Tiffany Burress, wife of NFL Super Star Plaxico Burress, is a go getter. Dissatisfied with the maternity offerings available during her two pregnancies, this mom of two (and full time lawyer) decided to take matters into her own capable hands. “During my pregnancies it was challenging to feel stylish,” she explains. “I wanted to present women with a solution; pieces that are flattering’ versatile and sporty”. Burress’ Joiful Maternity line is based on her own active lifestyle during pregnancy. The collection – dresses, tops, leggings and a pant – can easily go from office to school pick up and, with the addition of a statement necklace and heels, back out to an evening event. Fit is a huge issue in pregnancy. Burress chose modal for its softness and ability to embrace the belly in an elegant, sexy way. Happily, prices are reasonable. The stylish Assymetrical Maternity dress is $70. Maternity leggings are just $58.  Her dream clients?  On-the-go moms from every walk of life.  And, of course, celeb moms-to-be  Penelope Cruz or Kate Middleton. This accessible  line is most definitely Bump It Up Approved.

Joiful Maternity is launching this week. See http://www.joifulmaternity.com for the entire collection.

No muu muus at Clarence House!  A baby is no bump in the style road for super glam Kate Middleton. Bump it Up: Transform Your Pregnancy into the Ultimate Style Statement author Amy Tara Koch predicts that the Duchess of Cambridge will maintain her elegance throughout her pregnancy. She chatted with USA TODAY about how Kate the Great will craft maternity style that reflects her inherent poise and polish.
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• She Will A Frock Star
  Dresses are the easiest silhouette to wear during pregnancy; especially wrap, shift and trapeze shapes as they disguise bottom heaviness.  Kate, a fan of the sheath and wrap silhouettes, will probably sport a modified version of this shape in stretch jersey to accommodate her bump. Royals always pair chic duster or ¾ length coats with day dresses. Kate will continue to layer a jacket over her dresses for maximum poise and polish. But, she will probably move to swing or trapeze coats with no closures for maximum comfort and style. Expect to see her in haute Brit brand Isabella Oliver.
  Isabella Oliver Ruched Wrap Dress $199

  

• She Will Rule The Empire
  Empire waist dresses are super flattering during pregnancy. This genius silhouette gathers under the breast and falls loosely to the hip, knee or floor covering bulging bellies and butts with cascading fabric. The empire waist accentuates the ribcage giving the wearer an attenuated frame. It also puts the focus on the arms and shoulders, places where pregnancy weight does not manifest itself.
  Rosie Pope Stella Dress $253
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• She Will Be A Cut Above
  For black tie and high profile royal dutoes, Kate will most likely turn to her trusted fashion friends-Sarah Burton and Issa- for custom maternity garments.
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• She Will Remain Well Heeled
  Do not expect the Duchess to waddle about in flats. She will wear kitten heels, wedge heels and stacked heels to keep her out of the preggo dumps.
  Jimmy Choo Mara Sling Back with Bow Detail $725
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• She Will Get Waisted
  When you your stomach bulges, a strategically placed belt helps to create a semblance of a pre-pregnancy waistline. The Duchess will most likely sport a skinny belt just under her bust to streamline her look.
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• She Will Not Break A Sweat
  Don’t expect to see a Royal in sweat pants. On casual days, she will probably wear dark denim maternity jeans or sleek leggings with a long tunic top.
  

