Dressy
May 9, 2020

MY TOP PREGNANCY MUST-HAVES

I narrowed down the looooong list of everything you think you have to have for pregnancy into the handful of items that I used on a daily basis. Here are my top favorite maternity products that I loved to use – from beauty, to belly, to sleep, to apps. My must have maternity product roundup is below!

 

My pregnancy must haves

YELLOW GOWN (not maternity, I’m wearing a UK size 12)

BELLY SUPPORT BAND: I have been so happy with this 3-in-one band. I wear the thinnest band under my stomach for lower back support, especially on walks or when I know I’ll be standing for longer periods of time. It also comes with two other postpartum bands to wear after pregnancy. I’ve worn postpartum bands after all my babies to bring everything back together and I swear by them!

 

BODY PILLOW: By the beginning of my second trimester I was ready to bust out my body pillow. Having the support for my tummy and putting one leg on top of the pillow and one under it helps align my hips and helps me get such a better night sleep (I’m a side sleeper). My pillow is from when I was pregnant with Eli from Bump Nest, and unfortunately it looks like they don’t make them anymore! So I researched other options and found this body pillow by the brand that makes my absolute favorite pillow ever. It’s filled with the same cross cut hypogenic memory foam that my pillow is and it’s such a dream. I actually fell in love with my pillow because it reminded me of the filling in my body pillow.

 

SPANX BODY SHAPING SHORTS: This is another MUST have. I’ve used the same pair for all four pregnancies. It supports my bump and smooths everything out in my hips and booty when I’m wearing tighter fitting church dresses and I love it. 

 

BABY CENTER APP: I love the weekly emails and phone alerts that remind me how far along I am and how my baby is growing! They also have really cool videos that illustrate the baby’s growth and development and I used some of them to show my boys how the baby is developing inside me. (the videos are all illustrated graphics, but some of them do show what a full nakes pregnant woman’s body looks like, so I would just fast forward that in the begging and show my boys the part when it zooms in on the baby inside the womb..just an fyi).

 

BELLY OILS AND LOTIONS: I’m pretty religious about rubbing oils and body butter on my bump every night. While stretch marks are genetic and sometimes can’t be prevented, keeping my stomach moisturized on a daily basis keeps it from feeling dry and stretched. I like to take this body butter and mix it with a few squirts of this belly oil and rub it all in. I also have really liked using this Tubby Todd belly oil and mixing it with their amazing all over ointment. 

 

DRUNK ELEPHANT GLYCOLIC NIGHT SERUM: Good pregnancy safe night serums can be hard to find. I used a good retinol at night before pregnancy, but it isn’t safe for during pregnancy, so I felt like I wouldn’t be able to take as good of care of my skin while pregnant. I already loved this glycolic night serum and have been using it for over a year. I was thrilled to find it is also pregnancy safe! It helps refine my pores and resurface my skin while being safe to use during pregnancy. Love love it. 

 

BIGGER BRA THAT ALSO WORKS FOR NURSING: I wore this bra during my pregnancy and nursing with Eli and I loved it so much I bought it again this time around. It is under $20 which is insane. It was comfy, supportive, and lasted well through washes. I got it to just hold me over until I could find a fancier “better” one..but I loved this one so much I didn’t even try any others. I love that I didn’t need to get a separate bra for my ever growing hoots during pregnancy and then get another nursing bra. And even if you do have to get a bigger size once the baby is here and your milk comes in…you really can’t beat $15. 

 

READ ALL ABOUT MY FAVORITE MATERNITY LEGGINGS HERE

 

READ ALL ABOUT MY FAVORITE MATERNITY DRESSES HERE

 

 

SHOP THIS POST:

Leave A Comment
Dressy
December 13, 2019

MY FAVORITE WAYS TO ADD HOLIDAY STYLE TO A CLASSIC LITTLE BLACK DRESS

 

Here is the thing that makes a good LBD so special- if you find the right one that fits you like a glove, you can rewear this dress to parties and events all year long with a few with just a few styling changes.

