Sabrina’s Guide to Maternity Dressing in Hong Kong: Part Two- Dressing It Up

Click here to read part one of Sabrina’s guide to maternity dressing in Hong Kong!

Ask any lady with a bump on board to name her fave item of maternity clothing and I’ll bet she’ll tell you it’s the pair of leggings with a big stretchy panel that pretty much reaches her bra! While they may be ok for layering and lounging, there are times when you need to amp up your look to take on the town! Just because you are cooking up a kid doesn’t mean you can’t have a night out too (although I bet you are home a bit earlier than in those pre-preggers days!). I showed you some ideas for how to rock maternity style casually so now let’s see some inspo for when you need to be a bit more glam! Without further ado, I bring you part two of my guide to maternity style!

The printed dress from day to night

Left: Dress, Topshop; Blazer, BCBG; Boots, Sambag; Bag, Kate Spade; Necklaces, Topshop and Zara
Centre left: Dress, ASOS Maternity; Blazer, BCBG; Shoes, Nine West; Bag, Anya Hindmarch; Necklace, Caty Jewelry
Centre right: Dress ASOS Maternity; Coat, vintage; Boots, Sambag; Bag, 3.1 Phillip Lim; Belt and necklace, Marks & Spencer; Sunglasses, Carrera c/o Safilo
Right: Dress, Forever 21; Bag, Chanel; Shoes, Nine West

Never one to shy away from colour and prints, I found the same credo held true for my pregnancy style. When the bump was small, I opted for stretchy dresses from Topshop, H&M, and Forever 21; as my size increased, I moved on over to the ASOS Maternity line.

I didn’t want to spend a lot on clothing to wear during this time, for several reasons:

1) You stretch things out without even meaning to;
2) You rub your belly all day long, pilling the fabric;
3) You wear the same items again and again as your wardrobe shrinks, so the thought of having to wear the same stuff once baby arrives is kind of depressing… you just want to wear those items in your closet that have been off-limits for so long!

These simple-fitting but heavily printed dresses allowed for maximum versatility. I found that I could easily wear them to a variety of events all day and into the evening, while feeling comfortable and remaining a little stylish! As my size grew and the weather turned colder, a longer jacket was added, to camouflage my extra curves and to add warmth… win-win! I also loved the length of these dresses, as I didn’t have to worry about hemlines creeping up as a result of smuggling two people in one outfit. Even if they did rise a bit, I didn’t risk running into miniskirt territory, which is a slightly terrifying thought as a pregnant lady! After baby is here and I can properly hit the gym we will broach the subject of getting in a mini once again, but for now I will indulge in my mac ‘n’ cheese (or this Southern feast!) and not worry about the effects!

An evening out

Left: Dress, BCBG; Necklace, Caty Jewelry; Shoes, custom-made from Upper Street; Bag, vintage
Centre: Top, Kate Bosworth for Topshop; Shirt, Cotton On; Boots, Marks & Spencer; Bag, Forever 21; Necklace, Golden Stella
Right: Slip (worn as dress), vintage; Tube dress (worn as slip), ASOS; Bag, Adrienne Vittadini; Shoes, Nine West

First up, I would like to point out that none of these items are maternity and I am still wearing them well into the third trimester… this equals major bang for your buck! The two long black dresses (one is actually a vintage slip) are just floaty enough to show the bump, but allow for maximum comfort when stuck at a fancy restaurant table for several hours, (seriously; can I just always have a pillow behind me when in a restaurant?!). The same rules ring true for these LBD’s (long black dresses!) – just add a few fab accessories and you are off! The aluminium foil-esque top was nice and boxy, so I joked that it even came in “size pregnant”! It felt good to wear something so on-trend while with child… even if I kind of reminded myself of a baked potato!

Don’t Forget to Have Some Fun! 

Left: Shirt, Forever 21; Skirt, Topshop; Blazer, Zara; Bag, 3.1 Phillip Lim; Boots, Sambag
Centre left: Top, BCBG; Faux leather leggings, ASOS Maternity; Blazer, vintage; Shoes, Nine West; Scarf, vintage Celine; Necklaces, Caty Jewelry and All Things Indulgent; Bag, 3.1 Phillip Lim; Sunglasses, Carrera, from Safilo
Centre right: Skirt, H&M; Jacket, Zara; Belt, vintage; Bag, 3.1 Phillip Lim; Shoes, Nine West; Necklace, Tangram; Sunglasses, Ports 1961
Right: Grey blazer, BCBG; Feather jacket, Fab’rik; T-shirt, Topshop; Skirt, Cotton On; Necklace, DIY; Shoes, Nine West; Bag, Mischa

Sure, you are big, and sure, your body is changing, and sure, anyone and everyone will offer wanted (and unwanted!) advice… but remember to have a bit of fun during this time! Yes, I feel like a house right now, but I’m still wearing heels, prints, and crazy colours. Let them look! Who cares? At least the taxis can see me and will stop (for once!).

The lemon and lime colour blocking was fun (though I did feel a bit more like a watermelon than any other fruit at the supermarket!). I loved the comfort of the Topshop skirt, and paired it again later on with a denim top and fun neon belt for a weekend brunch.

The red blazer look was one I loved! The faux leather leggings are ASOS Maternity, and are not something I would have normally tried, but I kept wearing the same leggings again and again until I felt that I needed something with the same level of comfort but with a bit more edge. When paired with a longer BCBG tunic, they hide all the bits that need hiding and lend a cool rocker vibe to the everyday.

I tried my hand at print mixing with this dots-and-stripes outfit. I have owned the pencil skirt for ten years and it worked great when hiked over the bump for a day of running around town!

Most recently, I wore the outfit on the far right to have tea with friends. The Topshop t-shirt is dressed up just enough, thanks to the addition of a pretty jacket and chunky chain necklace…but I still got away with wearing a comfy t-shirt to tea. Sneaky sneaky!

You may notice a lot of bright lipstick in these images. I found that I had no interest in doing a full face of makeup while pregnant as I was constantly sick, so a swipe of gel liner and a bold-hued lippy were just the trick to looking refreshed and put together. Turbans and hats were also another go-to, as they added style to simple outfits and warmth on those chillier days (before I found a coat that closed over the bump!). There is also an abundance of heels in my maternity wardrobe, as I didn’t have the pregnancy balance issues that most books mention. The funny thing here is that I was always falling over in yoga pre-preggers, so I think the bump actually balanced me out… I can now hold tree pose like a boss, although let’s see what happens once the bun is out of the oven! Use your best judgment here – if you feel fine, wear what you like, but if you feel like you may take a header then do everyone a favour and stick to flats!

And there you have it… my guide to pregnancy style! Even though you and everything around you seems to be changing, you can still be stylish along the journey! Whether you want to wear sweat pants day after day, or rock a ball gown, you should do what you love. You are growing a human – no small task – so do what makes you happy! For me, this meant feeling like myself by wearing what I loved while I navigated this new adventure. I have a feeling that the heels and jewels will take a backseat once my boy is here and I’m in new mama mode, but you never know… I teethed on one of my mom’s best necklaces, and she still loves it –  tiny little teeth marks embedded in gold and all!

Have a happy, healthy and stylish pregnancy, mama!

Top image courtesy of Martice Milton Photography, all other images courtesy of Sabrina Sikora Photography.