What I Wore | Cool Mom

WhatIWore: Confession: I’ve never felt like I could live up to the role of cool girl. You know the type of girl that loves football, doesn’t wait around staring at her phone for a boy to call and that has confidence to spare? I’d rather watch PBS on Netflix, I can’t play mind games and I envy women that don’t give a hoot about what other people think. 

When I had Felix, I went through what could delicately be called an identity crisis. Paired with PPD, it took me many months before I felt like myself or at least a new version of myself as a mom. Pregnancy was hard, the birth and recovery were hard and then being hospitalized with more surgery was… yup. Hard. The year I became pregnant and a new mother were the toughest both physically and mentally of my life. 

This time around has been so different. Minus some struggles (read: morning sickness and mood swings) in my first trimester, I’ve had a much better experience with this pregnancy. I feel more confident about what my body is doing, how my baby is growing and how I’ll handle two kids. I also feel better about the way I look. I’ve had a slower and more steady weight gain, I feel so strong (lifting a 33.5 lb toddler up and down all day will do that for ya!) and I’ve been wearing clothes that give me more self confidence. 

Speaking of clothes…

When: September 29, 2016

What:
Shades: Prada (thrifted for $30!)
Necklace: J.Crew (more great costume jewelry here)
Jacket: BB Dakota, a gift of A Pea in the Pod
Tee Shirt: a gift of A Pea in the Pod
Jeans: AG legging (one size down), gift of A Pea in the Pod
Boots: Clarks

Where: Coffee Shop

So, speaking of clothes, this is a new outfit! I feel like such a cool mom and maybe… just maybe, a cool girl!? Cool woman? I feel good. Last week I posted about these jeans and my experiment to try a size down from the other items I previously purchased (verdict: the smaller size stretches to the perfect fit for me!). A Pea in the Pod generously offered to complete the outfit, so many thanks to them for their gift (I chose the items myself)! I will absolutely be wearing the jacket beyond pregnancy (it’s got the texture and feel of a sweatshirt, but the asymmetrical zip makes it feel fashion forward to me!). I’m also nearing the point of no return to regular length tee shirts. So far they’ve been long enough to cover the bump and not reveal the stretchy belly panel on my jeans, but specifically made maternity tees fit and flatter much better now. 

And I’ve gotta mention the boots too. On my recent assignment for Clarks I fell in love with these boots too, so I ponied up and bought them for myself. I love the super stacked high heel and buckle detail. There are still some sizes left in the black, and there’s also a brown version. 

What I Wore | Getting the Boot

WhatIWore: I am loving these cooler mornings and not ashamed at all to say I LOVE FALL and can’t wait until the highs are in the 60s and I can bundle up even more. I’ve strangely found myself really liking winter too, and this year, I have so much more to look forward to! 

So with this temperate weather, I thought, what the hell, I’m going to finally break out my new boots. They’re an over the knee style (just barely, Lady Long Legs!) that I bought during the Nordstrom Sale back in July. With so much of my body changing and my wardrobe being dramatically shrunken (quantity wise, sizes are going up!), it’s nice to have something that’s stylish and wearable now and later. 

You might remember this blouse from a few weeks ago. It’s going to be worn a lot in the coming months - and I think next time I’ll wear it with black jeans. It really goes with everything! 

When: Sept 12, 2016

What:
Shades: Karen Walker ‘Super Duper’
Blouse: A Pea in the Pod (currently 25% off)
Jeans: Jeans: AG ‘Stilt’, (non maternity here)
Boots: Halogen
Backpack: a gift from Vera Bradley from 2014

Where: Coffee Shop work session!

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Also! On Friday I went to the salon to get a refresh on my highlights - I love the way I feel after a little update! I’m growing my hair out in anticipation of having a new baby and wanting to pile it on top of my head into a top knot. And there’s something else I’ve decided to do - I’m not covering up my gray pieces anymore. I skipped having my hair done at all during my first trimester and when I went in for a much needed visit at around three months, I still wanted to avoid having dye in direct contact with my scalp… which meant no coverage on those little silvery strands. Surprisingly… I kind of like it! I live in a very young town with all of the college students (the average age here is 23!), so it actually makes me feel a little older, wiser and more mature in a way. I still pluck the grays on my part (I know I know, 12 more will come to it’s funeral!) but as a whole, they don’t bother me enough to cover them. I might change my tune down the line, but for now, I’m really digging my current ‘do! (I’m also planning on making a how to video on styling it soon!)

What I Wore | Pretty Happy

WhatIWore: Hello! It’s freezing! Actually, it’s below freezing and was 18 degrees when we took these photos. I bundled up with my Icelandic sweater I bought on my honeymoon, layered over another turtleneck with jeans, boots and a wool coat. Nothing in this outfit is super new - I’ve had each piece for a few years minus the boots. I know I’ve said this more than once in the past few weeks, but I feel so good just wearing what strikes me, regardless if it’s new or old, flashy or simple, glamourous or basic. My confidence is growing and the inspiration I’m feeling in my wardrobe is overflowing into other areas of my life as well. This morning when Adam took these photos he said “Jess, you look pretty and happy today!” And I am! 

When: February 11, 2016

What:
Hat: Handmade (details here)
Sweater: honeymoon souvenir
Turtleneck: J.Crew (similar)
Coat: Calvin Klein
Jeans: Rag + Bone
Boots: Rockport, gift

Where: Coffee Shop

What I Wore | Hand Knit

WhatIWore: I’m so excited about today’s post! I’ve finally finished knitting what I’ve been calling my bobble sweater! I was held up waiting for more yarn to come into my local yarn shop so it took me a little over a month to complete, but it was actually a lot easier than it looks. I also mastered continental rib knitting which made both the cowl neck and bottom sections go much faster! Read on for more details…

When: January 27, 2016

What:
Shades: Karen Walker ‘Super Duper’
Sweater: Hand knit, Vogue Knitting, Winter 2008/2009 Pattern 2*
Jeans: J.Crew
Boots: Jeffery Campbell (really old!)

Where: Coffee Shop laptop time

The softer gray was knit from cuff to cuff which is why the cable knits are horizontal. This part was completed first and then stitched up the side seams before starting the top yoke/collar and bottom section. I also doubled up on my yarn to create more loft. The pattern calls for a much chunkier yarn but when I saw this alpaca bamboo blend, I fell in love! Of course I can’t tell yet, but I think the color combination is pretty timeless and I hope I can wear this piece for years to come!

I did make quite a few adjustments to the design, so if you’re into that sort of thing, please read more on my ravelry page! 

I also tried it on with a black skirt, tights and boots and it looked equally cute - perhaps for a different sort of morning. Today I’m just doing my thing at the coffee shop and I like how well it pairs with jeans and boots. 

Also! If you’re in the B-town area, I’m hosting a Stitch and Bitch knitting circle tonight at Cardinal! See their facebook page for details!