How to look stylish post-pregnancy

Editor’s note: Lauren Finney is a fashion blogger living in New York. She is the founder and editor of Where the Style Things Are and a former fashion assistant at Cosmopolitan magazine. She is on Twitter.

Jessica Simpson -- singer, actress, billionaire fashion empress, and now mother -- has inked an epic deal with Weight Watchers. If she loses the 70 pounds she gained while pregnant with little Maxwell, she’ll get as much as $4 million.

But if you’ve been style-stalking her lately, you may have noticed her clothing is leaving a little something to be desired as she tries to get back to a healthy weight for her 5’4’’ frame.

If you’ve just had a baby of your own (or just want pointers for looking extra polished), here are a few tips and tricks to wearing the clothes you want to wear post-baby, without sacrificing style or comfort (or your wallet).

Before you redo your whole wardrobe, keep a few things in mind: Shape, color, and where to shop.

One of the most important silhouettes of fall 2012 is the boyfriend sweater. The modern version is boxier, smarter and definitely not frumpy.

• Tip: Wear an oversized women’s sweater (not one taken from your hubby, sorry!) over the new legging: the Ponte pant. These pants have more weight and heft than a regular legging but still have substantial stretch. It will feel like you’re actually leaving the house in a complete outfit.
• Tip: Try a sweater in a shade of bordeaux — a hot fall color. 

The other great silhouette for hiding a bit of a belly is a fit-and-flare dress. These dresses do exactly what they sound like -- nip in at the waist and flare out to hide a multitude of problem spots while highlighting the thinnest part around your rib cage.

• Tip: Don’t be scared of patterns! A fit-and-flare dress will keep you shapely without having to resort to smoothing shape wear. You can have a little fun here and try a great opulent, Russian-inspired print or digital print, both of which will be big this season.

Don’t spend a ton of money on basics in new sizes that you might need to get you through a few months. This is what fast fashion retailers like H&M, Zara, Forever 21 and Loft are made for! Stock up on basics like long racer back layering tanks, flared skirts, colorful coats and silky blouses to get you through the season.

• Tip: Most of the fast fashion retailers have secret sales and discount codes, so be sure to sign up for their e-blasts for shopping in-store and online.

In addition to bordeaux, navy is a favorite among designers for autumn. Don’t fall into the black trap just because you’re trying to hide something. Navy is even more forgiving than black – it can be worn by every skin tone. Fairer skins look less washed out, and pairing navy with navy is much easier than black with black.

• Tip: Mix navy pieces with black pieces you already own for the most sophisticated color combo this fall. Try chic combinations like a navy dress with black blazer, navy skirt with black blouse, or a navy shoe with an all-black outfit.