Grace Kelly, Marlene Dietrich, Brigitte Bardot, Joan Crawford and that mom at school pick up that ALWAYS looks cute all have a common bond: a signature style. Through their fashion choices, their personalities loom like a halo over their heads.
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But, many women don’t necessarily have a “signature look.” If you have lived for years mystified by what happens on runways, red carpets and hyped paparazzi shots in gossip magazines, call upon your dormant SAT studying skills and study fashion divas of the twentieth century. Pregnancy is, in fact,  a golden opportunity to exit your comfort zone and bring your inner glamazon to life. Give a nod to the fashion icons of the twentieth century and use your belly as a VIP pass to the order of eternal divahood.  Go to Barnes & Noble and purchase Fashion Icons: Fashion Trends Throughout the Century, Star Style, Thje Marchesa Casati Portraits of a Museand Mistress of Modernism: The Life of Peggy Guggenheim, and start thumbing through. Eccentric? Yes. But, absolutely scintillating. Learn about silhouettes. Discover accessories. Investigate why muses perenniale- marvelous Marchesa de Casati, dynamic Diana Ross, chic socialite Babe Paley, 60s siren Edie Sedgewick, boho babe Talitha Getty and art deco diva Nancy Cunard-became style revolutionaries. These histrionic women dissed convention and used fashion to express themselves. Such bravado is evident in their outré fashion choices: gowns as daywear, turbans, shoulder sweeping earrings, extreme eye makeup, stacked-to-the-elbows bangle bracelets, cloaks fashioned of peacock feathers. Don’t feel pressured to swap your skinny jeans for an electric blue jumpsuit. Just get inspired. Then, take it down a notch to reality. In your free time, let your fingers do the walking right over to Netflix.  “Fashion moment” TV shows and films are a great way to research style and learn about silhouettes. Once the kid(s) are asleep, rent Mad Men, The Mary Tyler Moore Show, The Women, Mia Farrow in Rosemary’s Baby, Audrey Hepburn in Funny Face and Breakfast at Tiffany’s, Katherine Deneuve in Belle Du Jour, Mia Farrow in Great Gatsby, Marlene Dietrich inShanghai Express, Meryl Streep in The Devil Wears Prada and Joan Collins in Dynasty.
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I am not suggesting that you go radical. Your task is to find a scintillating look which suits your personality and flatters your body type.  Upper East Side Lady Who Lunches? Downtown “it” Girl? Haute Hippie? Groovy Gal About Town? Be the girl with the Bakelite cuff bracelets and fabulous YSL scarves adorning every outfit. Wear Grandma’s lurex sweater sets to go to the supermarket. Layer vintage Betsey Johnson baby doll dresses with Byzantine beads and rhinestone crosses just because. The larger you feel, the more accessories required. Your Cinderella moment awaits!

The grass is always more alluring on the other side.

Many women say that a summer pregnancy is worse than a winter one. I disagree. While it’s true that you can “hide” in mountains of wool and cashmere, these layers actually add extra pounds to your already expansive frame. Factor in a coat and you’ve got bulk. While it’s true that the heat of the summer months can cause additional swelling, warm weather dresses offer an element of sultriness that is tough to pull off in tundra like conditions. Why? Well, summery, light-as-air dresses celebrate a pregnant woman’s body. They play up décolletage, bare arms, neck and the slope of the shoulders, sexy hot spots where pregnancy weight does not manifest. The drape ‘n cling of the lightweight fabrics prove that the bump (and boobs) are, in fact, showstopping accessories. The best part? Fashion longevity. Because they are inherently drapey, most of these dresses will look great during your pregnancy and afterwards.

Here are some of my favorite summer dresses:

1. Nuka Maternity Sharnee maxi dress/skirt in Coral $96.99

2. Isabella Oliver striped ruched dress $159

3. Hatch soiree dress $348

4. Ella Moss rio maxi dress $268

5. Calypso St. Barth bloussant full maxi dress $250

6. Rachel Pally long fortuna dress $251

7. Destination Maternity A Pea in the Pod tiered dress $129.50

8. Ingrid & Isabel maxi tank dress $128

9.  More of Me Maternity favorite shirtdress $170

10. Ingrid & Isabel waterfall dress $88

From Left to Right: Calypso St.Barth gold disc necklace $110 // Stella & Dot rebel pendant $79 // Stella & Dot cameron pendant $79 // Stella & Dot camilla ring $49 // Sequin NYC petra horn earrings $28 // Hive & Honey arrow drop earrings $22 // Sequin NYC tatijana cuff $178 // Tinley Road enamel bangles $26 each

