Style Thoughts

Isadora & Lady P: Eating the cardigan

Tuesday, April 30th, 2013

Guest blog: Isadora Watts is a London -based writer and consultant. Her first baby, Lady P, was born in February. See her blog about her transatlantic adventures here. Isadora is guest blogging for our Feelgood Motherhood blog as she navigates new motherhood. Let us know what you think about Isadora’s posts on our Twitter feed or follow her on Twitter here.

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‘Why is the baby eating your cardigan?’ 5 year old niece asked.

I could see why she was confused. To the untrained observer it did look a bit like Lady P was eating my cardigan. In fact she was breastfeeding, through a gap between my vest and my cardy.

It strikes me that the ideal breastfeeding top might just be one that it looks as if the baby is eating. Yes, we do have the right to breastfeed wherever we like, unembarrassed. But there are political ideals, and personal preferences. And my personal preference is not to expose my enormous boobs to all and sundry. I’d also prefer to keep my softer-than-it-used-to-be belly to myself for a while longer. So I’ll all about cunning layers and discreet access.

This does not necessarily mean special breastfeeding tops, although a ‘nursing bra’ is an absolute must. I have a couple of breastfeeding vests I wear under regular, civilian tops and jumpers: the vest allows me to lift up my top to feed without exposing my tummy. Otherwise I wear a nursing bra underneath a shirt I can unbutton, or a top of which I can pull the neckline down (again, keeping my belly safely under wraps). Oversized boyfriend shirts and sloppy joe off-the-shoulder t-shirts are working overtime.

Best of all though are tops and dresses designed just for breastfeeding. They have the most cunning and discreet access of all, with no need for elaborate layers. I have worn my Babes with Babies Stella dress an awful lot.

The bubble hem disguises my tummy and the breastfeeding access is ingeniously discreet.

We love the bubble hem style

The Victoria top is similarly clever, and is long enough to wear over leggings and provide a nice smooth line over parts of me that are less than firm.

Fabulous tummy hiding top!

What’s your approach to breastfeeding in front of others? Do you don a scarf to hide the whole operation, or are you comfortable getting your Bristols out wherever you are?

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Posted in After giving birth, Breastfeeding, Feelgood Food, Looking good, Looking good, New Mum Style, Style Thoughts, Uncategorized | No Comments »

Isadora & Lady P: Dressing the Fourth Trimester Tum

Tuesday, March 19th, 2013

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We made it! The lovely Lady P arrived, and labour really wasn’t so terrible. I actually felt back to normal quite quickly after the birth. Five weeks later, and thanks to some great team work am getting a decent amount of sleep. So I feel really good.

Until I pass a mirror, that is. Then I do a double take. ‘Hang on, I’m sure I had that baby… what on earth is that belly all about?’

Apparently it takes six to eight weeks for your uterus to return to its pre-pregnancy size – and that’s before the rest of your midsection muscles can hustle back to their normal positions. Even Gisele, photographed recently on the beach with sweet-but-unmistakable pooch, is not immune to the post-pregnancy belly. It’s a fact of new motherhood and only time (okay, and passing on the cake once in a while) will whittle it away.

One way to distract from a new mum (tiny) tum.

A baby is a good way to distract from a new mum (tiny) tum. Clever Gisele.

So while I’m waiting for the magic of breastfeeding and daily walks to do their work, I need to dress smart. After months of wearing fitted clothes proudly over my bump, I’m going back to the stuff I wore a lot in my early pregnancy.

Anything that draws a veil over exactly what’s happening around my midriff is my friend.

A lot of women still wear their maternity jeans in the fourth trimester, but I couldn’t wait to get out of mine. Instead I’m wearing the baggy old favourites that were always a size or two too big, and saw me through weeks 9 to 16. Muffin top is an ever present danger.

To further complicate matters, I’m breastfeeding which means thinking carefully about layering and access. And finally, I’m a little short on sleep so need to wear colours that flatter. Draining black is out for now, unless I temper it with some colour.

