Congratulations Marci! Please email me with your dress size and address! And thank you to everyone who participated in this giveaway! And a HUGE thanks to Shabby Apple for being so generous!
About a year ago a friend of mine told me about Shabby Apple… and oh my goodness I was in DRESS HEAVEN! By a mile, Shabby apple has the BEST selection of stylish, modest dresses! I cannot tell you how excited I am that we are hosting a SHABBY APPLE Dress Giveaway!
One lucky winner will get to choose one of the following four dresses to add to their wardrobe!
Anchors Away, Barefoot in the Park, Tuxedo 3, 90 Words Per Minute
Here are the Rules:
Check out all of the Women’s Dresses on Shabby Apple and leave us a comment telling us:
1.) Your very favorite Shabby Apple dress
2.) Which of the four dresses listed that you would like to win
*All comments must be received by midnight on Wednesday*
The winner will be announced on Thursday!
Good Luck!
So the dress on the left is absolutely perfect… I need it. And when I say need it… this time, I mean it! It is a modest version of the Anthropologie dress on the right that was out last summer. (pictured in this post, second outfit down) And I wanted that dress, but not only was it $178.00, it was also sleeveless, so I would have had to buy a cardigan as well. So yes, this dress is $88.00… but that’s like over $100.00 savings compared to the Anthropologie dress. (haha my husband laughs when I consider buying this dress and tell him that I’m really saving money…)
At Shabby Apple for $88.00
Can I just say that these are some of the cutest baby dresses I have seen? I want them ALL for my little Jane! I know Shabby Apple makes teen dresses, but I guess I didn’t know about this cuteness for babies!
I think this dress is awesome, and I want it because it looks like something that would be awesome in the work place, as well as at church! Also… it looks like Shabby Apple is having a 20% off sale! Just enter Winter20off at checkout. Sweet!
At Shabby Apple for $94.00
I officially added this to my christmas list. I love it, especially with those rainboots!!!
Find it at Shabby Apple for $68.00.
I have been seeing this style of dress all over the place. The only problem is, all of them that I have seen are sleeveless. (I actually bought a sleeveless one from Nordstrom. I wear a button up underneath or a cardigan over.) This is perfect because it has SLEEVES! Yay! I love it. Isn’t it adorable????
Find it at Shabby Apple for $98.00.
Okay, so I think this dress is super cute… but I think it would look even ’super cuter’ (hehe) if someone who was 4 or 5 months pregnant was wearing it. It is made out of stretch cotton so it would hug your little baby so perfectly! Call me crazy… but I think that would be CUTE!
At Shabby Apple for $72.00
Ohh I love this dress. It’s kinda spendy (for me at least) but it may be worth it.
Find it at Shabby Apple for $108.00.
Our reader Kristen S. from CA wrote:
I love your website – thank you so much for doing such a fantastic thing.
I am due with baby #2 in a few weeks – or basically any time now. I plan on nursing this baby and need to find tops, and dresses that will work easily for that, even comfortable bottoms that can shrink with me (I hope the shrinking part does come eventually). I am fairly average/petite at 5′5 – and my pre-pregnancy size was a small to medium or 4/6 – but, with this ever changing bust and hips, you never know!
I especially need things to wear to church and other dress nicer events. Baby #1 is only 13 months old so washes well and comfortable for lots of running around is a must.
Thank you so much,
Kristen S.
