I just spent a good long time on Pinterest filling my brain with images of stylishly dressed pregnant women. Not sure if I feel better or worse! On one hand, when I look at photos of gorgeous pregnant women I feel optimistic that it’s possible to be stylish in pregnancy… but in reality, I don’t have a supermodel’s body (shame!) and I find it really tricky to be stylish and comfortable.

But… with a growing baby bump and clothes which are getting tight and uncomfortable, I spent the past week investing in a few maternity pieces which I’m hoping will help keep things somewhat fashionable around here. Here are a few good maternity pieces I found:

• I invested in a pair of Koka-Mama black leggings. They are the best! They’re nice and thick, so you feel more like you are wearing a trouser, but they’re as comfortable as a legging (I wear these practically every day).
• I also pulled out my old Séraphine secret support vests and bought myself a new white one to wear under all my tops. These are a must have (I sleep in them too!).
• I went to Topshop and got this swimsuit and these jeans, both necessary maternity items. I love Topshop jeans — they’re cheap and they fit well, even the maternity ones.
• And of course I picked up a couple pairs of these leggings (for lounging around the house 24/7). They come up over the bump, so there’s no awkward elastic anywhere near your lower belly.
• I love the look of the entire Hatch Maternity collection (pictured above)…but so far haven’t bought anything. It’s hard to spend money on maternity pieces when you know you’ll only wear it for a few months. (Although the clothes at Hatch are meant to be worn both during and after pregnancy… so maybe it’s worth the investment?!)

What about you? Do you have any must-have maternity pieces I should know about? And… are you like me — do you immediately take your jeans off the minute you walk in your door and swap for something comfortable? Or am I just a major slouch?! (I think my postman thinks I only wear leggings and a big jumper!)

x Courtney

PS – Images from Hatch.

Do you ask your children to take off their shoes when they enter the house? It wasn’t a rule for me when I was a kid (unless I wore my wellies), nor was it a common thing in other households. Even still, adults won’t take off their shoes when they step inside a house here in the Netherlands, so I don’t ask my grown-up guests, but I do ask kids (visitors and mine) to throw their shoes in a basket next to the front door when they enter. My kids and I always wear slippers in my house — it’s so much more comfortable, and hygienic, I feel!

Collegien is a French brand  with the most wonderful slippers imaginable. I love these slippers for my kids, so cute and easy! There are many great designs and models — how cute are the short summer ballet flats in the bright colours and happy stripes. Adult sizes are also available, so you can treat your husband to a pair (it’s Father’s Day soon), and you probably could use a pair for yourself as well! These slippers are also great for babies who are just starting to walk — warm, comfy, and anti-slip.

Don’t you love all those sweet designs?

xxx Esther

I am a bit obsessed with the spring/summer collection at baggu. With back to back trips to Bali and Turks and Caicos, I wanted some light, summery bags for the beach and these fit the bill perfectly. They fold up easily and are great for trips to the beach, market or for holding all of your little one’s coloring books, crayons and snacks for the plane. I can’t wait to get the leather one in citron!

-Elizabeth

]]> http://babyccinokids.com/blog/2012/05/10/carry-all/feed/ 2 http://babyccinokids.com/blog/2012/05/01/waanaki/ http://babyccinokids.com/blog/2012/05/01/waanaki/#comments Tue, 01 May 2012 06:00:24 +0000 Elizabeth in Los Angeles http://babyccinokids.com/blog/?p=28982

I recently came across this great online shop based in LA called Waanaki (which means ‘to live in peace’). Owner Nanette Sulano focuses on carefully curated vintage pieces for children age zero to six. Check out the shoes and accessories for some great one of a kind pieces!

-Elizabeth

Anyone who is from Spain, has family from Spain, or has been to Spain will be familiar with Avarca sandals. I lived in Spain for a bit when I was a teenager on a study abroad program and everyone I knew wore these sandals. I ended up buying a couple pairs and bringing them home to America… to envious friends and family members!

