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Creating a decent maternity wardrobe can be difficult because of a couple of different issues. First you will find that you will see many clothes that you probably will not want to wear, particularly if you are a professional woman. The clothes will have little animals or even alphabet trains on them, and those clothes are not ones that you can use if you are going to work.

The second problem is that you will not want to spend a small fortune (which you can do easily) on clothing that you will wear only a few months at best. Once you get later into the pregnancy, you may even find that you do not wear the clothes more than a couple of weeks before they are no longer comfortable for you. There are a few simple ways you can start to create a great maternity wardrobe, however.

First you should begin shopping now. The clothes that are on clearance now are the season that you will need in your later months. That means that you can get great deals on maternity wear if you pick up a few things right now. The general rule is that you should purchase maternity clothing in the same size as your normal clothes. While it is possible that you will get too big for them by the end, you definitely will get some wear out of them for less money.

You should create a wardrobe based on foundational clothing. For example, instead of purchasing trendy outfits, you should get a few basic pieces. You will need a couple of pair of jeans, some khaki, and various colored dress pants. Your best option for maternity wear is to get a couple of each of these pieces and then mix and match the tops. You can create great outfits for less if you re-use the pants. An additional benefit is that you will be able to have clothes that will not go out of style in the foundational pieces, so if you get pregnant again, you will not be looking at creating a completely new wardrobe.

Next you should go with accessories! Gone are the days when pregnant ladies did not draw attention to themselves. Pregnant women today are proud of who they are, and they dress to impress. That means that you can stick with the accessory pieces that you have now and work them into your maternity wardrobe. Those jeans and black sweater will look much better with the unique necklace you bought at an arts fair a few weekends ago. You can make your money go farther by using the accessories that you have to create beautiful ensembles.

Buy cheap shoes. By the end of my ninth month, no shoes that I owned were comfortable. I even got shoes intended for moms-to-be, but they did not work. In the end, I bought a couple of pair of really cheap ($5) shoes. Because of their poor quality, they would stretch really easily, which my feet needed, and they would go back to their normal size so that I could wear them again. So when you are looking for shoes, you should get some inexpensive shoes that will work with your feet. Do not put yourself in danger with them but do not think that more expensive is better when it comes to maternity shoes.

Buy second-hand. You can spend a lot less money by buying the clothes that other moms got when they were pregnant. If you check out the second-hand stores in your area, you will see that most of them have better selections than the regular clothes section. That is because the maternity wear was only used for a brief time. You can get great results by going to second-hand stores a couple of times a month when you are pregnant.

A maternity wardrobe is only temporary so do not spend time looking for just the perfect thing. You should spend time getting quality clothes and putting together a wardrobe, but the reality is that you will not be wearing these clothes for long enough to worry about getting the best clothes for everyday of your pregnant life. Go with comfort and price, and you will always win.

By Julia Mercer

By Christina VanGinkel

Every spring, our family heads to a Waterpark for a weekend getaway. We pick a location that is within driving distance of our home in North East Wisconsin, make our reservations a few weeks ahead of time, and head out on the day of the trip, ready for some rest, relaxation, and always a big dose of good old-fashioned fun! Every single one of these getaways is only attained though, after weeks of me relentlessly shopping for a swimsuit to wear at the park!
Some might think that after doing this, as many years as we have been doing it, I would have the shopping frenzy that occurs over this single item of clothing, under control. Instead, I think it becomes worse as the years roll by.

When I was younger, I never really paid any attention to the suit I wore, just grabbing whatever happened to be available on the rack in my size. If a suit was available in blue or green, I would go with one of those color choices over say a red or orange, but that was about as far as my preferences ran. Then, after having my first or second child, I recall being a bit choosier about how the suits fit, usually looking for a one piece instead of a two-piece set. I also started looking at the support built in to the chest area of the suits, looking for one with some, over those suits that were, basically, nothing more than a few pieces of fabric strung together.

