Thrifting and bumping...

You know the old maxim "Ask and you shall receive?"

The longer I live, the more I realize that it is true.

As back-to-school has been occurring all over the country, you may have seen people posting memes about how hard it is for teachers to get back into jeans as the summer ends. Usually, this is a challenge because I live in flowy boho trousers and leggings all summer, but this year, it was genuinely a challenge.

For the last few years, I've had some issues with keeping weight on and have gone back to wearing kids' sized jeans and about 2 weeks before finding out that I was pregnant, I went out and (ug... I hate to admit this) bought 3 new pairs of girls' jeans from Target. Luckily, I was able to return one pair, but that meant that I had to work especially hard to make the other two pairs fit as long as possible. Luckily, SunStars hooked me up with a belly band that I was able to wear around my waist and leave my jeans unbuttoned and unzipped, but at 25 weeks, it's gotten to the point where even that isn't super comfy.

This is where the Universe must have kicked in and heard my brain worrying about not wanting to buy new maternity jeans that I'd only wear for a couple of months, fretting over how the local thrift store didn't really have anything in good condition that fit, and that I didn't have a darn clue how to purchase maternity clothes in the first place.

I got an email from my longtime partners, Swap.com. They were actually trying to help hook y'all up with a sweet discount for back-to-school (save 35% on your order with code: greenchiclife35!!!), but I figured I'd go out on a limb and ask them if they'd be able to help me out with some maternity clothes to help me break the ice in the most sustainable way possible.

Well, Green Bees, I asked and I received. About a week later, I had two pairs of gently used maternity jeans, two gently used maternity tops, and a really cute sweater that'll be perfect for layering over my growing belly in my mailbox (for about $50... and that was without my discount code!). Every time I work with Swap, I'm pleased with the quality of the pieces I order. Their site, while huge, is easy to filter to find specifically what I'm looking for at any given time. I've nearly worn out a pair of second-hand boots that they sent me a year and a half ago... I love them SO much! This outfit was a great way to break into wearing maternity clothing. While, I still didn't totally know how to pick my sizes, the info provided on each product listing was a great guide and all of the pieces I picked seem like they'll work out. I think I'll probably continue to wear this blousy top even after the baby arrives!

If you're wanting to refresh your wardrobe, stock up on particular pieces, or give a new style a test drive without breaking the bank or putting a huge additional tax on the planet, I highly urge you to check out Swap.com. My code, greenchiclife35, will save you 35% on your total order, which is kind of an epic deal! Happy online thrifting!