Noelia Pahissa and her husband, both originally from Barcelona but currently living in California, have decided to start a company importing and selling the treasured avarcas in the USA. They launched AvarcaUSA where you can now buy avarcas in any size and style, all originally hand-crafted in Spain. How cute are the kiddie sizes? And they come in such fun colours! (I got the saffron colour for Ivy and they are ADORABLE!).

x Courtney

It’s warm and sunny in Amsterdam so time to prepare for the summer season! (Yay!) Because Sara will pass her 3rd swimming exam today (part of the test: swimming with jeans, long-sleeved shirt, shoes and a raincoat on!), and the state of her current swimsuits is embarassing to say the least, I ordered her some new swimsuits from the wonderful Stella Cove collection. The package just arrived (very fast!), and the swimsuits are so beautiful! I love the prints, the quality (all lined!), and the models. Sweet!
Do you know Stella Cove yet? They have a stunning collection of bikinis, swimsuits, shorts and adorable cotton beach dresses, both for boys and girls, from toddler to teenager. They also have a gorgeous selection of swimwear for mamas. Very, very tempting! Too bad this mama already passed her swimming exams…

xxx Esther

Rootsliving is a new UK-based company run by Charlotte Kjeldsen, a lovely Danish mum who stays true to her ‘roots’ by sourcing all the products from Scandinavia (mostly Denmark). She carries one of my favourite Danish brands, Rie Elise Larsen, as well as other little Scandinavian treasures. Find everything from homewares and accessories to children’s fashion and decor. I like the selection of jewellery, I love these yellow candlesticks, and you’ll probably be interested to know that all the children’s clothing is now half off!

x Courtney

I am so excited for all you pregnant mamas to announce the launch of Koka Mama. Finally… here is a maternity label which is perfectly spot on in every way. It’s stylish and modern, it’s also quite practical and it’s very thoughtfully designed with clever cuts and special details to fit and flatter the pregnant body.

Tamara Hema, the (very stylish!) founder and designer, came over to my house recently with a big suitcase filled with her collection. She set each piece out on my kitchen table and walked me through all the tiny details which make each piece wonderful.  All the trousers, for example, have not one elastic band in the waist, but two — to support the belly from below, and also to rise a bit high in the back to fit, support and stay up. Clever!

Each piece is better than the next, and all available to purchase directly from the Koka Mama website.

x Courtney

Sweet bubbly baby outfits, retro overalls, Liberty fabric blouses, sweet little linen shorts… We’re spoiled for choice at the new Marie Puce summer collection! Cute, happy, easy to wear but stylish — all these pieces are just perfect. And what I especially love about Marie Puce: the collections often run up to 18 years (which might fit some lucky mamas as well)! I have my eyes those sweet sandals, those cute red jeans and that darling playsuit. Uhhh, for my daughter, of course…

xxx Esther

If you’re also a little bit of a bag junkie, then take note: Junikit is now giving away an emergency first-aid kit in the Australia print to three lucky readers, so quickly head over to our Facebook page and leave a comment for your chance to win!

xxx Esther

Looking for a lovely, personal gift for one of your best friends, you mother (in law) or your spouse? I thought I would recommend these three great ideas that I love and know would make the most perfect and personal presents:

- What about a personalised iPhone cover, featuring a photo of the (grand) children? I love my iPhone cover with a photo of my kids! It’s super-easy to order through Giant Sparrows. The only thing you need is a sweet photo!

- I think a personalised notebook would make a great gift for anyone. Mine is from Sloane Stationary, and it’s gorgeous! (We now have an exclusive promotion running on the shopping portal where you get a free mini notebook with every notebook order from Sloane Stationary!)

- How sweet is this little bracelet with the names of my children? Every (grand)mother would love this! Available through Mum et Moi (and with a 15% exclusive discount for Babyccino Kids readers)!

Happy shopping!

xxx Esther

It’s the season for gorgeous outfits! The end-of-year parties are approaching (not to mention the New Year’s receptions)… and have you found your perfect party dress yet?

Fina Du, a Manhattan based, online fashion boutique offers a stunning collection of sophisticated essentials — all carefully selected from a handful of Scandinavian designers. At first glance, the pieces seem to be simple, but one soon discovers the high-quality fabrics and the attention to detail (like vintage buttons and clever pleats), making these pieces incredibly easy to wear, but at the same time super sophisticated and elegant. And they will surely become a staple in your wardrobe for many years to come!