 

How to style a Little Black Dress for the holidays

How to style a Little Black Dress for the holidays

BLACK DRESS (wearing size small)

SILVER PUMPS (run tts)

BLACK VELVET BLAZER (wearing size small)

 

My holiday party secret weapon

With holiday parties in full swing, I wanted to talk about one of my favorite tips for perfecting a holiday party look. I love a little black dress. I feel like they are my secret weapon for a chic party look! I found this one a few weeks ago at Nordstrom and I’m really in love with the fit, cut, and fabric of this dress. Nordstrom has a handful of really beautiful little black dresses at great price points right now, I linked to my top favorites below.

 

How to style a Little Black Dress for the holidays

 

Add a little sparkle and shine

I love giving my LBD a whole new look through the addition of a great metallic belt, a statement earring, this velvet blazer, some pearl hair accessories, a sequin clutch, or cute heels (how good are these brand new star sandals?)

 

How to style a Little Black Dress for the holidays

How to style a Little Black Dress for the holidays

 

For the friend who has everything

By starting with a really classic dress as your base, bring in shine and sparkly with your accessories. I found so many great options to style a black dress at Nordstrom right now. I listed my favorite options all at good price points (most of them are under $50). And if you are struggling to find a gift for your friend who has everything, chances are she already has a good LBD in her closet, so these velvet ball hoops would make a great gift for her to pair with it (and under $30 too!).

 

Have you tried this Nordstrom service?

And when it comes to last minute holiday shopping, I have started utilizing Nordstrom’s pay and pickup service – it is a life saver! Just pay for your item online, and select “pick up”. Within just a few hours you will get a text letting you know your order is ready. Pull up, shoot them a text, and someone will deliver your item to your car! I used this just last week and had a car full of sleepy boys in PJ’s and it was so convenient. I love that Nordstrom always has the customer experience in mind. 

 

  • I truly love this little black dress. The fabric is a poly/spandex blend so it’s more luxe than a knit but still has a stretch to it. It isn’t maternity, but the side ruching is flattering with or without a bump! And the high neck is really chic. It’s such a great buy for under $80 and I love that I can wear it after baby too! 
  • If you wanted to opt for a low pony, thest bow scrunchies are so cute and you get 2 for only $15
  • If you don’t want a super high heel for your event, these leopard slides are a great option. 
  • Loving this metal braid stretch belt – would look so good with a LBD
  • Dying over this lucite clutch. That color!

 

Here are my favorite little black dresses:


Jewelry for a LBD:


Clutches for a LBD:

 

Heels for a LBD:

 

Accessories for a LBD

SHOP MY LOOK

 

Thank you to Nordstrom for sponsoring this post

 

Leave A Comment
Fashion
August 31, 2015

DRESSING THE BUMP SERIES: WHAT TO WEAR DURING YOUR THIRD TRIMESTER

Third Trimester_2-01TOP LEFT | TOP CENTER | TOP RIGHT

MIDDLE LEFT | MIDDLE RIGHT

BOTTOM LEFT | BOTTOM CENTER | BOTTOM RIGHT

You can also view a complete roundup of my maternity looks here from my instagram.  In order to shop the looks, just sign up at http://liketoknow.it with your email!
 

It’s my last installment of my Dressing The Bump series today- the third trimester! If you haven’t seen the previous posts for the first and second trimester make sure to check them out! I have to say, I had a lot of fun dressing my baby bump this time around. It was definitely a challenge at times! And the third trimester was the most challenging for me. I just got to this point in the pregnancy where my tummy was big and not many things were very flattering. But I did a little experimenting (which basically means I wore every kind of clothing that would fit my bump) and narrowed them all down to my very favorites items to wear during the third trimester.Dressing during your third trimester can get tricky, because there are so many pieces of clothing that just make you look ‘big’.  And while it can be fun having a cute bump for an accessory, you don’t ever want to look bigger than you actually are, especially in your third trimester.

 
Here are my favorite things to wear during the third trimester of pregnancy:
LONG LOOSE TOPS
Loose tops can start to get really tricky this far along into your pregnancy. Its one of the clothing items that can definitely make you look bigger than you are if they aren’t the right kind of top. In the third trimester I shied away button up shirts, and oversized tees that were so great to wear in the first trimester. But there were certain kinds of long loose tops that worked with a bigger bump. Look for tops that are long and more narrow (wider tops end up looking extra boxy), and go with fabric that has a nice drape like a silk, poly blend, or chiffon. This top was my absolute favorite for these kinds of tops in the third trimester (I wore it in this post and this instagram). And it is an amazing top for after the baby too!

