April Showers

I have a bridal shower to go to next weekend, and a baby shower the weekend after that, and according to my latest calculations I have now wasted 7.24 bajillion hours of my life trying to find an outfit that does not make me 1) itch, 2) look like I wrapped myself in a bedspread, or 3) freeze my ass off because, perhaps the folks who run the maternity department at the Gap didn’t get the memo but, HELLO!, it’s MARCH, not July, so what the hell is up with the tank tops and Capri pants?? I mean, I guess I could understand shopping for shorts when there is still snow on the ground. I still think its crazy but at least there is a good chance that if you’re a size 4 now then you will probably still be a size 4 when the time finally comes to actually wear the shorts. But maternity clothes? I don’t know what will fit me tomorrow, never mind three months from now. But thanks to Those Who Control the Retail Fashion Industry I must now choose between wearing an adorable but blatantly seasonally inappropriate camisole and a pair of capris or stretching one of my sweaters out beyond recognition so that it covers the homemade elastic band/paper clip contraption that I’m using to rig up my jeans.

Where I live there are only a handful of stores that sell maternity clothes, the closest one being Motherhood. Now I know that some people really like Motherhood. To each his own. Maybe the one near you is not the same mecca of wash-it-once-and-it’s-useless, overpriced-for-what-it-is, stiff cotton crap that I’m familiar with. Personally, I die a little inside every time I walk into that store. I haven’t seen so much rayon and polyester since the thankfully brief revival of 70’s fashions sometime around my sophomore year of college. A local(ish) mall just opened up a BabyStyle store. I had high hopes of finally finding clothes that I actually liked and could also afford until I came across a pair of jeans that I loved only to discover that they were $175. The last time I was willing to pay that much for a pair of jeans was never, so instead I opted for a $68 pair at the Gap and I wear them Every. Goddamned. Day. I kid you not. No, not because I’m cheap and I refused to cough up the cash for more than one pair (okay, maybe because of that) but because they were the only (decent looking) things under $100 that any store carried that actually covered my entire legs.  Also, that were not crafted from polyester or could possibly be referred to as “slacks”.

As for an outfit that is suitable to wear to a shower, I’ve got nothing. Actually, I’ve got one pair of black Capri pants and seven (yes, seven) versions of the same sleeveless sweater, in varying sizes and colors (thus the problem with online shopping, you never know what’ll fit). None of which are appropriate for a 30 degree, overcast and possibly snowy day (because it WILL be cold, this is my luck), and all of which I hate.

Comments

[Pam]

In a pinch, I resorted to the "Boyfriend Wardrobe". Meaning I stole my husband's sweaters and wore them, thinking it made me look small and petite inside his big sweaters. Until I realized that I just looked like a beached whale in a man's sweater. Meh.

[Diana]

I'm thinking you should wear the capri's and sweater, but if it's going to be that cold, then elastic band/paperclip jeans it is! (jeans can always be dressed up with a nice top and stylish shoes.)
Me: lived in Old Navy for Maternity. I know you probably won't find anything for a cold day, I don't tihnk they understand that sometimes you just want to buy something for the weekend...retail stores are stupid.

[Stacy Quarty]

Sometimes you'll find that the online stores carry some of the "current" season stuff instead of what's going to be hot in the next few months. Check out: http://www.franklypregnant.com/resources.html
for a listing of good online stores. I vote for Gap and/or Old Navy for decent quality and good prices.

[Colleen]

I think you and I would be compatible shoppers. My maternity clothes were so worn out after baby #2! If we have a third I'll be forced to buy new clothes. We have some great maternity/baby & kid stuff resale shops near us, which was great when I needed a dress for my husband's company Christmas party. The dress I bought still had the original price tag on it! Good luck finding something to wear. Have any friends who might have something you could borrow?

p.s. Welcome back!

[Aimee]

Where are the pictures of your belly? I'm so behind on blog reading but I come here and there is nothing. nada. How can you leave your fans hanging like this? Word.