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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

To think major high street shops like M&S could stock maternity clothes in store?

48 replies

overfacebook · 15/11/2013 21:36

I'm 6 months pregnant and fed up with trying to buy maternity things in shops, only to find that they're only available on shops' websites. I live near a massive M&S and the only maternity clothes they stock are... 2 pairs of tights! Yes, 2! Available in black OR nude. The shop assistant seemed to think I'd be delighted to be so spoilt for choice. Grrr.

OP posts:

OwlinaTree · 15/11/2013 22:40

This really annoys me. H and M have a lot but it's pretty casual. Dorothy Perkins is on line now. I have had best success with new look and Red Herring. I don't do online clothes shopping, I can't be bothered with the hassle. It's not like you are buying it out of choice, I only want to buy what fits and looks reasonable. You can't do that on line, you have to get lots of sizes and then send it all back, I can't be bothered with that!

Nanny0gg · 15/11/2013 23:03

No-where on the high st does now.

My DiL got lots of lovely clothes from New Look, ASOS and Top Shop this time. She just bought her usual size but the maternity version. Most of it fitted well.

Nanny0gg · 15/11/2013 23:04

Oh, and M&S maternity wear is as horrible as the rest of womenswear so I really wouldn't bother.

Pobblewhohasnotoes · 15/11/2013 23:09

I used to get so pissed off trying to buy maternity clothes. I remember traipsing up and down Oxford street trying to find shops that sold maternity clothes.

Top shop are ok, but only the big stores. New Look only seem to sell t shirts that say things about your bump.

I'm only 5ft 2, and H&M clothes are really long! I did get some jeans from Next in the end.

I like to be able to try clothes on, not spend endless hours ordering stuff on line and sending it back. It's so annoying.

MollySJ · 15/11/2013 23:15

I got so annoyed I actually emailed a few places complaining. Dorothy Perkins have dropped their maternity all together, even online as there was 'insufficient demand' according to the reply?! WTAF?!? People not getting regnant anymore??

Caitlin17 · 16/11/2013 01:03

It's a while ago now but I worked in a very formal office until 8 months and didn't buy any maternity wear. It helped I was at my biggest in the summer but I just bought loose fitting,non waisted cotton dresses from Monsoon and Laura Ashley in bigger sizes.

bedhaven · 16/11/2013 08:12

Yeah, totally rubbish when it's a big store. If H&M and new look can stock some I'm sure M&S can manage it. Saying that Asos had the best selections for me.

lastnightopenedmyeyes · 16/11/2013 08:24

Mymum, if your bump wasn't that big you'd not need maternity wear but I am a size 10 with an absolutely massive bump and if I didn't 'believe' in maternity wear I wouldn't be able to get out of bed!! Some of us really need them.

badfurday · 16/11/2013 08:50

Completely agree. I went to Lakeside last week thinking the larger shops would have maternity wear, the only place that had anything was red herring in Debenhams. I managed to get some work trousers and a jumper. H+M had one rail of maternity clothes and it consisted of leggings and casual stuff. Like a lot of people, I have to look smart for work, and there does seem to be this misconception that all prego women can rock up to a meeting in leggings and a long sleeved t-shirt saying "hands off my bump". I just want normal smart clothes in maternity. To be fair, I have found Next online to do some of their normal range in maternity.

Pobblewhohasnotoes · 16/11/2013 09:26

DPs have dropped their maternity range? That's crap! I got a few nice jumpers and a dress from there when I was pregnant.

Mind you DP seems to be disappearing altogether.

MrsMook · 16/11/2013 09:37

I grew out of all my DP mat clothes during the second tri. New Look and Next were well cut and saw me through to the end of pregnacy. In my first pregnancy, my waist grew by 16 inches, and the fundus was well off the scale (measuring a theoretical 10mth pg)
By the end all trousers hurt or ceased to fit so I ended up in thigh length leg warmers unless I was leaving the house (which wasn't often as I couldn't ft behind the steering wheel, and couldn't walk a few hundred meters to a bus stop)

Mothercare wouldn't know what pregnant shape was like if it ploughed into them yelling "mind the bump!"

