first baby – a daughter India Elizabeth. While she was expecting she craved all sorts of naughty things. She revealed to OK! Magazine that she’d been craving ‘Lots of carbs! I can’t get enough of pizza, burgers, fish and chips – anything naughty!’

Gwen Stefani

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Get Gwen’s Look: Faux Leather Panel Maternity Leggings & Black Maternity Shift Dress

Mama of 3 and Seraphine maternity clothes fan Gwen Stefani apparently craved fiery foods like chillies, and even carried a little bottle of Tabasco sauce around in her hand bag just in case!

If you’re having strange pregnancy cravings, don’t forget to check if it’s safe to eat during pregnancy – check out The Babble Out’s list of the top foods to enjoy & to avoid when you’re expecting.

Super Model Doutzen Kroes & BBC Newsreader Kate Silverton in Seraphine!

It’s been another great week here at Seraphine with two more celebrity mums looking fabulous in Seraphine maternity clothes!

Doutzen Kroes

Over the Easter weekend Dutch super model Doutzen Kroes perfected her poise in a pair of Seraphine Maternity Leggings. The stunning Victoria’s Secret Angel posted this stylish shot taken at her pre-natal ballet class on Instagram over the weekend, singing the praises of her Grey Bamboo Leggings!

Doutzen and her DJ husband Sunnery James already have a three year old son Phyllon Joy Gorré, and are expecting their second child, a daughter later this year.

As a professional lingerie model, Doutzen works hard to maintain her svelte figure, working out 4 times a week and splitting her training between boxing and ballet classes with Natalie Portman’s Black Swan ballet instructor Mary Helen Bowers of Ballet Beautiful.

The Grey Seraphine Maternity Leggings she wore are the exact same style that Claudia Schiffer loved during her pregnancy and no wonder: They are specifically designed for pre-natal exercise. Made in our signature bamboo blend yarn, they are incredibly soft and provide brilliant support for your bump, and they are also hypoallergenic, antibacterial and will wick away moisture to help regulate your temperature!

Kate Silverton

Then later in the week, BBC journalist and newsreader Kate Silverton was photographed in Hello! Magazine wearing our Black Over Bump Maternity Jeans!

Kate and her husband Mike have suffered fertility problems in the past, but their two year old daughter, Clemency Florence Rose was eventually conceived naturally after 4 unsuccessful rounds of IVF, and they are now expecting their second naturally conceived miracle baby in June!

Kate is pictured in our maternity jeans spending time in the garden with her family before their imminent new arrival. She styled them with a pair of black ballerina pumps, a neutral jacket and Ray bans for a relaxed spring time look.

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Seraphine’s Top Three Spring Trends to try Right Now!

The sun is out and spring is finally in full swing, so it’s time to ditch those awkward in-between-season styles and leap into the latest springtime trends!

To give you a little inspiration, here are the top three trends that have taken our fashion fancy here at Seraphine this season:

Spaghetti Strap Slip Dresses

The iconic nineties style spaghetti strap slip dress is having a major comeback right now, and these slinky little lingerie-inspired numbers are dominating street style and evening wear lineups alike!

This style is all about simple shapes and barely-there skinny spaghetti straps, and these dresses are perfect for teaming with a denim shirt or a stylish summer cardi for a versatile springtime look.

This trend is easy to adapt for your new maternity curves by simply adding a bit of structure around your empire waist line. Try our Grecian Maternity Maxi Dress in Grape or Azure Blue, or for a shorter style, try our Textured Cotton Maternity Dress in White or Dusty blue.

Loose Fit Trousers

Palazzo pants, boyfriend jeans and slouchy silhouettes; this season is all about loose fitting trousers! So give those skinny jeans a break and set your legs free in a flowing pair of slouchy fit pants!

If you’re pregnant right now, this trend couldn’t have come at a better time for you – slouchy loose fitting trousers are easy to wear and incredibly comfortable, so pick a pair and get stylish!

Our Summer Slouchy Maternity Trousers are bang on the trend, and come in classic black, cool khaki and a snazzy tribal print; perfect for styling with a chic maternity top. Or for an iconic summer style, try our wide leg Linen Maternity Trousers in Sand or White.

English Country Garden

Work this trend in pastel shades, luxurious lace, flirty florals or a combination of the three! Ultra feminine, refined and oh so British; this girly trend is perfect for a sunny garden party or a spring wedding.

