Category: Featured

Work It: 5 Tips for Dressing a Baby Bump at the Office

When you’re expecting, striking the style balance at work can be a tricky business. But here at Seraphine we are here to help! Work your new curves in professional style with our top 5 tips for dressing your bump at the office.

 

Classic black, white and grey are the staples of a smart professional wardrobe, but that doesn’t mean that it has to be boring! Nothing says workwear chic like a little black maternity dress; or why not make a fashion statement in a stylish patterned dress. Seraphine founder Cecile Reinaud suggests choosing one rich colour to mix with your staple black, and accessorising in the same shade.

 


When it comes to choosing maternity shirts and blouses for the office, we love a loose and floaty style that drapes comfortably over the bump. Try teaming our Ivory Maternity Blouse with a pair of our Slim Fit Black Maternity Trousers – the loose shirt is designed to fall beautifully over your figure, creating a stylish contrast with the fitted bottoms which slim and lengthen your legs.

 

You can’t beat a classic maternity wrap dress for pregnancy at the office. These versatile dresses are stylish, comfy, office appropriate, and most importantly, they allow you to adjust the fit to flatter your figure through every stage of pregnancy. Our Black Maternity Wrap Dress is so easy to accessorize – it will be an invaluable addition to your pregnancy wardrobe.

 

Another fantastic styling feature to look out for when building your maternity workwear wardrobe, is ruching. A classic stretch jersey dress with ruching at the sides is guaranteed to see you stylishly through every trimester. Our Printed Side Ruched Maternity Dress is the perfect style for your spring and summer work wear repertoire (and can easily be glammed up for an evening out too!)

 

And of course even the most stylish work wear ensemble will be worn in vain without the correct maternity lingerie to underpin the style. A few supportive maternity bras, vest tops, and a good collection of maternity tights and leggings will help to smooth and support your figure, creating a flattering base for all of your office wear outfits.

 

 

Dressing my bump – by Fabric Magazine editor – Liz Skone James

Liz Skone James is the editor of luxury London property and lifestyle magazine, Fabric. She is expecting her first baby at the end of March this year.

Ironically, before it magically popped out overnight, I was longing for a bump – visible proof on the packed tube that I was deserving of a surrendered seat. Then it appeared, and brought with it all kinds of sartorial complications. Usually I jump at the excuse for a valid reason to hit the shops, but not when I know I will only be wearing the spoils for a few months, so I’ve tried to be clever with my purchases.

 

In a way, I’m lucky that my day-to-day work wardrobe consists largely of dresses; most will stretch (sometimes in an ungainly manner, admittedly) to accommodate my widening waistline. Some, like my Ingenue Liv dress in a graphic pink flower print, look positively made for maternity and have garnered more compliments avec bump than in the days of a flatter tum. There are other items that have proven equally adaptable, like my old but faithful MET jeans, which are so low cut that they still sit comfortably underneath baby SJ at 33 weeks and counting. And I can’t not mention my Marks and Sparks leggings – designed for normal folk, with their StayNEW technology (nope, me either) they’re perfect for preggies, too, with a magically expanding and supportive middle panel that sits over the bump most pleasingly.

 

Knitted Maternity Cape

 

Of course, I have bought new bits, but among the throwaway maternity fashions of the high street favourites, my best pieces have been from super stylish Séraphine. Sienna Miller recognised the sheer brilliance of the Black Knitted Cape and likewise, I am loving it (not least because, thrown on over my trusty leather biker jacket, it keeps me chic and cosy on a cold morning AND hides the fact that the zipper gave up on containing me some time hence). And I know that I’ll wear it even after baby has arrived, which is the beauty of so many clothes in this collection. Take the Maternity and Nursing Jumpers which will see me through to birth, and then potentially another year of feeding, and the Grey Nursing Shawl, the most sumptuous of scarves now, and a discreet cover up when breastfeeding. And try as I might I couldn’t wait to use my Tote Changing Bag. Serious arm candy, I don’t need a baby to sport this Séraphine classic – in fact, it’s the perfect size for my purse, keys, iPad, Gaviscon, maternity notes… How will I ever make room for nappies?

