Dressing the bump – rainbow summer dress

I bought this rainbow cotton dress many years ago in one of my favourite second-hand shops in Copenhagen. It cost around 8 pounds.

I love the bold and bright colours as you can’t help but feeling cheerful when you wear it, and it’s perfect for hot and humid summer days where you need a bit of ventilation under your skirt.

I remember thinking that someday this would make a great maternity dress, as it can accommodate even the biggest of bumps, so the other day I decided to give it a try.

I’m wearing it with a ribbon tied around it, to make sure that I wouldn’t be mistaken for a ginormous tent

Dressing the bump – black on black from H&M

I was running out of comfy everyday clothes, so HAD to stop by my favourite H&M on Regent Street to get fresh supplies. I chose three different items that are easily combined, and they’re all stretchy so I’ll be able to wear them all summer (hopefully).

I bought this A-shaped cotton top with a pocket detail, as it’s perfect for wearing over trousers or leggings for that everyday casual look. £7.99.

There was also a big selection of viscose tops/cardigans on display. They come in many different colours, but I played it safe and went for good ol’ black. £7.99.

It’s perfect for wearing over the A-shaped top. I’ve spiced the outfit up with my old WoodWood necklace.

And the totally simple maxi-dresses are back.

Last year I bought one that was 100% viscose, but it’s shape has gone ballistic and it gets longer and longer every time I wear it + it’s so thin and see-through that you have to wear something underneath. Not nice for a hot and bothered pregnant woman.

So I was happy to see that this year H&M have mixed the viscose with cotton. And the fabric is thicker. This dress also comes in a white & blue + a red & blue speckled version.

Again I just went for black and bought two as I’m convinced I’ll wear them all summer, and they’re probably going to be sold out soon. £12.99.

I’m wearing it with my old brass Bambi necklace from affordable British jewellery brand Galibardy.

And I can of course pair it with my new viscose top.

The gladiator sandals are from Office. I bought them two summers ago, but they still sell them. They come in many different colours and cost £37. Buy them here.

I just wish the quality was a bit better as the leather is not soft enough and they hurt a bit when I wear them for too long. Guess I’ll have to go on the hunt for a pair of handmade ones.

The amazing cup holder for sleep-deprived mums

I’ve just spent a few days in the lovely company of a good friend from Denmark. Thoughtful as always she brought me this:

It’s a coffee cup holder that you can fit onto your pram/buggy/pushchair…..or your bicycle, if you’re lucky enough to live in a city where it’s safe to ride one of those.

And if I’m feeling really sleep-deprived, I might just end up placing it on my wrist. Permanently!

Find out where to buy it on ko-be.dk. (And if you’re not in Denmark, you can find other models on Amazon).

Dressing the (summer)bump – Liberty print jumpsuit

Summer really has arrived, so I’ve been combing through my closet seeking out summer dresses and other comfy light garments….with an expandable waist of course.

The first thing I found was this home-made, second-hand jumpsuit, made from Liberty fabric. I bought it for £12.50 two years ago at the outdoors Greenwich Clocktower Market (open Sat, Sun & bank holidays 10-5).

It always had a very loose-fitted waist and before I had to wear it with a belt. Not so much anymore.

And if it gets a bit more chilly, I’ll wear it with my beloved old Camilla Stærk jacket.

On my feet are the even more cherished (they live on my feet every summer) glitter-infused jelly shoes.

Sometimes all you need…

in life is a giant piece of chocolate cake….in the sun. Now where’s my milk.

Hint hint

Yesterday I was rushing through Waterloo Station when a woman approached me with an outstretched arm. I was just about to say “no, thanks” to whatever she was offering, but then I saw what she was holding:

Yay, nasal strips! The woman took a quick look at me and handed me a generous four packets, which I grabbed with a big thank you.

I’ve ALWAYS been very good at snoring (poor Sam and numerous friends can testify to that) but pregnancy has made it 10 times worse. I can snore in any lying position now and even scare myself awake with those horrible sounds.

Add to that an evil hay fever attack and I’ve had to wave goodbye to my favourite pastime: sweet, deep, uninterrupted sleep. So I’m finally ready to also wave goodbye to vanity and try these. Will let you know if they work.

