For years I was the kind of person who had grown comfortable wearing the same types of clothes, though I had written a long letter to our school administrator protesting it, and had even acquired a petition full of signatures from most of the people in my high school. Yeah, I wore plaid-skirted uniforms all through school, and as much as I railed against it, looking back I can recognize the comfort in the routine of easily selecting an outfit each day, without ending up with a pile of rejects strewn across my barely made bed. As long as I kept up with laundry, mornings were a breeze.

These days, when it’s tempting to succumb to stretchy pants and tunics (working at home with a kid, man), I’ve actually found comfort in a sort of uniform I’ve grown used to— simple sixties’ style as presented to the world in the ’90s. Plain shift dresses, knit dress shirts with statement collars, basic mod dresses, all worn with tights if the weather demands it, and either classic boots, mary janes, or simple ballet flats. Once I figured out this was what I felt the best in, it was easy to pare down my closet to include only these basics. But more on the closet purge another day!

What style are you most drawn to in your personal wardrobe? I’ll admit, I’m kind of freaking out, because after narrowing down my closet to fewer pieces, and mostly sixties inspired ones, I’m feeling myself shift into the style of the early seventies. I blame Mad Men.

M A N D I :   dress: ASOS maternity (from three years ago) / coat: vintage / blouse: thrifted / necklace: vintage from Avenue Antiques in Canton / tights: ASOS maternity / boots: Franco Sarto

L U C Y :   dress: thrifted / jacket: gift from Target last year / tights: hand-me-down / shoes: thrifted / barrette: Target

Sometimes a happy pregnancy is all about a quality mattress, oodles of carbs, plenty of antacids, and, of course, a healthy baby. But in the morning, what really makes this pregnant lady happy is just a comfortable dress to make getting dressed a breeze. When I found out I was pregnant last Fall, I found this vintage ’90s maternity dress at the online resale shop Thred Up, and bought it immediately. When it arrived in the mail, I was disappointed with how boxy the dress was on top and how baggy it felt in the shoulders. I couldn’t imagine the day when I would have to pin closed the button holes and exercise extreme caution when reaching forward, lest I risk a fat-man-in-a-little-coat situation. But guess what? That day is here! I’m 26 weeks pregnant and this dress is quite tailored on top these days.

Yes, the body is changing (aka growing) at lightning speed, and I’ve been a bit embarrassed by my vain feelings that make me sad about my extra face chub. But I can still wear my favorite boots, so all is good Mandi’s world of comfortable maternity fashion!

L U C Y  :  sweater: Gap Outlet / skort: thrifted / boots: Kenneth Cole / puppy purse: vintage

M A N D I :  hat: thrifted / dress: vintage maternity from Thred Up / tights: ASOS maternity tights with support band / boots: Clarks

Sometimes you hear a great quote and it becomes your new life motto. When Don Draper directed his creative team with the famous line, “Make it simple, but significant,” I knew it would be my new mantra. Lately I’ve been considering simple significance in most everything I do, whether it’s analyzing my wardrobe, cooking dinner, or renovating our kitchen.

Lucy and I chose simple, all-inclusive outfits for our family dinner outing at a local restaurant that fits right in with Don’s creative advice. Canton’s downtown scene had been lacking excellent casual dining downtown until recently. You could easily find upscale restaurants and seedy dives, but the lack of moderately priced meals in a nice, casual environment pushed people like me to the suburbs for family outings. A couple of modest places have popped up to fill the void, but it wasn’t until Deli Ohio opened last year that I said, “Aha! Yes— This is what we need.”

A simple space with an attractive, and decidedly fuss-free dining room, it’s the perfect spot to pop in for an amazingly delicious sandwich you can feel good about. The family who owns Deli Ohio works with local farmers to source ingredients, and I gotta say, the bacon alone is worth the trip! It’s a great family atmosphere, and Lucy loves sitting still for her meal and then running around the open space with special permission from the staff. (They’re really chill and their own toddler enjoyed playing with Lucy too!) We love it there, and Canton’s better because of Deli Ohio. Be sure to check it out if you’re in the area!

W H A T   I   W O R E :

dress: ASOS / shoes: Clarks / necklace: Avenue Antiques in Canton / bag: Cleveland’s WMC Fest 5
lipstick: Laura Geller Rosato / waterproof lip liner: It Cosmetics Romantic Rose

W H A T   L U C Y   W O R E :   100% thrifted