By Gretta Monahan
Now that I’m on the verge of giving birth to my second child, I’m indulging in one of life’s greatest joys: nesting at home with my loves — my husband, Ricky, and son, Kai. But expecting is a busy time, too. After all, there’s a lot of stuff to buy to make sure we’re as ready as possible for baby No. two.
Last week I shared some of the new and innovative gear that I’m getting and recommend for any new mom. And this week I’m going to dive into a few classic products I can’t live without — including some things for me.
I should start by saying that this time around, I’m much more conscious and selective about where I spend my dollars, so I’m focusing far more on buying high-quality basics, as well as items that give back by donating a portion of sales to those who need it most.
Along those lines, the brand of baby clothes called 12/12 (1212getgive.com) is a no-brainer. It was started by my fashion industry friend Amy Mulada (she was previously a star at Helmut Lang), also a fellow mom. I love her line’s adorable designs in all-organic, chemical-free pima cotton, and I also love that the company donates items to Baby2Baby, which provides clothes to kids and families in need.
One classic I won’t be able to live without — the tried and true Bugaboo stroller. With the constantly growing string of status strollers out there, I’m happy to go back to this original. It’s beyond sturdy and unassailably safe — and best of all, it can go almost anywhere I need it to, whether I’m on the city streets or out in the country on vacation. Not to mention, its super-cool design means I always look pulled together pushing it, even when I’m frazzled.
And speaking of looking pulled together, there’s the issue of my own wardrobe over these last few months. Because life doesn’t slow down no matter how close to my due date I get (and I’m almost there!), I’m still doing my best to rock the bump with as much style as possible. This time around I issued a self-challenge to ban all maternity clothes from my wardrobe, and incredibly, that ban is still in effect.
One dress I’ve relied on again and again is an Adam Lippes dress that’s a few seasons old that came from my boutique, Gretta Luxe. (I can’t lie: It took more than a little negotiation to shimmy into it.)
Then there was the time I had to figure out what to wear for work on “The View” and landed on a Peter Pilotto dress (check out the pic of me backstage at ABC Studios, getting ready for work with Whoopi and the gang). And for my baby shower, thrown by my BFF Katie Lee in NYC, I opted for a Squash Blossom Vintage dress — technically not maternity wear either. Which means that I won’t need to say goodbye to these favorites even long after my bump has disappeared.
