Hi Francesca - firstly, congratulations! How has your pregnancy been so far?Thank you! It’s been good, I’ve really enjoyed being pregnant, the first trimester was a little rough but I’ve been lucky and felt pretty good so far.
How have you navigated styling a bump? Has it proved challenging?
For the most part I’ve loved it, I find the pregnancy silhouette so beautiful and its been fun to style it. Its definitely getting trickier now as I get towards my due date.
What advice would you give for staying true to your authentic sense of style when pregnant?
My style hasn’t really changed and I think that’s super important to try and stay true to yourself. However, I definitely have adapted certain elements of it. For example I’ve always been a huge fan of oversized, androgynous pieces, but during late second and third trimester of pregnancy I found it more flattering to opt for pieces that either hugged or showed off the bump as a pose to covering it with oversized items. Or opting for tighter fitting longline t-shirts and vests to wear under more oversized coats and jackets. Its all about balancing out the silhouette.
Share 3 staple pieces that have been keeping your outfits comfortable and stylish.
1. For me I think a good pair of maternity jeans or knitted trousers has been super important as I went into third trimester in autumn/winter when I tend to wear jeans a lot. You don’t want anything that digs into the bump so a pair of soft knitted trousers that can either be worn under or over the bump are perfect.
2. Longline t-shirt/vest tops that cover the bump, they’re perfect for layering and keeping you comfy.
3. A good pair of maternity leggings or just a high waisted pair. Lululemon are great as they do a high waist pair that you can wear after pregnancy too.
What has surprised you the most about maternity dressing?
Mostly just that my non-pregnancy wardrobe didn’t fit me in the same way and learning to dress a new silhouette. It takes a little bit of time to figure out what you like/feel comfortable in, and it can be a bit disheartening at first feeling like ‘nothing fits’, but investing in a couple of new pieces (whether you size up or go for some maternity specific pieces), allows you to create almost a pregnancy capsule wardrobe.
Share a piece of advice for an expectant mum who feels lost in their wardrobe.
Advice would be to embrace the change in shape. I think the pregnant silhouette is so beautiful and I think it's all about showing off the bump, i.e. in the summer - linen trousers and crop tops or figure hugging dresses. I think historically women have felt that they needed to cover up the bump, whereas now there’s a real celebration of showing it off which I love. I would also encourage you to invest in a good pair of maternity trousers or jeans (or skirts/dresses if that more your style), in a similar style to a non-maternity pair you own, as it allows you to style so much of your own wardrobe as you would have previously.
Are there any pieces from your daily wardrobe that have proved unexpectedly pregnancy-friendly?
Most of my knits and coats are oversized, so those have been perfect in the autumn/winter and I haven’t needed to invest in anything maternity in that area. In the summer all my more floaty dresses were perfect for the bump too; I didn't really need to adapt my summer wardrobe at all as my looser fitting linen trousers are also great for wearing under the bump.
Meet Francesca - @francescasaffari
Words by Alice Hartwell for Curate & Rotate