Pregnancy Archives - Page 8 of 8 -

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.

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

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

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

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

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!

3 Healthy Pregnancy Smoothie Recipes to Try This January

How are your New Year’s resolutions holding up mamas? Healthy pregnancy smoothies are a fantastic way to make sure you’re getting plenty of fresh fruit & veg in your diet. These smoothie recipes are quick, convenient, utterly delicious and packed full of those all-important vitamins and minerals.

We’ve chosen 3 of our favourite pregnancy-friendly smoothie recipes from around the web, and matched them up with the perfect cosy maternity jumpers to wear while you enjoy them!

Berry Smoothie Recipe

Click to see the full recipe on Mom365

This delicious berry smoothie is the ideal choice for breakfast & is packed full of calcium and protein, found in the milk & yogurt.

Calcium helps to build strong bones for your little one, and amino acids from protein are the building blocks for your baby’s cells, so it’s vital to get plenty through pregnancy – especially in your second and third trimesters.

To wear: Berry Nursing & Maternity Tunic

Green Smoothie Recipe

Click to see the full recipe on the Super Healthy Kids blog

The ultimate fresh-tasting folate-filled recipe, this one provides the perfect vitamin boost for pregnancy.

Vitamin A and C from the mango & orange juice will boost your immune system and help you to absorb as much iron as possible from your food. During pregnancy you need more iron than usual, as you’ll have up to 50% more blood pumping around your body.

And that’s where the spinach comes in! Spinach provides iron and plenty of folate, which is essential for your baby’s developing brain and spinal cord.

To wear: White Cable Knit Maternity & Nursing Jumper

Vegan Chocolate Smoothie Recipe

See the full recipe on Detoxinista

And for something a little more indulgent, try this delicious vegan variation on the classic chocolate milkshake!

It may sound too good to be true, but this chocolatey delight is loaded with protein, potassium & fibre. Nuts are rich in protein and fibre, so peanut butter and almond milk will help with your baby’s healthy development, as well as aiding your own digestive system.

And of course bananas are a fantastic source of potassium, which you need to maintain the balance of electrolytes within your body.

To wear: Camel Cable Knit Breastfeeding Cover

So what are you waiting for mama? Give your body & your baby a boost with these healthy pregnancy smoothies!

Pregnancy Style Q & A – with Seraphine Model, Zabeena

Zabeena is one of our stunning Seraphine mummy models – you may recognise her from pictures on our website or from our past catalogues. Zabeena first modelled for us during her first pregnancy with her now beautiful 3 ½ year old daughter, and she is now back and 6 months pregnant with baby number two!

A post shared by Seraphine Maternity (@seraphinematernity) on Nov 1, 2016 at 5:45am PDT

She recently visited us at our new Marylebone boutique to find the perfect maternity dress for a Christmas party (click here to watch the video). After her shopping trip, we caught up with her to find out how her pregnancy style has evolved the second time around, and to see if she had any tips to share with other expectant mums.

1) Describe your personal pregnancy style?

I like to keep my pregnancy style as similar to my normal (un-pregnant) style as possible. I like to feel cool, elegant and a little bit sexy, and I don’t see why that should change just because I’m pregnant.

Maybe I can’t get away with wearing heels as much as I’d like to, but there are some great flats out there, and being pregnant over winter is ideal for boots!

2) What is your fail safe maternity outfit?

skinny jeans and a shirt or blouse with a chunky necklace

A post shared by Seraphine Maternity (@seraphinematernity) on Nov 1, 2016 at 10:35am PDT

3) What is your favourite Seraphine piece?

It has to be my Seraphine skinny jeans! I have them in both grey and black.

I looked high and low for jeans that don’t look like maternity jeans, and these are incredible – no one can tell they are maternity. I even got away with wearing them after my daughter was born!

I was delighted to see they came in grey too, so this time I have another pair to play with. They are the perfect fit and length, great with flats, tucked into boots or to wear with heals, I love them.

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

Don’t be scared of sizes on labels – no one will see what size you’ve gone for and there’s nothing worse than wearing something that doesn’t quite fit in the right areas.

As our pregnant bodies change it’s all new to us, and different parts get bigger in different areas, so it’s always a good idea to have something maybe in that one size bigger which in turn makes you look slimmer and is far more flattering because it hangs nicely on you rather than clinging.