I have some oversized knits and big sloppy joe t-shirts that are fairly forgiving, but less than flattering. A smarter option is a longer jumper with a fitted waistband: I wear an old poloneck in this shape a lot, because I like the way it puffs out over my belly. Babes with Babies staple The Mariposa is a great example of the way a fitted waistband can disguise a tummy – and it’s breastfeeding friendly too. Tops with a bubble hem are good for the same reason. Next do some good ones: buy a size up, and bear in mind they don’t have built in breastfeeding access. I’m wearing my striped bubble-hem t-shirt an awful lot, over a breastfeeding vest.

I’m also hunting out anything loose and flowing in a light fabric– nothing clingy – that will take me through Spring. I love Wow at the Wolsely from the new Babes with Babies range – it’s cut to skim over the body, the soft colours are really flattering for tired skin.

Babydoll-Drawstring-Silk-Blouse---Blush-Pink--1

Fourth Trimester Flatterer

I hate to wish these precious weeks away but I must admit I’m rather looking forward to the days when there’s more of Lady P and less of me!

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Any thoughts and advice for Isadora as she assesses her new mum wardrobe options? Let us know on Twitter or adding your comments here. You can see more great tops for new mum tums here.

Tags: breastfeeding tops, fourth trimester, muffin tops, new mum style, new mum tums
Posted in After giving birth, After the birth, Breastfeeding, Looking good, New Mum Style, Style Thoughts, Uncategorized | No Comments »

A/W Trend Watch – Isadora’s take on opulence

Monday, October 15th, 2012

Guest blog: Isadora Watts is a London -based writer and consultant, expecting her first baby early next year. See her blog about her transatlantic adventures here. Isadora is guest blogging for our Feelgood Motherhood blog as she works out the best ways to stay sane and stylish throughout her pregnancy.

Let us know what you think about Isadora’s posts on our Twitter feed or follow her on Twitter here. What are your style picks for this season?

Never mind economic reality – according to McQueen and Prada, this is the season of opulence. And who are we to argue?

This trend is all about black and gold, fabulous silk, satin and brocade, and many many embellishments. Think Oriental riches, or Rococo grandeur, but whatever you think think luxe.

Sounds like quite an investment, doesn’t it? Well, yes, it could be. If you are able to live the life of a Baroque duchess, you might enjoy this rather sumptuous McQueen cape, one of many decadent £545 from Net-a-Porter will suit you perfectly.

For the rest of us, there are some rather cunning ways to embrace this extravagant look for rather less money:

Fancy up your accessories with velvet gloves, studded pumps and embellished purses. Velvet gloves are a Department Store staple, and lots of High Street brands are doing velvet or soft suede pumps: try Aldo for a great range of fancy flats.
Seek sparkles and sequins for collars and cuffs. Bb London’s Va Va Vida dress is a great, wearable dress with decadent sequin detail. Wear with something purple or gold and feel fabulously imperial. A chunky gold brooch pinned to the ruffle of Bb’s Curvalicious elevates an already glamourous dress to an on-trend gem.

Bedeck your basics with decorations. Adorn your chic black dress (Bb’s Avalicious is an excellent base) with some golden trinkets. Add another layer of jewellery. And before you leave the house, throw some more on. With this look, more is more. And notice I say ‘golden’, not gold. Charity shop trinkets or Granny’s old costume jewellery are perfect for this look, and your black base layer anchors them with some class.

And finally… loll about with supreme indolence. My personal take on this trend is wafting around our flat in a much loved kimono, entreating my husband to wait on me hand and foot. ‘I’m pregnant…’ I remind him, ‘and what’s more, being spoilt is very on trend.’

Relaxing in the Eastern splendour of my kimono

Posted in Looking good, Maternity Style, New Mum Style, Style Thoughts | No Comments »

Isadora’s Expecting: When a working wardrobe’s work is done

Wednesday, September 19th, 2012

Isadora Watts is a London-based writer, management consultant, super-shopper and mum-to-be. Read her blog here. She is guest blogging through her nine months, sharing her thoughts on staying stylish through pregnancy.