After my third child, I progressed to only buying a suit that was one piece, with thick straps, built in bra support, low cut sides, and preferable one with a skirted bottom, or else I would wear a pair of shorts over it, in essence hiding my thighs! For a few years, I even recall not wanting to go into any store's department that sold swimsuits, avoiding them all together, as if I did not have a suit to wear, well, then I could not go swimming. Then a few years later, we began these yearly spring trips to the water parks, and my shopping dilemma came back and landed smack on my doorstep.

I have tried to consider why I have such a problem shopping for such a simple piece of attire, but I can come up with no clear answer. I love to swim, and once I find a suit that fits, I have no qualms about wearing it in public; it is just the shopping for it that fills me with such dread. I know what features my body type requires for a comfortable fit, and I know what colors I like. So what could it be that bothers me so much? The price!

As the years progressed, it was easy for me to blame my dislike of shopping for a suit on my changing body type, even though it never bothered me at any other time of the year, and the changes were not all that drastic anyway. It always comes back to the price. Swimsuits can be one of the most expensive items of clothing that you will ever buy! With all of this in mind, I decided to start my shopping for a swimsuit as early as I could, and I have already been doing a bit of browsing. My biggest surprise is that I almost instantly discovered a suit that had a ton to like about it, including a very reasonable suggested retail price of less than fifty dollars. Best yet, I found it online, so I do not even have to head to the store to pick through the racks.

A Land's End Tugless Tank, it is made of a tricot fabric that has a smooth look to it, with less shine, which can be very flattering for someone that is not as thin as a rail. Its tank style is very shape flattering for all body types, even those with a big bust area, and it has built in supports too.

If you are dreading another season of shopping for a swimsuit, shop online for some styles and prices that will leave you feeling much better about the whole affair. Waterpark, here we come!

Halloween is a holiday that lets your children express their own fashion sense. Children love to dress up, put on makeup, and look crazy. Halloween is the perfect time to let them go wild, and express what they feel in their costumes. Letting your child make fashion decisions now will help children express themselves better in the future. If you have decided to design your child's costume, or to let your child help you make his costume, there are a few fun things that you can pick up while you are shopping.

When Halloween finally rolls around, your children and teens usually have changed their minds about their Halloween costumes about fifty different times. Just when you are about to finish shopping for one costume, your child will want to be something different. The best idea is to wait until the week before Halloween, and then do your Halloween shopping. If your child decides to be something different after you have everything bought, tell your child that you are not changing your mind, and they can be something different next year. However, make sure you listen to your child's input, and get them the kind of costume that they want to begin with.

If you decide to design your child's costume on your own, there are a few things you can buy to help you along your way. A few things you may need are glitter, paint, string, felt, yards of cloth, scissors, hair dye or colored hair spray, fun hats and shoes, reflective tape, makeup, nail polish, trick or treating pails, and socks. If your child's costume is not very warm, make sure they wear warm clothing underneath. You do not want your child coming home sick or with a fever because they froze while trick or treating. Also, make sure that your child wears reflective tape in more than one place on their costume. This will alert oncoming traffic of your child. Many children die or get seriously hurt every year trick or treating after dark because motorists have a hard time seeing the children crossing the street.

When designing a costume, let your children help you out, and listen to their input. Children have very good imaginations, and can come up with great ideas that most adults cannot. If your child decides to be something that requires a wig, you might want to buy bobby pins to keep the wig from falling over your child's face, and into your child's eyes. Make sure you have the wig securely on your child's head. If you decide to sew your own shirts or pants for your costumes, use your child's clothes as an idea of how big to make them. Make sure you make the costume a bit bigger than your child's regular clothes, because you want to be able to fit extra clothes underneath for warmth. If you use glitter, string, and other embellishments, it is best if it is glued down and tied securely. If you use hair dye or colored hair spray, keep the spray and dye out of your child's eyes. You can even change the color of your child's costume with hair dye and colored spray.

When you pick out shoes for your child to wear on Halloween, there are a few things to look for. First, if you are buying shoes for a girl, it is best that they have low, sturdy heels. Your young child will have a hard time walking in high heels, and may injure herself. Next, make sure the shoes fit well, and are not too big or too small. If the shoes do not fit correctly, your child will come home with sore feet, and maybe even with blisters on them.


