Maternity Monday: What to Wear to a Special Occasion

It's that time of year ... Christmas party invites are going to start coming out before you know it, and you've gotta dress that bump of yours! You know it's every woman's secret mission to look totally fab at work parties. And even with your growing belly, you can still look smokin' for the holidays.

The LBD
A simple "little black dress" is a must for every woman. Even the preggos. You can dress it up or dress it down, wear it to a party or wear it to church. It's slimming, it's chic, and it brings attention to your loveliness.

Here are a few options:

Dream by Juliet, Nordstrom

3/4 sleeve faux wrap dress, Motherhood

I actually own the second dress and I love it. I think 3/4 sleeves are really slimming for the arms. Plus the length is perfect -- not too short, but not too long. The fabric is dressy but not fussy. It's easy to wash and doesn't fade. And I do love the pleating right below the bust.

When you're looking for your own LBD, make sure to avoid muumuu-type dresses, and mind the length -- any longer than the knees, and it won't be so "little" anymore. You don't want to look like you're singing in the Christmas choir.

Dress pants
Some of you may prefer to go to your parties by way of pants. Just remember the rules about pants -- tight in the butt, wider in the leg, and longer in the length if you plan to wear heels.

Secret Fit Belly wide-leg pants, A Pea in the Pod

Dress them up with a holiday-inspired top:

L to R: Lace flutter top, Charlote Russe; sequin chiffon blouse, Charlotte Russe

Satin flower trim top, Forever 21

Remember that eggplant top from last week? I've featured it twice now. That means it's awesome! Go get it.

Shoes
Special occasion shoes are tricky for pregnant gals. You really have to wear a heel of some kind to a dressy event, unfortunately. I don't know about you guys, but high heels are the last thing I want to wear when I'm pregnant. My feet are swollen, my back hurts ... give me slippers and I'm good. But you couldn't exactly show up in your UGG boots to a swanky cocktail party, now could you?

The key is to look for shorter heels. Keep them under 3 inches and you should be fine for a few hours. Here are some options:

Predictions dress sandal, Steve Madden T-strap sandal

Naturalizer 'Prissy' Sandal

Don't really dig the strappy sandal look? Go for a kitten heel pointy-toe pump.

Accessories
Put on the glitz, girl. Think "date night" but with a little more pizzazz:

Pearl necklace, Minicci; crystal chandelier earrings, Minicci

Ruffle clutch, Lela Rose; Helix clutch, Minicci

And don't forget the most important accessory of all -- your beautiful, confident smile! (Ok, that was cheesy.) And your lipgloss.