 

And if all else fails? Avert attention from the tum with perfect posture and a clear complexion. I can’t recommend Charlotte Colwell’s facials strongly enough, and a few sessions with Pilates pro Liza Cawthorn should help you to avoid the waddle and carry your girth with grace.

 

Good luck girls.

 

Other Articles You May Like:

Pregnancy style Q&A with Sunday Times features editor Laura Atkinson
Deputy showbiz editor Sarah Bull’s top 5 celebrity maternity styles
Seraphine founder Cecile talks business and lifestyle in the press this week

Find the perfect maternity dress for your Valentine’s date night!

With a baby on the way, you and your partner may be feeling extra specially loved up this Valentine’s Day, so it’s important that you make sure to celebrate in style! Choosing the right dress for your big Valentine’s date night can be a tricky task, but here at Seraphine we have a gorgeous array of maternity dresses, and this post is aimed at helping you to find the perfect one to make you feel sensational.

To give you a little fashion inspiration, we’ve put together a little list of dream date night scenarios, and suggested the perfect maternity dresses to suit the occasion:

 

The Daytime Date

A romantic stroll with your love is a beautiful thing at anytime of the day! Head out on a day trip somewhere you’ve never been before and explore together, or go local and take in all of your favourite sights, making sure to visit those special places that remind you of why you fell in love – you know the ones we mean.

This kind of date needs a dress that looks great and is comfy & easy to move in.

Claret Red Asymmetric Empire Line Maternity Dress

 

Romantic Meal Out

Dinner out at your favourite fancy restaurant is a lovely way to treat yourselves on Valentine’s Day: Sharing a fantastic meal in a romantic setting and not having to worry about who’s turn it is to do the washing up! Good food, great conversation and the very best of company – what could be better!

This is the kind of date that calls for something a little bit special when it comes to choosing an outfit. Silk, lace, chiffon; the world is your oyster.

Champagne Silk Polka Dot Maternity Cocktail Dress

Shop Luxe Maternity Dresses

Romantic Dinner at Home

If you don’t want the hassle of going out, a cosy dinner at home with your man and the bump could be the perfect relaxing way to spend the evening. Whether you cook for him, he cooks for you, or you go for a take away, a quality evening in with just the two of you is a fantastic stress free way to reconnect.

In this setting simple, elegant style is key. Nothing too posh: This night is all about you and your man – not you and your dress!

Burgundy Maternity Shift Dress

 

Big Night Out

If you are the kind of couple who really likes to party, then maybe you’re thinking about heading out on the town on Valentine’s Night. Getting out and about, feeling the energy and dancing the night away is a great way of keeping your relationship fresh, and making new memories to treasure in years to come.

This kind of date calls for a dress that can be as flexible and spontaneous and you are!

Dove Gray Multiway Maternity Dress

Elsa Pataky transitions the seasons in a Seraphine Maternity Cardigan

Elsa Pataky has been rocking her Seraphine knitwear again this week!

The beautiful Spanish actress and her thunder god husband Chris Hemsworth are busy preparing to become parents of 3, ahead of the arrival of twins later this year to join their two year old daughter India Rose, but Elsa hasn’t let this faze her, and has been looking relaxed and stylish in Seraphine maternity knitwear!

Back in January, she sparkled in our Black Sequin Maternity Cardigan, and this week she was spotted out and about with friends, looking laidback in our Grey Wool and Cashmere Maternity Wrap Cardigan.

The cardigan itself, which is also available in cream, blends lamb’s wool, cotton, cashmere and angora in a luxurious chunky knit to keep you warm and cosy whatever the weather. Elsa wore it loose and showed off its contemporary waterfall cut, but you can also fasten it at the shoulder to keep out the cold and create a feminine draped cowl neckline.

 

She teamed it with a light floral summer dress, black ankle boots and a matching grey hat for a cool, comfy and relaxed style that is completely perfect for this tricky transitional time between seasons.