California
Hi Kristen! SO. I totally know what you mean! I am currently a nursing mother and let me tell you. I hate having things in my wardrobe that I know I can’t wear right now… unless I want to wear it for a total of about 2-3 hours… lame. So I put together these outfits for you. I’m not sure how well these items wash, however, with the exception of the Shabby Apple dresses, everything is under $25.00, so it wouldn’t be the end of the world if you got a stain on them. Button down blouses are the best way to nurse, and dress up an outfit from the regular t-shirt and jeans. And, just because you are nursing doesn’t mean you can’t wear a dress! You just have to find one that buttons down in front. And the two I put up from Shabby Apple are just darling! Also… all three blouses are great for hiding the after baby tummy… and the high waisted skirts can go with all of them (to view the two I put skirts with click on the links below…) and will also help with tummy coverage.(oh yeah, and all the blouses would also look cute with a pair of jeans… even cut off shorts would look cute!) Oh, and Bella Bands are awesome for allowing your jeans to grow and shrink with you! Enjoy and have fun with your little ones! -Natalie
Pleated Tie Blouse at Charlotte Russe for $19.99
Ruched Pencil Skirt at Charlotte Russe for $22.99, 23.5 inches long
Pleated Ruffle Blouse at Charlotte Russe for $19.99
Button Tab Blouse at Charlotte Russe for $19.99
Dotted Swing Skirt at Forever 21 for $19.80, 20 inches long
Madison Ave dress from Shabby Apple for $78.00
Jackie O dress from Shabby Apple for $89.99
Hi there-
I love your ensembles and am looking for “Back to School” attire for ME as I am a teacher. I teach 10 year olds, so I don’t need crawl-on-the-floor friendly pieces. I find a lot of appropriate dresses and skirts, but have a hard time completing my looks with pants. I can wear denim trousers or jeans once a week, but need some cute alternatives. Also, comfy but fashionable shoes are a must. I’m on my feet all day. I don’t want to look like a “teacher” or like a college kid. I just want to look fabulous-please help!
Natalie’s Outfit (for Natalie…):
Alright Natalie, I have a lot of stuff for you here! All of the tanks are meant to go under the cardigans below. I wanted to put a white tank on there… but it wouldn’t show up so that is where the peach tank comes in. (Imagine it white) I love mixing cardigans with tanks because it allows you to use more colors. Also I love when shoes can add a pop of color to your outfit. Those red shoes are awesome and would look good with ANY of those cardigans. I am also showing you three pairs of slacks. None of which are jeans (obviously) but I think throwing a nice pair of slacks into the mix is nice too. However, any of these tops will pair great with trouser jeans.
Stretch Wool Bootcut Pants at Calvin Klein on sale for $49.00
Wide Waistband Pants at Calvin Klein on sale for $34.00
Classiques Entier® ‘Phantom Mélange’ Pants at Nordstrom on sale for $99.90
Classiques Entier® ‘Bella Lana’ Open Front Cardigan at Nordstrom on sale for $89.90
Susina® Raised Seam Cardigan (Juniors) at Nordstrom on sale for $28.90
Plenty by Tracy Reese Appliqué Cardigan at Nordstrom for $174.00
Toni Crochet Yoke Tank at Delias on sale for $22.50
Scattered Petals Tank at JCrew for $88.00
Textured Ruffle Blouse from Charlotte Russe now on sale for $8.99!
Tama from Steve Madden for $69.95
Me Too ‘Limit’ Ruffle Ballet Flat at Nordstrom on sale for $59.90
Jessica Simpson ‘Edison’ Flat at Nordstrom for $68.95
Emily’s outfits for Natalie: 
Hi Natalie! I’ve worked as a reading teacher at an elementary school before, so I know a little bit about how it is to wake up and have about 30 minutes to get yourself pulled together for a day on your feet. Comfort is KEY! My best advice is to buy the most comfortable slacks you can find (which for me are usually wide leg trousers), easy tops that you won’t have to fuss with, simple skirts, and comfortable dresses. I would keep your clothes in simple colors so you can mix and match tops with your skirts and slacks, but use accessories to liven up your outfits. Jewelry at Forever 21 or Charlotte Russe is so inexpensive and right on trend. And, of course, a belt and/or a scarf is always a simple way to add interest and style. Lastly, the shoes that I picked for you are both Born shoes. I bought my first pair of red Born Mary-Jane flats in 2002 and then just replaced them with a new pair a few months ago. I’d say seven years of wearing them everywhere is getting my money’s worth! They are so comfortable and you’ll find yourself wearing them all the time. I wear my red flats with everything! And I would definitely invest in the boots for the days when you want to wear a skirt but you don’t want to shave your legs. For that purpose alone, I’d say they’re worth it. Have a great school year! clockwise from top left:
Khakis, Old Navy, $12.99-19.00 (a simple pair of slacks in tons of fun colors)
Trousers, Anthropologie, $118.00 (click the link to see the back of these super-cute trousers. I love them!)
