Friday, April 4, 2014

Art Nouveau Maternity Maxi Dres


I don't know why, but when pregnant, I have a real affinity for late 1960s and 1970s maternity styles, giant collars and all. This maxi dress is super comfy and especially in later pregnancy is essential for covering up any swelling in your legs or ankles. 


I chose a vivid printed cotton from M'Liss a few years ago and I love how it's swirls and natural motifs remind me of art nouveau designs, which I love.


I purchased this pattern at a local charity thrift store for about 10 cents. A great deal, but it was missing the facing for the back of the neck and the collar. I think it turned out okay, but it was hard to get the collar to lay right and if you flip it up, you can look like The Count from Sesame Street.


 It was raining and a little cool when I wore this, but I didn't care too much, because it's what I felt like wearing that day. Do you ever feel like that?


I paired it with an old jean jacket, a couple bangles, and some vintage green clip on earrings.

Outfit Details:
Dress-Made by me from vintage 1970s maternity sewing pattern
Jean jacket- I've had for about twelve years, so I've no idea where I got it
Bracelets- One is a vintage green bakelite and the other is a cheap fake I bought years ago
Earrings - vintage purchased from eBay.

I think I could get away with wearing this after the baby is born, but I probably won't even try it. I know that since I have been pregnant fairly regularly in the last few years (sons born in 2011 and 2012 and now), I'm not in a hurry to look remotely like I'm wearing maternity clothes if I'm not pregnant.  The first think I want to do when I have any waist at all again is to define it.

Wearing your regular jackets with maternity clothes, I think does give you a little more definition of some kind of shape, even though you can't button them. So, that's something I will commonly do and this time around this jean jacket is getting a lot of wear. It's like I have pregnancy cravings for certain clothes.
The Mister giving baby belly a kiss <3
I so want to get busy with sewing up Easter clothes, but have only cut out one of the boys shirts so far. I'm hoping I'll have more to show on that front fairly soon. Until then I plan on taking some pictures of some dresses I've sewn up for my daughter and some vintage pajamas I made for my oldest son's 3rd birthday.

Do you go through "cravings" in your wardrobe where certain pieces are more appealing at certain times?

4 comments:

  1. Awesome dress!!! I only own one maxi (and it's modern - well, a few years old now, but not vintage by any stretch of the imagination) and often wear it with my jean jacket, too. Such a great outfit for long walks on hot summer nights down at the beach.

    ♥ Jessica

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    1. They are super comfy, are t they? I started sewing some vintage patterns for maxi dresses in high school from my moms old sewing patterns from the 1960s when she was in high school. I was more of a hippy style wise at that point.
      Part of it is that not all my jackets look right on me as my belly grows, so I'm going with what I think looks most flattering. Plus I get a lot hotter than normal when pregnant, so I'm aiming for cool layers.
      Your comment makes me want to walk down a shoreline at sunset right now! Too bad there's no big traveling plans for me this summer, but maybe next year.

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  2. I love the maxi dress and skirt looks, but at 5 foot tall, I'm afraid it will just make me look shorter, lol! Something I try to avoid, with little success I might add.

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    1. Thank you! I don't wear maxi dresses much when not pregnant, but am 5'5" and think an empire waist and a straight line to the skirt can actually elongate your figure. My husband is over 6' so I always look short next to him, lol.

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