When La-Z-Boy called to ask me to design a room for their new Chicago showroom, I was on the fence. Me? Lover of luxury? Then, I took a peek at their newly revamped site and my perception of Archie Bunker-style recliners dissolved in a mist of pleather. What I saw were the building blocks of interior style; sofas, loveseats, deep armchairs with ottomans, sleek coffee, console and cocktail tables.  The merchandise was impressive. But, the prices were astounding. Having spent the past five years “doing” my house, I am only too aware how exorbitant furniture can be. A sofa can easily set you back 7K. These were a fraction of the prices I was accustomed to at my usual haunts. So, I rose to the occasion. I routinely show women how attainable fashion is at every price point. Why not prove this philosophy on the interior front?

Style: It’s all in the details

THE DESIGN PROCESS

I decided create a family room where fashion meets function. To showcase my eclectic point of view, I wanted to pull together a cool mix of cozy but sophisticated furniture electrified by pops of color and statement making accents.  My design partners, Courtney and Christine got my “look” immediately. Together, we began to hunt and gather. Constructing an interior is similar to creating an outfit. Like fashion, a great room is contingent upon great basics. This “canvas” is elevated to a look with esoteric layering pieces. I picked a cream Collins sofa and a matching (deliciously deep) arm chair with ottoman.  We created a more defined space by adding two etageres on either end of the sofa to display personal accents: fashion books, framed pictures by the kids and kitschy white ceramics that smacked of my collection of Jonathan Adler pottery at home.  A polished aluminum dome floor lamp jutting glamorously over the arm chair added a kooky Brady Bunch meets Hollywood Hills vibe.  Contrast is essential to an interior. So we placed Mor0ccan print two poufs by the sofa. They added some energy to the overall design and served as functional seating for the extra kids always running around my house.

To a room –and an outfit-accessories are critical. They convey personality. And, attitude.  I am a flea market fiend and diehard francophile. To convey this, we stacked vintage inspired steamer trunks next to the sofa. A strategically situated console table behind the sofa is a perfect perch for accent pieces. A ’50s style sunburst mirror and antique-y looking clock stamped “Paris” proclaim my love of all things vintage. There is a fine line between artfully displayed objects and clutter. I attired my two-tier coffee table with stacked fashion books and an enormous platter of candy. Underneath, board games were stacked neatly on a tray. Pillows are jewelry for the home. Burnt orange and aubergine pillows punctuated with (&) ampersand pillows were perfect fodder for a writer. A chocolate brown shag carpet tied in the whole look together.

THE LOOK: MODERN AMERICAN WITH A VINTAGE INSPIRED TWIST

VOILA! A comfortable, stylish room for the whole family to hang out in. I loved working on this project and am, in fact, replacing the itchy mid-century modern pony chaise in my bedroom with the La-Z-Boy Collins chair and ottoman!

Want to win the opportunity to win a 5K Shopping Spree? Check out Please  La-Z-Boy’s Facebook page and vote for my  vignette!

This May marked the fifth anniversary of Alisa Donner and Anna Getty’s Pregnancy Awareness Month; an organization committed to inspiring and educating women about every aspect of pregnancy. As one who celebrates maternity moxie in print, tv and my book BUMP IT UP: TRANSFORM YOUR PREGNANCY INTO THE ULTIMATE STYLE STATEMENT, I was delighted to, once again, take part in the PAM kick- off event in Los Angeles. From pre-natal exercise and nutrition to eco-chic products for the nursery, this event draws all type of organizations devoted to a healthy, happy pregnancy. I, of course, focus on style. My mission is to make women look and feel their best during one of the most fashion challenged time in their lives.

