I’m starting a new series on 365 Days of Fashion Advice for Moms. I’m looking to YOU for some of your style/fashion tips that work for you and make you feel and look good. Special thanks to Danielle for being my first fashion profiler! I chose Danielle because I have admired her maternity fashion style since BlogHer.

Fashion Profile – Blogger Style
Danielle Friedland

Danielle Friedland, a lifelong New Yorker, now lives in Maplewood, NJ with her husband Josh, a food blogger (www.thefoodsection.com), 4 year old daughter Anya and is expecting a son any day now! She’s the founder of the wildly popular Celebrity Baby Blog, a blog devoted to celebrity pregnancies and celebrity babies, which was purchased by People.com in 2008. Danielle recently left People.com and works as a social media strategist and consultant. Follow her on Twitter at @that_danielle and check out her blog at daniellefriedland.com.

How far along are you?
38 weeks

How would you describe your maternity style?
I like to show off my belly when I’m pregnant so I’m all about clingy tops and fitted jeans.

What’s an average-day look for you?
Clingy top, preferably with ruching, jeans or knit skirt with athletic mary janes. When I want to dress it up a bit, I wear boots. When I need an extra layer of warmth, I throw on a cardigan – as long as you don’t zip it or button it closed, your pre-pregnancy cardigans will work.

What are your 5 MUST-HAVES for maternity?
1. Clingy ruched knit tops – I bought 5-6 short sleeve tops from Pea in the Pod in the early 2nd trimester and have been wearing them even into the fall with my pre-pregnancy cardigans.
2. Fabulous splurge jeans from Paige Premium Denim – at least 2 pairs since they’re such an integral part of our wardrobe! (Keep in mind Paige recommends getting 1-2 sizes larger depending on which trimester you’re in since they run a little tight/small.)
3. Ingrid & Isabel Bella Band – they let you wear non-maternity knit tops into at least the early 3rd trimester and then beyond as you whittle back down to your pre-pregnancy weight (you’ll get there eventually!).
4. One cocktail or party dress – you’re going to have to dress up at least once. It doesn’t have to be a fancy but a dark color always looks more formal. I have Mayreau cowl-neck dresses in both colors from 1 in the Oven that I’ve worn to a number of occasions. Mayreau Cowl Neck Dress. (See Danielle’s photo above!)
5. New bras – your boobs will generally get a lot larger, almost immediately, so get measured at a bra store or department store like Nordstrom’s buy 2-4 new bras in your first trimester or you’ll get that lovely back-fat, double-boob look. As they always say, if you don’t have good foundation garments, everything else just doesn’t fall into place.

What pregnant celebs do you think just look fabulously-chic?
I thought Sarah Michelle Gellar and her Buffy alum looked gorgeous no matter what they wore. Gwen Stefani has got it going on but she also has an insane wardrobe budget.

What’s your best maternity style secret?
Work that belly – it’s your best feature right now. Everything else looks smaller in comparison.

Thanks, Danielle!