One of the most stylish Scandinavian bloggers, Charlott Pettersen talks maternity fashion on Little Scandinavian today, sharing her experience from two pregnancies as well as giving her advice on how to get away with buying less and still feel amazing.
I don’t know about you but I certainly struggled a bit finding attire that both would make me feel comfortable and at the same time stylish during both my pregnancies. Unfortunately I ended up never feeling very attractive as pregnant.
Stylish women, like the blogger and author Charlott Pettersen make pregnancy look so good, in fact so nice that I’d wish I could do it all over again. Her effortless chic style makes me full of admiration; never has pregnancy looked so fashionable!
Norwegian Charlott is trained as a journalist and we know her as the blogger behind the kids style and mummy blog charlottpettersen.com and as the author of the popular knitting book ministrikk.no Charlott is also the mum of Hermann 5 1/2 and a baby boy – born only days ago! (Take a peak here)
We decided to have a chat with Charlott, do find out what her maternity wardrobe secrets are!
How many weeks were you when noticing a need to change how you dressed?
Hmm, it’s amazing how quickly one forgets… But if i check my blog I can see that the I first time I’m mentioning maternity wear is in week 18. I was 4.5 months pregnant before it started to show. What I found is that you have that in-between stage at first, not clearly showing, but still not quiet yourself either. I wore my regular jeans until I was in week 26, before having to rely on denim with stretch.
Charlott, pregnant in week 30.
What has been your favorite pregnant garment or outfit and why?
For everyday wear during the pregnancy I have basically more or less used three garments
– A black jumpsuit, dungaree style
– An oversized black dress
– And a black leggings with tight-fitting tee to match.
Black is a regular in my maternity wardrobe, just like it is in my wardrobe otherwise. The dungarees are what I couldn’t have lived without. They’ve served me well during colder days when worn with a jumper. Then it transforms to a summer garment, worn with a singlet. I’ve dressed it up with heels and down with sandals or trainers. And the leggings and tee… It’s the closest I’ll ever get to be wearing jogging bottoms. Worn together with my favourite blazer or a beautiful cardigan, what is really just a plain comfortable cotton set, transforms into a rather smart outfit. Also, I like to show my growing baby bump, wearing tight-fitting garments. It also makes me feel less like a tent.
Charlott, wearing her favourite combo, black leggings and singlet.
What and where to buy maternity clothing?
I have actually not bought a single maternity garment! This is simply because I cannot make myself spend money on short lived clothing. Although these months may feel forever when you are in the midst of it, it’s really such a short period in your life. All the purchases I did during my pregnancy are versatile clothing I can continue using.
Did you find your two pregnancies different in terms of how you dressed?
No, not really. Fashion had of course changed during the five year gap between my two pregnancies. But I followed my timeless and monochrome style from last time; A combination of tight fitting soft tees and singlets paired with loose fit shirts, blazers and oversized cardigans and wraps. In both pregnancies I made an effort to look nice. I think pregnancy is such a unique condition in life. I felt fairly good as pregnant and would like this feeling to be reflected through how I dressed. I think it’s important to appreciate and value this precious time in life. Who knows, maybe I never get to experience this again now.
The Summer holiday is upon us; do you have any advice for maternity beachwear?
Well, luckily (she says and giggles) it hasn’t been much of a Summer in Scandinavia so far this year. So I haven’t had the challenge of looking for beachwear, like I would have if it was soaring 30 degrees, like we had in July last year! But we went to Palma in Spain in May, and I enjoyed wearing this season’s hottest trend, the kaftan. I simply love the simple yet beautiful garments, to wear on the beach. It’s also practical and easy to take off when you are ready for a dip to cool down.
Charlott, in Palma, May 2015.
Will you miss a particular style from your maternity wardrobe, and if so, what will you miss about it?
None. Absolutely none. I only bought maternity clothes that I also can use after giving birth. I’m in fact looking forward to use my oversized black dress, with a flat stomach! Oversized has a completely different look when you don’t have that big belly. When that’s said I think I’ll give my beloved dress a break, until next summer, as it’s been in such frequent use over the last 7 months… Also, I can’t wait to jump into my favourite pair of jeans!
Charlott’s maternity clothing tips summed up;
– Use your non pregnant wardrobe as long as you can.
– When shopping, choose loose fit cotton shirts, cardigans and soft tees and dress in layers.
– Avoid jogging bottoms but choose to dress up slightly instead.
– Denim trousers with proper stretch can last well into 2 trimester.
– Make an effort to look your best to make you feel comfortable and enjoy your pregnancy as much as you can. It’s a very special time in your life!
Charlott, pregnant in week 18.
You can see more maternity style on the blog charlottpettersen.no and on Instagram #charlottpettersenmaternitywardrobe
Dear Charlott – thank you for sharing such easy to follow and personal advice with us. And a big congratulations on your newborn baby boy. He is beautiful and just perfect! Lots of love, Bianca x
Dear ma’am,
kinda like your style during your pregnancy. The black, grey and beige are my favorite colors for maternity wears. I’m now 45 yrs old and am pregnant again for my 2nd marriage. 3 children from my first marriage are now teenagers and I cannot believe myself being pregnant again.
Now I’m trying to find maternity clothes from overseas that suit me. Where do you think I should sop for a cheap maternity this time? My financial is a bit tight because my son is going to pursue his degree level soon..