I love dresses. Just found out how cute and simple and feminine and just downright perfect dresses are for a lazy mom like myself who just wants to look cute without a whole lot of effort. Check out some of my faves this summer. Can you tell I’m on the whole natural/safari/bohemian kick?  

From left to right:

Old Navy striped dress, $15. Comes in a crapload of other colors too, in case you’re not quite so in love with the treehugger colors.

Victoria’s Secret cargo shirtdress, $79.  Been looking all over for a shirtdress like this one that doesn’t bunch at the hips or bust. Hope this one is foolproof.

Nine West Empire Waist Ring Strap dress, $134. I just like the print – cute without being too fussy. You are definitely allowed to disagree.

Victoria’s Secret printed dress, $59. I find myself gravitating toward this silhouette – fitted top, flowy bottom – I think because it emphasizes the girls while covering up the belly I’m not too proud of yet.

What say you? Are dresses a summertime staple for you? Where do you buy your summer clothes?

Christian Siriano, whose “fierce” fashions made him the winner of Project Runway’s season four, has announced that he will be taking the maternity world by storm, creating a line for hip mamas who don’t want to shelve their personal style for nine months. His line, Fierce for Moody Mamas, will debut in spring 2009. Check out this item in New York mag to see some of the sketches.

Folks are always searching for cute maternity clothes. Every day several people find my site after typing in phrases like “maternity clothes that won’t make me look old” or “pregnant woman desires cute clothes.” Now that I’m nearing the end of my second pregnancy, I’m looking forward to parting with my maternity clothes, but that doesn’t mean I won’t still have an eye out for cute maternity outfits for my readers. I enjoy finding cute maternity clothes to recommend. Anything to make pregnancy easier is all right with me!

First up is this oh-so-cute green floral top from Old Navy. I like Old Navy because its affordable and its everywhere, so if you buy a top online (’cause its hard to find a maternity clothes in the actual stores) you can easily return it the next time you’re at the mall. This shirt is only $16, leaving you plenty of cash in your pocket to buy….

This sexy black top from iMaternity. At only $15, you can’t beat the price. A simple yet sexy top that will help you feel and look your best even when you’re not quite feeling up to it.

I’m introducing a new feature this week – hot maternity picks. I found that my most popular post has been the one on maternity clothes. People are dying to find cute clothes that don’t make you look so matronly. I know it’s been a struggle for me so I’m happy to provide this service! Each week I’ll scour the web and the malls for cute clothes that will help young mommies keep their style!

This week, I’m picking a top from the tried-and-true Motherhood Maternity. I typically don’t like their stores only because it’s overwhelming! Too many choices! But this shirt is cute without making you age 10 years and at $15, it’s worth it.

When I first found out I was pregnant with my daughter, I immediately went to the mall looking for maternity clothes.

What.a.ripoff. I saw $70 maternity tops, $100 jackets, $85 jeans. Who has that kind of money to drop on clothes that are guaranteed not to fit in a few months? I know I don’t.

Every pregnant woman wants to do the seemingly impossible – look cute while gaining weight like crazy. Your belly expands, your boobs are enormous, your thighs are like jello. Sometimes a cute top or summer dress is all you need to make yourself feel better.

What I discovered is that you can make a maternity outfit out of anything. Bottoms are a bit harder, but generally, four rules apply:

1) Empire waists are your friend. Your very best friend. Empire waists are so darn flattering for really skinny people. For the rest of us, they make you look pregnant – which is EXACTLY why pregnant women should wear them. It’s a pretty simple concept really. Also, buying shirts with empire waists allows you to shop anywhere versus the slim pickings at the maternity clothes store. Take this cute white top from New York & Company. You could definitely wear this well into your seventh or eighth month and the bonus is that you could wear it again after you have the baby. Well worth the $32 bucks.  

2) Drawstrings are your friend. Your very best friend. I bought all these cute drawstring skirts from H&M for about $10 each and let me tell you, it was the best move ever. I’m a real advocate of wearing clothes before, during and after pregnancy. Drawstring bottoms allow you to do just that.

3) If the weather permits, wear a dress everyday. Okay, so this kind of fits with #1, but dresses with empire waists are a godsend. (Or is that Godsend? I dunno.) Anyway, get a empire waist dress and you’re good to go. The bonus? Too many to name: You put the focus on your boobs (usually your best feature at this point), hide the added fat around your hips and thighs, and you don’t have to worry about finding a matching top and bottom. Throw on one piece and go.

4) Accessorize like mad. Cute flats are an absolute must. I found these cute $40 Kenneth Cole sandals and I rock them every day. The gemstones are a bit much, but I realize that they detract from the fact that my ankles are disappearing so I wear them anyway. Any little accessory that you find that makes you feel better about your changing body, buy it!

So what about you? What have other young mommies done to stretch a buck while maternity clothes shopping? Leave your tips in the comments section.