Beau Baby

The original cast of "16 and Pregnant"

 One of the cutest things I even heard watching a red carpet special (those hours-long pre-Oscar/Emmys/Grammys fashion fests hosted by malnourished E! hosts) was Jenna Fischer (from the Office) describing her dress. She said it had an "umpire" waist, which even my husband knew was wrong. So delightfully wrong. The kind of awesome wrong that makes you picture a baseball ump calling an out while sporting a high-waisted gown.

I love me an umpire waist. I think mostly because I am lazy and sucking in my gut for too long makes me want to go home and lie down. Of course, umpire waists are the standard in maternity wear, which may be why a classmate of mine asked me last semester whether I was pregnant (I was/am not). I was tired that night so my posture was poor, but also: I was wearing an empire-waisted top. Ladies, you haven't lived until someone has asked you if you're pregnant and you're not (though I would rather be me than the woman doing the asking at that moment. She was, understandably very embarassed).

All that said, I'm taking a break from drafting my own patterns for the time being to sew a summer frock from this vintage McCall's pattern pictured above. It is a maternity pattern, but it's from the '70s, back when ladies rocked demure little bumps because all the smoking and drinking kept their babies' birth rates low (or was that the '60s?), so I'm hoping the gathering in the front isn't too pronounced. I may have some altering to do.


Since it's already 8 million degrees in New York City, I'm making it sleeveless. With this navy cotton printed with bows:

 

What do you think? Are empire-waists for pregnant ladies? And will you ask me whether I am with child should you see me walking down the block in this?