(All Photos: All About Ami)
Stephanie Lau from All About Ami doesn't just crochet cute amigurumi animals. She's also a very fashionable new mom to six month old Myla. I became friends with this Canadian beauty a few years ago when I was an editor at CRAFT and she did her first published pattern, this crochet spring bunny. I have been loving her recent blog post on her nursing fashion tips so I decided to do an interview with Stephanie on how she stays so stylish and fashionable as a new mom.
How would you describe your fashion style?
I would describe my fashion style as classic and feminine. I love wearing dresses and romantic pieces such as delicate crocheted shawls and items with ruffles and lace. With that being said, comfort is also key for me, and I enjoy layering different pieces together (such as my chambray tops and oversized sweaters), which is key to surviving the Canadian winter! I also love accessorizing as I feel that accessories really help pull an outfit together. I'll usually sport my stud earrings, a necklace and a stack of bracelets when going out! I loved accessorizing from a young age as I have pictures of myself as a toddler wearing chunky beaded necklaces and bracelets with little clips in my hair!
The first few months post-pregnancy is probably the most fashion challenging for a new mom. What was your solution to looking great?
I remember my "What to Bring to the Hospital" pamphlet stated to bring a going-home outfit that would fit you when you were 5 months pregnant… And so, I knew to expect to continue to look somewhat pregnant for a little while even after the baby was delivered! I definitely did not fit into my pre-pregnancy jeans and most of my bottoms, so I continued to wear what I wore when I was pregnant (flawy tops and leggings)! This turned out to be a little more challenging as well since I was also nursing. Now all of my outfits had to be breast-feeding friendly, particularly since newborns feed so frequently! I layered pretty cardigans, oversized sweaters and blazers over my nursing tank tops to continue looking stylish post-pregnancy!
What 3 pieces of clothing could you not live without?
I could not live without my jeans, my leggings and my little black dress.
When you were pregnant, what maternity pieces did you live in?
When I was pregnant, I lived in my leggings, long tunics, maternity jeans and maxi dresses. I continued to accessorize a lot and I also belted my outfits to help give some definition and to make them look more polished. I had a lot of fun trying to figure out how to style my ever-growing baby bump!
What are some of Myla's favorite things?
Myla absolutely loves her pink bouncer- she enjoys sitting in it and taking in her surroundings. She likes it even more than her swing or any other baby item! She also has a little ribbon tug blanket that she loves playing with: this minky blanket has ribbons of varying textures along the edges that she enjoys feeling and tugging! Myla loves it when I sing songs and read books to her as well. She especially likes books that have songs associated with them, such as "Five Little Monkeys" and "Ten in the Bed"- it's really cute because she vocalizes along when I read and sing to her!
You are also a very crafty mom. How does crafting/crochet play into your life as a working mom?
I am currently on maternity leave, and I am really enjoying my time with Myla. Everyday we have story time, song time and floor time. Myla is so inquisitive and curious. She enjoys watching me do everything, from washing the dishes, preparing meals, to doing my hair! It's definitely been more challenging finding time to craft, crochet and finish projects, but thankfully Myla actually enjoys watching me crochet. I think she likes seeing the yarn and crochet hook moving so quickly! However, I do most of my crafting when she is napping or at night when she is sleeping. I continue to enjoy crocheting items for Myla and designing new projects. Crocheting is so therapeutic for me, and the blog motivates me to keep being creative and working on new projects!
Visit Stephanie's blog All About Ami. You can also see her previous post on her maternity fashion.