Articles You May Also Like:

The Seraphine guide to surviving the January sales
My pregnancy style in pictures – by Helen Canning
Seraphine’s top 5 tips for simple and stylish breastfeeding

My Pregnancy Style in Pictures – By Helen Canning

Helen Canning is mum to Coco Lily, 2 and since writing this post has given birth to a beautiful baby girl Mimi Rose (scroll to the bottom for a picture!) Helen draws on her styling background and personal experiences of pregnancy and motherhood to write the blog www.cocomamastyle.com packed with style inspiration for bump and beyond.

As I near the end of my pregnancy and start to think about the next wardrobe – oh, and living with a new born baby of course! – I’ve been taking a look back at some snaps from the past few months of what feels like the longest pregnancy ever!

I’ve worn some great pieces from Seraphine that have seen me stylishly through the summer and autumn and many will also last through the winter and beyond with their fab nursing features. So here’s a peek into my Seraphine pregnancy wardrobe and those all-important must-haves I couldn’t have lived without.

The Black Shift Maternity Dress

It’s date night and at 17 weeks I’m embracing the bump-hugging qualities of the classic Seraphine black shift dress and adding detail with the double wrap skinny belt under my bust.
It’s a relief to go from the feeling fat phase of the first trimester when you’re trying to hide any weight gain and the first signs of a bump, to the second trimester when you’re ready to share your news with the world and can finally embrace that growing tum.
The ruching on this LBD flatters your bump whatever size and the ¾ sleeve means you don’t have to be conscious of your upper arms, when it’s not just your waistline that’s expanding!

A Summer Maternity Tunic

I couldn’t have survived the many gloriously hot days this summer without my Seraphine printed tunic dress. It was light, airy and so flattering and I’ll definitely be bringing it out next summer too, fingers crossed for such great weather!

The Navy Knot Front Maternity Dress

The navy knot front dress has been an essential piece in my maternity wardrobe and is a real change from my usual, pre-pregnancy style which goes to show you shouldn’t be afraid to try something new when you’re expecting. And if it’s good enough for the Duchess of Cambridge…!
This classic dress is made in the softest jersey and drapes gently to flatter your figure, so the longer-sleeved version will certainly be finding its way into my nursing wardrobe for winter.

Over-Bump Skinny Maternity Jeans

As autumn set in, skinny jeans and layering naturally came in to play. I’ve always loved combining stripes with leopard print and these two pieces (striped side pleat top and scarf) tone well together for a relaxed day look. I’ve regularly teamed these with my skinny over-bump jeans which have just the right amount of stretch to fit perfectly without digging in to your bump – essential as you near the final weeks and crave comfort without sacrificing style.

ShoeTherapy Ballerina Pumps

Shoe Therapy pumps – quite simply heaven for my tired feet. Soft, supportive and of course, stylish I went for the versatile neutral snakeskin colour and best of all they fit throughout my pregnancy, even when the jeans and tops got a bit snug.
My feet will also thank these pretty pumps when I’m running around after two little ones once the second is born!

Grey Leopard Print Scarf

Another day and yet another outing for the grey leopard scarf – it really does go with everything! I lifted the neutral tones of this look with a cobalt blue necklace and my mini fashionista in the making (aged 2.5!) insisted I wear her bracelet too – I couldn’t say no to that little face!
This grey popper tunic has been a staple later in my pregnancy and will see me through to post-birth with its shoulder poppers making it perfect for feeding and the longer length hem will flatter my hips as they (hopefully!) ease back to where they once were. The popper design is such a great idea I’ll also be investing in the bamboo sweater version for winter.

So thank you, Seraphine for keeping me stylish through my pregnancy and beyond!

Here is Helen and her beautiful girls Coco Lily and baby Mimi Rose.

She looks every bit the proud new mummy in our Black Bamboo Lounge Pyjamas.

Articles You May Also Like:

5 ways to wear your maternity LBD – by Helen Canning
My pregnancy travel must-haves – by Tatler’s Mariella Tandy
The rise and rise of mummy bloggers – how you can join in

Our top 5 tips for maternity dressing to stay cool in a heat wave

The sun has finally arrived! After battling through one of the coldest, wettest, most miserable winters we can remember, we are finally through to the other side and now find ourselves in the middle of a glorious heat wave! We all love a bit of sunshine – BBQ season is now well underway and we’ve taken to having regular ice cream breaks in the office to keep us all going, but of course when the summer creeps up on us all of a sudden after 6 months stuck in an overcast limbo, it can be difficult to adjust – and being pregnant just makes it that little bit more tricky.

