Living Petal: 2014

Style Night Out!!

8:42 AM

Petal had such an amazing time at SNO this year! If you are not familiar with the Charlotte region, this is a coveted fashion show that has been celebrated for 5 years now! With 34 local Charlotte boutiques participating..this is one glorious event with socialites and Fall fashion trends to swoon over. AT SNO, local makeup artists, stylists, and shops collaborate to put on an unforgettable runway show which allow Charlotte fashionistas (and shoppers) a chance to get their hands on the latest trends/arrivals! Proceeds go towards Carolina Breast Friends!

"At SNO, you'll see a wide range of styles found at more than 30 locally owned shops. Street gear to bridal wear, repurposed vintage to the fancy stuff, ultimately the goal here is to show off what Charlotte's retail scene has to offer." -Creative Loafing

The 60 foot runway was in Morrison and went from Varji Varji salon all the way to Earth Fare. It was gorgeous to say the least and our models made us oh so proud!! They wore bright pops of hot pink paired with trendy black leather pants..printed skirts..rompers..fur..and scrumptious jewels! Great job gals you were stunning & we love you! Here are some backstage photos before the show!

Be sure to check out Style Night Out's website for photos taken during the show!

(How gorgeous are they!?)

Backstage Craziness!! (Welcome to the fashion world!)

Time for the big show!! Our models looked killer in thee Petal looks!!

Best team around!! We love you Jammie!!

Repost-Sunflowers and Stilettos-Styling the Bump

9:17 AM

Today’s post is featuring Petal, one of my favorite boutiques in Charlotte. They have a second location in Columbia, South Carolina but if you don’t live close to either spot, there is always the convenience of shopping on their website. The owner, Jammie and I started chatting one day about maternity clothing. She felt a lot of her customers were hesitant to purchase non-maternity items while pregnant, which was surprising to me. My feelings from the beginning have been that I’d like to buy as little maternity clothing as possible because who wants to spend a ton of money on items that will be worn for such a short duration?! I swear, as soon as the words “maternity” or “bridal” are attached to something, it instantly becomes more expensive. Obviously there are exceptions….and I’m trying my best to find affordable, cute ways to style the bump, whether it be in maternity or non-maternity clothing. I do think this generation of Mama to Be’s are fortunate enough to have so many more options than our parents did, and I’m sure with time there will be even more of a greater selection. Petal’s Charlotte location has a few racks of higher end designers that come with a pricier tag, but more than half of the store is less than $100, which is what we focused on for this collaboration.

Look One: Loose Top with Shorts

Anchor Top: $34

White Shorts: $38

Orange Necklace: $28

Wedges: $34

How cute is this top?!! I love it and will totally wear it after Baby Cittadino’s arrival. There are so many tunics and loose fitting tops out there that should work throughout the majority of your pregnancy. This material isn’t stretchy at all, so I’m not sure that I’ll be wearing this particular one when I’m in my 9th month (and in 95 degree weather), but we wanted show you ways to either utilize clothes perhaps in your closet already, or give you a little guidance when shopping in regular department stores and boutiques. Petal has a bunch of flowy tunics that would be perfect for shorts, leggings, and jeans.

I haven’t purchased maternity shorts yet, and with just 3 months to go, I’m really trying not to (but we shall see). Shorts with an elastic waist would be most ideal. This pair happened to have a side zipper, so I wore a size larger than usual and because they were low rise I was able to make it work.

Look Two: Maxi Dress

Dress: $48

Maxi dresses are probably the easiest non-maternity item to wear while pregnant. For this collaboration, I could have easily worn 10 different maxi dresses, but I think you get the point and we wanted to show more variety. Look for Maxis that have some give and stretch to the material. Having a slit may also make it easier to put on and off. I love love love the patterns and colors in this dress!

Look Three: Tank with a Skirt

White Top: $32

Maxi Skirt: $28

Scarf: $22

I love this outfit and feel like it is just as easy as throwing on a dress. Maxi skirts are great and this one especially is so soft and comfortable! This top was one of my favorite pieces in the entire store. I’m obsessed with the peek-a-boo lace along the bottom! You can pair this top with a pair of jeans and fun necklace for another easy, put together look.

Look Four: Short Dress

Dress: $48

This black and white striped dress is beyond comfortable. I will be honest and say that I don’t find this pattern to be the most flattering on me (because all I do is stare at how huge my boobs are!!!), but this style and material are great for anyone who is expecting.

Again, the goal of this partnership with Petal was to hopefully give you some ideas when styling your bump and show you that you can purchase affordable pieces that will be worn during pregnancy and afterwards. If you live near Charlotte or Columbia, be sure to stop by your local Petal boutique! They get new shipments every week and the girls who work there are great!

Thank You Jaime!! We had so much fun playing dress up with you!

XOXO,

Petal Girls

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