This week, as my uterus experienced an obvious expansion, I declared this the dress-up pregnancy. It’s much easier right now to find stylish A-line or Empire waist dresses on the racks that will accommodate – or, dare I hope, flatter – my growing belly than pants. And admittedly, I’m pretty pleased with the Anthropologie flutter sleeve, knee-length number I’ve got on today. Only problem is, I can no longer stand up because my tights have cut off circulation from hips on down. Did I really block this out from last time around? I forgot how quickly tights become an issue. Stay in your current size, and they hurt or roll down (the real reason why pregnant women waddle). Go up a size, and they sag. Try the maternity ones and be prepared for complete claustrophobia. No woman was meant to wear hosiery up to her boobs.
Don’t mind me, I’ll just be sitting here until the pins cease pricking my feet.
This has been declared the sesaon of shine and sparkle, but I’m noticing that the cheaper the dress, the more glitzed up it seems to be. Just walk through the INC department at Macy’s (warning: the preponderance of garish prints and gaudy colors can induce motion sickness) and you’ll see what I mean: dresses are bejeweled, besequined and be-over-the-top throughout the department. Some of them come off okay – the black numbers with jeweled trim can look fresh and fun. Just remember: the bigger the jewels or sequins, the bigger the embarrassment when they fall off at a party. I used a few such dresses, from Macy’s and smaller boutiques, this week in a fashion shoot (appearing in the Pioneer Press the week after Thanksgiving) and we ended up with several plastic stones on the photo studio floor. There’s a reason why it is said: less is more. That, and, you get what you pay for.
Well whaddya know – Jimmy’Z is still in business! I wrote about the store in the St. Paul Pioneer Press when it first opened at MOA (second level, north side) a couple of years ago – the plasma TVs on every fitting room were more interesting than the American Eagle-ish clothes. But I happened by today (good to veer off the usual route now and again) and was fairly impressed with the on-trend apparel – tunic tops, halter dresses – at reasonable prices. Jimmy’Z is the big sib to Aeropostale with a California vibe. For teens, it’s a good alternative to Abercrombie and the like for graphic tees and jeans that look just a little bit different from everybody else’s. And for grown-up girls like myself, it’s worth a peek for the occasional fashion top or dress at a reasonable price. On the sale rack today were simple short sleeve, v-neck knit dresses, perfect for the office or frolicking around town – just $50, and 30 percent off. I’ll have to walk this way more often.