As we begin to move from winter into spring, we think that when it comes to transitional fashion solutions, Elsa has hit the nail on the head. It’s all about gradually introducing your new spring wardrobe, but keeping things warm and cosy with chunky maternity cardigans and warm woolly jumpers. A warm knit will protect you and your bump from the cold, but will also be easy to open up and take off if the sun decides to make an unexpected appearance.

 

Shop The Look

The Little Black Maternity Dress

The Grey Waterfall Cardigan

 

Other Articles You May Like:

Meet Seraphine’s black maternity coatigan
Seraphine’s maternity fashion forecast – January, February & March
Gwen Stefani’s secret weapon – the maternity LBD

Hello! Mag editor Rosie Nixon’s video guide to maternity jeans

Finding the perfect pair of maternity jeans is one of the most important steps to take towards creating your perfect maternity wardrobe – once you have a great pair of jeans, it’s easy to  build up different looks, styling them up or down and accessorising them to suit any occasion!

Editor of Hello! Magazine, Rosie Nixon is a glamorous mum-to-be, who is expecting her first baby in March, and she is a big fan of our Seraphine maternity jeans. Rosie has blogged for us before, and her video guide to maternity dresses was a big hit. This time around, she’s sharing her favourite pairs of Seraphine jeans, and how she likes to style them for different settings.

Watch the video to see which jeans Rosie loves, and how to style them up or down, then see below to shop her favourite styles!

 

Grey Luxe Maternity Skinny Jeans
Steel Blue Long Line Popper Nursing Top
Black Secret Support Vest
Graphite Grey Sheer Pintuck Maternity Blouse
Indigo Slim Fit Skinny Maternity Jeans
Black Front Tie Maternity Blazer
Black Maternity Skinny Jeans
Cobalt Blue Slim Leg Maternity Jeans

Rosie Nixon's Denim Styles

 

Articles You May Also Like:

Hello! Magazine Editor Rosie Nixon’s video guide to maternity style
7 winter maternity wonders, by Hello! Mag editor Rosie Nixon
Find your perfect pair of maternity jeans at the Seraphine denim boutique

Mother knows best – Natural beauty treats from your kitchen cupboard!

We all know that mums are a very special group of women who are simply never wrong about anything  – well perhaps that’s not 100% true, but when it comes to natural beauty enhancing tips, we’ve found that our own mums can be a veritable goldmine of handy hints, tips and tricks.

During pregnancy, your hormones can tend to go a little haywire, and this can affect your hair and skin in all sorts of different ways, and you may also find that you are more sensitive to the harsh chemicals in your usual beauty products than before. At this point you could console yourself with some gorgeous new maternity clothes, but it’s also worth bearing in mind that natural home made beauty treatments can be a great way to give your hair and skin a little bit of much needed TLC without the nasty chemicals or the hefty price tag!

Here at Seraphine, we decided to ask our own mums for their top natural, chemical-free and pregnancy friendly beauty enhancing tips, and we were inundated with wonderful pearls of wisdom, based on generations of experience and cultural heritage! Here are a few of our favourites, along with some all natural recipes to help you try them out for yourselves.

 

Honey Face Mask

 

Face masks

Our PR girl’s mum Homa grew up in Iran and believes that a honey face mask is the secret to perfect skin.

Honey is a natural health and beauty hero which brings all sorts of benefits to your skin:

  • Natural antibacterial properties – great for treating spots
  • Antioxidants – to hold back the aging process
  • Soothing and moisturising – boosts your complexion
  • Opens up pores – clears and unclogs your skin

Visit The Nourished Life blog to find the perfect honey face mask recipe to suit your skin type.

 

Olive Oil Hair Mask

 

 

Our web manager’s mum Dannie is from the South of France, and attributes her soft and shiny locks to weekly olive oil hair masks.

Using an olive oil hair mask moisturises your hair to the max, helping to make it softer, shinier and healthier in general. Not only this, but it can also help to prevent dandruff, tame frizz and flyaways, and make styling a lot easier. A weekly olive oil treat for your hair really can work wonders.

