Liz Lange Talks Pregnancy & Postpartum Fashion, Go-To Meals, Travel Tips & More! by Elisa Schmitz

I’ve been a fan of fashion icon Liz Lange since my early mom days. She and I started our mom businesses around the same time: iParenting in 1996 and Liz Lange Maternity in 1997. We both had babies in 1998; she had her son, Gus, and I had my twin daughters, Cassie and Jules. She had her daughter, Alice, two years later (I had my son, CJ, in 1996). We both sold our businesses in 2007, and now we both have new businesses. Liz recently created a non-maternity line of women’s clothing, Completely Me by Liz Lange. Along with her sister, she recently launched a daily shopping site, Shopafrolic.

Liz is working on a book about being an entrepreneur, speaking around the country to business owners and working on new lines for Liz Lange for Target (stay tuned for Liz Lange baby bags at Target this spring). With all Liz has going on, it was such a treat to re-connect and get her tips for on-the-go moms!

EA: OK Liz, you’re a fashion superstar, but the rest of us aren’t! Give us a few tips for looking great during pregnancy.

LL: Keep it fitted! Oversized items just make you look, well, oversized. Fitted items will show off where you have some new curves and where you don’t – and will show the world that you are pregnant!

When in doubt, dip yourself in one color! It can be black, but brown, navy and this season’s hot color, charcoal, all work. This creates an unbroken line and makes you look slimmer.

Show some skin! Whether it’s cleavage for a holiday party or a skirt/dress at an at-the-knee/above-the-knee length is always cute. It’s nice to not always be so covered up.

EA: So we looked cute during pregnancy thanks to you, but now we’ve had the baby. Give us a couple of tips for looking great postpartum when nothing seems to fit!

LL: Wear a looser, longer top (think tunic) with a more fitted bottom. It will hide your still-big mid-section but give you some definition in your legs.

Wrap dresses are inherently adjustable and will emphasize an area perhaps just above your waist that is slimmer.

Trench coats do the same and can be cinched and worn over just about anything.

The old adage 9 months on/9 months off is kinda true (or in my case more like 3 years off!), so don’t be afraid to stay in your maternity clothing post-baby. I lived in mine (and yes, I am biased) but they are stretchy and they work!

EA: And oh-so comfortable! OK, we’re all busy moms, but we still want to look great on the go. What are your best tips for looking great, quick?

LL: Dresses, dresses, dresses! I have about two minutes for myself in the morning but I can slip on a dress and I feel ready for anything – plus it’s one-stop getting dressed. Cute with ballet flats, sandals, flip-flops, boots or heels, depending on where you live, what your lifestyle is.

A little tinted moisturizer goes a long way. I always feel better when I am glowier. I rub this on my face instead of regular moisturizer daily.

EA: I agree – dresses and boots are my go-to look (I even wrote a 30Second Mom tip about this)! So, budgets may be tight, but we love a good deal on a great look. How can we find fashion for less?

LL: I live for Topshop, H&M, Forever 21, Target, JoeFresh and Madewell. And on weekends, J Crew Factory outlet online sales. They all have adorable fashion for less. And of course I sign up for all my favorite sites so that I am first to know about sales. Sign up for my shopping e-newsletter Shopafrolic.com, where I highlight great items daily.

EA: I’m all signed up and loving it! We’re busy moms, but we want to spend quality time with our children. What’s your favorite thing to do with your kids?

LL: My kids (Gus, 13, and Alice, 11) are getting older, but I still love to cook and bake with them. When we’re all tired, even just renting a movie together or watching a favorite TV show like “X Factor” works. With my daughter, it’s easy to incorporate time together with errands I need to get done anyway, like mani/pedis.

EA: Sounds like fun! Do you have any go-to meals that you serve your family?

LL: Lately I am in love with my Crock Pot slow cooker! So easy to throw ingredients into it in the morning and have a yummy dinner at night. We all love pot roast, pulled pork and ribs made in the slow cooker.

EA: Yummy and easy! Well, it’s hard to believe the holidays are upon us – any quick family travel tips or destinations?

LL: We go to Palm Beach every Christmas and we all love it. I have a rule: We all go carry-on and if it doesn’t fit, it doesn’t come! Everyone rolls their own and, although we have matching luggage, our name-tags are all our own big, bright color. We use Kindles and/or iPads instead of books, and travel-sized cosmetics. No checked luggage and pre-printed boarding passes make it all so much easier.

EA: You’re so busy! How do you balance it all?

LL: Balance is one of those words that makes it all sound so smooth and graceful! Truthfully, it’s more of a juggling act! It doesn’t always work, but I do my best. I am lucky to have great help at home and at the office

EA: Thank you, Liz! Be sure to follow @lizlange!