Top // Bottom // Bag // Sunglasses

Hello and HAPPY NEW YEAR!

I do realize it's already February :) Last month flew by and I didn't quite make my goal of picking up my blog again this year starting in January. Things happen so here we are, beginning a month later, but doing it nonetheless. 

We have been home for the past two days due to the ice storm that  took over most of Texas,  and let me tell you, I am SO ready to get out of the house. We will be taking the kids out of the house this afternoon to burn some energy. 

While the ice storm was a bit much, I do enjoy the cold winter weather. It is a nice change from the usual warm fall and hot summers we experience in Austin. With winter weather comes warm dressing and super cozy outfits like this cashmere blend set. I randomly decided to try Summersalt for the first time and I have to say I am impressed. 

The set is super soft and high quality and keeps me warm without being overly hot. Ice storm aside, I have been wearing this on weekends and have not had a need for any additional jacket or vest. We also did a couple trips in January and wore it both times to the airport. Comfiest outfit ever. I did find the pants run a bit small, they have a thick elastic and the XS felt too constricting. Sized up on the pants and problem was solved. 

Summersalt is known for their bathing suits. I am so tempted to get one for summer. I'll probalbly give it a try once I check their new styles. 

Feels good to be back on the blog again, hope to be more consistent this year with my content. Having children was an adjustment but I do feel like now that I got the hang of it I can pick up this project back up. Cannot wait to continue to share my favorite things with you. 

Until next time!

N. 

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My Ideal Travel Outfit

Top // Pants // Backpack // Earrings

Traveling while pregnant and with an active toddler is a bit of a challenge. I am currently working on a post focused on tips to making traveling with a small child a bit easier; but for today let’s focus on mom’s outfit. I’ve always been a fan of wearing pants and closed toes shoes when going through an airport, the more covered I am the better I feel {specially during the pandemic}. I find airports and airplanes very chilly so I typically dress in layers. During summer I keep it light with a cotton jacket -the like Madewell one I am wearing on this post- or a thin cardigan. 

Finding comfortable and cute maternity pants is not easy so I was very excited when I found these green linen pants from Pea In The Pod. They fit comfortably under the belly and stay put no matter how much I move or sit. The t-shirt is by Splendid and the length is perfect for a growing belly.  The backpack is by Tory Burch and it’s the perfect addition to any traveling outfit. It fits SO MUCH and functions as my purse and diaper bag. It is nylon which makes it easily wipeable when the inevitable spill happens. This combo of pants, top, layer and big bag is my typical go-to when I travel. It allows me to move freely while keeping my body temperature in check {and looking presentable}. 

Happy first week of fall! Can’t wait to share a few more maternity outfits before the baby arrives. Currently 31 weeks and counting!

xx, Nicole

*Thank you Pea In The Pod for sponsoring this post. 

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Our Family Is Growing!

Sunglasses // Dress // Earrings // Espadrilles

What a wonderful year 2021 is turning out to be :) We are having our second baby in November! We are extremely excited and happy for the upcoming arrival of this little bundle. The road to this pregnancy was a very bumpy one, we found ourselves in situations we never thought we would have to deal with; making us feel extra grateful for this baby. 

Currently 19 weeks and counting, baby is due the day before Thanksgiving. It's going to be a wonderful holiday season!

You might have noticed my absence from the blog and social media overall. As with Eloise, the first trimester was brutal. I was extremely sleepy, tired and at times sick...add a very active toddler to the mix and and we ended up with a VERY rough few weeks. Second trimester has been a drastic change, I have energy and feel so much better aside from occasional back pain. 

I look forward to continue to share all things fashion, baby, family and travel in the coming months. We have a few trips planned this summer that I'm super excited about. We booked our babymoon to Cancun and our summer family vacation to Colorado. Cannot wait to get out of this heat for a few days!

Until next time, 

Nicole

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Madewell Summer Sale

Tote Bag // Pink Dress // Chambray Skirt // Floral Jumpsuit

Eyelet Top // Sweater Tank // Candle // Silk Wrap Dress // Earrings

Mid-Summer {or in retail world End-of-Summer} sales are my absolute favorite. I know everyone is going crazy about the Nordstrom sale but I'm over here geeking out at the prices from Madewell and JCrew because a lot of their pretty summer pieces are deeply discounted and with an extra 30% off on top of that, so rare for Madewell! I am a bit embarrassed to admit I have placed 3 orders in the past two days, can't blame me! I'm so excited to wear non-maternity clothes soon. Some of my favorite include the pink t-shirt dress with puffy sleeves, the tote bag that fits my entire world in it and that silk wrap dress which would be perfect for newborn pictures. Can't believe I'm already planning on that! 