Pencil Skirt, Banana Republic, $59.50
Denim Pencil Skirt, Gap, $54.50
Red Dress, Shabby Apple, $62.00
Gray Jersey Dress, Old Navy, $24.50
Faux-Wrap Dress, Shabby Apple, $55.00
Pintuck Collared Dress, Shabby Apple, $78.00
Patterned Scarf, Fossil, $17.99
Fashion Belts (in red or gold), Old Navy, $14.50
Chiffon Blouse, Forever 21, $11.50
Ruffled Top, Forever 21, $17.80
Red Mary-Janes, Zappos, $98.95
Black Boots, Born, $170.00
Ashley’s Outfit:
Everything on here can be mixed and matched! The tops can be worn alone or with the belt, or better yet with the cardigan and the belt! The Chandelier earrings and ring will coordinate well with everything. Chandelier earrings are great because they instantly dress up any outfit, and they add a lot of style! Have fun shopping!!!
Love, Ashley
Banded Cardigan at Mod Bod for $38.95.
Pencil Skirt at Mod Bod for $44.95.
Colored Denim Pencil Skirt at Gap for $54.50.
215 Martin Classic Grey Trouser Pant at Banana Republic for $98.00.
Dahlia Floral Chiffon Top at Forever 21 for $17.80.
Solid Ruffle Top on sale at Aeropostale for $19.99.
AK Ann Klein Flats on sale at Piperlime for $69.99.
BCBGIRLS Flats at Piperlime for $79.00
Stud Quad Braid Wide Belt at Forever 21 for $8.80.
Wrapped Faux Pearl Ring at Forever 21 for $4.80.
Filigree Chandelier Earrings at Charlotte Russe for $4.00. (Free Shipping!)
Oh, Amanda. You came to the right place. I know exactly what you’re talking about. I have a 2 year old son and twin baby boys, and my stomach looks quite like a waterbed (too gross?), and Natalie and I share your frustration of a big chest that gets even bigger when nursing.
So, I have some cute options for you, but first some advice. With my older son, he was about 8 or 9 months old before I one day decided to pump on Saturday so that I could have a bottle to bring to church on Sunday. I don’t want to oversell this…but, it changed my life. Prior to that, I would spend half of my time at church in the mother’s lounge and every week I would have to wear a top and a skirt even though I had cute dresses that I was dying to wear. New mom-ness isn’t very glamorous sometimes, especially when you’re nursing and your boobs are ginormous. It made a big difference for me to have Sunday as my day. My day to wear a cute dress and squeeze close to my husband, enjoy our sweet little baby, and actually be able to worship at church. Plus, it gives your husband a chance to feed and snuggle baby, or you could share the wealth of cute baby-ness and let a sweet lady in your church have a turn at feeding baby. Totally just my opinion and experience, but see if it works for you. It made all the difference for me.
And now, to the clothes!
Here’s the thing about a big chest, it’s extra difficult to be modest and appropriate because even when you aren’t trying to, a well-endowed lady can look she’s trying to put her chest on display. Isn’t that frustrating? One of my favorite solutions for that is a slim tee (I love DownEast’s Wonder Tee!) or camisole underneath dresses or tops that would show too much cleavage. Another favorite trick is wearing a belt. Oh, how I love belts. It holds in all of my waterbed tummy-ness and gives me more of a structure.
I have a lot of cute dress options for you, as well as cute tops to pair with skirts for church or with jeans for everyday. Old Navy has a cute pencil skirt and flowy skirt, as well. Good basics.
New moms don’t have a lot of opportunities to dress up and feel fabulous, so make Sunday your day! I hope this helps, and congratulations on your sweet new baby!
Love, Emily
1. Leatherock Covered Buckle Belt, Nordstrom, $31.90 (comes in a few colors, available in XL, I love this belt! Wouldn’t it be so cute in the teal and purple, too?)
