Can you hide your bump please???!!!

Finding the perfect coffee in London has become a little obsession lately. I consider myself an educated and particular coffee drinker (especially being from Melbourne) so when asked to take part in a market research session on coffee tasting I jumped at the chance.

The recruitment was an over the phone process so the question of being pregnant didn't pop up until I offered the information. The recruiter, after her half an hour questioning efforts sidestepped their company protocol and asked if I could...“hide my bump”?

For a morning of paid coffee tasting – of course I could! So on the morning of, I selected the one item that would disguise the protruding bump – my poncho. With my oversize handbag carried at the front, it worked a treat.

Nao xx

P.S For the concerned readers, I am a one-coffee-a-day drinker and the general advice is a two coffee maximum for the mum-to-be.

Flipping Thrift: Hand-me-downs

Flipping Thrift: Hand-me-downs: "Being the youngest of four I was forever inheriting hand-me-down clothing from my elder siblings. I recall one day being so upset not having..."

Hand-me-downs

Being the youngest of four I was forever inheriting hand-me-down clothing from my elder siblings. I recall one day being so upset not having "my own clothes" to wear that I penned it in writing to Santa Clause asking for new clothes for Christmas. I'm sure they arrived on Chrsitmas morning but to this day I wonder why the big fuss? For now I am gladly accepting pre-loved handouts from my siblings and friends.



A bed full of hand-me-downs from a very kind friend.

A couple of days ago I tubed it home (peak hour) lugging an oversize bag of maternity goodies kindly handed down from a  girlfriend. I was so excited that when I finally arrived home I layed them out on the bed and gave myself and my bump a little fashion show in the mirror. Nao xx



P.S When you are a mum-to-be traveling on the tube isn't so bad, there is an allocation of special priority seats for people like me :)

That's me in the middle.  I am wearing a dress that was passed through from my cousins and sisters.  I do love this yellow number.  I think it is still floating around somewhere.  Must track it down in case I have a girl.  Got to love a bit of the 70's rick-rack trimming.

Oh and I also inherited both those dresses worn by my big sisters. 

All the girls in the family have definitely had a go at the sailor dress worn here by big sis - styled beautifully with knee high socks and that adoreable handbag.  This was one of Mum's homemade creations (like many) and it still has a proud place in the wardrobe waiting for another young lass to enjoy it. 
My outfit here (the gorgeous black velvet twin set) was just mine - I can't say I have seen any photos of the other girls wearing it.  I hope Mum kept this one.



Jumping a few years -Summer 05. Nanna's pink cardi -  I have worn this more than she did - I am sure of it. 



Mum's dress New Years Eve 08.  I have definitely worn this more than mum would have, I wear it all the time and look at the next picture below- last month at 19 weeks pregnant.  It actually comes with matching drainpipe pants/trousers that go under it.  I wear both but I tend to wear them as separates.



My birthday Feb this year. Loving this dress and the extra bump room but must remember to wear opaque tights or leggings underneath - that was a fault of 'baby brain' and caused me to have to manoeuvre so the side spilt didn't reveal my 40 denier bottom.



Pink & Purple, Pink & Purple

Everywhere I look I am drawn to this fuscia family of colors. It started in the street a few days ago. Out of my left blinker prances an Arabian beauty elegantly presented in a mix of block fuscia and mauve. At first you wonder would that really work? Well of course it takes a certain person to pull it off.  In fact my Nanna wore this combo well and mind you to the extreme. She favoured hues of pink and purple only, wore an abundance of them at the same time, one over the other, pattern over pattern, pink and purple, pink and purple!! Ding ding, is there maybe a genetic inheritance of personal flavor here?

I do not have the courage of a street photographer but on this day with the rainbow of fuscia and mauve in front of me I kicked the chicken and semi confidently approached this lovely young lady to ask for her picture. With all the courage it took me to ask she turned me down :(

Out of all the fashion savvy strangers I have ever wanted to snap, this young lady was my most wanted. I just cant get her colours out of my head, so here's a sketch to give you a visual.

On that same day the mannequin in Burberry called me over to look at her lustrous purple skirt. Ladies and gents, get in quick, these colours are on the trend radar. Gucci and Dior RTW SS11 showed just that.

NAO xx

Burberry

  

I have new clothes - Happy Birthday Me!!



Some new recycled wrap to add to the busy box :)

Obviously I was gifted with very practical gifts of clothing for my birthday. I am wrapped to get some new items and all of them boasting a maternity label - VERY helpful at a time like this. So here is a list of my new things!! (Loving new things right now)
A darling bracelet from Husband
Gym leggings
Gym tank
Jeggings  -which I am totally in love with, (see very happy me in the pictures below)
Linen trousers
A multi floral scarf

A quirky tale about clothing (oh boy)

A Lanvin anniversary note book for all my scribbles and notes 

A pair of earrings

A long very bright pink tank with lots of bump room and

A lovely top that will actually have to wait until summer

My new jeggings - LOVE LOVE LOVE THEM

Something for baby too

I love cards - to me they are as exciting as a present

Would love to say that this card represents me - maybe if she had shorter legs and a big bump out the front.

A bargain at Columbia Road Flower Market

I'm a allowed to buy cut flowers - and here's what a tenna bought me! BARGAIN

Did I really wear a tassel key ring in my hair?!

The answer my friends is Y.E.S

As much as I would love to duck to the high street to grab a few new accessories – I can’t.  A promise is a promise and these days a descent accessory will set me back a good 30 pounds. So here I am with a new addition to my accessory collection – well actually it’s not new, I just shuffled it from the key hook to my hair accessory box.

The inspiration came from a pair of tassel earrings a pretty young lady was wearing at a friend’s wedding recently.  They looked so good,  it made me a tad jealous.

One month down the track, I have reinvented my own take on this lovely Middle Eastern delight. So today feeling like I wanted to be a little matchy matchy. I donned my Marc Jacobs ballet flats with their lovely orange trim and matched it with my thin orange belt but then I was missing an orange accessory to wear above the shoulders. A quick and thrifty thinker I am -introducing the key ring turned hair tassel!!

These shoes are a wardrobe staple.  Not always does the bright trim go with everything but somehow I make it work.  I purchased them two years ago in need of a pair of flats (on sale of course) .  I have never needed another pair and these are definitely worth the extra spent.  If in Melbourne always check out the Louisa Boutique sales.