Mother Stories
Pregnancy Style: Sarah Belz, Co-Founder Land Of Women
Written by James Kicinski-McCoy
Photography by Photographed By Heather Moore
May 22, 2018
It was the unorthodox approach and simple, yet striking silhouettes that captivated our eyes (and then our hearts) when we first discovered modern, thoughtfully crafted intimates line Land of Women. Upon further inspection—and lots of cherished wear—we soon discovered that the LOW collection isn’t merely about peddling undergarments; it’s a full-fledged movement. In fact, the brand self-identifies as “lingerie for the sport of womanhood” and keeps modern ladies of all ages, shapes, and sizes in mind. As mothers who rock different body types, back various political views and candidates, and come from all sorts of wild backgrounds, this is something we can unequivocally support. This past season, we had the pleasure of sitting down and talking shop with Land of Women co-founder Sarah Belz. Cozied away in her stylish Upper East Side digs, we dove straight into all things work, home life, and fashion as she prepared to welcome her firstborn (a boy! Nathaniel Greyson, now 4 months). Click through our feature to hear how this working mama prepares for her latest and greatest endeavor—parenthood.
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- “We are on the Upper East Side, just half a block from Central Park. The location is great, and I couldn’t imagine not having the park right here. Even in the middle of Manhattan, there is a real neighborhood feel to this part of the Upper East Side, and I love my community here.”
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“It’s a real collection of individual things that together tell the story of our past. We lived in London for three years before moving back to the city, and our home is full of things we gathered, while living and traveling abroad. It’s nice to have little reminders of such a special chapter in our lives. We also have a number of nautical references connecting back to the small Massachusetts coastal town where my husband and I grew up.”
Sarah wears a dress and earrings from Madewell.
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- “I’m starting to understand why people move to the suburbs! This little guy has so much stuff already that I’ve accepted the fact that baby things will take over the apartment.”
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- “We have some great, old treasures like a Noah’s Ark plate on the wall that used to belong to my grandmother, and my husband’s silver rattle and comb from when he was a baby. It was important to us that the room be calm and relaxing, and the color palette really helps achieve that.”
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- “It’s been really sweet to see how excited my husband has been about the nursery. He really wanted to get this rocking horse that looks like a white carousel horse. That piece will always be a special reminder of this time of anticipation and excitement.”
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- “Honestly, it’s the people. Some of my greatest friendships here have started in the most random ways—meeting through our dogs or sitting next to each other at the ballet, to name a few. I do a lot of work with the Junior League, the Natural History Museum, and the Central Park Conservancy, and it’s a constant opportunity to meet new and interesting people.”
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- “My sister and brother-in-law are in the city, too, which will be great once the baby arrives. I also have a wonderful network of girlfriends, some with babies of their own, to offer support and advice.”
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- “I struggled for quite some time to get pregnant, and I think it’s made me appreciate every moment. It sounds crazy, but I didn’t actually mind the morning sickness that lasted well into the third trimester.”
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“I’ve always known that I wanted children, and we have waited a long time for this. I’m excited to learn everything about him and see his personality develop.”
Sarah wears a Land Of Women dress.
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- “I’m nervous about not being prepared enough. I’m sure it’s a huge learning curve, but it’s hard to know exactly what you are in for. I’ve taken classes through Manhattan Birth, and those have been tremendously helpful, but it makes me a little scared that this little human will be 100% dependent on us.”
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- “Growing up, we had a little tradition of special one-on-one time with each parent. On a Saturday, I would go off with my mom, and my sister with my dad, and they would take us on an adventure. We would alternate every time, so my sister and I had special alone time with each parent. We would explore in the woods, do a craft project, or go to a favorite ice-cream spot. I’ll always treasure those memories and hope to recreate this with our children.”
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- “My own mother is a huge inspiration. She was so young—in her 20s—when she had my sister and me, and she made it all look so easy. I hope I can navigate motherhood with the same grace.”
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- “Enjoy sleeping, while you still can. It’s getting harder and harder for me to get comfortable at night, but I’m thinking of it as preparation for the sleepless nights ahead.”
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- “I’m never too adventurous with my style, aside from a bold earring or shoe. I like to have a number of classic staples and build around those.”
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- “I’ve definitely focused more on comfort. Maternity pants were a wonderful invention, and I’d love to wear them forever.”
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- “Surprisingly, I am much more comfortable in shirts and dresses that actually show off the bump as opposed to big, loose pieces. I wouldn’t have worn such fitted things before I was pregnant, but I love the current changes to my body.”
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- “I’ve had a lot of luck at Madewell with maternity-friendly styles that I can still wear after baby comes. I’ve been focusing more on things I can wear now and after, so shoes and coats have been my go-to items. I’m a big fan of M. Gemi and Margaux for shoes, and I just got this great cashmere vest from Alice Walk.”
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- “I love to support other small brands, and enjoy exploring pop-ups and shopping fairs. Instagram also opens up a world of new brands, and it’s easy to get sucked into some serious online shopping.”
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- “I use our Land of Women facial oil every morning and night. Pregnancy has made my skin much healthieran unexpected plus I’m thankful for! I like a natural look and generally use Beauty Counter products. I feel more comfortable knowing exactly what I am putting on my skin now that I’m growing this little baby. My go-tos are their cream blush, mascara, and eyebrow pencil.”
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“I try to walk as much as I can, not only to stay active, but I also find it so therapeutic and relaxing. I love my prenatal yoga class, and I’m hoping some of the techniques will help me in labor and delivery.”
Sarah wears a shirt and pants from Gap Maternity, a J.Crew vest, Kate Spade shoes, and Madewell earrings.
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- “I am the co-founder of Land of Women, a lingerie line that focuses on classic, minimal silhouettes for diverse body types. We concentrate on comfort and detail, and all of our pieces are made right here in the garment district.”
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- “I moved to New York City after college and worked for Bloomingdale’s, starting on the sales floor and then moving to the buying office. After a few years, my now husband had an opportunity to relocate to London, so we took the jump. While in London, I worked in planning for Ralph Lauren, then for a small British lingerie brand. Shortly after getting married, we both felt like it was time to settle down in the States, and we headed back to New York. I met my business partner, Mckenzie Raley, when she was in the early stages of building Land of Women. We really hit it off and decided right away to partner up, and we launched just a few months later.”
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- “Mckenzie and I agreed that there really wasn’t a good option for considered, minimal underwear—especially something that was locally made. The initial motivation was finding a solution for our needs, and that led to the inspiration to build a brand that spoke to real, modern women. I honestly never thought I would go down the entrepreneurial path. It’s pretty empowering to see what we have accomplished in just a few years. I love watching something go from a sketch on paper to an actual product in a store. There is so much that goes into it along the way, and it’s fascinating to see it unfold. I love that our factory is right here in the city, so we are able to stay super involved in the production process.”
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“We have a lot of exciting things in the works right now. We are launching a swim collection of classic one-piece suits in the spring. Our previous collections have been very focused on black and nude fabric. I’m excited to be branching out in a new direction with more color in the spring as well.”
For more on Sarah, her family, and Land Of Women, visit her here, here, and here.
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