2. Patent Leather Belt, Nordstrom, $23.90 (it’s on sale, so not all sizes seem to be available anymore, but the look of the sweater with the belt on top is perfect for those of us with squishy tummy business.)
3. Open Front SS Top, Forever 21, $17.80 (this is a must-buy! Light enough for summer, and just floats over the tummy area. Plus, looks great wrapped around with a belt on top. Do I talk too much about belts? Have I told you that I love them?)
4. Box Pleat Skirt, Nordstrom, $33.90 (a great price on a smart looking skirt. I love the pleats, and this would look great with #6, #10, #8…well, just about anything.)
5. Sheer Frill Neck Top, Forever 21, $19.80 (I love how the frill de-emphasizes the chest and the tummy. And it’s lovely.)
6. Belted Snap Button Shirt, Forever 21, $19.80 (I love this shirt to a million. Get it in both colors, you’ll be glad to have them.)
7. Janine Woven Top, Forever 21, $15.80 (the gathers at the chest will help to make sure the buttons don’t gape open. Don’t you hate that!?)
8. Two Pocket Grid Shirt, Forever 21, $15.80 (so summery and cute. Plus, come fall time, this would look great under a sweater and with some trousers. Bonus.)
9. Floral Printed Sheer Top, Forever 21, $19.80 (would look perfect with either of the Old Navy skirts I mentioned above, or with jeans and heels for a date out with the husband)
10. Dolman Sweater Knit Top, Forever 21, $24.80 (I love Dolman sleeves. Like, LOVE them. Can I marry them? Buy the jade one and wear it with the pleated skirt (#4). Lovely. Oh, and I love how the banded bottom on the top kind of holds it all in.)
11. Border Print Dress, Nordstrom, $148.00 (I love how the border on the sleeves and hem keep your eye moving. It’s like you don’t even notice she has a tummy. This one may need a camisole.)
12. Faux-Wrap Dress, Nordstrom, $98.00 (these Nordstrom dresses get a bit pricey, but you’ll love the wrap dresses. I went to a wedding when the twins were 2 months old, and my black wrap dress saved me.)
13. Silk Chiffon Dress, Nordstrom, $178.00 (Okay, so this is expensive and dry-clean only…not very practical for new moms. But it’s sure cute.)
14. Faux-Wrap Dress 2, Nordstrom, $108 (Another option. I love options. These wrap dresses probably need a wonder tee or a camisole.)
15. Jersey Dress, Nordstrom, $98.00 (This dress is perfection. The neckline isn’t too low, and the buckle detail makes a nice shape. Definitely get this one, it’s a workhorse of a dress but put some fun accessories with it and it can be a show horse, too!)
16. Lincoln Center Dress, Shabby Apple, $76.00 (made in a substantial canvas sateen, it’ll keep squishy areas on their best behavior. Don’t you love that Shabby Apple has Plus-size, too?)
17. Broadway Dress, Shabby Apple, $74.00 (cotton poplin with a little bit of stretch, plus it has pockets! I love dresses with pockets. Perfect for some chapstick, gum, and a pacifier.)
18. Red Knit Dress, Shabby Apple, $62.00 (this is now on my wish-list. I love the color, the wrap at the top, and…imagine it with a belt!)
Whew. I sure talk (uh…type…) a lot.
What do you ladies think? Do you have any suggestions for Amanda, and for all of the rest of us with big chest issues or a little squish in the tummy? Plus, any new mom style advice?
Great for all sizes! Available in XS-WL.
At Shabby Apple for $62.00, no length provided.
Available in XXS-WL. Love the size range. Beautiful for everyone!
At Shabby Apple for $78.00, length not provided.
This dress is trendy and oh-so stinkin’ cute. The only problem is, it is only 34 1/2 inches long. That’s just a few inches shorter then I’d like! That’s where Vintage Hem, and Shabby Apple come in. Check out their slips! Not only do they add extra length to your dresses and skirts (obviously) but they also add some extra girlyness to your look. (Love that!)
I think this black slip from Shabby Apple would look great with the Plaid Party dress!
Find the dress at Alloy for $44.90, and the slip at Shabby Apple for $32.00.
This dress is available in sizes S-XXXL!
