Sisterhood of the Traveling Clothes

I have mentioned my favourite Megan a few times.  She is in good company with other awesome Megans (like Everyday Mom Style and the Frugalista Diaries) but is the only one that I get to actually hang out with and play dress up!  And that's what we did today!

Megan has an adorable four-month-old baby girl and is going through the familiar struggles of dressing while everything is in transition.  Excellent blogs such as Ain't No Mom Jeans have loads of informative posts for dressing a post-partum figure with style!  But Megan had a specific agenda: she wanted to see if some recently-acquired second-hand pieces could expand her transition wardrobe and add a dose of novelty and variety without costing a penny!  Here is what we came up with in the brief time we had between attending to four children and preparing lunch...

This sleeveless button-up doesn't fit perfectly (yet) when buttoned, but it makes an interesting addition to a simple sweater.  Adding the belt gives nice definition to this curvy hourglass and gives three elements to the look!  Though it can be tricky to nurse around a belt, Megan says it is well worth it to add shape to otherwise "forgiving" pieces such as this red blouse...

There is a fine line between "forgiving" and "baggy/dumpy," the latter of which just ends up making us look and feel worse!  The two overlays on this top along with the deep red colour give it a baroque feel, and we concluded that you could easily change the look with belts/scarves!  

 

Scarves serve double-duty as a nursing cover! 

Same goes for these other pretty tops with vibrant colours...

Worn with or without belts...

I love this gray belt with everything!  Varying the position of the belt changes the look!

We all know that cardis are an essential layering piece, but Megan is also a fan of the swing-coat!  They suit her petite frame and still give some coverage while nursing.

  

Er, perhaps a scarf or accessory in a different colour would be 

good to add to this duo, just till Halloween is over!

 

This soft corduroy swing coat might be my favourite piece of the bunch! 

So much potential!

 

 Brown on brown layering and this pretty ruffle camouflage problem areas but still add texture and interest! 

This black swing coat that can be worn indoors or out!  

A great alternative to the typical black cardi!

 

See what I mean! 

Layering is not only stylish, it can help smooth a muffin top or control the middle zone! 

Megan got these ankle boots from VV Boutique on Fashion's Night Out!  We rolled her skinnies to show them off!  Another great example of a little attention to detail to make a big impact on your look!

It is easy for moms on maternity leave to ... acquiesce!  I should know!!  I like here how Megan paired a light sheer tunic with comfy capri leggings to take her at-home look up a notch!

The next red/white/black top was quite long, so the belt came to the rescue again!  We thought adding a cardi or swing coat would help to tone down the print, though an advantage to bold prints is the spit-up-camouflage-quotient.  

Now that I see it here, I wonder if it might like to go on a layering date with Red above...!?  

The collar and hem would peek out and might look cute!  

Would also look nice with those gray leggings, Momma!  Try it out and let us know!

Last but not least, the simple button-down top!

The obvious benefit of this style is easy access for nursing without exposing any back or belly!  The side benefit is the endless styling options...

 Imagine my delight to discover that Megan at Everyday Mom Style just posted about this exact look:

Great moms think alike!

Believe it or not, Megan and I did all that in just over an hour.  Yep, we're rock stars.  And we barely got started!  There are so many ways to style these pieces - I like the other Megan's advice to consider 5 different ways you could wear a piece before buying it.  I think this should apply to second-hand and VV Boutique pieces too - if you can't wear it in a few different ways, you'll get bored quickly and it will end up taking up valuable closet property! 

I concluded that it's almost easier to dress for work because then you know what's expected and what to anticipate.  When you're focusing on staying home with the kids and all that entails, it is harder to take (or justify) the time and effort to put yourself together.  Megan and I say to you: it's worth it!  These pieces were second-hand from a friend and have found a wonderful new home!  So, reach out to your friends and score some hand-me-downs for yourself for a change!  Have some fun styling you!

Oh, and Megan says, buy bags!  Stylish bags that can double as a diaper bag will add interest to any ensemble and get tons of wear before, during and after the post-partum period!  AND, they make an excellent place to start for VV Boutique newcomers!

Thanks Megan for a fun morning, for being VV Boutique's first ever guest model and for showing us all that second-hand stylin for a post-partum figure is not only possible, it's AWESOME!