There is a tendency here in the UK, to get over excited and abandon all common sense, not to mention fashion sense, and strip off to the bare minimum of clothing as soon as the sun makes an appearance. It’s almost as if a secret competition is launched to see who can wear the tiniest pair of shorts or the tightest little vest top. Now it may seem counterintuitive, but this kind of dressing is actually likely to make you feel hotter! Not to worry though, we have put together a list of our top five fail safe tips for staying cool and looking fabulous in the heat.

1. Loose fitting clothing

Always avoid tight fitting styles in the heat! Wearing long, flowing, loose fitting clothes allows air to pass through underneath. Creating air flow between the fabric and your skin keeps you well ventilated and cools you down. So embrace those feminine floaty tops and dresses when the sun comes out and you will look and feel fabulously cool and breezy! A good maxi dress is the ideal choice at this time of year – why not try this floral patterned maxi, worn by Jessica Alba to stay cool in the LA sun.

2. Natural fibres

Natural fibres such as cotton, muslin or silk will always keep you cooler than synthetic ones will. This is because they have the ability to ‘breath’ – that is, unlike many synthetic fibres which trap sweat and make you feel sticky, they wick the sweat away from your skin and release it into the air, keeping you feeling cool and fresh. Not only this, but they are environmentally friendly and kind on sensitive skin too – what’s not to like! Many of our maxi dresses, such as this patterned coral maxi are made of 100% cotton which is prefect for keeping you cool and dry in the heat. Or if you are after something for a special occasion, you will find plenty of silk options in our Luxe collection.

3. Avoid dark colours

Dark colours absorb heat from the sun and trap it, making you feel hot and uncomfortable – imagine, sabotaged by your own clothes! So always stick to light colours in the heat. Shades of white and cream reflect heat away from you to keep you feeling cool while all around you are getting hot and bothered. Why not try our white cotton maxi dress with a lace trim for a pretty option to combat the heat.

4. Patterned clothes

In heat like this it is often the case that no matter what you do, you will be sweating. It is a sad fact, but of course sweat is your body’s way of cooling you down, so it is a good thing really… even if it doesn’t feel like it at the time! For those days when sweat is inevitable, a nice busy pattern on your clothes not only looks great, but is much more forgiving than a solid colour when it comes to disguising those embarrassing wet patches. Our gorgeous blue patterned cotton maxi dress worn by Alyson Hannigan to stay cool in LA is a great option.

5. Flat shoes

Flat shoes are generally a good idea during pregnancy to avoid straining your back with the extra baby weight, but in this heat they are more important than ever! Your feet and ankles will naturally swell as your bump grows, but the heat will only exacerbate things, so make sure you invest in a comfortable pair of flat shoes to protect your legs and back from unnecessary strain. Our range of Shoetherapy ballerina pumps and loafers are medically proven to optimise posture, improve circulation and combat back pain and cellulite – and they look great too!

So with this in mind, grab the sun cream and get out there and enjoy the sun!

How to style your little black maternity dress – GIVEAWAY (CLOSED)

The little black dress is a maternity wardrobe must have. It’s understandable to want to splash out on a whole new set of maternity clothes as you’ll need something to suit your changing body for every occasion.

However, the a little black maternity dress offers the best investment, as you can effortlessly dress it up for an occasion, mix and match with accessories for casual chic, or go for a smart professional look with ease.

Giving you plenty of value from what you buy, it’s the perfect way to ensure you get maximum wear out of everything – as most of Seraphine’s items can be mixed and matched with other pieces to make them suitable for an array of different events.

Our iconic little black maternity dress is the ideal summer wardrobe investment, as it’s made from light and stretchy jersey fabric, plus it has an empire line that skims the tummy and thighs. The sleeves are also super-flattering for the upper arms, as they’re an update of the traditional cap sleeve that lots of women love. The knee-length hem and V-neck add a hint of flirtiness too, which is perfect for this time of year.

1. Coral leopard print scarf 2. Tote changing bag 3. ShoeTherapy quilted ballerinas 4. Disk stud earrings 5. Sequin satin black belt 6. Ivory wrap blazer

Wear it on a day out

Whether it’s a picnic in the park or a shopping trip with the girls, our LBD is a great style choice. You can add a pair of ShoeTherapy Elastic Back Red Ballerina Shoes for comfort and a splash of complementary colour, as well as a Black Storksak Emily Maternity Bag (as worn by Angelina Jolie) to carry all your bits and bobs. We’d also add a Leopard Print Scarf to finish off the look.