Hope you're enjoying your week as much as I am. I am working from home my last few days in the office and it feels so good to prop my swollen feet up. Happy Wednesday!

xx, 

Nicole

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Summer Ric Rac Dress

Dress //  Earrings // Sunglasses // Sandals

Happy Tuesday! Finally back in Austin and here to stay until the baby is born. We spent this past weekend in Mexico and Arizona celebrating our baby shower and hanging out with family. It was great! But I am definitely ready to stay home and get everything ready.

Speaking of ready, dresses have been my go-to outfit lately. Between the heat and the belly they are the most comfortable choice. This ric-rac cotton dress has been on constant rotation. Dress fits a bit on the larger size, I would normally wear an XS but I went for Small on this one and it fit perfect. The fabric is very light but not see through {as long as you stick to nude underwear}. And while you are shopping at Madewell make sure to grab the adorable earrings I am wearing, they make quite a statement but are still very light. Sandals are by Natalie Flint and they are one of Meghan Markle's go-to summer shoes. I love them! So very comfortable and chic. They fit true to size and I only needed a day to break them down. 

I'll be sharing pictures of the baby shower later this week.

xx, Nicole 

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1st & 2nd Trimester Pregnancy Favorites

Today marks the first day of my last trimester, I am officially seven months pregnant! I have been wanting to write this post for a while, my favorite products that have helped me get by during my first few months of pregnancy. It's been a roller coaster of emotions and exhaustion but I am so happy the end is near. Hope some of these items help you as much as they have helped me. 

Madewell Maternity Skinny Jeans
I love these so much they got their own dedicated post, you can read it here. They are soft and comfortable, hug you in all the right places and the belly fabric allows them to work with you from small bump to postpartum. If you’re only getting one pair, make sure this is it!

HATCH Collection Belly Oil

Some people say stretch marks are genetic, some people say it depends on how to treat your body during your pregnancy. Truth is doesn’t hurt to help you skin a little bit during this process where your belly stretches so very much. I love this oil because keeps my skin incredibly moisturized and soft. Seven months, 18 pounds extra and no stretch marks yet! Comes with a huge applicator that makes it easy to drop product on your belly after a hot shower. 

Pregnancy Pillow

I call this my banana pillow although it looks nothing like one haha I was having all kinds of back and hip pain and this pillow helped tremendously. I cozy myself up in the middle and it hugs me in all of the right places. Makes it so easy to sleep on my side too. The only down side to this is that my dog discovered it and now we fight over it; he’s such a cutie. He usually naps on it all day and then I get to sleep on it at night. Pretty fair deal I’d say.

Charlotte Tilbury Face Powder

You know that pregnancy “glow” people always talk about? I mostly sweat and no body part is safe. I have combo skin and was used to powdering myself up once or twice a day to keep things from looking greasy, but even since I got pregnant my face became significantly shinier. I added this primer to my routine and the Charlotte Tilbury powder. It’s made significant difference. Is still blot and powder a couple more times than I used to but it is not as bad.

Cotton Sleeping Gown

 I am typically a sweat pants and tank kind of girl for lounging around the house. I also love little short sets or rompers for sleeping, but with the growing belly the last thing I want is to feel restricted. I purchased a couple of these cotton gowns and they have been life savers. They let me move around freely and keep me cool overnight. I usually throw this robe on when I wake up and after I shower.

Superga Sneakers

I always wanted to be one of those cool women who wear suits and business dresses with sneakers to work. I never thought I could actually pull it off until my flats and heels got so uncomfortable I had to start wearing sneakers to work often. I decided to purchase these Superga sneakers in classic white and have not taken them off since. They offer great arch support and are quite soft. Meaning as it gets later in the day and my feet start to get swollen these shoes accommodate the changes that are happening. They are great for flying too!

Bella Bands

Got these at Target when I was around 8 weeks pregnant. Not much of a belly but I was so uncomfortably swollen I needed some help. They worked amazingly well with all of my business pants and jeans. I purchased one in white and one in black and they carried me all the way through month 5 when my belly popped and I had to invest in actual maternity clothes.

Large Water Bottle

 We all know drinking water is important to keep our bodies healthy. When you are pregnant is is PARTICULARLY important to stay hydrated. Like I mentioned above, pregnancy “glow” is mostly sweat so you need to make up for all the water you are sweating through the day. It also helps with constipation {gross, I know}, keeping your skin moisturized and swelling down. I am usually good at drinking water while at the office since I keep my Yeti cup on my desk, but I noticed I wasn’t as diligent at home and during weekends so I purchased this 25 oz water bottle and it’s been a lifesaver. I aim to drink 4 of these which equals 3 litters of water a day. Enough to help my body to function properly. Best part…it’s less than $20 dollars!