This is a lovely look that works wonderfully with your new curves. Try our White Lace Maternity Dress and team it with a pastel coloured cardi for a chic daytime look. For a more floral focused take on the trend, opt for our Silk Printed Maternity Maxi Dress (loved by Halle Berry). And combining all three elements of the English Country Garden trend, our Rose Pink Lace Maternity Cocktail Dress has to be the star item for this ultra feminine look!

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Stylish Celeb Mums Sam Bailey & Olivia Wilde Spotted in Seraphine!

We think it’s safe to say that Seraphine has the X-factor this week, with two stylish celebrity mamas stepping out looking stunning in Seraphine maternity clothes!

Sam Bailey

First off, expectant X-factor winner Sam Bailey wowed in our Black Textured Silk Maternity Cocktail Dress! The talented mum of two rocked the pure silk LBD at a charity event in London, and teamed it with a pair of classic black heels for an ultra-chic and stylish look.

She wore subtle makeup which emphasized her natural glowing complexion, and styled her hair up in a sleek bun to complete the look.

Olivia Wilde

Meanwhile across the pond in New York, stunning actress Olivia Wilde looked as effortlessly chic as ever in a pair of Seraphine Maternity jeans!

Olivia and her actor fiancé Jason Sudeikis are expecting their first child (a boy!) early in May, and with just under a month to go till her due date, she has managed to look fantastic throughout her pregnancy, staying true to her own style.

The star was snapped strutting through New York’s trendy Soho district looking natural with loose hair and minimal makeup. She teamed our Luxe Grey Skinny Maternity Jeans with a white vest, a loose fitting black shirt and a leather jacket for an ultra cool monochrome look, and accessorised with ankle boots, a long pendant necklace and dark shades – the epitome of edgy urban style.

Olivia is not the first Stylish celeb mum to rock a pair of Seraphine maternity jeans, and nor will she be the last! An impressive array of expectant A listers have discovered our unbeatable denim range including big names such as Kate Winslet, Jessica Alba, January Jones and Dannii Minogue!

Click here to discover more Seraphine styles loved by the stars!

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Seraphine’s top 5 tips for stress-free travel with toddlers and tots

Are you taking the kids away on holiday this Easter? If you are, you may already be worrying about how you are all going to get through the flight! But travelling with little ones needn’t be a stressful experience; with a little careful planning you can make it into a fun way to start a big adventure abroad!

Here are our top 5 tips for simple, stress-free travel with toddlers and tots!

1) Plan ahead & take your time

Plan ahead and book everything well in advance to avoid last minute headaches, and aim for a flight at a time when your little ones are either at their most cheerful or when they are likely to sleep – only you can know what will be right for your children. If you have the option, go for allocated seats to make sure that you can all sit together.

Of course with little ones in tow, the most important thing you have to plan for is the timings. Calculate how much time you think you need, and then double it. What with one thing and another; toilet stops, tantrums and general travel-related disasters, if you plan to leave ridiculously early, you ought to get there just in the nick of time!

2) Be prepared

The old Cub Scout motto ‘Be Prepared’ has never before been so relevant to your life as when you’re getting ready to venture abroad with young children. When packing your hand luggage; include everything you could possibly conceive of needing, and then pack some more. Snacks, wipes, plasters, toys, spare clothes for everyone – just in case – pick up a few spare maternity & nursing t-shirts at Seraphine!

Make sure you have everything covered, and check out this complete hand luggage kit list from Have Baby Will Travel!

3) Avoid ear ache

Unfortunately that irritating ear ache during take-off and landing is a fact of flying, and for little ears it can be particularly painful. So what can we do to help them adjust to the changing air pressure?

For really little ones, the best thing you can do is to feed them during take-off and landing – whether you’re breastfeeding or using bottles, having something to suck will really help. For toddlers, having a drink is a good idea, but you could also give them a sweet to suck or (if you trust them not to swallow) some gum to chew.

If you’re planning on nursing on the plane, our Bamboo Breastfeeding Shawl is a life saver – it will provide a handy modesty cover up for discreet nursing, and will be an invaluable wrap to have with you in case it gets chilly in the cabin!

4) Keep them entertained

As we all know, hell hath no fury like a bored, tired toddler, so plan ahead to keep the little ones entertained throughout the flight. Of course in an ideal world they’d nap through at least some of the flight, but just in case they don’t feel like playing ball, make sure you have plenty up your sleeve to keep them busy.

