Ashley C. Hammer

Monday, March 2, 2015

How To: Styling Non-Maternity Pieces During Pregnancy

As many of you have probably seen via instagram, my husband and I are expecting our first baby due at the end of April. We cannot wait to meet our little man, and we are busy trying to prepare (as best we can!) for his arrival. As I watch my belly continue to grow, I have had to get creative with styling my non-maternity clothing, as I refuse to buy more than a couple of maternity basics. I am so thrilled to be able to share some of my tips with you all this week, so I hope you mommas-to-be and future momma’s-to-be enjoy!

The first type of top that I have loved wearing are long, oversized tunics. These are comfortable, yet are long enough to cover my belly (so far at least!), and I can wear them post-partum, as well as once I have my pre-pregnancy body back. I never really wore too many fitted tops prior to my pregnancy anyways, so having a lot of these in my closet already helped me out a ton!

The second types of pieces that I have loved styling over my bump are cardigans and vests. These are perfect for layering over the maternity tank top that I got at Target to switch up looks, but still keep the outfits comfortable and chic. I am excited for the warmer weather to hit in April before he arrives, so I can wear even more vests than I have been able to the past couple of months since it has been so cold.

The final pieces that have been clutch for me throughout this pregnancy are blazers! I still have to look professional when I head into work or to a meeting, so blazers have made my life much easier. I also bought a Bella Band, so that I could wear my dress pants without buying new ones, and that has been a lifesaver as well. So I just throw on a blazer over my maternity tank top, and I am set to go.

The maternity pieces that I found were a must to buy were two pairs of jeans, the Bella Band for my dress pants (and I used it for jeans up until the middle of my second trimester), as well as a few basic maternity tops from Target and Gap. I caught all of these on sale during cyber Monday, which was fabulous because I love a good bargain! Other than those maternity pieces, I have lived by the non-maternity pieces mentioned above to continue to feel comfortable, yet stylish thus far in my pregnancy. Only seven weeks to go until we meet our sweet baby boy. Wishing all the other momma’s-to-be a joyful and healthy pregnancy, and don’t forget to tag H+C when your style our pieces!

Stay Chic,

Ashley

Fashion Tips and Trends From Nashville Stylist

We caught up with Nashville Wardrobe Stylist Katie Rushton of Effortless Style to get some of her best tips and trends. We love what she had to say, and we know you will to!

Tell us a little bit about yourself and what you do.

Let’s see…I am an only child. I am married with three dogs (*update: and momma to a sweet little girl!). I love yoga. I also love college sports, especially football, and I REALLY love my job. I am a wardrobe stylist here in the Nashville area, and I absolutely love working with my clients. I offer a variety of services through my business Effortless Style, so every day is different. Some days I’m working in a client’s closet helping them to clean out their closet. Some days I’m out and about doing personal shopping with (or for) clients. Some days I’m working in a client’s closet to help them mix and match to create new outfits with what they already have in their closet, and some days it’s a mix of all of the above!

What are your favorite fall and upcoming winter trends?

Booties! I love ankle booties! They come in all shapes and sizes, and they are such a versatile piece. I’ve worked with several clients this fall that love the idea of ankle boots, but have never purchased any, as they just weren’t sure how to wear them. That’s what I love most about them. They can be worn with jeans. They can be worn with skirts. They can be worn with dresses. So many options!

I’m also loving the faux fur vest trend! The faux fur vest is such a great layering piece, and here in Middle Tennessee layering is such a key part of getting dressed, especially in the fall months. Some days the weather is still pretty warm. Other days it can be freezing cold. Being able to layer is really key to navigating those crazy weather days and what better layering piece to have than a faux fur vest!

When you’re shopping with a client, what is the most important thing you would tell her or him to remember before purchasing an item?

Comfort is key! I always stress to my clients to be comfortable in what they wear. Picking up an item that is on clearance (just because it’s on clearance) isn’t always the best thing if that item doesn’t fit great and the client doesn’t feel good in it. It’s important for everyone to feel good in what you wear. What you wear can really make a difference in your mood and how you feel that day, and if you aren’t comfortable in what you wear, you probably will never wear that item again!

What is one staple piece you would recommend every woman have this fall?

In regards to staple pieces, this may sound boring, but I would say a good, quality pair of jeans. Denim is one of the areas where I encourage women to splurge and get a good brand that is going to last and that also fits well. One thing I run into often with clients is that most of their jeans are at least one size too big, so making sure they have a pair that fits properly would definitely be a recommendation.

What is your favorite item in your closet right now?

This is a hard one, but I’d probably have to say my Dolce Vita black wedge ankle boots. I’ve been looking for a good pair of black ankle boots for over a year now. I wanted a pair that was more on the casual side that could be my go-to, and I finally found them at Nordstrom Rack about a month ago.

Do you have a website or blog that our shoppers could visit to keep up with you?

I do! The name of my company is Effortless Style. You can find us online at www.effortlesstyle.com. You can find our blog on the site as well. We try to post new blog posts a couple of times a week that are relevant topics to what our clients like to read about.

What is one final piece of advice you would give women to help them feel powerful and confident in their wardrobe?

As I mentioned above, comfort is key! I’d also say to love what you wear! If you don’t love an item, you probably aren’t going to wear that item very often, if ever.

PIKO Days

This past week I have been styling my new PIKO top from Hazel and Chic a couple of different ways, just to see how many places I can wear this top. First off, it is SO comfortable! I could just sleep in this top. I like that it's oversized, which makes it that much easier to style. Below are two of my favorite looks for this top so far. There are many other ways I am looking forward to wearing it as well. I hope you all have a piece that you love just as much as I do this PIKO!