The Little Black Maternity Dress

Is there such a thing as a little black dress when you're pregnant? Yes and no. This is my version of a little black dress which gives me something a little nice to wear for more formal events even when I feel huge. The good news is this dress kind of camouflages a big baby belly better than a lot of things, but the bad news is that you pretty much have no waist while pregnant and no dress can fix that. I just feel a little fancy in this and it's fun to pair it with a pair of cute (lower of course) heels. Sometimes just feeling pretty is priceless when you're pregnant. 

This pattern is from the 1960s and is McCall's 9747, but I think looks surprisingly modern, especially made up in this really groovy black polyestery knit. It was very simple to sew up, but was way too big on me even though my bust size is larger than what's listed on the pattern envelope. So, after taking it in what seemed like many inches, it now has a little more shape to it and I love it. I'd say it's safe to assume that many 1960s maternity dresses can become a giant tent regardless of the picture on the envelope showing a svelte woman in a loose, but not potato sack dress. Maybe it's just me and my body, but potato sack has never been a look I covet. 

It has a cute squared neckline, but it's the sleeves I think are really brilliant and make this dress super flattering. You see, when I'm pregnant, and even for a while afterwards, my arms swell. Yes, this makes me a little self-conscious about the whole thing, so a sleeveless sleeve is awesome in my opinion. I've found that most vintage "sleeveless" tops or dresses are much more flattering to my upper arms than any modern sleeveless garments have ever been. You'd think the constant lifting of kids would make me have the most defined upper arms ever, but alas, somehow it just doesn't work that way. *sigh*

 Being a mom of very young children doesn't afford my husband and I often with the opportunity to get out, let alone to get all dolled up for one another. So, any opportunity to put on something a little extra special can go a long, long, way, even if we take the kids with us. I won't say exactly where we went this night, but we all got dressed a little fancier than usual and it was a lot of fun to look a little special for my man.

I also wore a fun 1950s hat. It's a very tight and finely woven straw with a unique texture that kind of mimics linen and has a black velvet ribbon and bow at the back. Upon seeing the shape of the front of this hat, my three year old son said, "You look like a clam, Mommy!". Gotta love the honest opinions of kids, lol.

I must confess that I didn't wear the hat all evening, but only because the event we were attending was not about us and I didn't want to distract from the actual focus. I live in a rural area and knowing I would be the only person wearing a hat inside, I thought it best and most polite to remove it upon entering. I don't understand, and I assume most people today don't, the ins and outs of hat etiquette for women, but feel I would rather err on the side of caution rather than offend someone, especially those who invited us. 

Mini me and me. She usually wears glasses even, but her
18 month old brother had broken them when this picture was taken. 

I was also joined in this post by an infrequent photobomber, as my oldest joined me wearing a purple dress with ruffled layers made from a vintage 1980s pattern. She is wearing a blue t-shirt under it, but that's because she said she was afraid she would be uncomfortable without it underneath. She's my little mini-me in so many ways, and I love her that way. 

Outfit Details:

Dress-Made by me (McCall's 9747 purchased at local charity shop, The Shepherd's Center for 10 cents!)

Earrings-Vintage confetti from Etsy

Bracelets-vintage bakelite from various sources.

Brooch-Vintage purchased from the Homestead Shop (a local antique mall)

Shoes-Strappy gold shoes with chunky wooden heels and platform sole, had forever, can't remotely remember where I bought them. (Sorry, not pictured!)

I suppose that if you just read my blog you might get the impression that I "dress up" every day, and while I do wear something vintagey in style at least almost every day, I don't wear dresses like this every day. I also don't always have my hair fixed this nicely or wear full makeup. I did, however, years ago (seriously may have been before I was even wearing makeup, lol) hear Cindy Crawford say in an interview that your daily makeup should only take about five minutes to apply, and if it's taking you longer than that, you are wearing too much. I pretty much follow that rule and most days don't even take that long, especially if I'm not planning on going anywhere that day. But things like a tinted moisturizer, a little lipstick, and having an easy way to set your hair so it looks styled for a few days can be a real lifesaver for any busy lady.

I used to think our grandmothers must have spent forever getting ready everyday in order to look so put together, but soon realized after learning a few techniques that doing it daily took surprisingly little time each day to look like you didn't just roll out of bed. I think that's one of the things I love most about vintage since I became a mom and have little time for anything, let alone for fixing myself up.

Have you learned anything about dressing vintage that makes your life easier? Do you think it takes a lot of time to dress vintage on a daily basis?