Maternity clothes nightmare-very fed up

[flowerfairy]

HAve just been to look for my first lot of maternity trousers. After searching the few shops in local main town, i now think maternity wear is either a)designed by men or b) designed by women who have never been pregnant!

I like to check that they fit which is why i had gone to shops rather than on line. Am usually a size 12 pear shape bottom. All i wanted was some over the bump jeans ( had some under the bump last pregnancy and ust found i was pulling them up all the time). Eventually found some over the bump jeans which are reasonably comfortable but had to buy size 14 and not convinced they will still fit me at the end of the pregnancy. Also wanted some work trousers but most are made of that horrid shiny polyester stuff which just makes me sweaty. I am rather picky when it comes to clothes and just want to be comfy. Does anyone know anyone who sells comfy work trousers that are not in that polyester fabric that looks cheap? HAve bought a dress too that i think will be good for work and last well from red herring too. Am very despondent now. Please help.

Have you tried next? I think they have some cotton trousers? I don't think they always have the range in the shops, try online.
jx

Next maternity stuff is okay - I had some mat jeans from there that actually didn't fall down. Sizes are pretty generous.

You can order online to pick up in store, which is less hassle than hoiking oneself around shops and you can just try it on instore and return it if it doesn't fit.

If you don't mind second hand items then try freecycle/e-bay/NCT sales. Even if something turns out not to be quite right you won't have spent a lot on them.

I bought some black M&S (non shiny) trousers on line last time which were fantastic - I had about three pairs and rotated them with different tops for work.

H&M also do good maternity stuff - cheap and cheerful anyway.

Isabella Oliver stuff gorgeous but FAR too expensive for me. Also Boden are going to be doing a maternity range soon!

Capes are really in this year! River Island have what looks like a nice grey wool one with faux leather piping (£59.99) as do Dorothy Perkins, a taupe tweed one at £52.00.

I got some good and reasonably priced stuff from H & M (smart black dress for work, couple of tops), Dorothy Perkins and also Gap. I bought jeans from Gap and they still fit me now at 39 + weeks. Have been generally pleased with the Gap stuff. The good thing about Gap is that they have a range of jeans and also do lots of the range in different lengths.

Seraphine (London) is also v good.

I recomend GAP over bump jeans - I got them from ASOS for about £30.

As for work trousers, I'm with you...all maternity options look cheap and nasty (even in the more expensive stores).

Sorry, meant to post the capes message in maternity-coat-saga thread!

I find mothercare online brilliant for trousers. But don't go to the shop, they only stock the horrible clothes!

I had a FANTASTIC pair of smart black work trousers from Blooming Marvellous. They had zips down the sides so very adjustable and a tightening ring belt round the waist. Sooooooo comfy, never fell down and looked really nice

Just found a great website called mummy looks fab, tho I'm buying nursing tops so I didn't look at mat clothes but v impressed with what I got.

how about Seraphine? I've ordered a few things online from them when they've had sales and they've been comfy and beautiful

Is Blooming marvellous still going. Every time i try to get onto website it just sends me to the google page.

Think it's been taken over by Mothercare (what hasn't?). That's the message I got when I tried anyway.

Jojo maman bebe and mamas & papas also worth a look. Is formes still going? That was good for work trousers. Prettypregnant.co.uk also good

i bought some good basics from isabella oliver that were really expensive but sold them for a good price on ebay so the actual cost was ok. really recommend that.

Another vote for Gap for work trousers. currently wearing v comfy charcoal grey over the bump ones. Had to go down a size though as the sizing is v generous.
one confusing thing though is thatw the maternity wear (in Cambridge shop) is in Gap Kids, not in the main shop.

A vote against Next maternity jeans. I have some overbump ones and the stretchy bit reaches exactly as far as my belly-button at 34 weeks. I don't call that overbump! I have quite a small bump, relatively speaking, too - they've just skimped them!

I am surviving with 3 pairs of loose jersey trousers trusted Next jersey trousers which have seen three pregnancies and actually never left my wardrobe in between. Much more flattering than pic
a pair of charity shop m&s ones with elasticated waist that'll do for another month
and some lovely (albeit huge) grey ASOS ones.

They are all just about smart enough for work. And I feel all sophisticated (unlike frumpy maternity jeans).

Recommend ASOS for cheap (or not) maternity wear. Got a skirt for £4 too. And free delivery and returns.

I've had lots of stuff from H&M, including some black cotton work trousers.
I've recently discovered jojomamanbebe and love their stuff. I also use yummymummy who are really good.

I went on ebay and bought about 7 pairs of jeans for £20 and wear 4 of them. I can always put the other ones back on when I get round to it.

I reccommend next for black trousers, comfy and don't fall down, non shiny

I'm currently 32 weeks and i'm usually in dresses now as I can't abide the waistband thing on my jeans digging in, but the next trousers are better.

Have found it impossible to find a skirt which doesn't make me miserable.

I reccomend ebay as you can buy lots of stuff and different bits will fit you at different times.

I bought 2 pairs of trousers from Funmum.co.uk, one pair of over the bump jeans which have received compliments and a pair of under the bump trousers which are ok but a funny colour. Noppies are always a good fit. I've not had to buy anything in a bigger size than my pre-pregnancy size. Funmum stuff fits exactly and Noppies are slightly big round the bum even now at 38 weeks.

What never looks good on me is Melba. They seem to be made for more boxier shaped people. Although you don't want to shop online I can recommend MummyandLittleMe.co.uk and they have shops in Lincoln and Leeds. I bought a skirt and top from them the other day and they're so comfy and look really nice by a company called Nearly There.

I bought all my maternity clothes from www.globalmaternity.com. They were really helpful and the clothes arrived quickly. They've got some great jeans and dresses which actually fitted my shape.

Bennetton do great trousers, and proper over bump jeans (although they are long in the leg)

Not cheap, but I loved my comfy seraphine trousers. They also do very comfy jeans.