So which piece would you choose? That stunning black beauty? A lavishly yellow dress? A luscious lacy frock? A shiny silk success number? I got the Black Button Bib dress and I absolutely adore it!

xxx Esther

PS Fina Du is now offering an exclusive discount for Babyccino Kids readers: enter code babyccinokids20 for a swell 20% off AND free international and domestic US shipping. This code is valid until december 31st 2011. Happy shopping!!

xxx Esther

We have mentioned the MimiTENS mittens before, but having recently gotten my kids new pairs… I thought it was worth mentioning them again. It’s such a clever concept — they’re mittens with long, stretchy cuffs that reach the elbow, making sure that the mittens never come off, and won’t fill with snow either.

It’s also worth mentioning that they now make mittens for women too! Each pair of the Smartpretty mittens comes with a pair of soft sleeves which you can wear under your mittens to keep your wrists and arms warm. How handy!

When I had babies, I was always the least organised and ill-prepared mum. I’d meet my friends in a café and I was always the one asking for a spare nappy or stealing other mum’s snacks for my own children (how it’s possible to forget nappies, I’m not sure… but I did it often!). I’m pretty sure, looking back, it was not entirely my fault — if I had owned one of these baby bags from Tribe I would have surely been more organised (and far more fashionable for sure!).

The Tribe Bags are made of luxurious soft-milled cowhide leather, come in several different colours, and are truly beautifully made. But more importantly, they’re completely practical. They have two large zippered pockets (suitable for spare outfits, muslin wraps etc.), four slip pockets (ideal for teething rings, pacifiers and toys), two side bottle pockets, a water-resistant nylon lining and change mat and two water-resistant nylon pouches perfect for stowing away diapers, medicines and snacks. Wowza! If that doesn’t keep a mum organised, I don’t know what would!

-Courtney

Dutch online boutique MondaysMilk is a little gem. I’m telling you. Please have a look at the gorgeous fabrics, the beautiful quilts and pillows and the hand-crochet bags and hats and I dare you to say you disagree! (Ava has a cat hat in green and it’s really ridiculously cute…)

I’m thinking about re-doing parts of my house, and I’m going to start with the couch pillows. So I have been ‘window-shopping’ at MondaysMilk and I love this fabric here, these cute flowers, this neon yellow… With this depressing fall weather here in Amsterdam, it’s time to get my sewing machine out and make the house cosy!

xxx Esther

I always envy women who have that natural talent to choose and wear accessories with an easy flair. (Like: ‘I just threw that bright green plastic bracelet on in the morning, do you really think it looks just perfect with my vintage silk Furstenberg dress that I found in the bottom of my mum’s dresser?’) I really don’t have that talent. When I wear accessories I usually feel like I’m trying too hard…

Not the case with these gorgeous (GORGEOUS!) pieces made by the French Céline Sathal. They’re just perfect, and so easy to wear!! You can pair them with everything, chic or casual, and look effortlessly stylish. Handmade by a crochet technique that combines simple natural leather with gold-plated chains and beads, there is something so easy and un-pretentious about these pieces that they also look beautiful on children. They even look great as decor pieces in the house!

xxx Esther

My bikini days are way over! I totally envy the mum who can pull off the bikini… but sadly, my tummy is not worth baring (stretch marks galore!), so I’m committed to a life of one-piece swimsuits… which is not such a bad thing now that I’ve found the perfect one. The dionne swimsuit from Malia Mills is my favourite. I just bought my second one. It has side and front ruching which flatters your curves (and hides any post-pregnancy pooch), and it has a nice, wide open back so you still feel sexy. It’s also incredibly good quality (my first one is four years old and I wore it for 100 days straight in Australia last year… and it’s still going strong!). Malia Mills also makes two-piece swimsuits for all you lucky ladies, and you can mix and match top and bottom styles and sizes.  And don’t you love that they use ‘real’ models with ‘real’ bodies?

x Courtney

xxx Esther

If you’re in Amsterdam and suddenly see someone trot by with a baby on her arm and wearing this delightful yellow trench coat, it could very well be me! I got this coat from House of Dots, a wonderful Dutch e-boutique with a concept I love: the feeling is vintage, but the product is new! Don’t you love the fun dresses (nurse Jeany is next on my wish-list), those secretary style blouses and the trendy trench coats?
House of Dots is run by two creative women, Hester and Marielle, and you can really feel the fun they have creating their collections — starting with their cool website: knock, knock — come in!

xxx Esther