The Chalk Board have posted a great recipe that mixes olive oil with honey, combining the moisturizing effects of both to create a super hair mask. Find the recipe here.

 

Sea Salt Scrub Exfoliators

 

 

Our copywriter’s mum, Caroline grew up on the South Coast of England, and swears by homemade sea salt exfoliating scrubs.

There are hundreds of manufactured exfoliating products on the market these days, and the prices range dramatically. At a spa you could easily pay a small fortune for a specialist exfoliating treatment, and while many of these will be very beneficial, it is so easy to create your own sweet smelling multi-purpose body scrubs using things that you can find in your kitchen cupboard!

Why not try one of these great salt scrub recipe ideas from Mother Nature Network.

 

So here’s to all mums – wherever in the world they may be – thank you for passing on your sage-like beauty wisdom!

 

Other Articles You May Like:

Detox for January – great smoothie recipes for pregnancy
Seraphine’s top 5 tips for simple and stylish breastfeeding
Perfect your pregnancy nails to match your outfit

 

Win a pregnancy photo shoot for you and your partner this Valentine’s

Valentine’s Day is almost here and love is in the air, so we are launching a loved-up competition with a fantastic prize for you and you partner!

Here at Seraphine, we’ve teamed up with Imagethirst to offer you the chance to win a professional pregnancy photo shoot for you and your partner!

The winner will receive a professional photo shoot worth a fantastic £250, plus a further £250 to spend on their favourite pictures!

We are also offering 5 runner up prizes including the same photo shoot experience, with £75 to spend.

 

Enter the Competition on Facebook

Imagethirst, are one of London’s leading family portrait studios, and the Official Photographers to the Portland Hospital for Women and Children – so you can be sure that you’re in the very best hands. For an idea of the work they do, you can check out their beautiful galleries here. They specialise in photographing couples, pregnancy & babies, children and families.

If you are one of the lucky winners, Imagethirst will send one of their talented photographers to visit you at your home, where everyone feels most relaxed and comfortable, and they will capture some beautiful family images that are totally unique and personal to you.

 

Find your perfect Valentine's Day dress at Seraphine

 

 

Now how do you win this fantastic prize we hear you ask?

Well all you have to do is to visit our Facebook page, find the post about this competition, like it and share it.

That’s really all there is to it! But do make sure that you like  AND share the post, otherwise you won’t be properly entered, and you’ll miss out on this wonderful opportunity to make some gorgeous family memories to keep forever.

So what are you waiting for? – Get liking and sharing, and we’ll announce our winner and runners up on Valentine’s Day!

 

Terms and Conditions:
One prize per family. Prize valid for 6 months. Prize is non-transferable and cannot be used on existing Imagethirst photo shoots. Not redeemable for cash. For sessions outside the M25 a travel charge may occur. A £50 refundable booking deposit is payable at booking. We operate a 72 hour cancellation policy.

Other Articles You May Like:

 

The Valentine’s Day Edit: Maternity Outfits You’ll LOVE

Love is in the air mamas!

With Valentine’s Day on the horizon, we’ve put together a few of our top date night outfit ideas.

And the best part? Every style featured in this post is part of our Valentine’s Edit promotion – just enter code LOVE19 at the checkout for 20% off!

 

Valentine’s Day Outfit for the Office

Valentine's outfit for the office

 

Get the Look: Black Dot Woven Maternity Dress & Red Knot Front Maternity Dress 

The big day falls on a Thursday this year, so if you’re heading straight out after work, try one of these chic maternity dresses to take you from desk to dinner date in style.

And why not complete the look with a few chic accessories!

 

The Daytime Date

 

Valentine's Daytime Date

Get the Look: Love Maternity Denim Jacket &  Red Stripe Maternity Top & Love No1 Maternity Sweater 

Whether you’re heading out for brunch, wandering around a gallery or setting out for a romantic stroll, these cute casual looks are ideal for your dressed down daytime date.