If you decide to buy a pre-made costume from a store, let your child come with to try it on. You do not want a costume that is to long, or your children may trip on it and hurt themselves. You also want to make sure that the fabric it is made from is durable, and will not rip or fall apart half way through the night. You might also want to try to avoid buying a costume that twenty other children will also have. It is nice to be able to pick your child out of a crowd. You might also want to try to buy a costume that your child can fit into the next year, if they really like their costume.

Have fun picking out and making your Halloween costumes, and have a fun and safe night!

By Christina VanGinkel

The importance of warm gloves is never apparent until you really need them. With the mild winter, that many of us here in the Midwest have been experiencing until the last day or so, gloves have not been an important part of my outer clothing regimen. This morning, with the mercury sitting near ten degrees, but with the wind blowing at a velocity that makes it more accurately thirty to forty degrees below zero, gloves have suddenly become a priority.

The pair I have been wearing so far this winter are actually a pair of mittens that I made myself of four-ply yarn and a crochet pattern I designed myself. While they have been more than enough to keep my hands warm, even in the snow, this morning they felt as if I had nothing whatsoever on my hands once the wind kicked up. I headed back inside to see if I could filch a pair from my husband's stash. As his job keeps him outdoors year round, even when the temperature sends most people indoors, I figured I would be able to find a pair that would be more than adequate for the weather we are currently experiencing, and a pair that would not be so bulky that it would be difficult to move my hands in. I was right!

What I found were a pair of Under Armour CG Release Gloves. Let me here make the disclaimer that I imagine for the average person, these would be more than warm enough on there own for the very conditions we are currently experiencing, but I did wear them with the pair of mittens I had been wearing, that I made myself. When my husband phoned from his job site this morning on an unrelated matter, I mentioned to him that I borrowed a pair of his gloves. When I told him which ones, his response was that, they were made to be worn alone, or as a liner with another pair of gloves, when the weather gets real extreme, or when the person wearing them want too.

The Under Armour gloves that I found amongst my husbands supply of cold weather gear were camouflage in color, but they in all probability come in different colors, most likely black at the least, as I have seen other Under Armour products in both camouflage and black. They appear to be so thin, that you would not think they would be able to keep anything warm, but warm they are. They fit snug, but the fabric is breathable and I know from experience with other Under Armour gear, that the fabric is excellent at whisking moisture away from the skin, which in part is a big reason why they work so well at keeping you warm.

Under Armour is available in shirts, leggings, underwear, hats, socks, and a huge variety of specialized clothing including wet gear, heat gear (great for wearing during sports participated in during warm weather where your body temperature can become overly hot), all-season gear, and gear made specifically for the extreme cold, even temperatures much colder than what we are experiencing.

A few items that might be of interest to others who are currently experiencing the same cold temperatures as we are here in the Midwest, and that you might be interested in checking out include:

Under Armour Cold Gear Leggings, which are made of a micro fiber with a waffle weave, specially designed to channel heat, to help keep your whole body as warm and dry as can be. Like the gloves, the design wicks moisture away from the skin, and keeps the heat in. The 'Final Defense Construction' as it is referred to, is manufactured in a way that it is made as a protective item more so than just another layer of clothing.

The Under Armour Cold Gear Mock Turtleneck, with all the design features of the leggings and the gloves, has the classic turtleneck design to go one-step further in keeping the wearer warm and dry.

If you happen to live in, or visit an area, where the temperatures can go to the extreme, check out Under Armour's full line of cold gear clothing to be sure you stay as warm as you can.

This past weekend, I was cleaning out my overfilled closet, and realized that I did not have any spring clothes that I liked, or would want to wear when the weather starts changing. I packed up a whole garbage bag full of clothes, and drove them up to my local Goodwill. Then, since I didn't have any spring clothes, I drove over to the mall, and started shopping!

