Customer Reviews

Pregnancy Chic: The Fashion Survival Guide

5 star:		(2)
4 star:		(0)
3 star:		(5)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I found this book well-written, entertaining, and informative, but HELLO Cherie and Jody, NOT EVERY WOMAN IS A SIZE FOUR OR SIX!!! However, it is possible to get past that and use their advice as a starting point, especially if you work in a field where you must maintain a professional, pulled-together image.

Serota and Gardner offer sound fashion advice, and I'm sure I'll use some of their suggestions. They do spend quite a bit of time promoting their own products (though I suppose that's only natural). Also, I'd have liked more in the way of illustration (perhaps photos, as in the Chic Simple series?)--this book offers only line drawings. My main disappointment was in the lack of flattering options for those of us who do not begin pregnancy a size 6. Remember, ladies, that the average woman out there is a size 14; I don't think a tank top tucked into elastic-waist pants is something some of us want to see staring back at us from our mirrors!

1. The authors acknowledged that not all women can wear the "Survival Kit" products to work - some women work in environments where cotton/lycra stretch fabric doesn't cut it. I thought this was very honest of the authors.

2. THANK GOD they pointed out that overalls are a bad idea for anyone over 5'7" Not that I think they are such a great idea for anyone under 5'7", but I guess you have to start somewhere! And, of course, I guess it depends upon your age and where you live as well.

On the other hand...

1. Patterned hose are a bad idea on anyone, much less a pregnant woman.

2. Ditto blue shoes with a black outfit.

Overall, I thought the book was very unambitious. Instead of containing hard to follow advice from exacting New York City fashion sophisticates (i.e. a standard to strive for), it mostly contained advice on how to stretch a wardrobe (i.e. use stuff you already own). If you can't figure out how to do that on your own, you should buy this book. But I think most women would do just as well without it.

If you can dress yourself pre-pregnancy, You don't need this book. Any fashion magazine or maternity catalog will help you pick out your own clothes pregnant or not.

I bought this book for a friend of mine who, when telling me about her wonderful "I'm Pregnant!" news, she followed up with a quick, "Help! I need fashion advice. I don't want to be in sailor dresses for 9 months!" Before giving her this book, I read it and LOVED IT! For those of us who are NOT pregnant, but actually looking forward to it someday, but who are also turned off by the maternity clothes we have seen, this is a true find. As the authors say, why wear something when you are pregnant that you wouldn't ever wear when you are NOT pregnant! I think that it's time for pregnant women to feel GOOD and BEAUTIFUL while they are pregnant and to even be sexy when they want to! Stop hiding under baggy, oversized clothing and be proud! This books gives you great tips on how to be fashionable while your body seems out of control.

This book was entertaining to read, and had some great tips about how to expand your existing wardrobe (and your partner's) to last you until you really need to buy maternity clothes. I was looking forward to purchasing several items from the authors' clothing line "The Pregnancy Survival Kit," however, I was disappointed to discover how expensive their maternity line is. In this book, there are some great tips about how to not spend a lot of money on maternity clothes, but their own clothing line is very expensive compared to other maternity lines.

The authors' [...], has some beautiful maternity clothes, so I believe their fashion savvy has continued to evolve in the 10 years since this book was written. Thank goodness! The advice in this book is pretty outdated--think Elaine's clothes in Seinfeld. The book present many laughably bad ideas (leggings as pants? leggings with loafers? wearing your husband's shorts?) as maternity musts. I kept reading it and hooting "I would rather die!" If your non-maternity style is schlumpy, you don't need help maintaining it throughout your pregnancy; if your style is at all classic, tailored, fitted, trendy or sexy, their advice is not for you. The best way to dress your pregnant body is to find the maternity versions of what you wore before. (Duh.) For great maternity style, check out designers like Isabella Oliver, then find cheaper versions of those clothes at Target, the Gap, Old Navy, etc. But do splurge on something to make yourself feel beautiful, as well.

This book is a must for anyone who is pregnant and a great gift for any pregnant woman. The book is well written, fun and informative. The book's authors, Cherie Serota and Jody Kozlow Gardner (the creators of the Pregnancy Survival Kit) present the book in a narrative form based on their personal experiences and the experiences of their friends. It provides a guide for what to wear from the beginning of one's pregnancy to after the baby is born. The book is filled with great how to dress tips, from what to look for in your husband's closet to what bathing suit works best for what body types. The book walks you through wardrobe do's and dont's for the entire nine months and beyond. The personal anectdotes along with the obvious expertise that Ms. Serota and Ms. Gardner bring to the book make this a must, but also fun, read for every pregnant woman.