mall of America

Much as I love cute little dresses and skirts, there are times when I just want the romanticism and elegance of a maxi. Or I need to cover up some biking-inflicted unsightly leg bruises. Whichever.

Ann Taylor’s Silk Habotai Maxi Skirt ($148) is gorgeous in crinkled silk and versatile white, great for pairing with a tank and sandals.

I love the flattering fold-over waistband and beautiful print on this Willow & Clay print skirt (Nordstrom, $98). I also love that it’s made in the USA and has extra panels (for extra swishiness).

This Tommy Hilfiger maxi dress with braided straps (Macy’s, $89.50) has a pretty pattern that’s perfect for an informal wedding or a night on the patio with friends.

If you’re like me and think the “go-to” baby book option is “What to Expect When You’re Expecting,” you now have another option that may be even better!  Mayo Clinic has come out with a new “Guide to a Healthy Pregnancy,”* and I am finding the book extremely helpful.

I am almost seven months pregnant with my first baby, and when my husband and I first found out we were expecting, everyone told us to pick up a copy of “What to Expect When You’re Expecting.”  I listened and read the book cover to cover.  The book has a lot of great information for expecting moms, but Mayo Clinic’s “Guide to a Healthy Pregnancy” seems a little bit more up-do-date.  It also includes photos, which is a big plus!

One thing that immediately stood out for me in this book, is that it highlights a woman’s 10 months of pregnancy, instead of the 9 months people normally talk about.  I’ll admit that before I became pregnant, I had no idea a woman was actually pregnant for 10 months!  Like “What to Expect While You’re Expecting,” Mayo’s new book gives expecting women a detailed weekly description of what to expect.  It also goes into detail and gives useful information about sleep positions, diet, exercise, and other things expecting moms should be thinking about.  There’s also a great section on all the testing moms-to-be should consider, what to expect during labor, and what to do when your baby arrives.

This book really is an all-in-one guide for new moms-to-be!  I love the color photos of exercises and baby development.  I also find myself going to the “symptoms” section, to make sure that everything I am thinking and feeling during my pregnancy is normal.  After reading through the book, I feel so prepared to welcome our baby girl into the world!  We’re still signed up to take a childbirth class beginning in June, but having this book at my fingertips puts my pregnant mind at ease!

*Mayo Clinic will be hosting an event to launch the book at Mall of America on Sunday, May 22 from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. in Nordstrom Court. For more details on the event click here. 

Melissa Saigh

TWIN CITIES LIVE

Founder of “Minnesota Baby”

Follow Minnesota Baby on http://twitter.com/mnbaby

Hi dear readers, I’m trying out a little something different this month. I’ve been working on building my spring/summer wardrobe since swimsuits and wedges hit the shelves in late January, and I’ve barely had a chance to wear any of my favorite new finds, thanks to this lovely weather we’ve been having.  Since my co-workers and girlfriends haven’t gotten to check out at any of my spring looks, I decided to give you guys a sneak peek. The following are items I’ve either recently purchased or am totally lusting after – most of them are on-trend pieces I would consider an outfit-maker and they can be mixed and matched with the classic stuff you already own for a super easy update. All for $100 or less!

Hat: Charlotte Russe, $12.50

Sunglasses: Forever 21, $5.80

Wedges: Gap, $59.95

Necklace: Old Navy, $14.50

Vest: American Eagle, $39.95

Blazer: Fossil, $88

Dress: H&M, $29.95

Last Spring I wrote this post about wanting to wear open toe shoes even though it was technically closed toe weather. Well they tell me it’s Spring again (even though where I come from there’s not snow on the ground in April!) and I’ve got my eye on several pairs of open-toe booties. And even though most days the outside temperature barely surpasses fifty degrees (maybe sixty if we’re lucky. Maybe.), I’m vowing to wear them anyway. So please allow me to step up onto my soapbox and hereby declare that I will freeze my bootie off in the name of fashion. What girl wouldn’t?

So here are the booties I am salivating over and will wear come rain, sleet, snow or high water. Okay maybe not high water. Or snow. (All found at my favorite MOA store, Bloomingdales):

Calvin Klein “Patrish” Cut-Out Booties

The nude color (big this Spring) of the booties will really elongate the legs and hopefully detract from the goosebumps I’ll have running down them!

Michael Kors MK Booties

Sexy, sassy and stylish. With these three S’s, who needs to be warm!

*So excited Michael Kors has a store opening in MOA Fall 2011!

Boutique 9 “Leilana” Wedge Booties

This bootie (also in nude) is incredibly versatile and will make the perfect transition into Summer (which can’t come soon enough as far as I’m concerned!).

I was vacationing in Paris last month, and between eating way more croissants than a human should be able to, I was swooning over the Parisian girls’ spring outfits. Club Monaco and DSW have some pieces that will give your wardrobe a little je ne sais quoi without the steep airfare and jet lag.