I couldn’t wait to tell friends and family (and strangers at bus stops) about my pregnancy. But at work, I wanted to keep it under wraps a little longer.

And despite my pregnancy excitement, I’ve been reluctant to buy maternity clothes too early. I was sure I could make do for a good few weeks with my pre-preggers wardrobe. Which is tricky at work, because it’s way harder to hide a bump in a tailored suit.

At 16-17 weeks I can disguise my growing belly quite easily in boyfriend jeans and loose t-shirts. But for my job at Big Corp I wear fitted trousers, structured dresses, and pencil skirts. Not great with a baby who is apparently the size of an avocado, and the growing belly that houses him.

I turned at first to my comfy work clothes. First, the trousers that used to fit but are old and worn and slightly loose around the waistband. But ‘old and worn’ is never really a good look. Then, to some stuff that I’d bought last year – I was feeling a bit out of shape and bought clothes a size too big in a misguided fit of pessimism. Well, those size-too-big trousers do fit nicely over my size-too-big belly, for now at least. But they are also size-too-big over bottom and thighs. Still, I hoped people would be so distracted by my voluminous blousey top – another shopping regret I had never worn because, well, it was so voluminous – that they wouldn’t look any further. The same fit problems went with my size-too-big dress, which is tailored.

Here’s a tip: tailored clothes should fit, all over. If it’s not maternity, and it’s big enough to fit over a baby bump (even a little starter-size bump), then it too big to fit properly above the waist.

I soon came to accept the inevitable: maternity clothes. And oh, what joy when I did. Why had I waited these past two weeks, and squeezed my poor avocado-sized foetus under a waistband that’s just at entirely the wrong height? The pleasure of wearing well cut maternity trousers lasted all day and for the long train journey home too: they look just like my usual, straight legged work trousers, but when I sit down I don’t need to surreptitiously loosen a button. Aaaaaaah.

And instead of a tight-in-all-the-wrong-places dress, I now have one which fits me perfectly: the aptly named ‘Magic Dress’ from Bb. It’s a wrap dress which may send shudders down some ladies’ spines. I’ve never felt anything other than slightly dowdy in a wrap dress, but need to open my mind to them (and maybe even tunic dresses) now that comfort and adjustability are so important. Well, this is no ordinary wrap dress. It has a sweet little collar and cuffs. A small detail but one which elevates it from wrap dress blah-ness, and makes it completely work appropriate.

Ready to work (it)

The bad news is, now I’ve realised how very much more comfortable and stylish it is to wear maternity, rather than ill-fitting clothes, the days are numbered for most of the rest of my wardrobe. I feel a major spree coming on….

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Tags: maternity style tips, pregnancy at work, pregnancy fashion
Posted in Maternity Style, Pregnancy, Style Thoughts | No Comments »

Jodie Kidd: Advice from a happy new mum

Tuesday, November 1st, 2011

It’s rare in the world of celebrity mothers to find one who so many people like and aspire to as the lovely Jodie Kidd. She manages to come across as both cool (those legs, that fun lifestyle) but also an incredibly warm person, with a great positive attitude.

Having looked glowing and gorgeous throughout her ‘amazing, incredible pregnancy’ she gave birth to her son Indio Vianini Kidd in September this year, telling the world ‘we couldn’t be happier‘.

A gorgeous shot of Jodie with Indio, courtesy Andrea Vianini

Because we really like her, we were particularly chuffed to bits to hear that Jodie loves Bb, letting us know that she has been ‘telling all her pregnant friends how wonderful our ‘flattering and comfortable’ clothes are (oh, we were very pleased about that). We were also delighted to be able to ask her for some top tips from her recent experience as she’s now a happy new mum:

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Jodie, what’s the one bit of advice you’d give to a friend who is about to give birth?

Eat lots of healthy and nutritious food, look after your body and listen to what it needs.

And, we know you’re going through the exciting (and exhausting) new mum days at the moment. What is your best beauty tip for a tired new mother?