 

The Romantic Evening Out

Romantic evening out
Get the Look: Rose Woven Maternity Dress & Blush Lace Maternity Dress

If you and your love are celebrating in style with a glamorous night out this year, try one of the ultra-flattering & feminine maternity dresses from our Luxe Collection.

 

The Big Night In

Maternity nightwear

Get the Look: Grey Marl Maternity Dressing Gown & Lacy Black Maternity Nightie

If it’s an altogether more intimate affair you’re planning, then we’ve got the perfect maternity pyjamas & lingerie for your big night in.

Slip into one of these super-comfortable styles & enjoy some alone time with your love – Netflix & ice-cream optional!

 

Whatever your Valentine’s Day plans, here at Seraphine we’ve got your outfit covered.

Check out the full Valentine’s Edit online now & don’t miss your chance for 20% off!

Seraphine’s Maternity Fashion Forecast – January, February & March

Here at Seraphine, we can’t wait for spring – we’re already dreaming of sunny days and spring flowers.

But before we get there of course, we have the small matter of the next couple of months.

For now, we’re keeping wrapped up in our maternity jumpers and coats, but the future is looking brighter as we look further ahead. Here’s our maternity fashion forecast for January, February and March, to help see you through the winter months in style.

 

January

Black Wool and Cashmere Wrap Maternity Coat
It’s still very cold outside, so it’s important to wrap up warm with plenty of cosy maternity jumpers, and a good quality maternity coat is a must! Why not treat yourself to a touch of luxury with a silky faux fur collar to keep out the winter chill!

Black Wool & Cashmere Wrap Maternity Coat
Roll Neck Maternity & Nursing Jumper in Chestnut or Black
Soft Grey Faux Fur Collar

 

February

Black Maternity Coatigan

 

Here’s hoping that February brings slightly warmer weather – we’re thinking jeans, cardigans and scarves. We’re optimistic here at Seraphine, so we like to think that by the end of the month, we’ll be able to switch to a lighter jacket!

Black Maternity Coatigan
Dark Wash Slim Leg Maternity Jeans
Blue Lace Print Scarf

 

March

Grey Wool and Cashmere Wrap Maternity Cardigan

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

In March it should start to feel noticeably warmer, with longer days and much more sun (at least we hope so). It may even be safe to start venturing out without a jacket! A chunky cardigan and a warm scarf should keep you nicely cosy.

Grey Wool & Cashmere Maternity Wrap Cardigan
Leopard Print Scarf
Shoe Therapy Python Black Ballerina Shoes

 

 

Other Articles You May Like:

Seraphine’s top 5 fashion trends to watch out for in 2014
Deputy Showbiz Editor Sarah Bull’s top 5 celebrity styles
Pregnancy Style Q&A with Seraphine model – Zabeena

Pregnancy Style Q&A with Sunday Times Features Editor – Laura Atkinson

Laura Atkinson is the Features Editor at The Sunday Times’ Style Magazine, having previously worked at Grazia Magazine.  She lives in London with her fiance and two month old daughter Nancy. For more from Laura, you can follow her on twitter at @Lauratkinson

 

1) Describe your pregnancy style

Me, but with a (huge) bump! I decided from the start that I didn’t want to fall into the trap of dressing totally differently just because I was pregnant. It’s a challenge, but with careful shopping you can still keep your own style and identity.

 

Shop Maternity Styles at Seraphine

 

2)  What’s your favourite Seraphine piece?

I love Seraphine’s Black Knitted Mini Maternity Skirt– I wore it with an oversized denim chambray shirt and big black boots for a grungy look. Now I’m on the other side, so to speak, I’m obsessed with their nursing tops, particularly the bamboo vests that come in black or nude; they’re so comfortable and soft, and the longer length is really flattering.

 

3) What would be your go-to outfit?

When I was pregnant my favourite look was black skinny maternity jeans, an oversized shirt, heels and lots of jewellery.

Black Knitted Maternity Skirt

 

                                                             4)  Fitted or flowing for your bump?

