The first thing I did when I got home after learning I was pregnant was organise my closet in ascending order. First, I set apart the clothes I knew I wouldn’t be able to wear for much longer; then came the group for the first few months when not much shows – but everything fits weirdly – followed by the ‘I-have-a-bump-but-not-a-butt’ mid-months, and finishing with the official maternity wear, seemingly made for whales, not humans. To me, the re-organization was a panoramic view of my sartorial future over the next nine months.

Frankly, it was depressing.

From my earliest age, I have always  loved getting dressed in the morning. Before my baby girl was born, dressing was the highlight of my day. It all started at age three when, to calm my morning tantrums, my mother would set aside outfits for me to select. Other kids would wake up looking forward to their favorite cereal; I would wake elated at the choice between forest green and bordeaux turtlenecks.

In retrospect, I need to blame my attitude for the ensuing misery of those nine months. Unlike many women, I was never sick, didn’t balloon, didn’t suffer sleepless nights or any medical complication. But I was really very miserable—not being able to dress in the season’s latest trends was just too much for me.

As our baby girl grows fast, I have to start thinking of doing it all again. And this time, I want to be better prepared. So I’ve set aside some a few rules (seven, to be exact) I’m planning to follow. I’ve thought about the coming trends for Fall/Winter 2015 also, because maternity wear doesn’t mean falling off the fashion map.

I will not suffocate in my tailored pants, but buy pants with an elastic waist.

Fortunately elastic waisted pants are a huge trend for 2015.  The best versions are slightly  cropped so a little big of ankle shows and made of suiting fabrics. My favorites are from Joseph and come in suede, leather but also grey flannel. Wear them with sneakers or skater shoes.

I will always show some skin.

Rather than cover up like a homeless lady, I will work on always revealing some skin. Whether its a bare back, bare legs or bare arms, I will focus the eye on my glistening skin (well oiled of course). One good trick here is to buy tops that have a racer front details. They emphasise shoulders and tend to be more flattering.

I will rock a cape.

I love coats, especially double breasted coats, but these don’t work when you are pregnant. So, I will invest in a cape. Capes are an important trend in 2015 and are perfect for wearing throughout your pregnancy. That they will keep you warm are an added bonus.

I will not break my back wearing high heels.

I will rest my feet. I will look extremely cool because I will be wearing this season’s sliders from Isabel Marant and Ancient Greek Sandals only.

I will wear a lot of skirts instead of dresses.

These skirts will be mid-calf length, so I can follow 2015’s new skirt length. I will wear these just over my bump and tuck in an oversized men’s shirt buttoned-down.

I will clash my prints.

This will signal that I am happy and emphasise the shape of the bump. So, a printed tribal top could be tucked into a striped print pant, for example. No trying to hide the bulge behind basic black.

I will not wear any necklaces longer than my chest.

Instead, I will stack lots of bangles on my wrists and happily jingle my way through nine months.