Birthday OOTD and the challenge of dressing while babywearing

Last year for my birthday I was newly (and quietly) pregnant, celebrating (and conferencing) with Chris in San Diego. This year for my birthday, we flew for the first time with Emilia to New York City to attend a friend's baby shower. On top of considering breastfeeding accessibility issues, I had to contemplate how to dress around/for babywearing. The weather seemed like it was going to cooperate and although we could have checked them, we had no desire to lug a car seat and/or stroller to the city. Perhaps when E is bigger it will make sense to bring an umbrella stroller but she's too little for those so the only option would be the entire travel system. As someone who typically eschews our stroller any time we'll be navigating a crowd, babywearing is the perfect solution.

In the Ergo with Chris

On its surface, babywearing isn't a topic that relates to my usual outfit or shopping related content. But I've learned that just like dressing to breastfeed, you have to really think through a wardrobe strategy when babywearing. It's so easy to overheat if you aren't careful. But underdressing brings its own concerns. Still, wearing a baby while they're in a thick, bulky bunting seems impossible. I had to think long and hard about what kinds of layers would fit under and over the carriers I planned to used. And I had to think just as carefully about how to dress baby. A sweatshirt-weight bunting with a hood from the Gap (here) was perfect for spring temperatures.

Now that we're home and the trip was a success I am so glad we wore her all weekend. It was not only easy but she felt secure and safe while wrapped up. She napped when she needed to while we walked around. I nursed her when she was hungry. Of course, our schedule was very different but for a few days that wasn't a big deal. We have great memories of our first flight trip as parents!

It was so easy just to strap her onto one of us and go. We have a few different carriers and each bring their own wardrobe related anxieties. The Ergo is Chris's favorite but the backpack style straps make for awkward layering constraints. The Moby is complicated because of the trickery required to wrap it correctly. The K'tan is probably my favorite currently, because it is like a pre-wrapped Moby. It adds less bulk than the Ergo and it is way faster to put on than the Moby but offers similar styles for holding/wrapping. I do think that once the weather turns from warm to hot babywearing will become much less comfortable due to heat. But for now when things are temperate, it is perfect. I had such a great birthday weekend and will probably share more photos soon. Sadly the one above depicting my baby shower outfit is the only "outfit photo." Outfit photos are a lot harder to get these days.

Details:
Tibi Hudson and Houston shirt dress in green colorway
Burberry Brit jacket (current season version here; similar here)
Spanx tights
Ferragamo My Joy flats
K'tan

Window Dressing as I Wait for Fall Sales

Some dressing room pics, with quality, and fit reviews from my 36 hours in NYC:

I wish this Nanette Lepore "Florodora's" dress was available in a different colorway. The electric blue with black embroidery and beadwork is 80s bohemian goth and I feel too old to pull that off.

Tibi Ruffle coat. I LOVE THIS. Very nice wool that is substantial without being stiff. I really want it but it was new and not at all on sale so I passed. Plus, this is the 6 which was a bit snug if I wanted to layer underneath. The 10 was a tent. They didn't have an 8 at the Fifth Ave store.

Nanette Lepore "Cafe Paris" (Paisley) dress. This is super cute in person. I loved it so much that it will likely be the shower dress. Chris's mom was extremely generous in purchasing it for me. The pleats are forgiving and although it is sleeveless, I can easily layer a cardi over top or something with sleeves underneath if I feel too self conscious about my arms. I am wearing a 10, which offered slight additional length. They had no 8 for me to try. 6 would have been obscenely short and too small in the bust, especially.

Marc by Marc Jacobs Ruffled Silk Kaleidescope dress in two colorways. The dress on the right is a 6 and the left is a 10. The 6 was too snug. The 10 was a little blousey up top. They had no 8s so I passed without remorse.

Marc by Marc Jacobs wool "Peacock Paisley" dress. This loose style is not very flattering to my figure but I love the print and the ease of the shape. I am wearing a medium and found it to be very forgiving. I didn't try on the small but I imagine that would have been fine too. The wool of this dress is very soft. I will hunt for this in the coming months, hoping for a sale!

This silk chiffon "Lynda" Diane von Furstenberg dress in "Passage to India" has a paisley print very similar to the Nanette Lepore dress, but the ruffles, fabric finish, and shape are quite different. I liked this but it was full price and I was already getting another paisley print dress. I am wearing a size 8. Apparently it should have had a belt but it was the only one there and I saw no belt in sight.

