to think I might not need maternity clothes?

[LisaLotta]

Sorry, I've already written today about not being able to find maternity clothes in stores. It did get me thinking however, did anyone just not buy maternity clothes? I was thinking that as the weather is nice and it is coming up to summer, that maybe I could just buy stretchy dresses (for now) from primark or H&M etc like one of my friends did.

What did you all wear throughout your pregnancy? Did anyone not bother with maternity clothes? I work with someone who is also pregnant who is a few grades above me. She always looks immaculate and has the money to buy gorgeous clothes. It makes me feel like I need to or that I'm being judged for not looking as nice.... maybe I'm overthinking!

So, as before, what did you all wear and why?

I only bought 1 pair of jeans.

Didn't need anything else. But then at the time I mostly wore dresses so they stretched over. But also I was quite small with the bump. So really depends on the size and your clothes

Good plan.

Stretchy dresses, tunics, oversize jackets for formal occasions if necessary, leggings and jumpers. Even elasticated skirts.

Jeans, leggings and black trousers. Everything else I just managed with my own things and stretchy clothes.

While I did buy a couple of maternity dresses and a pair of jeans, I did buy more non maternity clothes. H&M was my best friend, with stretchy waist harem trousers, stretchy tube skirts and floaty blouse type tops. It's do able but depends what you need to wear to work. Tailored pencil skirts are unlikely to fit but more floaty skirts with elastic waist will be fine.

If you're feeling flush, I recommend Diane Von Furstenburg wrap dresses. I found mine in TK Maxx.

One of the senior fashion editors at Vogue did a piece you might like to read -

www.vogue.co.uk/gallery/vogue-editor-pregnancy-dressing-tips

Nope. I just bought a few things in a 14 instead of a 10/12.

There are loads of floaty, over swimwear style cotton dresses, you could buy a size up and invest in maternity leggings and wear a black vest top underneath if they are sheer.

I thought I’d manage, then my bump grew... and I gained 25kgs in total :( Was very glad I had some pieces! Mainly wrap dresses, and a pair of trousers with a stretchy waist band (but I was pregnant in winter, so needed something a bit warmer).

I bought maternity jeans and shorts and some normal cotton t-shirts from Primark. I ended up borrowing a raincoat from MIL in a couple of sizes up (not maternity but I was pregnant through the summer and I didn’t want to buy a coat that would only be worn a handful of times.)

I think it might depend on your body shape - I tried this and it just looked really frumpy (and like I was v fat rather than pregnant) on me, but I've seen it look fabulous on other women. I also think whether you can possibly make non-maternity tops work depends on the length of your body - if I try it (5'10 and long bodied) even tops four sizes up from my normal gape massively above my jeans.

I'm pregnant for second time and have bought very little maternity clothes. 1 pair black trousers for work one pair over bump cut off denims and some maternity vests with built in support (invaluable now and afterwards for breast feeding).

All the rest I've bought cheap stretchy dresses from Primark and some high waisted larger size jeans from Tesco (they go right up over bump).

I just got sick of not bring able to try anything on!

I bought maternity clothes off of eBay, and towards the end (twin pregnancy) I wore some extremely unstylish jogging bottoms 4 sizes bigger than my normal size, and the biggest mens t shirts I could find, because my maternity clothes didn’t have enough elastic, and I couldn’t find any maternity or regular women’s clothes that covered the bump. In the bundles I bought though, there were non pregnancy clothes that were stretchy that the lister wore throughout.

I didn’t need maternity clothes with my first. I just sized up and wore stretchy things.
Now 10.5 weeks with my third and already in maternity clothes

I never bought maternity clothes just sized up and wore stretchy stuff but I had a small neat bump throughout my pregnancy which helped.

I personally feel like crap in regular clothes next size up because they don't fit properly no matter how big you go. Far prefer spending £50 in new look on a few pieces that will fit the whole time without me feeling like a whale.

I bought a few skirts that had those stretchy middles so not strictly maternity wear. I couldn't look at them after I had DD though so they ended up being!

I only bought a few pairs of maternity leggings and wore them with floaty dresses (which became much shorter at the front as the bump grew - hence the need for the leggings!) I got them in New Look.

I've bought 2 maternity dresses - which are actually nursing dresses so as much for after birth. 2 maternity tops and 2 pairs of maternity jeans, that's it. The rest of the things I've been wearing are just really oversized tops and leggings, stretchy dresses would work fine too (but my hips look horrendous in them!).

The only maternity clothes I bought were tights with the stretchy bump bit and a pair of jeans. Otherwise I bought non-maternity loose tops/shift style dresses and went up a couple of sizes. I specifically looked for clothes without a defined waist. I was an 8 pre-pregnancy and was wearing a 12 by the end. I didn’t carry particularly big though, it might not be as easy if you have a big bump!

Thing is, you need the front of the top longer than the back. Maternity clothes are actually more flattering as it’s only your bump growing now you. Your shoulders arent going to be broader etc. So you can look fat and frumpy instead of pregnant.

What about Facebook selling pages, or eBay?

I’m currently 40+1 and have managed this pregnancy with a pair of Topshop maternity leggings, a maternity t shirt from ASOS and one maternity dress which I’ve only just started wearing. H&M do a good range of stretchy tunic t shirt style dresses which I’ve just worn with or without leggings and a pair or converse. It’s only the last month or two you need anything really!

I didnt need maternity clothes. The day i delivered i was still in my size 10 jeans

Yanbu. A good friend of mine didn’t buy any. She was given a pair of maternity jeans, but everything else she wore was her own stuff. She wears a lot of floaty tops though.

I bought maternity clothes but most of it was hand me downs. I found I could wear a massive range of sizes in maternity wear so it didn’t really matter who had owned it previously.

I was huge and the few maternity clothes I had were very uncomfortable so I just wore primark leggings, vests and stretchy dresses.

So far I've lived in stretchy maxi dresses from primark (Went a size up). Also got their cropped leggings for underneath to avoid the chaffing thighs! I have bought one pair of maternity jeans from mothercare but for tops I've just went two sizes up in primark.