Guest post - Maternity wear as regular wear

Here is the first of some awesome guest posts I have lined up for you guys and it's a very timely subject - Aya of Couturgatory is here with some thoughts on maternity clothes as regular clothes - something I'm thinking about quite a bit now that baby is here, there are a number of items I kind of want to keep wearing because I ended up really like them!  Anyway, Aya is awesome, so I'll turn it over to her!

Hello everyone! I'll be taking the place of your regularly scheduled Bethie the Boo today. My name is Aya, and I thought an in-theme post, as we celebrate the arrival of Baby the Boo, would be styling maternity wear when you are not pregnant.

  I am not nor have I ever been pregnant, but I have a few maternity wear pieces, and I really dig them. Maternity fashion has come a long way, and I love that ladies no longer have to spend pregnant months with nothing pretty to wear.

  Maternity wear is of course made with stretchy fabrics, so they easily fit my broad shoulders, they're designed to drape beautifully over the ever-changing size of a pregnancy, and they're soft.

  I find the ruching often present on the sides of maternity garments to be flattering to the waist, whether you are convex or concave

  Here are some photos of maternity clothes I've styled on my blog:

 

  This is a Liz Lange) for Target maternity dress. That's not a typo, there is a close parenthesis printed on the inside. Fashion people! The asymmetrical draping gives it a Greek goddess feel. To give it a little shape, I added an Audra Jean harness on top.

  Maternity dresses and shirts look great over leggings. I used pinstripe jodhpurs to add some pattern and visual interest. Low heels are a practical footwear choice if one happens to be a new mother. During pregnancy, a women's body releases hormones that looses the connective tissue holding her joints together. Due to this and the increased weight, her feet may widen, and low heels with good arch support can help keep the foot's shape.

 

  This is a Gap maternity shirt. Again, its material is as soft as a sweater, but light and stretchy. It has ruching that lengthens the front slightly in contrast to the sides, which lengthens the torso and is flattering to the waistline. It's a great underlayer under vests, and goes equally well over skinny jeans and skirts. I consider it one of the more versatile layering shirts I own. Oh, and did I mention it's warm? Great for fall. :D

  Thank you for having me over, Bethie's friends! I, like you, am looking forward to her return, and in the meantime, stay tuned for all of the other awesome guest posts that will be shown here.