Wear it out in the evening

Not just a daytime maternity dress, this LBD would be fantastic for a date night or a party. Keep the evening chill out with an Ivory Silk Sequin Shawl and add even more sparkle with Seraphine’s bestselling Sequin Satin Black Maternity Belt. All you need is an updo and some blingalicious jewellery and you’ll certainly turn heads.

Rock it at work

It can be difficult to dress for the office in summer, especially if you’re feeling the heat already. But our LBD can come to the rescue again, keeping you cool while also looking smart. Just add a Black Front Tie Blazer and some ShoeTherapy Black Python Ballerina Shoes and you’ll instantly achieve a professional finish. You can put a vest top underneath if you need a little more support at the bust. We’d also recommend our Grey Retro Print Storksak Nina Changing Bag – who says you can’t use a maternity bag for work before you use it for baby stuff?

Keep wearing your dress on cooler days

We’re busy enjoying summer now, but don’t think you can’t keep wearing your new dress when cooler weather eventually returns. Just add Seraphine’s Grey Tie Front Long Line Cardigan and Luxe Tailored Treggings and you’ve got a versatile piece for any season. You could also use a Leopard Print Scarf to keep you warm and looking stylish.

Why not take a look at some of our other maternity clothes too and see if you can come up with new ways to style them for all occasions?

GIVEAWAY! (NOW CLOSED)

Want to win this fabulous little black dress?

QUESTION: Which two actresses announced their pregnancies this week?

CLUE: Check out our celebrity maternity category 😉

Leave your answer in the comments below!

Terms & Conditions:

Competition opens: 6.06.13 & closes: 13.06.13
Automated entries are not allowed and will be disqualified
The winner will be drawn at random amongst the correct answers
The prize may be subject to size availability

WINNER:

Congratulations to Natalie on winning our LBD!

Celebrity pregnancy news for Kate Winslet and Jennifer Love Hewitt!

It’s been a busy year for celebrity pregnancy news so far in 2013, but after weeks of nothing much happening, two have come along at once! Congratulations to Kate Winslet and Jennifer Love Hewitt, who have both announced they are expecting babies later this year. It will be Kate’s third child, although it is her first with new husband Ned Rocknroll, who she married last December. Mia, 12, and nine-year-old Joe are no doubt looking forward to having a little brother or sister to boss around!

“I can confirm Kate Winslet is pregnant and she and Ned Rocknroll are thrilled. The baby is due at the end of the year,” said a spokesperson for the couple.

Meanwhile, Jennifer is expecting her first baby with her Client List co-star Brian Hallisay.

“We’re so thrilled and happy to start a family,” they told Us Weekly, adding that Jen is around three months along.

It means both women will be having babies around the same time – and we can follow how their maternity style evolves this summer and autumn! So, what could be in store for their wardrobes over the coming months? Let’s take a look…

Kate Winslet

We can cheat a little with Kate, as we can speculate what she might wear based on her previous two pregnancies – although they were quite a while ago, so she’ll definitely need to update her maternity wardrobe. Last time, we spotted her in a cute white midi skirt and denim jacket, which would still work. However, we think she might translate some of the more old-school Hollywood glamour she has perfected into what she wears this time around.

Kate almost always goes for figure-hugging shapes that flatter those hourglass curves and there’s no reason why this should change just because she’s got a bump – the look definitely suits her. She also gets pictured in lace quite a lot, which would be bang on-trend for maternity wear this year.

However, she looks equally good when she’s androgynous – she has worn several flattering trouser suits for special events over the years and blazers are ideal for wearing open during pregnancy. We also like to see her in striking colours like red, black and blue to suit that peaches and cream complexion – pale pinks would only wash her out.

Seraphine’s Kate-style top tips:

Jennifer Love Hewitt

Jennifer has a very different shape to Kate, as she’s dainty as opposed to curvaceous – although she’ll obviously change a little once her tummy starts to bloom! We haven’t got a past pregnancy to go on here, but the actress has a definite style and we think she’ll stick to it as she progresses through the trimesters.

