.: Thrift Store Couture, Version Maternity: Of Velvet-Clad Bellies

Many of you have asked why I haven't written any maternity Thrift Store Couture blogs yet even though I made such keen promises. My simple answer is twofold in that I had to go on the prowl for my maternity thrift collection [which takes loads of pregnant time and pregnant energy], and I have only recently popped out enough to dress the bump.

My goal through the entire pregnancy was to not buy any official "maternity" clothes. Truthfully, not many of them appeal to me in shape, style, or form. That idea was scrapped around week 11 when I realized squeezing into ultra low-rise pants couldn't continue without hurting my waist. So I suckered down and sadly paid full-price for two pairs of maternity pants from H&M in order to get some relief. I realized that even the most trendy thrift stores do not carry hip maternity pants. Its quite disheartening. I'm sure at some point soon I'll have to buy more items from the maternity section, but for now I'll happily survive creating my own.

A quick update on Baby T: Baby T is now officially a Maggie. I am 22 weeks along and have gained almost eight pounds. Maggie is kicking and tumbling and rolling so much so that she constantly wakes me up. I am waiting for the day when she kicks a patient in the head while I'm cleaning their teeth. And no, Mom, she hasn't gotten the hiccups yet! Supposedly she is bigger than a banana and will gain a pound each month from here on out. Am I uncomfortable? Well, I can't slouch, get out of breath from talking, have pain in my right leg, and can't bend. So the answer is yes and no: yes because my body is changing so fast and no because I am aware that I am only halfway through this journey.

Like many of my other favorite thrift pieces, I walked right by this dress the first few times I saw it at Crossroads Thrift Store here in Portland. It could have been because it was paired with a matching, floor-length, velvet coat that reminded me of some kind of ugly non-Twilight vampire. But as soon as its plush facade brushed my arm I knew I must try it on. And as soon as I tried it on I knew that I would have to insist on making it the first maternity feature and that it would have to be completed this week and this week only... before Miss Maggie grows out of it. So I paired the dress with a thrifted felt hat which was originally from Anthropologie, a hand-me-down Brighton belt, and my cherished [non-thrifted] cowboy boots and swiftly woke Andrew up from his nap so he could play photographer.

I also realized that I have never featured my favorite thrifted winter coat. This coat is probably what originally hooked me on buying used clothing. I purchased it for a whopping 50 cents in the bargain bins at Goodwill back in high school. At that point I knew of none like it. I was devoted to it through my college years until I finally decided to place it in retirement for a few [read: the dreaded back of the closet]. Coming to Portland gave me the urge to bring it out of said closet. I fell in love all over again.