JUNE Q&A // strapless bras, workout wear, intimacy (gasp!) +MORE

This month, I’m dishing about our personal life, undergarments/bras, our living situation and SO much more - this is a compilation of FAQ’s via email and Instagram!

Q: What is the best strapless bra for a plus size woman?

A: I personally love this Wacoal one. I have worn it for YEARS and used to buy it for clients/actresses as well. It gives you great support and the shape of the cup is perfect. I cannot stand when the cup of a strapless bra looks pointy!!! Like, what’s the deal with that anyway? Ha! It comes in a large variety of sizes.

YOU ASKED, I ANSWERED: MY PREGNANCY FAVES

This was my second full term pregnancy, and although I thought I knew it all the first time around… I really had no clue!! This time, with a full time blog business and a wild toddler running around… I was only able to focus on the essentials I needed during pregnancy. Which, to be honest, was kind of awesome.

PLUS SIZE & PREGNANT // BUMP FRIENDLY (non-maternity) TOPS

Guess what?! You don’t HAVE TO BUY maternity tops. During this last pregnancy, I tried something new. I ONLY bought a few actual maternity items. You can see the specific list here of what I think is important! For everything else, like tops - all I did was size up! I did this because in theory, I knew I wasn’t going to want anything tight fitting once I was postpartum anyway… so having an oversized sweater to wear that is cute would actually work out perfectly.

STYLEAshley DoroughJanuary 13, 2019maternity, non maternity, tops, tunics, what to wear Comment

PINKBLUSH // BIGGEST SALE OF THE YEAR

If you’ve been following along for awhile, you’ve probably heard me talk about PinkBlush. I am and have always been a huge fan of the boutique, mainly because they carry cute trendy, affordable items IN MY SIZE. Especially as a plus size and pregnant woman, that is extremely hard to find!

STYLEAshley DoroughNovember 22, 2018plus size, pregnancy, maternity, plus size pregnancy, pinkblush, shoppinkblushComment

PEARL JO'S BIRTH STORY // hospital newborn photos

PJ is here, and our hearts are SO FULL! As I mentioned in the previous post, my fluid levels were severely high towards the end of this pregnancy and so at 37 weeks they decided to induce me (Friday, October 26th). At the time, PJ was head down and my doctor was confident we could deliver her naturally.

CAN'T WAIT TO MEET YOU, PJ // family maternity photos

Oh my goodness, baby girl! I don’t even know where to start. You have made your presence known during this pregnancy! Starting at Week 4, I thought I had the stomach flu… but nope, that was just you, letting me know you were here! I stayed nauseous 24-7 until about week 18, and then I finally came out of the fog, so to speak.

In the beginning, before our first ultrasound, I was so filled with anxiety. I remember not being able to sleep one night,

THE 5 ESSENTIAL MATERNITY CLOTHES TO BUY

Pregnant and overwhelmed with all of the different maternity options out there (or lack thereof, in some cases)?! GIRL, I GOT YOU. This time - I decided to try something different. I decided to buy JUST the basics, and all the other clothes I need I will size up. And guess what? After I have this baby… I will have an AWESOME POSTPARTUM WARDROBE of regular clothing that isn’t skin tight while I’m getting back to my regular mom-bod.

Here's what you actually need to have when it comes to maternity clothes - for everything else, just try to be INTENTIONAL about what you’re buying and how long it will grow with your belly and whether or not you’ll be able to wear it after baby.

OH, BTW WE ARE HAVING A BABY! I guess it’s time for a bumpdate?

Although I have referenced the fact that I am pregnant on here, I realized the other day that I never made the “official announcement” on the blog that we are having our second baby girl… so, better late than never!

I haven’t been big on doing “bumpdates” - but I thought I would update you all on how I actually am doing, despite the pics and videos you see on Instagram.

FALL HAUL FOR EMALINE // how to get high end kids' clothes on the cheap!

One of my favorite ways to shop is thrift and consignment because not only can you get really cute, barely worn stuff - but you can also find cool and unique things that aren't in the stores anymore!

I am THRILLED to share with you this amazing online consignment store called BAGSY! They have ALL KIDS sizes and the cutest stuff. An amazing selection, I am blown away... I could literally sit on their website for hours.

PLUS SIZE & PREGNANT // How to elevate a basic look (VIDEO)

Today I'm talking about my GO TO outfit. No matter what your size, if you're pregnant or not, this is a classic look that you can wear for years to come. I especially love it on my pregnant bod, because it showcases the bump but also gives me a little coverage, while elevating the entire look. But, don't be fooled - you don't need to have a preggo bod to rock this type of outfit!!

PLUS SIZE & PREGNANT // a little birdie told me...

... that you DON'T have to spend a fortune on maternity clothing when you're pregnant! I've made it my mission this pregnancy to find non-maternity clothes that work WITH or WITHOUT a bump. Here's my latest find from the new Draper James drop with Eloquii.

PLUS SIZE & PREGNANT // You Can Still Wear Color! feat. MODCLOTH

I love black. Love it. Love how it looks on my body! But here's the thing, we can't wear black all the time. Seriously, we can't. I'm telling you NO!

And also, this is not a maternity dress. HOW COOL is it that you don’t actually have to buy maternity clothes when you’re pregnant?! At least not yet… ;)

STYLEAshley DoroughJune 22, 2018plussizeandpregnant, maternity, style, modcloth, red dress, yellow shoes, lilac earringsComment

WHO TOOK MY BODY AND WHAT DID YOU DO WITH IT?!

Doesn’t matter what size you are, but if you’ve ever been pregnant than you’ve probably felt what I’ve been feeling all week. You guys know that I always want to be transparent with you, especially when it comes to my real life. Read about what I've been feeling like today, and also the 4 things I'm doing to try and overcome it.

LIFESTYLEAshley DoroughJune 21, 2018lifestyle, swimsuit, pregnant, maternity, self respsect, body image, body positive, struggleComment

ST. AUGUSTINE: WHAT WE WORE

Last week, we went on a super fun girls trip to St. Augustine and had a blast! I got so many questions from my insta stories about what swimsuits, sunglasses, outfits, and shoes we were wearing on this trip! I thought it would be good to put it all in one spot for you here!

STYLEAshley DoroughJune 19, 2018whatwewore, outfits, style, beach, summer, plussize, maternity, swimwear, sandals, sunscreen, sunglassesComment

7 PARENTING TRUTHS FROM A NEW MAMA

Here's some honest motherhood for you: It's been a year and a half, and I'm sharing 7 things that I didn't see coming when I was pregnant. Which of these can you identify with?

SEPTEMBER GOALS + A COZY KIMONO CARDIGAN

I'll keep this quick: It's a new month, which means a FRESH START with FRESH GOALS.

A FLORAL KIMONO FOR SUMMER

HAPPY FRIDAY!!! We are headed out of town for my brother's wedding weekend and I could not be more excited! It will be our first time to Houston, Texas and I will definitely be bringing this look with me (but maybe not with jeans... #texasheat).

A MAXI DRESS MADE FOR MOTHERHOOD

When I was pregnant, I had the HARDEST time finding clothes that fit me right. Especially before I "popped" --- I just looked wide and awkward (or at least it felt that way)!

STYLE, LIFESTYLEAshley DoroughJune 20, 2017trendyboutique, motherhood, maxidress, plussize, maternity, shoppinkblush, pinkblush, pregnancyclothesComment