We have often seen her wearing cute tops in pastel colours, which really suit her skin tone and silhouette. She usually favours crochet and chiffon, both of which will translate well as maternity clothing, so there may be plenty more of these to come. It will be interesting to see if she takes to maternity jeans too, as we could definitely see her in a pair of skinnies, maybe in grey.

However, Jennifer can also rock a formal, fitted dress when she needs to – she looks particularly good in satin and jewel tones, although black and red suit her equally as well as they do Kate.

Seraphine’s Jennifer-style top tips:

We’ll be following these two very different women with interest, then, ahead of their new arrivals!

Pregnant paralympic gold medalist Dame Sarah Storey shops in Seraphine

Pregnant paralympic gold medalist Dame Sarah Storey visited our Kensington store recently for a little bit of maternity shopping with Cecile. Wearing our ¾ sleeved maternity knot front dress, she had a browse of our SS13 collection, on the hunt for some more stylish maternity wear. Wearing Seraphine to the Sports Industry Awards, she looked absolutely beautiful in our multi-way blue silk gown which she matched with a stand out pair of heels.

An inspirational woman and athlete, Dame Sarah has balanced pregnancy and her training effortlessly, and is already planning her next challenge! Find out more in her interview with the Guardian

Follow Dame Sarah Storey’s twitter and keep up to date with her journey through pregnancy.

Maternity Fashion Trends – A sneak peek at what’s to come this AW13

Our recent A13 styled photoshoot gives an edgy look to maternity fashion. A firm believer that you need not lose your personal style during pregnancy, we mixed and matched key pieces of our upcoming collection with accessories and jewellery to create chic maternity looks.

We don’t want to spoil what’s to come, but we couldn’t help but share a few behind the scenes images! Taking place in a studio in London, our beautiful model was styled by Cecile, who created looks ranging from Parisian chic to evening elegance.

With gorgeous accessories supplied by Alva London, the final images were some of our favourites yet!

Are you excited for the next collection? We are! Let us know what you think in the comments below.

Punk & pregnant: Celebrity fashion at the Met Ball

Photographs of red carpet events are always fun to look at, but you don’t get too many Lady Gaga moments – there are usually more pretty gowns and posh hairdos than meat dresses!

Much to our delight though, all that pomp and ceremony went out of the window at this year’s Met Ball – that’s because it was themed PUNK: Chaos to Couture (based on a special exhibition at the Costume Institute of the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York). Even more fun was the fact that the celebrities went all out to stick to the theme, with studs and spiked tresses popping up everywhere.

However, it’s worth pointing out that while there was a lot of black and studs on accessories, the punk theme was really all about rebellion – taking what you think you should wear to a posh event and turning it on its head. With the pregnant attendees being no exception, proving maternity fashion can be fun too!

• Jaime King , who has very recently announced her first pregnancy rocked up in a tuxedo and crown. A masculine style with a feminine touch of lace and of course a punk twist with the head piece and spiked jewellery. You can rock a similar look with our luxe maternity blazer and matching trousers.

• Ivanka Trump sported a really cute black top and green skirt combo, a colour blocking look similar to our Colour Block Silk Cocktail Dress (ideal if you want to get her look for a fraction of the price!). The high waisted style is ideal for small bumps. Create her look with our maternity maxi skirt, punk accessories are optional!

• Kim Kardashian turned up looking like a Spanish senorita in a floral gown that was slit to the thigh with a huge train. It clung to her bump but flattered her figure perfectly, showing it’s a great idea to take the plunge and wear something completely different while you’re expecting a baby. We loved her confidence in trying this look out and it shows she’s really learning a lot about how to be fashionable and elegant at a time when her body’s totally changing from its usual shape.

But what about those of you who love all things rebellious but don’t get the opportunity to have a ball at themed parties like this? Well, you can still get the punk feel by toning it down a little – think rock chick as opposed to Sid Vicious.For instance, you could wear a pair of skinny jeans with Seraphine’s classic Silver Buttoned Charcoal Shift Dress, slick your hair back in a super-high ponytail and accessorise with chunky silver jewellery or a studded handbag. Check out pictures of Shakira during her pregnancy if you need some inspiration, as she was the epitome of rock chick. Nicole Richie and Malin Akerman were other good style muses you can easily emulate.

Give it a try and see if you can rebel against the establishment during your own pregnancy!

Seraphine Videos : click on the playlist to watch more

Watch all the latest videos from the Seraphine studios for behind the scenes action and expert styling advice for you and your bump!