For a toddler, it’s a great idea to wrap up a few small presents for them to open through the flight – little things like re-usable stickers and colouring books, hot wheels cars or plastic animals are perfect, and if all else fails, ask one of the flight attendants for a cup of ice and some miscellaneous bits and pieces from the tea and coffee trolley – plastic spoons, wooden stiring sticks, serviettes and mini milks for tea – this could buy you a full half an hour of happy playing! As a general rule of thumb: If whatever is entertaining them is quieter than the sound of the plane’s engines, you’re doing a fantastic job!

Stuck for ideas? Check out these 50 ways to keep your toddler or preschooler busy on a plane by Katie at the Playing with words 365 blog!

5) Make Friends

Last but by no means least: Be nice to your seat mates and the cabin crew! It’s a great idea to get the people around you on your side early on – smile, be nice and make friends. You know they didn’t want to sit next to your toddler and they know that you know, but if you make a little effort at the start it can pay off later. If you really want to go all out, you could even put together little goodie bags for the people sitting around you with sweets and earplugs!

All images by Alexi Lubomirski, taken from Vogue Russia May 2012

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Work, Train, Strut: Victoria Beckham works out at work – so can you!

As a mother of four, business woman, fashion designer and international style icon, it’s fair to say that Victoria Beckham has a lot on her plate; and she, like the rest of us working mums, has to balance her time between work, family, fitness and fun. So it’s no surprise that on a recent trip to the Condé Nast College of Fashion & Design in London, she jumped at the chance to try out their ingenious treadmill desk – and she wasn’t about to let her towering stilettos stop her!

But for those of us who don’t happen to have access to a custom built treadmill workstation, here are our top 3 tips for improving your fitness throughout your working day:

Before work: Walk to work & take the stairs

It may sound obvious, but starting your day with a brisk walk into work instead of battling with fellow commuters on the train or sitting for hours in traffic is a great way to sneak in a little exercise, and will provide a fabulous boost to your energy levels that can last all day! If you live far away and can’t walk all the way in, why not try getting off the bus a stop or two early, or parking your car a couple of streets away from the office.

Hint: A pretty pair of ballet flats or loafers will be comfy enough for the walk and super stylish for your busy day at the office, and we’re offering 15% off ShoeTherapy right now!

Once you’re at the office, why not take the stairs instead of riding up in the lift – this is the perfect way to tone up your legs and bum! Of course if you work on the 72^nd floor of the Shard we’re certainly not suggesting that you climb all of those stairs, but you could always climb up a couple of flights before calling the lift to take you the rest of the way.

At work: Simple stretches at your desk

If you spend your working day sitting at a desk, you could be forgiven for thinking there’s not much scope for exercise there. But that’s not necessarily the case; lots of little movements throughout the day all add up to improve your general fitness and well being. Why not try using a smaller glass for your water so that you can get up to refill it more often, or next time you need to talk to a colleague at the other end of the office, take a walk over there to see them in person instead of picking up the phone or sending an instant message.

A few simple stretches throughout the day will also work wonders, stopping you from getting stiff and keeping your body energised. Try these super stretches from Healthline.com that you can do at your desk, or if you’re worried about looking silly, simply practice your pregnancy pelvic floor exercises!

After work: Evening fitness classes

Most gyms offer career-friendly classes that you can go along to before or after work. Why not pick a class that you like the sound of, make sure it’s pregnancy safe, and commit to going once a week. This is a great way of making sure that you fit at least one solid fitness session into your schedule, and it’s a great opportunity to wear your super soft and stretch maternity leggings! At Seraphine we love our weekly office yoga session – it’s the perfect way to unwind and de-stress together at the end of a long Tuesday afternoon! If you’re wondering how’s the best way to stay active through your pregnancy, check out these great tips!

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Maternity Fashion History: Fashion Through the Ages

Here at Seraphine we’ve been taking a look back into our fashion history this week, dreaming of the glamorous styles of the past, and sniggering at the not so glamorous styles that are perhaps best left in the past!

The 1950’s & 60’s

The 50’s and 60’s was a time when everyday glamour mattered – The golden age of Hollywood was at its peak, and the average woman would do the housework in a pencil skirt and pearls (or so she’d have you believe!) Two main silhouettes characterised the 50’s; the full circle skirt with nipped in waist, and the figure hugging pencil skirt also with nipped in waist, while the smock dress ruled the 60’s. But the problem here was that it was not the done thing for the pregnant body to be on show!

