Stumped!

It finally got warm enough to wear this little minidress without something over it... well, at least it did in San Francisco. By the time I arrived at work in South San Francisco however, I discovered this was really the wrong outfit for the windy, foggy day. What I wouldn't give to work in the same city I live in; it would make getting dressed so much simpler.

Today I'm calling on you to help me answer a fashion question, because frankly I'm a bit stumped. The question comes from a reader who quit her corporate job and donated all her summer office clothes to charity, only to later find herself back in an office environment, 2 months pregnant, with summer rapidly approaching. She now needs advice on building a new summer wardrobe for someone who:

- works in a fairly relaxed office environment
- has a budget of about $500 - $800
- needs a little extra room to grow

This question stumps me for several reasons, the foremost being that I've never been pregnant and therefore haven't a clue when it comes to what one might wear over a growing baby bump. But also, the mild climate in San Francisco means that my summer wardrobe doesn't need to vary that drastically from my winter one (as evidenced by the failure of this overly-summery outfit). What I've come up with so far is:

- Check out E.'s pregnancy posts on Academichic; that lady had amazing style throughout her entire term, and she employed a lot of great basics that shouldn't break anyone's budget.

- Look for stretchy jersey items that are not specifically maternity clothes; that way they can be worn during the pregnancy but also afterwards as well.

- Definitely try shopping in thrift stores, since most maternity clothes should be very lightly worn. That said, most clothes I've seen that are specifically designed for maternity wear are profoundly ugly, so even at thrift stores I think I'd branch out and shop in all the sections.

- Um, that's it. Like I said, I'm stumped. Stumped, I tell you!

OK readers, it's your turn. I feel certain you'll be able to put this lovely lady on the right path to affordable, summery clothes that will grow with her and be office-friendly. She also mentioned that she's about my size, so she wouldn't require any specialized sizing other than accommodating the baby. Let's hear it!

Today's outfit:
Dress: thrifted
Scarf: shop in San Luis Obispo
Pants: La Redoute
Shoes: gift from Jess