I first started out by looking at new spring coats. There were many different styles and fabrics to pick from. There are spring jackets made from every kind of fabric, from nylon to wool. I wanted a very light jacket that would match almost any outfit. I ended up buying a black, nylon, zip-up coat, made by Columbia. It is very light weight, but blocks the wind well. I thought I was doing great, I was only in the store ten minutes, and I had already bought my spring jacket. That is, I was doing great until I decided to buy a new raincoat.

I walked over to the raincoat section, and I noticed that you can choose from a huge variety of raincoats, they are not just plain and yellow anymore! I knew I was going to be overwhelmed. You can pick from all different lengths, either ankle length, knee length, mid thigh length, or waist length. You also get to choose if you want a tie around the waist, button up closure, or zip up closure. I also had to pick from about twenty different colors! Most of the colors, I noticed, were very pretty pastels. I couldn't believe I would have this many decisions to make in buying a new rain coat. For a moment, I wanted my old one back! But, I got brave and plunged in. By the end of the hour, I had decided on a knee length, pastel pink, and button up raincoat. It was beautiful. But then, I realized I needed rain boots to match, since my old yellow ones would not match my new coat.

I found that there were just as many decisions to be made in picking out rain boots as there was in picking out rain jackets. I ended up asking the sales woman for help, which I should have done when I was picking out my raincoat. She had found the perfect pair of boots for me in no time at all, and they even matched my new coat. They were pink with retro looking circles of brown and orange on them. They are very hip, the sales woman, told me. I definitely love them, though I'm not sure my husband will.

When I finished buying my outerwear, I headed over to the pants section. Since pants are my favorite, jeans to be exact, I knew exactly what I wanted. You cannot go shopping for spring clothes without buying capri pants. You can wear capri pants in the spring and the summer, so you get double wear time out of them. When you are shopping for them, you have to find the right length for your body type. Don't get discouraged, ask a saleswoman for help. My favorite length is mid calf, but you can buy them to fit right below your knee, or right above your ankle also. You also get to choose if you want pockets, or no pockets, zip, or button fly. Next, choose a jean color that you like. You can pick from dark denim, light denim, or distressed. Don't forget, some spring days are cool, and you may need to buy jeans also. I ended up buying three pairs of denim capri pants, and two new pairs of regular jeans.

Next, I moved on to picking out some new tops. Although tank tops are coming into stock already, it will still be to cold for a few months to wear them alone. I bought two tank tops, but I also bought one three quarter length sleeve, button up shirt to go over it, and one long sleeve, button up shirt. If it is warm enough, you can leave your shirt unbuttoned a few buttons, or button it all the way up if it is cool outside. I bought three t-shirts and one hooded sweatshirt, too.

I was almost done shopping for my new spring wardrobe, but I stopped and picked up a new pack of socks also. It is fun to wear sandals in the spring, but some days are to wet and muddy to wear them. So, overall, I had fun shopping for my new spring clothes, but I learned one important lesson, if you get overwhelmed, ask a saleslady for help!

When shopping for new clothes, it is easier if you stick to a list and a budget. Check new catalogs, or on-line, to check out the new fashions, and popular colors. That way, you will look and feel good in all your new purchases!

By Christina VanGinkel

Renting your teen's tuxedo for the prom, can be nearly as frustrating as shopping for the girl's dress, especially if this is not something you have ever had to do before. In addition, if you have, chances are each of your teens are so different from each other, there is no real comparison between how the two shop anyway! Part of the difficulty may extend right to your teen, who in this modern day and age, has most likely never had to be fitted for something such as this, unless they have stood up in a wedding, or needed to attend some other event that required formal wear.

Some of the frustration will surely be the cost involved, for one night of what amounts to playing dress up. Yet, it seems to be such an ingrained right of passage from teen to adult, that who are we as the parent's to even bring up the issue of what the rental costs will be? If it is a big issue, discussing with your teen beforehand what the probable costs and limitations are, and what part of it you expect them to pay, if any, will surely make the day of shopping for the tuxedo go that much more smoothly. Surprises are never fun, and if there are limits, it is always easier to work within them, then trying to figure out to make them work after your teen sees a tuxedo they ant that is way over any budget you may have!