So what’s an expectant mother to do?

Well she could take a leaf out of the Princess of Monaco, Grace Kelly’s book with this impressive looking embroidered bell style coat! Despite its tent-like proportions, Grace wears it well, carrying it off beautifully with her signature blend of glamour and poise – though it’s clearly not a style for everyone, and perhaps best left in the past.

Audrey Hepburn had more success with her classic white smock dress and simple string of pearls, and star of I Love Lucy, Lucille Ball looks positively modern in her fabulous polka dot tunic with black trousers!

The 1970s & 80’s

Fast forward to the 70’s & 80’s and fashion has become decidedly more extreme with big flares, big hair, and big shoulder pads! And unfortunately maternity fashion followed suit with big smock dresses – women were still covering up, except now the dresses were even more shapeless and came in a whole variety of garish colours and patterns!

The single most photographed pregnancy in this period was of course Princess Diana, who, much as we love her, certainly wore her fair share of brightly coloured tent dresses!

Today

Today thank goodness, when it comes to maternity fashion, we’ve never had things so good! Some time in the 90’s (around the time that Demi Moore bared her bump on the cover of Vanity Fair), women started to twig that actually, the pregnant body is beautiful and doesn’t necessarily have to stay hidden away. Today we have more choice than ever, and maternity clothes have never looked so stylish!

We have learned the power of a well defined empire line, and just how easy it is to hold on to your own signature style, with just a few minor adjustments to suit your new body shape! We are free to wear flowing or fitted styles and most importantly, we have the power to choose.

Shop Seraphine now to define your own version of modern maternity style!

Watch the clip to see Seraphine founder Cecile talking about the evolution of maternity fashion.

Get Inspired to keep kids busy with a fun filled Easter!

Spring has sprung, flowers are blooming, bunnies are bouncing and Easter is almost here! If you’re looking for some fun things to do with your little ones over the holidays, we are here to help! We’ve collected ideas and inspiration from around the web to help you come up with Easter-themed activities for you and the littlies to do together.

Get Active: Easter Egg Hunt

Of course it wouldn’t feel like Easter without a good Easter egg hunt! This is a great way to get kids excited, engaged and running around (and if you’re lucky, it may just tire them out a little bit too!)

Get hold of some colourful plastic eggs, and fill them up with little sweets, toys, confetti and glitter. Before you go to bed the night before Easter, hide them around the house or garden, and when the little ones wake up, simply let them loose with a basket and watch them scramble!

If you don’t fancy the plastic egg idea, you could use chocolate ones, or even get the kids involved in creating their own Easter eggs with these great tips from the Kids Activities Blog!

Get Crafty: Easter Bonnets

If your littlies are budding artists, they’ll love creating their own Easter Bonnets! There are so many ways of going about this, and you can make it as simple or as complex and intricate as you like!

You could opt for a fully homemade approach and fashion a hat out of card that the kids can decorate with colourful paper flowers, bunnies and chicks, or you could buy a ready made plain hat from somewhere like Hobby Craft, and get the little ones to choose flowers and ribbons to attach.

Get Cooking: Easter Nests

The kids will love getting involved in the kitchen – especially if there’s a sweet treat to be had at the end of it! This simple recipe for chocolate Easter nests from Kitchenmonsters.co.uk is incredibly easy to make and great fun to get stuck into together.

Get Outside: Easter Gardening

Easter is the ideal time to get outside and get a bit of gardening done ready for the summer, and the kids can help out too! They’ll love to help you dig holes for putting new plants in – even if they just end up making mud pies!

We love these miniature fairy gardens on The Magic Onions blog – they’re a great idea if you have limited outside space, and we think that creating one of these with the kids could be a really great bank holiday weekend project!

And if you don’t quite fancy the idea of getting down and dirty in the mud yourself, why not take a daytrip to a local park or garden. If you live in London, The Royal Horticultural Society garden at Wisley, (just outside West London) is running a full programme of Easter events for all ages including a Lindt gold bunny Easter hunt!

Get Stylish: Seraphine Sale

After all of this buzzing Easter activity, you’ll deserve a well earned rest and a treat, so put your feet up and browse the Seraphine mid-season sale! For a limited time only, we’re offering up to 30% off across essential spring and summer styles at the height of their season – so shop now and discover our range of beautiful maternity dresses, must have tops and much more for your spring wardrobe.

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