I ended up getting a souvenir trinket key necklace.

I also got to try on the Peretti Bone cuff in Ruthenium, which is so cool.

Someday it will make a nice self present to commemorate a future milestone yet to be determined.

Other than the necklace, I left New York with some lovely memories (including teaching Chris's mom how to use the subway!) and the gifted Nanette Lepore Paisley dress that I hope will make a cute shower outfit. I might try to track down a few more of the above pieces if prices becomes right after markdowns.

Salecasting: A Quick Trip to NYC Lets Me See Before Buying!

I flew out to NYC on Monday, very early in the morning to accompany Chris's mom to an appointment. Although we were there for just 36 hours, we took advantage of our centrally located midtown hotel and packed in a lot of shopping! We had a wonderful view and were a stone's throw from Bryant Park.

The broader selection of in-season, full priced merchandise, typical of larger cities, can be an asset to a patient, savvy shopper. If you are willing to plan ahead you can save yourself the uncertainty of shopping online.

Although I knew I didn't want to pay full price for anything I was eying since the fall/winter stock launched, my intent to browse, assess fabrics/quality in person, and determine fit will facilitate informed online deal-hunting in the future! Since this isn't a great time of year for sales (we had JUST missed Bloomingdale's Friends and Family promotion) it made more sense to try things on broadly, including full priced merchadise that I typically avoid due to my budget. Tomorrow I'll post the dressing room photo hits and misses from Nanette Lepore, Tibi, DVF, and Marc by Marc Jacobs.

NYC haulage: Barneys Warehouse Sale, Century 21, Barney's Coop, Buffalo Exchange, Street Vendors

Though I probably only visit NYC about once or twice a year, I've developed a pattern of sorts in my consumption. I try to have at least two very memorable meals. I stock up on street pashminas to give as gifts or to add to my stockpile.

And I try to locate staple pieces that wouldn't be easily accessible through Pittsburgh area shopping but would be difficult to purchase online (like shoes in brands unfamiliar to me, clothing in fabrics that I'd want to feel before buying, jeans, coats, etc.).

I realized at the end of January that the Barney's Warehouse Sale was going to occur during my time in NYC for Chris's conference. Since we usually try to fit in some shopping when we travel, I knew Chris would be just as excited as I was to attend this famous event. And he quickly added it to the agenda, especially since Pittsburgh is not the most diverse shopping landscape for discount luxury menswear. With the closure of Filene's Basement there are even fewer options around here for him. The Pittsburgh Saks has a very limited selection of men's contemporary clothing and most of it is fashion victim-y designer denim lines that don't interest him at all. Moda is great but often priced out of Chris's budget.

So during these trips he makes the most of the diverse options and I relish in having a partner who will accompany me on destination shopping trips.

We both did well in NYC, though we've never been able to have the same magical Century 21 experience as we did on our first trip there together in 2006 (during which Chris bought outerwear from Prada and Paul Smith and I bought my first designer handbag). This time, we walked out empty handed, though their women's designer shoe selection was fairly extensive. We also struck out at Bloomingdales and Saks. But Barney's Coop was lucky for Chris and the Warehouse Sale had great pieces for me.

Chris got this beautiful Fiorentini + Baker boots with a cap toe. While the jury was still out, I told him that they looked like boots that a Depression-era orphaned boy would wear. That sealed their fate. The leather is so nice and I hope I can find a deal on a pair of their fantastic women's boots someday.

At the Warehouse Sale, Chris struck out but I got the Marc by Marc Jacobs Alessandra dress in a different colorway.

And a pair of Stella McCartney Jeans. It was intimidating trying on jeans in front of uninhibited European tourists and the models circulating the sale but Chris shielded me and I worked quickly to try them on without the privacy of a formal dressing room.

After eating a memorable and delicious lunch at Momofuku Noodle Bar, we stopped at the East Village Buffalo Exchange where we both found great, gently used pieces.

Chris got a tweed Paul Smith sportcoat. It is very professorial.

I got a mbmj sweater top and an Owl flap clutch bag for insanely cheap.

As much as I love Pittsburgh, I've never found anything like that at our Avalon Exchange. Though, they do always provide an avenue through which to get quick cash for unwanted clothing.

While I miss the far away friends and the limitless shopping possibilities in NYC, I am glad to be home. I came home to three packages (one for chris, two for me) and got to fully celebrate his birthday. Next post will document the these recent acquisitions. Thanks for reading!