I am going to try to start doing a weekly or bi-weekly round-up of the outfits I wore (or posted) during the week here on my blog. I’d like to start writing more blog posts & utilizing this space a bit more so I’m going to start with that.
For this first post I’m going to go back a little more than a week just because this is the first post & I have a few outfits from previous weeks I’d like to share too.
Under each photo I will add a round-up of the items from commissionable links where you can shop any of the items if you’re interested!
The sweatpants aren’t available to link, so I linked some similar options.
boots are old, so I linked similar.
this surplice top was sold out, so I linked other cute surplice options!
tank & cardigan are from older seasons, but I linked this years version of the cardigan and some similar tanks.
I did a hair tutorial reel on my instagram (see here) and linked the products I used!
I have collaborated with Sozy to put together 8 outfits with one comfy sweater. I am currently 23 weeks pregnant, so all of these outfits work with & without a baby bump for this time of year! The sweater is the Ava Sweater from Sozy. Sozy stands for soft & cozy & they nailed it with this one– pretty sure it’s the softest thing I’ve ever put on my body! The sweater is drapey & comfy so it’s perfect for a baby bump or just when you want to be comfortable & cute.
I love Sozy because they are doing so many great things while offering comfy clothes! 10% of their profits supports survivors of sexual violence, they’re female founded, their clothing is made in the USA, they are consistently working towards being an even more sustainable brand, & of course, their clothing is amazing quality! What’s not to love?! You won’t be disappointed when you order from them!
Let’s jump right in to styling the Ava sweater!
Look #1: Ava Sweater, distressed skinny jeans, booties, & tote bag this look is put together without overdoing it. I am wearing maternity jeans, but of course regular jeans would look just as great for this polished but simple look.
Look #2: Ava sweater, midi skirt, & booties I LOVE a midi skirt with a cozy sweater so this look is checking all my boxes. A little tip for skirts &dresses in the winter: add stockings or tights and you’re good to go for extra warmth!
Look #3: Ava sweater, black skinny jeans, booties Black skinnies always class up a look & it’s no different here. Again, I’m wearing maternity jeans, but for those of you who aren’t pregnant, regular jeans with an even more exaggerated front tuck would look perfect with this flowing sweater!
Look #4: Ava sweater, bodycon dress (or skirt!), booties & crossbody bag This is one of my favorite looks with this sweater because it’s so unexpected, yet looks great. The long sleeves peeking out from under the sweater really pull the whole look together & bonus! keep you super warm. A crossbody bag just makes the look more casual & is, of course, functional.
Look #5: Ava sweater, straight leg jeans, & booties Straight leg jeans add a casual & cool girl vibe to any outfit & I love that! These ones have distressing & are, you guessed it, maternity. I also love the raw hem as it makes the look even more interesting. For non-maternity, I love the idea of tucking the Ava sweater into regular jeans for a comfy yet composed look.
Look #6: Ava Sweater, mini skirt, & booties This look may work better in the fall or spring if you live in a colder climate like I do, but it’s so cute I might just freeze to wear it! The oversized sweater with the flowing skirt looks perfectly boho. A tip: when it comes to oversized sweaters, roll your sleeves for a less overwhelming look on top!
Look #7: Ava sweater, leggings, & slippers The softest & coziest look of all! You can’t get more comfortable than leggings (sweatpants would work too!) and this sweater is perfect for those. For going out I could add long boots or warm socks & comfy chelsea boots.
Look #8: Ava Sweater, flowing midi dress, & booties To get this look I belted my dress & then tucked the sweater into the dress to make it look like a sweater/skirt combination. You can see the sleeves peeking out which makes the look more polished. I love the bright dress with the neutral sweater!
That concludes my styling session of the Ava sweater & after styling it so many ways, I would highly recommend it. It’s certainly a versatile piece & is so stunningly soft that I made my husband pet it when I received it in the mail–haha!
Shop the Ava Sweater here! Shop other things I’m wearing here!
I found a few cute dresses from Amazon for the warmer season & did a little try-on! I am wearing the smallest size in all of the dresses & they are all $30 or under, with some being as low as $19.
At the bottom of the post you can shop each of the dresses I’m wearing.
this one sold out but I linked similar styles in different prints & a different style with the same print!
