Refashioners 2016: DIY Maternity Jeans
The Refashioners challenge is in full swing over at The Makery, and I thought I'd use the opportunity to make myself a pair of maternity jeans that actually fit.
I bought a pair of Paige maternity jeans a few months ago thinking they would last my entire pregnancy. Ha. Ah ha ha ha. Oh Jacqui, so naive. The stiff elastic strips sewn in place of pockets are a total joke. And the waistband now digs into my belly, creating quite the muffin top. It's uncomfortable, and unflattering, and I'm a little mad at myself for getting talked into fancy maternity jeans in the first place. No big deal though – at least it inspired me to create something on my own!
I started with an old pair of Adriano Goldschmied jeans that I rarely wear. I knew I needed the waistband to fit under my belly, so I removed it and trimmed the top of the jeans by about an inch and a half:
After adding in side panels (see below), I reattached the waistband and added an extra strip that I took from another pair of worn-out jeans. I added elastic to this piece so that the waist can grow with me into the third trimester. Initially I considered attaching a jersey panel like you see on most below-the-belly maternity styles. But because most of my maternity shirts are nice and long, adding extra fabric to the jeans just felt redundant.
Now on to the legs. It's cute to think that the only part of you that gets bigger with pregnancy is your belly. But for many women, including yours truly, pretty much everything expands. There was no way these size 29 jeans were going to fit over my healthy butt and thighs, so I opened up the side seams and added in an extra panel cut from another pair of old jeans. I really like the slight contrast between the two washes, and resulting cut is less skinny, more boyfriend.
Finally, I added in a couple of decorative patches using Shashiko stitching. Shashiko is a Japanese style of functional embroidery traditionally used to reinforce points of wear or to mend holes, and it's all over the place right now. While I didn't actually need to apply these patches, I thought the jeans could use a little flair, and I wanted to try my hand at a new technique.
And that's it! They fit great, they're pretty darn cute, and they didn't cost me a penny.
In Defense of Hoarding: Finding Joy in a Closet Full of Clutter
I have to admit I've abandoned any hope of having a minimal wardrobe. It’s not that I don’t get the appeal – a closet full of 20-30 streamlined, complementary pieces would certainly make getting dressed in the morning much easier. And maybe if I was 22 and just starting to build a grown-up wardrobe I might go the way of the capsule. But 10+ years of thrift store shopping, sewing experiments, clothing swaps and impulse buys (but it’s fair trade!) mean that I’ve far surpassed the 30-piece mark.
As I’ve mentioned before, I have several plastic bins full of clothing I’ve kept over the years. It’s Mari Kondo’s nightmare, really: 48 cubic feet of pure clutter. Things I should have discarded long ago because they didn’t get worn, didn’t quite fit, or at the time didn’t spark joy. But now that I’m pregnant and reworking my wardrobe on a daily basis, I am so glad I kept them around.
Last weekend I went though my closet and lovingly stowed away all the things my belly has outgrown. I hung up the few new maternity pieces I bought, along with several old pieces that I excavated from those four bins. This dress, for example, is one that my grandma bought me about five years ago. I loved the print and it’s 90’s vibe, but it was always a little too big for me. Now it fits like a dream, looks practically brand-new, and most importantly doesn’t scream “maternity.”
I’m trying my best not to shop with the same abandon that I did in my twenties, when I spent what little disposable income I had on secondhand pieces because they were cute and fun and cheap. But I think it’s silly to get rid of the things I’ve already purchased just for the sake of having less stuff. And if you have a little storage space to spare, I urge you to think twice before purging all of the clothing you're not completely smitten with. After all, you never know when that dress you forgot you had will suddenly fit you again. Joy? Consider yourself sparked.
Outfit Details: Dress, gift from my granny; not sure where it's from / Velvet jacket, thrifted from Wallflower Vintage / Leather sandals by Fidji (made in Portugal)/ Birdie Watch by Shinola (made in Detroit, USA) / Woven clutch, part of my first delivery from Le Tote
Maternity Style | Mollusk Surf Tee & An Offer from Le Tote
This ever-expanding waistline presents all kinds of sartorial challenges – namely, styling my favorite pieces without stretching them or otherwise insulting their integrity. So far, I'm a big fan of the tie-above-belly method. I bought this Mollusk Surf Shop tee last summer, and it was my weekend go-to along with jean cutoffs and sandals. Since none of my shorts fit any more, I paired it here with a black jersey a-line dress I snagged at a local maternity shop (also made in the USA). I've found that I'm willing to invest in a few staple maternity pieces if it means I can combine them with my normal clothes, and this dress has been a godsend so far.
Trying Out Le Tote
Now that I'm feeling 1000% less awful, I'm actually having fun playing around with new silhouettes (it's all about that baby doll, baby). But I'm also not in love with the idea of buying an entirely new maternity wardrobe. Conveniently, Le Tote got in touch with me with an offer to try them out for a few months. I'm pretty stoked on the concept, and I'm looking forward to sharing my experience with you soon.
want to join me?
If you're interested, you can also try Le Tote for free for two weeks. The offer is valid for both classic and maternity accounts and good until Wednesday, so knock yourself out!
