Nadia Carey, a publicist at Ruby Press, looked stunning in a floral Betsey Johnson dress, out on Oxford St. in Berkeley. I love everything about this dress, from the lively print to the lace trim, and -- get this -- it's not maternity wear! The dress just happens to feature a flattering empire-waist cut that works for this expecting mama
Glowing, beautiful skin, super long lashes, soft curls and simple, dangly earrings -- it doesn't get much better than that.
Pregnant and still rocking the heels! I really like the light grey leather constrasted with the orangy-red polish.
As stylish as the pumps are, Nadia carries these fun jelly flats with her for comfort -- and who can blame her?!
7 Style Questions for Nadia
1. Lipstick or Mascara?
Lipstick. For those tired mornings -- red lipstick and sunglasses are a great way to fake it through the day!
2. Which boutiques have the cutest clothes for expecting moms?
Isabella Oliver, Unbuttoned and the GAP have good maternity basics. During my first pregnancy I hardly wore maternity clothes at all, and wore high heels the entire time. This time around, I expanded rather quickly and I'm leaning toward comfort. Luckily it's easy to find good silhouettes like empire waist dresses, trapeze jersey tops, maxi dresses, etc. in regular stores.
3. What fashion tips would you give pregnant women?
-Wear makeup. It's easy to feel frumpy and a little lip gloss can go a long way. -Highlight your best features -- décolleté, legs, shoulders, whatever you feel good about - now is the time to show it off!
-Wear flats, but carry heels with you - you never know when you will need to spruce up your outfit (or have a last minute photo shoot!).
-Flaunt your belly -- there was a time when hiding your bump was the appropriate thing to do, but these days it's great to wear tight fitting shirts and dresses to show it off. I mean, when else do you have the "green light" to have a huge belly!
4. Where are your favorite kiddie clothing shops?
There are so many cute kids shops and I am seriously going broke having a daughter! I love Rikshaw Design in Marin, Fiddlesticks in Hayes Valley, and Honeys&Heroes in Palo Alto. And for the pocketbook - GAP kids, H&M and Target!
5. What inspires your style?
I'm a classic kind of girl so neutrals with punches of color. I like feminine touches and try to accessorize, while keeping it simple. My husband will never understand why our chest-of-drawers are covered with jewelry and why I need so many pairs of black shoes!
6. Who are your style icons?
Selma Blair, Jessica Alba and Tori Spelling have great pregnancy style. But while not pregnant, who doesn't love the effortless and chic style of Olivia Palermo? I've also always enjoyed Diana Ross.
7. What are your Bay Area best kept secrets?
I wish I could talk about my fabulous and chic adventures around the city, but with a job as a publicist, a busy toddler, and a baby on the way, you'll most likely find me at Lake Elizabeth park in Fremont, the Zeum museum, or (since my husband is a basketball coach) at the gym.
For food, it seems like these days everything revolves around eating sweet snacks so I frequent Cinaholic in Berkeley (dangerously, delicious vegan cinnamon rolls!), Bob's Donuts (I am glazed girl), or made-to-order ice cream at Smitten, in Hayes Valley.
For recreation, my favorite past time is perusing the Alameda Antiques Market (1st Sunday of every month) or other vintage or thrift shops -- my hobby is refurbishing furniture.
Lily Ko (lily.7x7 @ gmail.com) studied fashion design and merchandising at Central Saint Martins and the Academy of Art University. In addition to writing for 7x7, Lily is an editor at SF Station, works as a freelance stylist and covers food, fashion and fun on her blog, Curated SF.