Undisturbed sleep! I also found a great product to prevent stretch marks Guinot’s “Renewing Stretch Mark Body Cream”

Undisturbed sleep – what joy! It’s amazing how blissed out sleep can make you feel when you’re a new mum isn’t it?

And what about your style? Have you found it has changed in the early days after giving birth? Are there any particular clothes or accessories you’ve found work well for you?

I was fairly relaxed with my sense of style anyway as I live in the country but because I am breast feeding and had a C section I am wearing leggings more than jeans and loose fitting wrap round tops for ease.

Bb London Palazzo Pants. Ideal for comfort after a c-section.

Tell us about something you did to pamper or treat yourself during pregnancy?

Having pregnancy massages at Elemis spa. I also loved having organic food prepared by Food Stork delivered – that made me feel I was being healthy but it was yummy too.

Thinking ahead now. What kind of mother would you like to be as the years go by? How would you like your son to describe you when he’s older?

Open minded, calm and intuitive. I hope my son will be able to come to me for advice and to feel he will not be judged but be listened to.

That’s brilliant. I think the ‘calm’ is particularly aspirational and love the idea of children being able to be listened to.

Sage advice from a stylish new mum. Now if only she could tell us how to get legs like hers we’d be sorted…

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Tags: Jodie Kidd, maternity style, pregnancy
Posted in Looking good, Maternity Style, Style Thoughts, What's New? | No Comments »

Stockholm Rules: Part 2. Keep it Simple (Swedish-style).

Monday, July 11th, 2011

“Dress shabbily and they remember the dress; dress impeccably and they remember the woman.”

Coco Chanel.

Observing the best-dressed women in Stockholm last weekend, I was full of respect for their pared-down fashion aesthetic.

Less is lovely.

It wasn’t their clothes that stood out so much; it was the way they made their wearer look. Tops and dresses with stunningly simple lines showed off beautiful faces. Everything clean and classic but beautifully cut.

I do think one of the mistakes we Brits often make is to think that simpler pieces can be bought cheaply & that they matter less. The truth is that stylish dressers often spend more money and time finding well-cut staples, made of beautiful fabric. This is where elegance lies.

Stylish, simple gorgeously-cut pieces are the best investments for maternity and breastfeeding-wear too. I firmly believe it’s better to have a few fabulous pieces in your pregnancy and postnatal wardrobe than lots of so-so ones.

Choose carefully and find clothes which flatter and feel good. A clean, lean look can also give you a lot of versatility; wardrobe heroes with minimal lines will look premium, elegant AND can be worn simply by day and zhushed up for parties.

The Mariposa top is a good example. A stunningly simple, beautifully cut black top in a delicious fabric (and with discreet and easy breastfeeding access).

Tags: breastfeeding style, maternity style
Posted in Breastfeeding, Maternity Style, New Mum Style, Style Thoughts | No Comments »

Stockholm Rules. Part 1: Play to Your Strengths.

Monday, July 11th, 2011

I’m lucky enough to have just spent a weekend in Sweden’s gorgeous capital city Stockholm. Sweden has been having a bit of a design moment in interiors for a while but it’s also having an impact on fashion, with iconic brands like Acne making a real mark (despite its unlikely brand name) – seen here worn by Kirsten Dunst.

I’ve spent a lot of time with Swedish friends recently and this is the second time I’ve been to the capital. The first was just with my lovely husband on a date weekend and truth be told, it was a lot more relaxing than the second one with the girls. Both were fun though. There’s an amazing children’s museum dedicated to the work of Astrid Lingren (Pippi Longstocking) which is fabulously done & well worth a visit. I love Pippi Longstocking – she’s a strong, funny and very inspiring female role model for girls in this world full of passive Barbies.

What really struck me, on both trips though, was the gorgeous ‘look’ of the women there; there’s a vibe which is very different to London, New York, LA or Paris. If you’re a Lady Gaga type or a die-hard fashion victim, you’d probably be disappointed, but for those of us who are interested in looking good rather than slavishly following trends I think there’s a lot to learn from the Swedes. They’ve certainly come a long way since Abba.

The general rules they seem to follow have a lot in common with the Bb design philosophy & are very useful for pregnant women or new mums.