 

KIMONO DRESSES
JavaScript is currently disabled in this browser. Reactivate it to view this content.
Normal maxi dresses got a little hard for me to wear in the third trimester. That side view of my bump and my booty just wasn’t my favorite. You can always tie a button-up around your waist under your tummy, or throw on a chambray top over a maxi dress to cover some of the curves. While this is a good alternative, I really fell in love with kimono dresses like this one in the third trimester. They fit tighter at the top, and loosen up at the bump, and are really flattering.

 

TRACK PANTS
By the third trimester, even my favorite maternity jeans in the whole world weren’t always quite as comfortable as I wanted. This is mostly due to the fact that it was in the middle of summer and about a thousand degrees outside. I started wearing thin track pants more often and they helped me through the last few pregnant months. I especially love these non-maternity pants from this post, and these black ones from this post.
RUCHED TOPS
Side ruching is your best friend in your third trimester! Ruching just means that the sides are stitched up with elastic, and it bunches up across your tummy, making room for your bump and flattering your bump as well. Oversized tees do not work at this point! You need something a little more fitted around the bump so you don’t look like a tent. I have this top (on sale now!) in a handful of colors and just rotated through them for the last few weeks (I sized up and got a medium and it lasted my whole pregnancy). I would also highly recommend this top. It’s more expensive than the one I just linked to, but it is fantastic quality and thick enough that it doesn’t require a tank top underneath. The black and white stripe that I wore in this post is super versatile and I wore it at least once a week my whole pregnancy.
RUCHED DRESSES
Again, I can’t stress enough how flattering ruching is for tops and dresses in your third trimester. The Isabella Oliver dresses are THE best. Hands down. I have this one (seen in this post) that is super soft and light weight and I love love love it! I also have this one  (seen in this post) that is a slightly thicker fabric that I love. They are a bit pricey, so I say get one early on in your pregnancy and get a ton of wear out of it. (I got a size 4 in both of them and they worked just fine, but got a little tight at the end. I think a 6 would have been perfect)

 

STRETCHY PENCIL SKIRTS
Knit pencil skirts are easy to pull on and much more comfortable than jeans. Pair them with a fitten ruched top, or if you have an oversized top, make it work by knotting it at the bottom like I did here. I especially love this one and this one.
EXTRA NECESSITIES:
     

I linked to all of these in my Dressing the Bump post for the second trimester, but I’m linking again because good undergarments are crucial to having a stylish pregnancy! You need a really good long tank for layering over your bump, a comfortable bra to sleep in (because at this point in your pregnancy, your hoots are huge and they need a little support even during sleep), a great fitting supportive bra, and these Spanx that will SAVE YOUR LIFE! They smooth out any bumps ad firm up that booty.

 

And that completes my Dressing the Bump series! View the First Trimester and Second Trimester posts below. Also, see all of my maternity looks from my #leannesbabybump from Instagram right here!

 

Leave A Comment
Dressy
August 19, 2015

A FINAL FLORAL BUMP

DRESS: ASOS MATERNITY (NON MATERNITY HERE) SIMILAR STYLE IN MORE SIZES HERE | SHOES: KRISTIN CAVALLARI | BAG: REBECCA MINKOFF | SUNGLASSES:  KAREN WALKER (RENTED FROM DITTO – USE CODE ‘ELLEAPPAREL‘ TO GET YOUR FIRST RENTAL FREE!)

If you don’t follow me over on Instagram you are probably wondering about the radio silence these past few weeks. My sweet baby Eli Garrett Barlow was born on the 6th of August and I have been loving every moment of this sweet newborn heaven. He is better than anything I could have dreamed of and he is the perfect addition to our family!

I hope to get his birth story up on the blog soon, but I did want to pop in and share my very last maternity look. This one I shot 3 days before I gave birth, so its as close to full term as you’re gonna get! This dress is one of the few maternity dresses I purchased during this pregnancy and I love love it.  I wore it to my birthday dinner with some of my girlfriends. The material is thick scuba-like fabric and I love the florals. I am really going to miss being able to wear it now that I’m not pregnant!  A lot of the sizes are already sold out, but there is an almost identical dress in plenty of sizes here, and one very similar that is non-maternity here!