In the earlier stages, fitted, then more flowing as I got bigger! If you’re doing the baggy look, I always made sure that some of my outfit was fitted (e.g.  jeans, or a short skirt so you can see your legs) so I didn’t look like too much of a walking tent!

 

5) Do you have any top tips to share with other pregnant mums?

Experiment with makeup and jewellery rather than concentrating on clothing, especially in the later stages- I dyed my hair pink at one stage, always wore bright red lipstick and bought loads of great earrings.

 

Other Articles You May Like:

Pregnancy Style Q&A with Seraphine model – Zabeena
Pregnancy Style Q&A with Glamour Editor Natasha McNamara
Pregnancy made me more stylish – by Honest Mum

A post for the men behind the mums – gift ideas for your pregnant superstar

Here at Seraphine, we spend a lot of time focusing on mums – as a maternity fashion label, it’s kind of our job!

But we are sometimes guilty of forgetting the men behind the mums. Those hidden support networks who carry the bags, put up with the mood swings and bring us cups of tea when it hurts to move.

We were recently tweeted by a great guy, after gift ideas for his 8 months pregnant wife who was suffering from back pain.

 

 

And it turns out, he is writing a blog about his experience of being an expectant dad! You can check it out at Bloke to be Broke.

We love mummy bloggers, and often feature guest posts from our mummy blogger friends here on our own blog, but a daddy blogger is a whole new concept for us. We had a sneaky browse through Brett’s blog and it makes great reading – it’s really refreshing to get a dad’s point of view on the whole thing!

It turns out that there are doting dads tweeting, posting, writing, pinning and sharing about being a dad all over the web! They even have their own social network – Lifeofdad.com!

Infact, this online community of dads is getting together next week in the US at the Dad 2.0 Summit to discuss the growing power and voice of dads online! You can even follow the conversation on twitter @dad2summit!

 

Meanwhile, for any other lovely dads-to-be looking for a nice present for a pregnant wife or girlfriend, here are our top 5 gift ideas:

 

1) ShoeTherapy Ballerina Pumps – to ease her back pain

2) The Ultimate Little Black Maternity Dress – for when she can’t find anything to wear

3) Navy Tote Changing Bag – to organise all her baby paraphernalia

4) Sexy Maternity Lingerie – to let her know she is still hot

5) A Stylish Scarf – just because

 

 

Other Articles You May Like:

Top 5 tips for post pregnancy style – by personal stylist Daniella Marks
Deputy Showbiz Editor Sarah Bull’s top 5 celebrity maternity styles
My pregnancy style in pictures – by Helen Canning

Hello! Magazine Editor Rosie Nixon’s video guide to maternity style

Editor of Hello! Magazine, Rosie Nixon is one of the most glamorous women in fashion media, and with previous credits at Grazia, Glamour and Red magazines to her name, it’s safe to say that she really knows her stuff when it comes to fashion and lifestyle!

 

Rosie is expecting her first baby early this year, and has been a fan of Seraphine throughout her pregnancy! She has blogged for us before, and even wore our Navy Shoulder Lace Maternity Shift Dress to a glamorous industry award ceremony back in December. Just recently she took the time out to visit us at our London studio, where she let us in on her favourite Seraphine maternity dresses, and shared some shining pearls of styling wisdom.

 

Watch the video to see which Seraphine maternity dresses Rosie loves, and how she would style them for a transitional day to evening look, then see below to shop her styles.

 

So what are you waiting for? To shop Rosie’s Seraphine favourites .

Navy Shoulder Lace Maternity Shift Dress
Black Shift Maternity Dress
Blue Lace Print Scarf
Embellished Empire Belt
Black Cropped Peplum Jacket
White Cropped Peplum Jacket
Black Sequin Maternity Cardigan
Royal Blue Front Knot Maternity Dress
Fitted Empire Line Maternity Cocktail Dress
Luxury Black Lace Maternity Occasion Dress

 

Other Articles You May Like:

7 winter maternity wonders – by Rosie Nixon
Hello! Magazine and Glamour.com editors sparkle in Seraphine
Seraphine’s video guide to party wear –  with Seraphine model Zabeena

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