The worst t-shirt I saw was an ASDA one saying "too posh to push". That offended me. (They are good for basics though).

Blankiefan · 16/11/2013 10:22

I feel your pain. My saviour was next.com but get stuff delivered to store. Just order loads of sizes of things you like. When you return 90% of it the same day (or even after you spend half an hour in their changing room!), you don't need to pack if up. Just return it chucked in bags and they sort it all out.

Not the most exciting clothes but serviceable and a good range of sizes. Their pull up black trousers were great for work...

DanceWithAStranger · 16/11/2013 10:35

You want Seraphine for work stuff - they saved my working wardrobe, and they have a real world shop if you're in London (apologies if you're not). They're expensive, but resell well on Ebay, and the designers have really thought about cut and fit. And they assume you have a real, grown-up job in which you have to look smart and professional.

FrankelInFoal · 16/11/2013 10:40

Dancewithastranger, how do the Seraphine sizes come up? I've seen some stuff on EBay which would obviously not be returnable so would want to go for the right sizes!

DanceWithAStranger · 16/11/2013 11:06

I'd say they were pretty true to size - maybe slightly on the generous side. I'm an 8 and wore an 8 from them, if that helps.

FrankelInFoal · 16/11/2013 11:09

That's great, thanks.

Boggler · 16/11/2013 11:22

Just remembered matalan sell maternity clothes, a lot of it is pretty awful but I did find some nice linen trousers and blouses (summer baby). Also if you live anywhere within an hour of Newport s Wales a trip to the JoJo Maman warehouse shop is worth it. I went and got a few lovely pieces and it's very cheap. In fact I made a profit when I sold them afterwards on eBay .

fluffyraggies · 16/11/2013 11:23

YANBU OP. I was gob-smaked when i started to need maternity stuff a couple of months ago.

In my area, between Banbury and Rugby, Northants - M&S, Dotty P, New Look and River Island have no in-store maternity. Peacocks had about 4 items to choose from. Two of those were black leggings, in two different lengths.

I appreciate that these days women manage to wear ordinary stretchy clothes while pregnant, but there comes a time when there a few bits you need.

IfAtFirstUDontSucceed · 16/11/2013 11:28

It's annoying is isn't it. I hate ordering clothes online let alone when you've completely changed shape.
New look were always good for their maternity range. Even in some of their smaller stores they had some maternity items.

Original poster

overfacebook · 16/11/2013 22:26

Thanks for all the posts! Good to know I'm not the only one and hopefully some retail types will read this and feel our pain! I live in Bristol so may go to Newport for the JoJo outlet-thanks for the tip. I agree about leggings too-they're just not smart enough for work! I definitely couldn't manage without maternity clothes-I'm a size 10 normally and have only put on weight on the bump (feeling lucky about that I must admit!), but it means bigger sizes are no good as they're too big in other areas. Will also look at Seraphime, sounds like just what I'm looking for!

OP posts:

WillSingForCake · 16/11/2013 23:12

As you're in Bristol it's worth going to the Eastgate centre (think that's what it's called, the one by Ikea) as they have a Mamas & Papas, Mothercare & Next, all of which have a maternity range in store.

ouryve · 16/11/2013 23:17

YANBU, though there's a better choice, full stop, than there was when I was pregnant with DS1, a decade ago. Stores still have a long way to go, though - even if they just stock a tiny selection so you can feel the quality or check the fit and have to order other colours in store on online.

ouryve · 16/11/2013 23:22

The best maternity trousers I had with DS2 were from vertbaudet, btw. 2 sets of buttons at the side, for small bump and big bump - and back down to small bump for those first few weeks afterwards if you're not one of the lucky people who shrinks straight down, again.

The worst were some Jojo under bump cords. I don't know how they managed it, but i spent an entire supermarket shopping trip having to hold them up because they simply did not grip onto anything! They got washed and shoved in a charity shop bag!

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