Meet Chelsey Oliver, The Mama Behind Seraphine Maternity | Fashion, Fashion, Guest Contributors, Guest Contributors, Seraphine News, Seraphine News
Chelsey Oliver is the Creative & Brand Director at Seraphine. A mom of 2, stepmother of 1 and now expecting her third baby later this year, Chelsey has over 15 years of experience designing maternity clothes.
When it comes to bumps, babies, and the journey of motherhood, it’s safe to say Chelsey knows a thing or two…. We sat down with her to talk pregnancy, motherhood and designing clothes to make life easier for moms.
Get the look: Pink Floral Maternity Maxi Dress
First – congratulations on your pregnancy! how are you feeling
Thank you! I’m currently 32 weeks along and my little ones are 18 months & 3 years old, so as you can probably imagine, it’s a little more tiring this time around! However, I absolutely love being pregnant, especially since I get to go to work feeling inspired every day!
As the mastermind behind many of our most innovative products, can you tell us where your inspiration comes from?
I am a firm believer that the right wardrobe can play a huge part in a woman’s smooth journey into motherhood. And what better source of inspiration could I ask for than myself on this path? I can honestly say that I have never been an inspiration like being a mother.
Chelsey is wearing the Gray Skin to Upper Skin and Bamboo Maternity Leggings
I came up with an idea for us skin to skin top thanks for my first pregnancy. After having my daughter I started making notes about what I wanted, and by the time my son arrived a year and a half later, the top of my dreams was ready to go.
The same thing happened with my son – as I nursed him, I thought of all the ways I could improve the nursing bras I had. All those ideas went into making our new one Baby Sensory Bra, featuring a full-coverage modesty panel with a high-contrast print to keep baby focused, as well as wide supportive straps to encourage good posture and prevent back pain. I can’t wait to try it once my new little one arrives!
Being in the space of motherhood and listening to other moms around me is also a huge bonus. I absorb everything I can about the obstacles we face as moms and always look forward to the solution we at Seraphine can provide!
Do you think your own pregnancy and motherhood experience has affected your approach to design?
Get the look: High Low Hem Cotton Maternity Shirt and Ripped Boyfriend Maternity Jeans
I’ve been designing maternity wear since the beginning of my career, so naturally my approach has evolved. My interest in the fashion industry has always focused on empowering women to feel confident in their bodies. Part of that drive comes from being curvy myself since my youth and always feeling frustrated by ill-fitting high street clothes.
It’s fair to say that at the beginning of my career, my focus was on designs that fit the body and fit the curves. Over the years, I’ve realized the environmental impact of short-wear clothing – so it’s become my focus to ensure that all the pieces we design provide longevity through adaptability and functionality. Our 3 in 1 baby wearing jackets is the perfect example – work on your bump through pregnancy, adapt for babywearing and can be worn long afterwards also as a regular coat!
Later, my experience of being a busy mom in an age where we push ourselves hard to do well at home and at work, gave me the edge for change. I take great pleasure in constantly changing the modern maternity wardrobe to be really active.
As an expectant mother yourself, what are your personal must-have pieces – the ones you reach for the most?
There are some pieces that I swear I wear whenever they are clean! My favorites throughout the work week are the two pieces of clothing – most of them I will see in the spring and for care.
Great underwear is a must, and on weekends I live in our dungarees. I’ll admit, I didn’t wear dungarees before becoming a mom, but I’ve found them to be the perfect piece for being active with my kids – bump or no bump!
What are your top recommendations for:
1st Trimester
Invest in comfortable underwear – it’s important to have a good selection that you can wear as your body changes – the growing bustline is one of the first areas we see change.
2nd Trimester
I don’t have a specific product here, almost everything we design will provide great use from this point! A couple of those maternity jeansa nice clothes and some leggings everyone should!
3rd Trimester
For comfort I would go for maternity dungarees + some great ones nursing tops in the layer below them.
Hospital Bag
For this one, my ideal list would be endless – but don’t forget, everything you buy for a hospital bag will get you well on your nursing journey! Don’t miss yours skin to skin top and a two packs of button-down nighties for the hospital.
4th Trimester
The 3 in 1 babywearing hoodie is a must-have for evening strolls. Also, I had a cesarean so the post maternity shaping jeans are a personal favorite of mine – they give me great support when I’m fully recovered, which is great for babywearing!
And finally, as a working mom, do you have any tips for balancing work and family life?
Don’t be afraid to ask for help! This seems like an obvious one, but so many of us deal too much. I’m guilty of assuming that those around me just ‘know’ what I need from them, and often, a little communication goes a long way!
Likewise with your doctor or midwife, if anything doesn’t feel right, or if you have a gut instinct that something is wrong, listen to it and insist on getting the help you need – looking after yourself is just as important as take care of your family!