Yohji Yamamoto at the V&A + dressing the bump accordingly

On a grey and rainy day like today there’s nothing better than cuddling up on the sofa with a cup of hot tea. But if you want to be a bit more active, you can always head for a fashion exhibition.

Even though I love (second-hand) clothes and shopping I tend to yawn and curl my lip in contempt when faced with catwalk shows, fashion weeks and the name-dropping of aaaaarrrhhhmazing designers.

It just bores me to death and I never learned to love the vacuous mingling and bitchy atmosphere of Copenhagen Fashion Week, when I worked as a fashion journalist.

But if there’s one designer that can get me up from the sofa it’s the ground-breaking Japanese Yohji Yamamoto. So last week I went to see the his exhibition at the V&A. It’s small but good.

Left-hand side is dedicated to a mannequin parade of some of his best designs, through the years. 9 out of 10 of his designs I would wear on the spot, and I was (almost) tempted to just tear a few dresses of the dolls and make a run for it 🙂

The right-hand side consists of a row of TV’s, showing Yohji Yamamoto’s catwalk shows  and videos about the controversial designer. Should you want to meet the designer himself, then I suggest you book a ticket for the talk on the 26th of June.

6 months pregnant or not, I felt I had to honour Mr. Yohji by wearing one of his designs to the exhibition. I only own two Yamamoto items: a skirt with a narrow waist (so that one was out of the question) and this dress:

So on it went. I had to leave the zipper half-open, but I still like the way it looks. If you want to see it in a non-pregnant state and read about where I bought it, click here.

I love how this last windblown picture reminds me of the poster from the exhibition. Noone does those avantgarde silhouettes quite like Yamamoto. They’re instantly recognisable.

Yohji Yamamoto at the V&A, until 10 july 2011.
Read more & book tickets

Baby socks

I was doing some washing today and had to pause for a moment to contemplate these tiny socks.

Sometimes this whole baby thing can still feel a bit unreal (although he’s making himself noticed by kicking me all the time now) but standing with this little blue sock in my hand suddenly made it very real.

A little chubby foot is actually going to wear this one in July. Can’t wait.

Dressing the bump – Japanese polka dots

I had a dinner date with some friends in East London last week. And with all the young hipsters running around in that part of town old Mette kinda felt the pressure to retro-dress-up the bump a bit.

Looking in my closet the options were very limited, but then I remembered this dark blue polka dot dress with puff sleeves, which has a very high waist. I bought it ages ago in a second-hand shop in Japan for around 3 pounds.

But the big question was: could I squeeze the bump into it?

I could. So I chose to ignore the fact, that it’s made from 100% polyester and left for a lovely dinner at one of my favourite East London restaurants, Lennie’s Snack Bar.

Here I’m wearing it with a pair of studded ankle boots from Topshop to make it less dressy.

The kindness of strangers

The moving boxes are unpacked (almost), the sofa is assembled, the internet connection is sorted…..aaaaand I’m back to blog!

One of the very best things about blogging is the way it connects you to other people, be it readers or other bloggers that you stumble upon as you crawl and trawl through cyberspace. You leave comments, people comment back and sometimes these virtual handshakes lead to real life encounters.  Like my monthly book group, which is hosted by fellow blogger Helena Halme.

And not that very long ago I received a package from Denmark. From a Brit living in Denmark, who had asked about my address so that she could send me some baby books in Danish.

Inside was some marcipanbrød (which disappeared in a second) and these two books about natural childbirth: one from birth guru and social anthropologist Sheila Kitzinger and another one from childbirth specialist Michel Odent.

Those might come in real handy when I lie screaming in the birthing centre at St. Mary’s Hospital, trying to remember why I chose not to have an epidural. Will get back to these when I’ve finished them.

And then there was this gift. A soft one.

I wonder what’s inside…

Ooh, the cutest little helmet hats. They are very popular in Denmark (where mums also put their babies outside to sleep, even in the winter) and apparently you can’t really get those here in the UK.

Now that we know the sex of the baby I guess we’ll have to pass on the pink ones.

Hmmmm, but I wonder if the mint-coloured one will look good on a boy?

I guess so.

ps. thank you again for the lovely gift Babs – hope you stop by for tea soon.