This year, I joined forces with Viacord to present the VIACORD BUMP IT UP STYLE LOUNGE, a chill out area (complete with sofa and snacks) where women could score one on one style sessions with me. Topics du jour? How to look like a long, lean baby making machine and strategically lengthen one’s silhouette with accessories. Women swarmed the lounge to learn how to “bump up” their wardrobes and transform nine months of potential frump and dump to jaw dropping fabulosity. Of course, you cannot have fabulosity without flattering fashion. On hand was the maternity brand Ingrid & Isabel, a celebrity favorite known for perfect dress-them up/dress- them- down basics. I styled our mannequins with two of my favorite dresses-the Athena and the Waterfall – to illustrate the concepts of silhouette “elongation”, “garment rotation” and “layering.”

Our lounge was a celebrity magnet. We had visits from Lisa Loeb (clad in a gorge Ingrid & Isabel dress), Ali Landry, Disney Channel’s Tiffany Thornton and Catherine McCord. Once they gleaned style tips, women headed over to Viacord to learn about a topic that I am passionate about: cord blood banking.

Fashion is fun but being educated about the health of your baby is critical. Viacord collects and stores the stem cells found in your newborn’s umbilical cord, which are used in the treatment of nearly 80 life-threatening diseases including a wide range of cancers, genetic diseases, immune system deficiencies and blood disorders. Essentially, storing your baby’s cord blood gives new parents peace of mind. It is an awful thought. But, should there be a need, your baby will have a source of stem cells that is an exact match, with no risk of rejection. There is also a strong possibility that his/her siblings will be a match as well. I did it with my children and strongly recommend that moms to be do too. Viacord offered valuable information and a copy of my style bible BUMP IT UP. Book in hand, guests then plopped down in our welcoming sofa to read and nibble on Sprinkle cupcakes and Godiva chocolate.

I recently partnered with luxe mom subscription service CITRUS LANE to develop a pregnancy pampering kit featuring my book and some of my favorite products. We raffled one kit off per hour which was a massive hit with the crowd.

What else can I say? It was a bumptastic day.

We moms have schlepped, cooked and organized the minutia of multiple lives all year. Now it is time for the family to show their devotion. A homemade card is sweet. But, proving your love in the form of a material item will get you far more mommy mileage. Remember, no hint, no get. Simply print this gift guide out and place it in top of your husband’s pillow.

1. GROOVY GYM GEAR
Spice up your workout with Puma BodyTrain Slim Capris $55 +Gaiam CorePlus Reformer resistance bands $29.98

2. TANGERINE DREAM
An oversized clutch adds wow factor to any basic Heather Belle Co. Oversized Ella Clutch $395

3. CASE STUDY
A personalized iPhone cover is a Mom’s piece de resistance. Customize at Uncommon

4. HEAVEN SCENT
A luxe candle burning at the end of the day sucks away the stress. Jo Malone Nectarine Blossom & Honey candle $65

5. WRAP ARTIST
Elevate a look in a snap with Yarnz balloon cashmere scarf at SHOPBOP $187

6. PREGGO PAMPERING KIT
I curated a limited-edition luxury pampering kit for moms-to-be packed with my favorite things: My book, Bump it Up, Foot Petals insoles, Josie Maran argan lip gloss, Mama Mio Tummy Rub, Psi bands, Vosges chocolate, Zoe Organics face wash PLUS special offers from Spanx, Blanqi, Bashful Bump and Viacord: Citrus Lane Pampered Pregnancy Box $65

7. CUFF LOVE
A statement cuff adds insta-glam to everything from jeans to dresses.
Target Gold Cuff with Wired Agate $19.99
Kara Ross NY Middle Divide Cuff, gold with chartreuse lizard $225
Topshop Square Metal Clamp Bracelet $28

8. HAUTE STUFF
The steamy ingredients for a perfect date night, Eberjay Cleo Chemise $69 + the best-selling erotic novels,50 Shades of Grey by E.L. James trilogy, $10 per book

9. POT HEAD
Luxury + humor + ceramics = a winning (& witty) combination Jonathan Adler’s provocative pots in Uppers($98), Poppers($88) and Dolls($28)

