Tents R Us

Irony.

When I was pregnant with my older kids, the maternity styles were pretty much either Tents 'R Us or Dress Like A Little Girl. I was a young, thin girl then, and had a cute figure. Really, it was a figure that would have looked good in today's maternity fashions. A figure before it's time. But, oh, how I scored some beautiful frocks. Well, I thought so at the time. It was 1989 okay? I was 8 years old.

One of my best outfits was a navy and white striped sailor top with a sailor bib and matching stretch capris, only then they were called crop pants (ya know, back in the day...when I was 8). They had brass button accents with an embossed anchor, and the top was a real maternity top. Nothing snug about it. My sister loved it and wore it for her pregnancy too. In fact, I think it was worn for at least four pregnancies between us. I think I still have it up in our attic. I'll have to check in case any of you want to borrow it.

I also had a paisley top and skirt set with purple and green on a black background. And a stretchy periwinkle swimsuit with a metal circle in between my ribs. Denim with embroidered flowers. Stretch pants in every color, many with stirrups. Oh, the vast and fashionable wardrobe in my closet. But never, ever tight. That was tacky and without taste for a woman in my condition.

I was especially thrilled to get the velvet dress pictured below. It was victorian in style and velvet with crocheted lace trim with pleats and a drop waist. You hear me? VELVET. We must have been rich. Rich I tell you. V.E.L.V.E.T. And how miraculous was it that I had shoes of the exact same color? Wearing white tights with everything was simply cutting edge. I was the picture of f-a-s-h-i-o-n. I almost forgot to mention the pearl brooch at my throat. And do you see my little belly? I had my baby 31 days later. I was not large.



Fast forward. A couple of years later. Okay. More than a couple years later. I was now 24. It was almost two years ago when I had my last baby. Styles have changed. Cute, close fitting tops and dresses are now in. Alas, I am no longer small. I needed large and it was not there for me. Tight and form fitting are not a good look for a woman of larger stature, if you know whaddi mean.

I wished I could have gone back to my Coleman Tent dresses and days of The Good Ship Lollipop. Isn't it ironic?

P.S. You can view that baby today, a grown up young man, as the feature in this post.