Thank you for all of your kind words and congratulations. I am soaking up these first few precious weeks as much as I can! 

Leave A Comment
Casual
July 29, 2015

KEEPING IT CASUAL

TOP: NORDSTROM (LESS THAN $10!) | HAT: J.CREW (SOLD OUT, SIMILAR HERE AND HERE) | PANTS: A PEA IN THE POD (NON MATERNITY VERSION HERE) | SHOES: NEW BALANCE | SUNGLASSES: RAY BAN | SIMILAR BAG | WATCH | NORDSTROM HERE AND HERE


photography by Kendra Maarse

While I love getting dressed up, most days you’ll find me in simple jeans and a tee when running around with my boys. A cute pair sneakers and hat help bump up the look and complete the outfit. 
Also, make sure you check out the blog this Friday. I have a huge announcement about a project I have been working on with Merrick from Merrick’s Art for the past year. We are finally announcing what #itstimetogetmodern is all about! You wont want to miss it!

Leave A Comment
Casual
July 27, 2015

FALL FAVORITES: NORDSTROM SALE ROUND-UP

LEFT: TOP | HAT | BAG (SOLD OUT, SIMILAR) | SIMILAR JEANS (MATERNITY VERSION HERE) | BOOTS | WATCH
RIGHT: TOP | CARDIGAN | PANTS | NECKLACE
LEFT: TOP (SIMILAR) | JEANS (MATERNITY VERSION HERE) | HEELS | BAG | WATCH | NECKLACE 
RIGHT: TOP | CARDIGAN | JEANS (MATERNITY VERSION HERE) | SANDALS | HAT | NECKLACE

So many great pieces from the Nordstrom Anniversary Sale are selling out quickly, so I decided to do a quick round-up of some of my favorite purchases so you can see the fit/look of each item now, so you have a chance to get them while they are still on sale. There was no way I was putting these long sleeved tops and chunky cardigans on in this 92 degree heat, so I just styled them from my bedroom for now. But it’s getting me really excited to get to wear them in the Fall!

*Everything I’m wearing except for the jeans are non-maternity items!

Shop my favorites here:

!function(d,s,id){var e, p = /^http:/.test(d.location) ? ‘http’ : ‘https’;if(!d.getElementById(id)) {e = d.createElement(s);e.id = id;e.src = p + ‘://’ + ‘widgets.rewardstyle.com’ + ‘/js/shopthepost.js’;d.body.appendChild(e);}if(typeof window.__stp === ‘object’) if(d.readyState === ‘complete’) {window.__stp.init();}}(document, ‘script’, ‘shopthepost-script’);

JavaScript is currently disabled in this browser. Reactivate it to view this content.

!function(d,s,id){var e, p = /^http:/.test(d.location) ? ‘http’ : ‘https’;if(!d.getElementById(id)) {e = d.createElement(s);e.id = id;e.src = p + ‘://’ + ‘widgets.rewardstyle.com’ + ‘/js/shopthepost.js’;d.body.appendChild(e);}if(typeof window.__stp === ‘object’) if(d.readyState === ‘complete’) {window.__stp.init();}}(document, ‘script’, ‘shopthepost-script’);

JavaScript is currently disabled in this browser. Reactivate it to view this content.

!function(d,s,id){var e, p = /^http:/.test(d.location) ? ‘http’ : ‘https’;if(!d.getElementById(id)) {e = d.createElement(s);e.id = id;e.src = p + ‘://’ + ‘widgets.rewardstyle.com’ + ‘/js/shopthepost.js’;d.body.appendChild(e);}if(typeof window.__stp === ‘object’) if(d.readyState === ‘complete’) {window.__stp.init();}}(document, ‘script’, ‘shopthepost-script’);

JavaScript is currently disabled in this browser. Reactivate it to view this content.