Lululemon Align Shorts

I have raved about my Ingrid & Isabel workout leggings before. But once it started getting hot and my mileage on my walks started getting longer pants were too hot for me to handle. I did some research and noticed a lot of women raved about the Align collection from Lulu for pregnancy so I went and got a couple shorts. LOVED THEM. Super soft, no chaffing or movement and they keep my legs cool during my workouts. If you are a summer pregnant lady and are working hard to stay active I would definitely give these a try.

HATCH Collection Dress or Jumpsuit

Yes I know they are pricey and it is more of a splurge but here me out…you’ll wear it ALL the time. The brand is focused on making clothes you can wear before, during and after pregnancy so it is not an investment piece you’ll be wearing only a few months. I was rocking their silk jumpsuit way before I was pregnant {seen here}. I have since invested in a couple dresses I keep wearing over and over. I have my eyes on this {and the pink dress I linked above} and this and maybe I’ll get just one more before my pregnancy wraps up. I would stick to fabrics that are matching washable and styles that you can wear to work and play.

Hope you found this helpful!
xx,
Nicole

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First Pregnancy: Picking The Perfect Maternity Jeans

Jeans // Top // Bag // Sunglasses

First time pregnancy wardrobe challenges can be quite overwhelming. Should I buy bigger sizes? Should I wait to shop? Will this fit me later? For me it was a combination of wanting to have comfortable clothes and look cute but not over-buy pregnancy items that I could only wear for a few months. For the most part, with jeans and pants I got away with wearing my regular clothes and using belly bands to keep my pants in place but things quickly turned on week 20.

By the time I hit five months and my belly started to pop it became obvious my belly band idea was no longer an option. Pants were sliding down and was an overall uncomfortable situation. I decided to shop for ONE pair of classic skinny maternity jeans that I could wear through pregnancy and the first few months after giving birth {yes I am hopeful to lose the weight rather quickly, but I am also realistic}. I ordered jeans from three different brands from Shopbop, two brands from Nordstrom as well as H&M, a few from ASOS and Madewell. Not surprisingly, I ended up with Madewell.

It makes sense to me that the brand would fit my changing body so well since they are my go-to for regular jeans -and just about everything in between-. I went by the reviews and ordered a size down {yay for vanity sizing while pregnant! ha!} so I got a size 26 instead of my usual 27. They fit perfectly! They were a bit sung in the very beginning, but that happens even with regular jeans. Once I wore them for a little while and they relaxed they were perfect. My advice on sizing would be order according to WHERE in your body you gain your weight. My pregnancy weight has gone mostly to my belly, boobs and face. But my arms, legs and bottom have remained slim. So sizing down made sense. If your weight tends to go towards your bottom and hips I would stick to your regular size. Make sure to wash inside out in cold water and air dry for best results.

Overall I ended up buying {and returning} over 10 pairs of jeans; and my favorite kind were the ones finished with the soft fabric belly band, like these skinny jeans from Madewell. Contrary to what I was expecting, the fabric band does not slide down, bunch up or restrict the kind of tops I am able to wear. It is super soft and accommodating, I’ve been wearing this jeans for almost two months now and my belly has grown significantly. Still as comfortable as ever. If you are concerned about the navy blue fabric and lighter tops just wear a nude cami. That’s what I did on this look and it camouflaged the darkness perfectly. This gauzy top is from Madewell’s new Spring collection. Love the loose look and fabric. It will be perfect for the hot summer days coming up.

Hope you find this post helpful in deciding what kind of maternity jeans to get. Have a wonderful week!

xx,
Nicole

*Thank you Madewell for partnering up with me for this post. 

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Madewell Rainbow Dress

Dress // Bag // Sandals

Days are starting to get warmer and longer as weeks go by, which means summer is right around the corner! As we start preparing for hot humid days in Austin I am also mentally getting ready for being in my third trimester heavily pregnant with 100 degree days. I am currently shopping for easy dresses I can wear now and transition to after the baby is born. Pieces that will keep me cool and comfortable through the last leg of this pregnancy.

I love Madewell’s colorful Spring collection. I spotted this little dress and was immediately drawn to the rainbow speckled gauzy fabric and colorful sleeves and neckline. I sized up to a size Small and it worked out perfectly. I was a bit worried about the slip maybe being tight but it accommodated the bump and boobs quite comfortably. I styled here with my brown leather sandals and rattan bag; a typical Friday office outfit for me {grateful for casual Fridays!}.

They recently started previewing part of their Summer 2019 collection and I already have a few things on my radar, like this dress, this bag and this top. I just love shopping for warm weather outfits!

Until next time!
Nicole

*Thank you Madewell for sponsoring this post. 

 

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