10. RELAXED MAMA
End the day with muscle melting products from LA-based Spa Ole Henrickson 3-Step Body Indulgence Kit $49

Last week, the gleaming runways of Mercedes Benz fashion week gave birth to a new fashion concept; a show of ?realistic looks? designed by moms for their time challenged tribe. The brainchild of THE MOMS, high wattage mom bloggers Vera Sweeney and Audrey McClelland, social media agency BIG FUEL and Stephanie Winston Wolkoff, the Director of fashion at Lincoln Center, STRUT: THE FASHIONABLE MOM SHOW was crafted with the premise that moms and a smashing sense of style can live harmoniously in the car pool lane. To this end, the fashions showcased were affordable and attainable. While the traditional catwalk features fashions two seasons ahead, STRUT offered clothing that is in stores right now; a fresh faced version of the mall trend show plugged into a high fashion arena. Minus the haughty, well- heeled editors and retail buyers.  In fact, the show reinforced the power of social media. Influential mom bloggers-not models-walked the runway. The show was live streamed  to Babycenter.com, the number one pregnancy and parenting web destination with a  reach of 10 million moms in the US  and 25 million moms monthly in 22 international markets. Tout.com was on hand to snap and upload 15 second video clips on twitter, facebook and top blogger sites. One sponsor-Clorox-sponsored ?twitterazzi? seating for influential mom bloggers to ?live tweet? from the show. ?All the highly social mom ?models? participating in the show will give us a reach of over 4 million online moms in one day?, explains Audrey McClelland and Vera Sweeney. The result? Gargantuan social media metrics directly targeting moms responsible for the household buying decisionsIn terms of the fashion, there were no 6 foot glamazons teetering on stilettos clad in up- to -there ??city shorts? with sheer tank tops. STRUT models ran the gamut from size 2 to 16, some were pregnant. The looks were super wearable; a marriage of fashion and function for the office, the playground, date and the PTA meeting. The smart use of accessories showed how easy it is to transform a basic garment into a fabulous ensemble. Participating brands included Tory Burch, Tj Maxx, Marshalls, Rebecca Minkoff, Gap, Michael Kors, Macys and Bloomingdales. There were also maternity fashion shown by Ingrid & Isabel, Hatch and Pea in the Pod.

Every mom can attest to the magnetic urge to slip into sweats, a boxy tee and skidaddle out the door to conquer her day. It’s easy. It’s comfortable. It’s evil. Here’s why: They are voluminous making thighs resemble tree trunks. Sweats make five pounds look like 15. They make your butt balloon. They inspire waddling. The (non) fit is addictive. Once you make sweats and other baggy apparel your go-to garb, you will fall into “the comfort trap” and never want to replace them with tailored, “real” clothes Yes, comfort is important. But, wearing clothing that looks like sleepwear is the definition of dumpy. You may love feeling like you are taking on the world in your pajamas. But, the world is looking at you someone who has given up on looking and feeling like a woman. Busy lives and chaotic schedules are used as a rationale for such dowdy duds

There is a magical place where comfort and style collide; the province of proportion.  And, I will take you there to meet your new bffs: silhouette, fit  and verticality

1. Alice & Olivia Shirt Dress

2. Diane von Furstenberg Tunis Dress

3. Hue Corduroy Leggins

4. Heavy Weight Leggings

5. LOFT Ponte Dress

6. DVF Wrap Dress

7. Rory Beca Tunic

8. DKNY Tank

Why invest your hard earned cash in junior when you can swap?

Here’s what you do: Create a mommy swap meet. Call 8-10 new moms. Instruct them to bring ten new or “gently used” items in the following categories: clothing (no puke stains, please) toys, books, videos, dvds, carrying contraptions, sleepwear (including bedding)  feeding devices (these must be unused) and other useful baby and/or toddler paraphernalia. Break out the vino and  get swapping. Each mom gets to go through the line in accordance with how many items you bring. A festive lunch will follow. YOUR money is invested in a shiny, new bauble. As it should be.