So I thought I’d share four ‘rules’ from observing the stylish Swedes; useful to consider for anyone looking to make their wardrobe work hard and to feel their most fabulous.

Stockholm Rule No. 1: Play To Your Strengths

Many Swedes have enviable legs, lean and long (grrrh, slightly hate them). So this is why skinnies (with long boots or Converses) have been a huge look for them over the last couple of years – and when I was there in September they still were.

In summer, cute shorts were the look. The Swedes totally rock denim and little mini cute denim shorts look great. What is also smart is that the skinnies and the shorts were both teamed with beautiful billowy shirts and tops, giving an elegant silhouette which avoided the look being too slutty.

It’s like the classic make-up rule of choosing lips or eyes; balance it out for a gorgeous look that isn’t de trop.

Still-shapely legs? Looser tops with more tapered legs are a good postnatal look as the tops skim over a rounded new mum tum.

Preggers with good leggers? Our Supershorts are only £19.95 in the sale and great for a hot summer look.

The stylish Swedes who weren’t so blessed in the long limb department, sensibly made the most of their necklines with beautiful detailing showing off their décolletage instead. This is genius & again, a really good pregnancy and new mum tip – particularly as a burgeoning bump often comes hand in hand with an increased ‘Treasure Chest’ up top!

Show off your neckline: I love the detailing on our Chloe Crossover tops (pretty neckline and sleeves) which shows off shoulder blades and draws attention up to your face. Oh – and half-price in our current sale too…

So, it’s the ‘Play to Your Strengths rule (and one that needs to be updated as your body shape changes) – whether its a lovely neck, great chest or good legs. But always choose one part only to avoid overdoing things so I guess the addendum to the rule is ‘Choose One Bit Only’.

Result? You feel confident and your look has a beautiful balance. Even if, like me, you feel more like a turnip than a sexy Swede.

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Posted in After giving birth, Looking good, Looking good, Maternity Style, New Mum Style, Style Thoughts | No Comments »

The Queen is bright, the Queen is yellow.

Sunday, May 15th, 2011

Have just been watching a rerun of the Royal Wedding with my daughter who loves it (makes a change from reading Roald Dahl or watching Star Wars so I don’t mind). Have decided to break my promise to stop blogs that relate to that wedding as have just got to say something about the Queen.

The Queen looked amazing. Her yellow outfit dazzled and totally rocked for me. And it wasn’t just me. Susannah, our fabulously on-trend and elegant maternitywear designer confessed that the day after the wedding she reached for a primrose yellow cardi she had in her wardrobe.

Trooping the colour. Kind of.

Last month I waxed lyrical about on the power of colour to give you energy and a little lift. HRH is 85 so maybe she just thought ‘gosh, it’s going to be a long day, let’s find something to help give me the energy to get through it.’

Or maybe one of her advisors said ‘Ma’am, I feel it is my duty to advise you that bright colours are definitively on-trend this season’. Whatever, it worked. God bless her royal fabulousness.

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The power of clothes

Friday, February 25th, 2011

Wallis Simpson is on my mind today. I’ve been reading an article on London Fashion Week where she is cited as a key muse. She famously said “I am not a beautiful woman. I`m nothing to look at, so the only thing I can do is dress better than anyone else”. This woman, at the heart of one of the most dramatic love stories of our age, knew that choosing the right clothes was important.

This has got me thinking. I thought I’d share a little bit of my (and Bb’s) philosophy.

I believe in… clothes.
Yes, I know it will sound shallow and there are plenty of people who dismiss fashion as evil and destructive. I don’t believe a love of clothes doesn’t challenge the other things in life which are traditionally seen as good. I also love my friends, family, take an active interest in literature, art and politics. I am fully aware of how incredibly lucky I am to have the opportunity to care about what I wear (that I don’t have to worry about a roof over my head and what to eat). But I do love clothes.

Fashion is a way of dreaming. Clothes are the grown-up woman’s equivalent of playing. And no, an interest in fashion doesn’t have to mean bankrupting yourself or dressing like a loon.