I am well into my second trimester now (19 weeks) & feeling SO much better, but I was pretty sick almost my entire first semester. I scoured the internet and asked everyone I knew questions about what they used to make them feel better in the 1st trimester. I found some of these options through trial & error, and some through recommendations. I am going to give a quick run-down of what helped make the 1st trimester bearable for me. Keep in mind, I was still VERY sick, but these things helped. (disclaimer: I am not a doctor & this is not medical advice. Seek out your doctor if you have questions during pregnancy.)
Seabands I used these in my first pregnancy and in fact, I’m just stopped wearing these at 19 weeks. I wanted to make good & sure that I wasn’t nauseous anymore before I stop wearing them constantly! I wear them at all times during the day & take them off when I’m sleeping. The way they work is they have a small hard bead that sits on your wrist at your acupressure points & this pressure is supposed to relieve nausea/motion sickness,etc. They are quite tight when you first start wearing them, but they loosen up and get more comfortable with wear.
Magnesium Oil I also used this in my first pregnancy, more towards my 3rd trimester for restless legs. I was told by my doctor this time around that magnesium (taken orally or topically) can help with nausea so I began using it in my first trimester this time around. I would spray the back of my legs & bottoms of my feet in the mornings after showering & before bed each night. Call it a placebo, but I swear this really helped me. I could feel a difference in my nausea when I did use it vs. forgetting to use it.
Vitamin B-6 If you’ve ever had any type of severe nausea, I’m sure your OB has recommended a combination of Unisom & B6 to help. Well, I tried this & it definitely seemed to help, but the Unisom made me so drowsy & unable to function the next day. I slept great with it, but it was SO hard to get up in the morning & I felt so out of it. This was not ideal with a 3 year old to take care of, so my doctor suggested just the B6 which helped tremendously!
Epsom Salts Something I am doing in this pregnancy that I didn’t do even once last pregnancy is taking baths. At least weekly, sometimes more, I soak in the tub with some epsom salts to help ease the soreness from being pregnant. The round ligament pain, the sciatic pain, etc starts to build up & a nice relaxing bath always seems to help!
Eye Mask I had quite a few headaches in my first trimester & this eye mask (which I keep in the freezer for maximum effect) seemed to help take the edge off. For whatever reason most of my headaches were behind my eyes & made me sensitive to light so the coolness & the blocking of light really helped. It was like an instant relief as soon as I put this on.
Belly Butter I swear by this belly butter. It’s all I used in my first pregnancy on my growing bump and I got no stretch marks there. I know people say stretch marks are genetic but I’m not sure I believe that because I didn’t even think to put it on my thighs & butt & I got stretch marks in those places, but not even one on my stomach where I applied this daily. I am using it again this time around, in all the places I may be apt to get them! (side note: this belly butter IS a little greasy if you’re not into that. But I feel the greasiness helps it soak into the skin & my belly has never been itchy when I use it, which I know is a common complaint of pregnancy.)
Bath Thermometer With all the baths I’ve been taking, I wanted the peace of mind that I wasn’t getting the water too hot for the baby (because normally I love a HOT bath!), so I got this bath thermometer. I generally keep it under 102* & I never feel lightheaded or like it’s too much.
Other things that helped that I can’t link to are:
MintLifesavers I would suck on these after throwing up or when I just couldn’t get a bad taste out of my mouth.
Spearmint Gum I used gum for much of the same reason as above, or for chewing under my mask (wearing a mask has made me very nauseous).
Gatorade There was a period of time when I couldn’t keep water down for whatever reason, so gatorade is what kept me hydrated. My husband would also bring me a small glass of gatorade before I got out of bed in the morning to go with my bedside crackers so I’d have something in my stomach before getting up.
Buttery Round Crackers I know that a lot of people recommend saltines & I did eat those for awhile, but they tasted way too salty for me, so these are what I used as my “bedside crackers”. I would eat a few before I got up in the morning (along with my gatorade), and I would keep them in my purse or near me to have something in my stomach when feeling sick.
I am well into my second trimester now & feeling so much better, so there is hope! I hope that if you’re reading this, some of these things give you relief & you’re on your way to feeling better soon! ❤