To make the excursion more enjoyable, you can do several other things too. Ask them, for instance, if they would like to go as a group to get their tuxedos ordered. Talk to a few other parents, and maybe two or three parents could arrange to go on the same day to the same stores. Some parent may jump at the notion of even staying home and allowing their teen somewhat free reign with a bit of adult guidance from you. However the adults work it out, your teen may enjoy having his friends along with him, so they can all be in accord as to what they will be wearing. This alone can be a comfort, as the mode of dress a tuxedo exhibits, is so different from what they would normally wear.

Grab a magazine or two, showing formal wear, before you take him shopping. If you cannot find any on your newsstands, stop in at the shops that you will be taking him to, and ask if they have any brochures showing what is available this season. Better yet, get online and type in a search such as 'tuxedo styles for prom'. You will soon have a front seat view of exactly what all the styling teens will be showing up in at their date's door in just a few weeks time! Colors, styles, lengths, all are open to discussion this season, and hardly anything is taboo.

Do not balk at what your teen chooses. Some may feel comfortable in only a very basic tuxedo, while others will automatically lean towards the more extreme, flashy styles. My oldest son, who always wore nondescript clothing styles, shocked me the first time I took him shopping for a tuxedo to wear to prom. He paged through a few style books, then zeroed right in on one that looked like something a mobster from back in the 1920's would have been wearing. Not a mobster who was trying to lend into the crowd, either, but one who wanted everyone to know that he was there, right down to the white tipped shoes that reminded me for some reason of a penguin! I did not tell him that then, and I never would, but shock me he did, as it was the flashiest tuxedo I had ever seen, then or now. He wore it with all the class anyone would have to have to wear such an outfit, and had a fantastic time, in part; I am sure, because of all the compliments everyone gave him on his stylish attire!

Let this prom season be the prom of your teen's dreams. Help him pick out a tuxedo that will go down in the pages of your scrapbook as the tuxedo to be remembered for all time!

Although I'm not a big fan of winter, now that I have kids, I find myself spending more and more time outdoors during that season. After all, there are epic snowball fights to engage in, snow forts to be built, and numerous snowmen and snow angels to be made.  Plus, there are various ski outings with friends during the winter season and more trips to the local sledding hill than I can count.  

The key to having fun during all of these outdoor winter activities, particularly when there are children involved, is to make sure that everyone is dressed appropriately. Like most things involving children, this is much easier said than done. Despite the fact that my kids know we are preparing to go out and have fun, they still struggle against my attempts to dress them for the bitter cold they are sure to encounter. That's because spending significant amounts of time out of doors in the winter requires lots of layering. Let's take a look at what I think are the best kinds of clothes to wear for these winter activities.

I like to make sure that the first layer of clothes I put on my kids fit snugly -- yet aren't so tight as to be uncomfortable. This serves a couple of purposes. First, there are more clothing layers to come, so I can't have the first layer be too baggy or I'll never be able to get anything else on over that. Second, snug clothes provide better insulation than loose-fitting clothes. This is an important consideration in winter. In fact, I'd venture to say that if you go wrong with your first layer of clothes, you'd be in for a long and miserable day.

So for this first layer, I generally stick with thermal underwear, tights (for the girls), close-fitting sweatpants, or even leg warmers. Socks are extremely important, too. I first start with one or two pairs of regular socks, then add a nice, thick pair of wool socks over those. The same principles hold for above the waist. A long-sleeved thermal underwear top or a similar close-fitting long-sleeved garment would be the best.

I'm a lot more flexible with the second layer of clothing and usually let my kids pick what they want to wear. This represents something of a compromise to them, so they really like being able to choose their own things. For the most part, they pick jeans, a long-sleeved t-shirt, and then either a sweater or a sweatshirt. I still hold full veto power, however, so if they pick something that isn't going to cut it against the cold, I ask them to choose something else.

The kind of outwear I put on my children depends on which particular activity we will be participating in that day. If the kids are going to have a snowball fight, then it's usually best to put them in thick, heavy jackets. This will not only keep them warm but also protect them from the occasional ice ball that someone will inevitably try to throw.

