STYLE ICON: Thank you, Joan Holloway

It really wouldn't matter if I lived on arugula and broiled chicken, I am just not the waif-ish type.  I am much more Sophia Loren, and much less Audrey Hepburn- in spite of my Sabrina fantasies.  This should be an asset- Sophia Loren could reduce men to puddles simply by walking by, but it also means that in 2011 I often feel frumpy more than voluptuous.  Frankly, there is a shortage of "regular" sized women to look to for fashion inspiration.  That is where Christina Hendricks comes in, excuse me- I'm sure she sashays in- bringing with her the figure flattering style that made the hourglass figure enviable.

Baggy shirts be damned- this is how you dress!  Ample bosom, roundly feminine belly and full rear- all highlight- each one a "best feature" maximized.  This is how a woman looks. 

Here is my challenge: how to pull this off in maternity wear?   I'm fairly sure we won't see Joan Holloway in maternity clothes because the same era that brought us the body conscious look above also said pregnant women had to wear housecoats.  But I don't want to relegate my self to six months of sweat pants and my husbands shirts.  Lucky for me, stylish maternity wear is become more available... you still have to wade through oversized shirts and elastic waistbands but companies like Motherhood Maternity are letting women (even the dangerously curvy ones) make pregnancy look downright sexy.  Check out this pencil skirt and blouse- perfect to show of the legs (which might not gain weight) and the bigger better cleavage.