Leave A Comment
Casual
July 24, 2015

SPOTTED | MY FAVORITE HAIR EXTENSIONS

TOP: NORSDTROM (ON SALE) | PANTS: A PEA IN THE POD (NON MATERNITY STYLE HERE) | SHOES: NORDSTROM | BAG: NORDSTROM | NECKLACE HERE AND HERE, BRACELET, WATCH, RING | LUXY HAIR IN ‘BEACH BLONDE’ ($5 OFF WITH CODE: LUXYLEANNE)

photography by Kendra Maarse

I purchased this top on sale at Nordstrom a few weeks ago. There are only a few kinds of non-fitted tops that work with where I am at in my pregnancy right now, because so many of them can make me look crazy big. This top is larger, but not so loose on the bottom, so it doesn’t give the effect of looking twice as big. And it’s non maternity, so it will work for after the baby! They do run really large, the one I’m wearing is an XS! And I’ve posted these cute flats on sale too on my instagram. They are easy and great for summer and will transition well into Fall (and still available in every size!).
I have been loving my Luxy Hair extensions lately. The idea of wearing extension might sound like its something that is high maintenance and time consuming. And before I got mine, I thought they would be! But these extension clip in easily and I just curl then right along with my normal hair. They are also so great to add before braiding my hair because they blend in nicely and make my braid so much thicker and longer. It really doesn’t add any extra time to getting ready, and I love how much fuller my hair looks. I will make a disclaimer though- I usually wear them on Sundays to church, on dates with Garrett, or for photoshoots. So not everyday, but I definitely get my moneys worth out of them!  
I wear the 160 gram set in beach blonde and they are a really great match for my hair. They come in a box with multiple sizes of clip ins, so if I just need a little more fullness on the sides of my hair, I clip in the thinner extensions on either side of my head. They are also some of the best priced extensions I have seen for real human hair. You can also get an additional $5 off if you use code LUXYLEANNE at checkout! Let me know if you have any questions on these in the comments and I’ll be happy to answer them! 
Happy Friday everyone!

Leave A Comment
Casual
July 22, 2015

BREEZY

TOP: NORDSTROM (MORE COLOR OPTIONS HERE AND HERE) | JACKET: NORDSTROM | PANTS: A PEA IN THE POD – 50% OFF RIGHT NOW (NON MATERNITY VERSION HERE) | SHOES: SAM EDELMAN (ON SALE!) | BAG: SIMILAR HERE AND HERE | WATCH, BRACELET, NECKLACE | SUNGLASSES: URBAN OUTFITTERS



photography by Kendra Maarse
I love wearing this printed “dress” as a top. The cut of it is so full and fun. And these nude flats have been a lifesaver for church and places where I would normally wear my nude pumps. I still wear head every once in a while, but I’ve definitely had to tone it down! Waddling in pumps is much more difficult than just normal walking. Also, if you are pregnant and on the hunt for good maternity white pants, I have loved these distressed white jeans, and right now they are 50% off! (still tons of sizes available) Happy Wednesday everyone! 

Leave A Comment
Casual
July 15, 2015

SUMMER COMFORT + MY FAVORITE MATERNITY STYLING TIP!

TOP: NORDSRTOM | CARDIGAN: NORDSTROM | PANTS: A PEA IN THE POD– 50% off right now and free shipping today only!  (NON MATERNITY VERSION HERE) | SHOES: SAM EDLEMAN  ($35 off right now!) | SUNGLASSES: SUNGLASSES: RENTED FROM DITTO (USE CODE ‘ELLEAPPAREL‘ TO GET YOUR FIRST RENTAL FREE!) | BAG: STELLA & DOT | BRACELET | SIMILAR WATCH | NECKLACE

photography by Kendra Maarse

One of my favorite tricks while dressing my bump this pregnancy is to style shorter dresses as tops. Some really cute dresses that might look a bit to long worn as a top normally, magically seem to work with a bump! I styled this dress as a top, and added a cardigan over it to add a little more shape since the top is A-line. I have a cardigan similar to this one that I got probably 9 years ago and still wear to this day. But it is getting so old looking, and I was so excited to find almost a similar one to replace it. It’s so soft and lightweight. These nude scalloped flats are going to help get me through these next few weeks of pregnancy!  (I sizes 1/2 size down on them)
Almost all of the items I am wearing are currently on sale at the Nordstrom Anniversary Sale (see all my top picks here). If you don’t have an early access card, only 2 more days till the sale opens to everyone!! I suggest creating a wish list now, so that you can quickly throw everything in your card on Friday before sizes start selling out.