If we're going to be skiing, sledding, or making snow angels, then that means our pants and maybe even our jackets are going to get totally wet. So if these activities are on the schedule, I make sure to put the kids in nylon snow pants that will repel snow and moisture, keeping the kids warm and dry underneath.

Finally, no matter what we're going to be doing outside, I insist that my children wear knit hats, gloves or mittens, scarves, and snow boots at all times. These items are absolutely essential to keeping warm, and I would never consider letting my kids go out to play in the winter without them.  

IF you live in an area that gets cold and snowy in the winter, you don't have to make your children stay indoors for three or four months just to keep them warm. Instead, all you have to do is make sure you dress them in several layers of clothing that is appropriate for the conditions they will run into as they play outside. Then once your children are dressed properly, they'll be able to enjoy all the fun and games that the snowy season affords.  

By Christina VanGinkel

For many places, spring means lots of sunshine and flowers sprouting up with seeming ease, for other places, it means wind, rain, hot one minute, cold the next, and flowers sprouting up with seeming ease. Unlike flowers, people are not always so adaptable, but with the proper clothing, we can at least strive to be. As I happen to live in an area that the second description describes perfectly, finding good outerwear for the spring is a must. What I am actually most in need of clothing wise, for this upcoming spring season, is a good raincoat. Something versatile that I can wear when the day is sure to bring at least a shower or two, and if it turns into a heavy downpour, which happens often where we live in the Midwest, than it would have to work for that too.

I cannot tell you how many times I headed out the door for a Little league game, with the sun shining bright, and the promise of beautiful early evening weather, only to find myself digging for my umbrella or running for cover under the concession stand. A stylish raincoat would at least solve this scenario partially. If I could find something trendy, not too bulky, that I would not mind wearing out in public, unlike the old trench coat I currently owned, I would be quite happy! Every time I put on that rain coat, say for a quick dash to the mailbox, I always thought heaven forbid someone actually see me in that old thing, as it was reminiscent of some past time when style defiantly did not matter. To hear me talk, you would think that I was some fashion queen, and I am actually the opposite, always more interested in comfort than how something looks, but the raincoat was truly that awful!

As if reading my mind, my mail person was kind enough to deliver me the current L.L. Bean catalog, with their free shipping offer still active. Inside of it was the raincoat that I knew would be ideal for my needs. That it came in several colors, one that I particularly liked, made it even more perfect! They have a new H2OFF DX Rainwear coat. The fabric is exclusive to L.L. Bean, and is a lightweight (Yes!), breathable micro fiber polyester that resists wrinkles. Because of the way the fabric is designed, it is perfect for rainy and windy days, which about sums up spring weather in the Midwest. It also comes with the option of a zip-out wool and polyester liner for if you happen to live in an area where cold is a concern. Their alternative is a mesh-lined un-insulated version. Both versions, the insulated and un-insulated, both come with a snap front storm flap that hides a full-length zipper. You can also choose each version in either a traditional long trench coat style, or a three-quarter length.

Colors choices for the three quarter length coat styles include coral pink, seedling, Aegean blue, and plum rose. For all the styles, including the three quarter length, you can choose from light mocha, deep red, bright navy, periwinkle, and black. With all these colors and styles, everyone is sure to find the perfect raincoat for their needs.

To complement the rain coats, L.L. Bean also offers umbrellas in a push button style that are compact enough that they would slip easily into the pocket of these coats for those days where you feel a bit extra protection will be required. They come in four different color choices including black, wild berry, lime, and turquoise, so you should be able to match one to whichever color coat you chose.

To finish off the look, and to keep every part of you dry, they also have a classic Wellie Boot. It is an English styled rubber mid calf height boot. The tread on the bottom is deep enough to offer a good grip, making these boots not only stylish, but also practical to wear for everything from wet yard work to wet commutes. They come in several fun patterns, including a citron stripe, a mandarin orange polka dot, an Aegean blue stripe, and an Aegean blue polka dot. They also come in a solid green color. One of these is sure to match whichever raincoat color you choose. My personal favorite is the coral pink three quarter length coat with the mandarin orange polka dot boot!