For the most part, you won’t need to buy anything new during the first trimester. But if you must shop (and lets face it, 3 months with out shopping is just silly), look for loose layers and things you can grow into.  Bows, belts, pleats and long scarves help hide any budding bump before you’re ready to break the big news. Try buying one size bigger (as long as it still looks good on you now). These are key wardrobe essentials that you can find anywhere

1. Long, Draped Cardigans (A|Wear, €30 €25)

2. Ruffled, Elastic Waist Tops and Tunics (A|Wear, €30)

3. Thick Leggings (Gap, $19.99 $14.99)

4. Mid-length Jersey Knit Dresses with Empire or Natural Waist and Pleating (ModCloth, $49.99)

5. Loose Waist Dress (ModCloth, $64.99)

6. Long Scarves and Wraps (Old Navy, $12.50)

Join Re-Dress (and hopefully me) at the Clothes Swap for Haiti this Sunday, March 7. It’s a great cause and a great way to do a little spring cleaning. I might bring some of my favourite duds that no longer fit my 19week belly!  Be sure to bring some cash for a donation. Free entry. Boys and Girls clothes welcome. Read more about Re-dress

Re-Dress Clothes Swap for Haiti @ Twisted Pepper, Lower Abbey Street (March 7, 2-5pm)

I adore my engagement ring and wedding rings. They have stories behind them and remind me of the long journey we’ve been on. That said, if my ring never existed in the universe I would love this one (and I’m sure my husband would love the $255 price tag!)

(14K Gold Ring ‘Svea’ by Jewler on the Roof, Etsy $255)

The Husband and I often talk about the ridiculousness of over-priced engagement rings. We know some people that spend about the same as a down-payment on house on little pieces of bling to convince a gal to marry them. No offense to girls that want that sort of thing.

Luckily, my guy knows me well and knows I’ve always like simple and understated hand jewelry. He also knows that I’d much rather have a simple, personal ring. Good thing, because he was pretty broke when he proposed! My ring contains stones from a piece of jewelry that my husband’s grandmother gave his mother. Petrified of anything having to do with jewelry or design or fashion (now he has to put up with my blogging, ha!), he worked with the jeweler in Wicklow Town to come up with just the right setting.

How cute is this, the sapphire represents the Atlantic that separated us when we were in Dublin/Boston. Couldn’t have picked it out better myself!

♥ Ruffled, elastic high waisted sheer top: Penneys ♥ Crocheted belt: Penneys ♥ Red cardigan: H&M ♥ Navy tank: American Eagle ♥ Jeggings: Dunnes ♥ Boots: Clarkes ♥ Lovely ‘Love’ necklace: Courtesy of Accessorize ♥

@12 weeks ≡ I wore this to a little get together with friends to make our big announcement. Jeggings, as I’ve said before, are a must! They’re much more comfortable than trousers with buttons and zippers and help show off those gams. Ruffled, flouncy shirts will be your best friend in maternity dressing. Pulling a wide belt along the elasticated waist help cinch you in where you’re tiniest. You still won’t need to buy new things yet, but if you must consider getting a size or two bigger than you normally wear (but not so big it swallows you). Long cardigans will also be a necessity as that elastic waist starts getting tighter and tighter.

There is a tiny bump there, but you’d never notice. Of course, it’s going to be getting a lot bigger!

I LOVE this necklace that I got courtesy of Accessorize. I thought it was appropriate for sharing our big news.

♥ Dress: OldNavy ♥ Oatmeal Drape Sweater: Penneys ♥ Felt Flower Broach: Complements of JenLovesKev ♥ Boots: Clarks ♥

@11 weeks ≡ Time to retire those body con dresses to the closet, because by the end of the 1st Trimester you may still look like a million bucks but certainly won’t feel like it. I didn’t at least. I know (by looking at the photos) that I wasn’t really showing at this time, but I felt terrible and tired. The solution, clothes that feel as close to PJs as possible while still looking cute for the office. In this case, my most favourite black jersey dress with an elasticated, natural waist. The loose draping falls over any growing curves. Note on dresses: if you’re getting anything new to last you a few months, make sure it’s not too short to start with. Remember, ever centimeter you grow out is a centimeter the dress goes up.

Accessories work miracles in maternity dressing, so expect to see them a lot here. They add interest to otherwise dull outfits and can distract from the slowly growing middle. Here I’m wearing a lovely handmade felt rose broach that i won from JenLovesKev. (I feel terrible about not blogging about this before, but my gift box arrived the day before we moved out of our old flat…will fill you in on all the goodies soon)

Dressing for comfort doesn’t mean you have to start rebuilding your wardrobe, and if you’re lucky to be in the 1st Trimester during winter (like me) you’ll already be layering up. Drape sweaters are fantastic because you can wrap or belt them to look chic, and the long layers of fabric conceal your tummy. As long as the sleeves aren’t too tight, you should grow into it nicely.

Grey Wrap Sweatshirt: Gap Body ♥ Super Soft Tee: H&M ♥ Jeggings: Dunnes

@10 Weeks ≡ Okay, so I’m definitely not showing yet to the untrained eye…but to me, I already started to feel uncomfortable in my regular clothes. A comfy sweater/sweatshirt tied around my waist helped me feel more cozy, especially during bouts of morning-afternoon-evening sickness. I quickly moved to jeggings because 1) it was snowing a lot and they fit best in boots and 2) elastic waists are way more comfortable, even with the tiniest growth.

I might add that while Dublin may love snow, it certainly does not love ice.

That’s right! I’m 12 weeks pregnant. The first trimester has been exhausting, which is partly m reason for not blogging lately. I think I’m going to start a new blog for all things baby and will keep this blog focused on my adventures in maternity clothing and what I would wear if I still had a waist line.

For a festive mince pie and mulled wine party I decided to break out my two favourite new items from Accessorize, the Oversize Woven Clutch and the preppy pearl necklace. I’ve been in the market for a gold clutch for well over a year, but am very picky. This bag is perfect and I probably would have bought it if I’d seen it first! And the necklace is too cute. I adore little bows and pearls and thought the navy shift would be a perfect match. Since it is the holidays, I added some ruby red tights and added a longer strand of pearls to give it a little more glam.

On Saturday morning we were up early for a quick trip to Kildare Village for some last minute Christmas shopping. This was my first trip out there, and I’d heard it was a posh outlet mall so I thought I’d attempt to dress the part. The outfit really centred around the cute tea cup and spoon necklace from Accessorize. Isn’t it adorable. The hubby has taught me the art of a good cup of tea and I love all the Accessorize pendants, so it really is the perfect necklace for me! To play up the classy ladies who lunch look, I wore my thrifty €1 pin stripe dress with a cropped blazer and soft pink pashmina. Nice outfit, but one essential item was missing…a coat! It’s very cold to shop outside in the snow without a coat or socks.

Now, it was only a quick trip to Kildare Village so I may need to take a visit during a comfortably temperatured time period to make a full assessment…but I was slightly underwhelmed. There are some great shops that are either missing or slightly cheaper than the high street (Cath Kitson, Levis) but some places were priced the same as the high street. Guess I just drive too hard a bargain. My only purchase for me was a pair of necessary black earmuffs for €7.50 from Accessorize (note: grey, white or brown were €25, same as the high street) because after all my Christmas shopping, I am…

(Po Lauren, get it?)