1. SM Women’s Oxford Flats ($49.95, DSW) – It seems like every girl I saw in France was rocking a pair of oxford flats, which work equally well with a dress or skinny jeans.

2. Pamera Skirt ($129, Club Monaco) – Pleats! I dare you not to spin around in this.

3. Cory Striped Sweater ($89.50, Club Monaco) – Featherweight and layering-friendly.

4. Kelly Scarves ($39, Club Monaco) – Scarves seem to be the crowning touch on any French outfit. These silk ones are beautifully patterned.

Au revoir and happy shopping!

Spring is just around the corner (I swear!) and J. Crew will help you slog through these final days of winter with affordable and bright pops of color for your work wardrobe. These sorbet and neon splashes work beautifully with neutrals like khaki and gray, but go bold and mix and match if you dare.

No. 2 pencil skirt in citron $98
Cece leather ballet flats $128
Vintage cotton v-neck tee in island aqua $29.50
Dorrie skirt in modern red $75

I don’t know about you, but I totally adore this spring’s nautical trend – I’ve recently added an embarrassing number of striped tops to my wardrobe and I’m constantly dreaming of crisp, preppy-inspired outfits I might wear on a yacht somewhere far, far away from here. While spring hasn’t officially sprung, this month’s outfit packs an inspirational pop of warm color and, of course, a burst of stripes.  Add these flirty floral tights and a sassy pair of shoes, and this look might just be fun enough to carry us through the month notorious for coming in like a lion and going out like a lamb – all for less than $100.

J. Crew top: $24.99

J. Crew skirt: $39.99

Forever 21 Tights: $6.80

Payless: $26.99

Total: $98.77

I currently wear a lot of hats.  I am a public relations student at the University of Minnesota and earn a pay check at  H&M at Mall of America. I also fill the roll of public relations intern at the Minnesota Opera. There, I write press releases, work with the media and execute events, such as the cast party for the Opera’s recent production of Mary Stuart.

I am among a growing body of 20-somethings; dedicated to my non-paid internship, yet still striving to maintain the appearance of someone on payroll.

For the premiere, I celebrated my Scottish heritage (Watson clan)  and commissioned my friend Jared Zachary, a manager at Puma who started his own business called Freedom From Doubt, to make me a bow tie from my tartan and a matching pocket square.

I have always been opposed to renting a tux; for the same price you can buy something suitable that looks equally formal. This mentality originates from my high school prom, which is when I bought the black, velvet Calvin Klein blazer that I sported to the opera – the perfect piece on a cold, January night.

 +   H&M is great for what I call “fillers.” For about $10, original price, I bought a black velvet vest that perfectly matched my blazer and kept the look professional when I needed to take off the blazer while setting up the cast party

 +   To complete the look, I wore a button from Club Monaco, the perfect place for timeless staples with quality that lasts for years. Having also been an employee there, I know where deals hide. Ask the staff where to find the cheap button downs and remember that with a student id you get 20 percent off – completely worth checking out!

 +   To add the final touch, and break up the total black, I bought a pair of purple Calvin Klein socks from Marshall’s. Along with Nordstrom Rack, they are another example of the ideal places to fill in the gaps in everyday outfits that can give a certain confidence that is worth more than anything in the mall you can find with a price tag.

With these MOA tips, any intern should be able to dress the part at a premiere while still having mercy on that credit card, mercy that Elizabeth so lacked when signing her cousin’s death warrant at Mary Stuart.

Oscar Blandi Pronto Invisible Volumizing Dry Shampoo Spray
There are so many reasons I love this product (not including its incredibly long name), I’m just going to list them:

(1) It saves you time when traveling. You can skip a day of shampooing and then blow-drying your hair with those terrible dinky hotel blow-driers.
(2) The small size is TSA-approved for your carry-on.
(3) It goes on clear, so there’s no residue.
(4) It degreases your roots without drying out your hair.
And most importantly,
(5) It smells like lemons.

$11-23 at Sephora

Does the recent stretch of warmer weather have you thinking spring? I’ll admit that the brilliant sunshine and slushy sidewalks have me craving the flowery touches and bright colors that inevitably come with spring fashion. While it might be a bit early to bust out the wedges and bathing suits, I’ve got a look that will carry you through these last few painful weeks of winter and into the warmer months – all for $100 or less. This floral dress, on sale at Urban Outfitters, packs a punch of flirty floral without being over-the-top spring-y. Pair it with these adorable patent heels (add tights on the days that are still chilly) and add this unexpectedly chic olive green blazer for the perfect in-between-seasons look. The best part is that all of these pieces are basic enough to mix and match with the rest of your wardrobe.

1. Blazer, Old Navy – $34.50
2. Floral Dress, Urban Outfitters – $29.99
3. Shoes, Forever 21–$26.80

Total: $91.29