Also, if you haven’t heard, to day is Amazon Prime Day! It’s basically black Friday in July. There are so many great deals. It is just for Amazon Prime members, but if you aren’t one you can sign up for a free 30-day-trial really quickly here and still get access to all the sales today. Since I have baby gear on my mind, I’ve rounded up some pretty amazing baby deals going on during the sale today, including Petunia Pickle Bottom bags for $35 off! I am in love with this one.

!function(d,s,id){var e, p = /^http:/.test(d.location) ? ‘http’ : ‘https’;if(!d.getElementById(id)) {e = d.createElement(s);e.id = id;e.src = p + ‘://’ + ‘widgets.rewardstyle.com’ + ‘/js/shopthepost.js’;d.body.appendChild(e);}if(typeof window.__stp === ‘object’) if(d.readyState === ‘complete’) {window.__stp.init();}}(document, ‘script’, ‘shopthepost-script’);

JavaScript is currently disabled in this browser. Reactivate it to view this content.

Speaking of PPB, I announced the winner of my Petunia Pickle Bottom bag giveaway over here…check it out to see if you won!

Leave A Comment
Casual
July 13, 2015

ON THE FRINGE

TOP: NORDSTROM (ON SALE!) | JEANS: A PEA IN THE POD (NON MATERNITY ONES HERE) | BOOTIES: NORDSTROM (ON SALE) | GLASSES: RAY BANS VIA SUNGLASSES SHOP |  BAG: NORDSTROM  (ONLY $30!) | WATCH (ALSO LOVING THIS ONE), BRACELET 
photography by Kendra Maarse

This week is baby prep week in our house. My husband is in the process of changing jobs (yay!) and we have him home all week long. So I’m putting him to work getting the crib moved into the baby’s room and bunk beds for the boys. I feel like I’m more mentally prepared than physically prepared for this baby, and I think a little nesting will fix that. 
If you follow me along on Instagram, you saw that I tackled the Nordstrom Anniversary Sale with both kids. Honestly, I was a little nervous at how it would all go over, but I went prepared with my double stroller, lunches packed, a fully charged phone and ipad, quarters for the gumball machine, and new matchbox cars they could have if they were good. Full blown, uninhibited bribery. But they were amazing. I left with happy boys and I scored some great items. These booties I fell instantly in love with online and I was happy they still had my size (they run big, so I sized down half a size). I can’t wait to wear this top when I’m not pregnant because it would look adorable partially tucked into some jeans. I grabbed it in blush as well.  And this tote bag is a great price and super practical. (shop my full Nordstrom Sale picks in this post here)
*Also, if you haven’t already had a chance to enter my Petunia Pickle Bottom giveaway, head over here for entry details.  I’ll be announcing the winner tomorrow!
Happy Monday everyone! Please bless this week is as productive as I’m hoping it will be!

Leave A Comment
Dressy
June 9, 2015

BLUSHING BUMP (MATERNITY SESSION PART 2)

TOP: MORNING LAVENDER | SKIRT: MORNING LAVENDER | SHOES: NORDSTROM | NECKLACE: MORNING LAVENDER | WATCH: MICHAEL KORS 
photography by: Kim Le Photography
This was the second part of my maternity shoot with Morning Lavender. You can see our first session here.   I can’t believe the baby is only 2 months away! 

Leave A Comment
Dressy
June 2, 2015

AN EYELET SUMMER

DRESS | HAT | NECKLACE | CLUTCH | BRACELETS HERE AND HERE | SANDALS 
I have been on a white eyelet kick lately. It is going to be huge for summer and I couldn’t be more excited about it. It so delicate and feminine. This dress is perfect for me this summer because it fits over my baby bump, is made out of a lightweight cotton, and has a little bit of a capped sleeve. I especially love sticking to neutrals and pairing it with this straw clutch. It would also look so cute with this neutral cork clutch as well. I’ve linked below to some of my other favorite white eyelet dresses for this summer. 

!function(d,s,id){var e, p = /^http:/.test(d.location) ? ‘http’ : ‘https’;if(!d.getElementById(id)) {e = d.createElement(s);e.id = id;e.src = p + ‘://’ + ‘widgets.rewardstyle.com’ + ‘/js/shopthepost.js’;d.body.appendChild(e);}if(typeof window.__stp === ‘object’) if(d.readyState === ‘complete’) {window.__stp.init();}}(document, ‘script’, ‘shopthepost-script’);
Leave A Comment