The Family Groove Belly Files

THE BELLY FILES
MATERNITY FASHION’S HOTTEST HOUSES TALK SHOP-PING

Looking and feeling pretty, oh so pretty, isn’t always easy when your belly is a-swelling. A lot of times
mamas-to-be resort to oversized (read: frumpy) clothes (read: their husband’s), feeling as out of touch
with the latest styles and how to wear them as they do with their growing bodies.

THE FAMILY GROOVE is here to say that you don’t have to sacrifice style for the next nine-plus months—
and you don’t have to spend a fortune to stay stylish, either. Each month, we’ll give you the skinny on the
hippest bump styles à la mode straight from the fashion experts who created them.

According to Rebecca Schoneveld Cheek of the smart-chic Schone Maternity, green is in this fall. No, not the color, per se — the movement. Schone, a Dutch word meaning “clean beauty,” fashions pregnancy clothes that not only shine with simple, clean lines, but are actually clean (read: all-natural), too. Each piece is made from eco-friendly, fair-trade fabrics and produced in fair-trade U.S. factories.

Here, Schoneveld Cheek tells you how to change into the look of the season.

“Ahh, change is definitely in the air. Along with the seasonally changing weather (we hope), this year we’re effecting a change in the White House and living through an ever-changing economy—and now you’re experiencing a changing body and family. With all these changes going on, it’s comforting to know that at least some things never change: namely, your love of comfortable, flattering, timeless clothing. Enter: Schone Maternity’s fall 2008 line. In light of all this change, I designed a line that effortlessly takes you through all phases of pregnancy and beyond with style, ease and comfort.”

Simple Staples
“I like to think of dressing and shopping during pregnancy as something like packing a small bag of clothes for a long trip. Each item needs to be versatile—low maintenance and easily dressed up, down, mixed and matched. Classic colors are the staples, and a pop of fun brights and jewel tones keep things lively. And, of course, every girl knows she needs at least one special dress or outfit for that occasional party or night out. You may be on a sometimes-rough-and-tumble adventure to motherhood, but that certainly doesn’t mean you should look like a backpacker while on it. And luckily, we now have lots of great choices for fabrics that are not just super-soft on the skin, but are also soft on the environment—another thing we can all agree is as important as great style.”

Sustained Style
“We all understand the need to do our part to protect our environment. Although it’s impossible to be perfect, Schone Maternity does its best to make the right choices. Our styles are created from sustainable materials, such as organic cotton, bamboo, hemp, silk and recycled fabrics, locally in Los Angeles. Almost everything is made from locally milled fabrics in a local, family-owned and -operated factory. I’m happy to say that making eco clothes is a current trend—and one that just keeps on growing.”

Timeless Looks
We also think that being eco-conscious and timelessly chic go hand in hand. We strive to make high-quality clothing that you’ll want to wear during all trimesters, year-round and even while you are nursing and working to get back into your pre-pregnancy favorite jeans. Even when you can get back into those favorite blues (or just no longer can stand to think about your maternity clothes), we want our clothes to live on. That’s why we encourage you to recycle your bump duds. Give them to an expecting friend (we all have at least one!) or send them back to us. We’ll clean and repair them and donate them to charities that help young mothers in need. And so the fashions live on!

Versatility Rules
Rock a frock that will take you anywhere like this one. Dress it up for a night on the town with your gal pals or down for
stolen lunch with your man.

Top off your pregnancy wardrobe with a versatile shirt. Pair it with jeans for a playdate or trousers for a grown-up one.

Both musts are made from certified organic cotton (with a touch of Spandex for resiliency) from locally milled fabric in Los Angeles.

To score yourself these eco-chic designs, go to store.babycenter.com, where they are sold exclusively.

Surf over to www.schonematernity.com for other fab fall looks and information on the stores that carry them.