I believe in… clothes as a way to make people feel good.
It’s been well documented that during times of recession, depression and war then lipstick sales increase. Women feel better when they feel they look better.

Finding the right dress that makes you feel like a queen; buying the perfect boots that transform your wardrobe. These are moments of shopping satisfaction; moments when you know you’ve bought something smart and lovely which will make you feel like you’re making an effort and give you a delicious confidence boost.

Pregnant and new mums are at the mercy of raging hormones; physical changes and a dramatic alteration to their way of life. Surely they deserve to feel good? Gorgeous maternitywear can help a pregnant woman enjoy the wonder of her pregnancy. Discreet, stylish nursing wear can make a new mum feel comfortable with breastfeeding in public.

I believe… that the right clothes maketh the mum.
At Bb London we spend an awful lot of time thinking about finding the most flattering and fabulous clothes for women. I am constantly amazed by how transformative the right clothes can be & how different the same body can look in two different outfits. Let’s face the facts. Be brutal, like Wallis Simpson. There are a few fabulous beauties in this world who look good in everything. Most women can vastly improve their appearance by choosing the right clothes.

Pregnant women and new mums are particularly challenged by changing shapes and changing life circumstances. We will do everything we can to help & we will keep looking for ideas and inspiration to bring the beauty and power of clothes to Bb customers.

Now I’m off to worship at the altar of London Fashion Week for one more day….

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P.S. There is nothing that makes a work day happier for us at Bb London than getting positive feedback from customers on how much our clothes make a difference to them.

So… help me keep the faith! Please keep sending us your feedback; it’s useful to hear the constructive and wonderful to hear the positive. I’ll end this with a few of our favourite recent ones:

“I just wanted to say how wonderful the items I purchased from you are. I love them and feel like a glamorous new mum now!! Which up until now due to breastfeeding has not been the case – practicality overtook style.” I JS, Sheffield

“Clothing of superb quality that having tried on I just want to live in forever”, Kate, Exeter

“My beautiful dress arrived yesterday – Thank you so much! I’d had a morning of exploding poo, emergency baths and laundry. To receive such a beautifully wrapped parcel and delivery note really transformed my day. Suddenly I felt like a beautiful lady rather than a milk machine!!So thank you for turning me from scummy mummy to yummy mummy :0)” Hannah, Bath

‘Thank you for sending the package very quickly. The 2 dresses fitted perfectly – I am neither pregnant nor breastfeeding but bought them for the fabulous cut.’ Lm, London, 01/11

“I wore my dress for my youngest daughter’s baptism and received many lovely compliments! I look forward to shopping again. I particularly loved the style tips – very handy when you’ve been out of the loop for a while! Thank you all” Hayley, Dorset

Tags: breastfeeding, maternity style, maternitywear, nursing wear, pregnancy fashion
Posted in After giving birth, Maternity Style, New Mum Style, Style Thoughts | 2 Comments »

What’s New This Month? The February Cover-Up.

Friday, February 25th, 2011

The weather outside is not inspiring. February is an odd in-betweeny sort of month, weather-wise and wardrobe-wise. In the Bb office we’re full of summer cheer as our gorgeous S/S 2011 collection has started to arrive and we’re dreaming of holidays and summer parties. To see a nice preview of the S/S 2011 Lookbook, have a peek here.

Until the weather catches up with the maternity shorts and pretty summer dresses in our collection, I’d like to pull out my favourite new arrival this month.

The Chic-Cover-Up is a gorgeous transitional piece which not only works well throughout your pregnancy but will also be useful as a new mother.We stock a number of pretty wraps but this one is a little more luxe as the lovely silk and cotton mix makes it look extremely elegant.

Great for work or for ladies who are a-lunching, it’s available in a stylish dark taupe which works with darker colours when the weather is gloomy but also looks gorgeous with white in the summer.

Beautiful, beautiful, beautiful.

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Tags: maternity cardi, S/S 2011 Maternity
Posted in Maternity Style, New Mum Style, Style Thoughts, What's New? | No Comments »