Maternity wear...... how much & where from.

[davidtennantsmistress]

How much should one have, although this is DC 2, with DS I didn't bother - just went up a size/wore XH's which consequently left me feeling very frumpy, very awful and battered self esteem,

This time i'm looking to embrace things and the bump more.

So far have got 2 pairs of jeans, a pair of cords, stretchy skirt & 2 vest tops.

I work in an office environment so need some relatively professional looking clothes.

Off to the NCT fare tomorrow so hoping to pick up all I need, but also hitting the high street next week with mum - where exactly is good on the high street on a budget?

I've found online shopping to be my friend, but our high street is fairly rubbish to be honest! Shops I've liked for maternity clothes are new look, h&m, next, mamas and papas, dorothy perkins, top shop. Also if you fancy couch shopping ASOS have some good stuff that's not pricey. Have found I have to search for exactly what I'm looking for but now have a fairly decent wardrobe suitable for work and weekends. Happy shopping!

how much roughly if you don't mind me asking?

i'm thinking 5 work tops, 5 or 6 casual ones, 3 or so trousers and the same in jeans?

High street is generally crap. Most stores only have a rail hiding in the back. Go online.

I got good tops for work and 3/4 length trousers in H&M last year.

Red Herring at Debenhams do very comfy jeans.

Ebay is great. I got some summer skirts and tops last year for about a fiver each.

Sounds reasonable to me. Primark has been my best friend over the months for cheap long stretchy tops and also various sizes of pjs. It is annoying how little you get to wear each one before growing too large though - I'm on my third pair of identical work trousers in ever increasing sizes and those come from Debenhams who have a good range of Red Herring maternity basics.
Dont forget some nice underwear too - nursing and maternity bras dont have to be boring or frumpy.

that's why i'm hoping the NCT sale will be good - so far all i've found is round neck tops & I have norks I like to wear v necks with. :o

Definitely 5 work tops, washing only once a week then. I never found a good pair of black work trousers. I just kept using my non-maternity ones with a bump band over the zip/waistband area.

oh that's an idea, I think it's partly the whole wanting to have a few luxuries this time around.

off 'posh' bra shopping next week with mum so should be able to get a new nice maternity bra's from debenhams - those for me are must haves as I have heavy boobs. lol.

If you can find a Bravissimo or a Figleaves outlet go there for bras - excellent fitting service and they both have a good range of underwired nursing bras...which are not taboo before anyone tells you they are! (as long as they fit properly) I struggled with non underwired for quite a while , well fitted by Debenhams, but hated the feel of boobs sitting on bump...now have Anita bras bought from Figleaves and boobage is back up by my ears

H&M are quite good for maternity stuff, as are New Look.

Stay clear of Mothercare. Overpriced (Mothercare? Overpriced? NEVER...

Another vote for asos can get a great dress for 20- 30 quid

I've probably bought far too much, but my reasoning is that I'll be wearing this for ages after LO arrives before I fit into my pre-pg clothes again! Plus I like clothes :o From memory I think I have got 4 dresses, about 7 smart tops, 7 plain tops, 3/4 tunics, 2 pairs jeans, 2 pairs smart trousers, 2 pairs leggings, 2 skirts, 2 pairs yoga pants (got these from ASOS and would really recommend as soooo comfy for exercise and sitting round the house) plus the essential new bras and tankini. Also have left out a few non-maternity things that stretch, e.g. bought a maxiskirt with an elastic waist from H&M for 7 quid at 8 weeks and it still fits, I just fold the waistband down. Am hoping to add a couple more things I've seen this month as well. Have I gone completely OTT?

I ended up with H&M and New Look for casual clothes and Dorothy Perkins for work clothes.

It al went on e-bay once I'd done with it

I just bought bargains in gap sale today, nice dress and v neck long sleeved casual t for the princly sum of £19.95!!

EBAY! There is tons on there pretty cheap, and if it doesn't suit you just put it back on - I did this with a few mistakes, and selling it on was so so easy.

The high street is pretty awful - almost nothing in the shops, most of it is online.

I got myself 2 pairs of work trousers, 2 pairs of jeans, a pair of linen trousers, several vests, several plain tops and t-shirts (that could be worn at work too) and a few nice patterned tops, as well as a swimming costume.

I wish I had bought better maternity jeans - I wore them to death, and mine weren't as comfy as I had hoped (one pair had soft pockets rather than an elasticated waist and thus kept falling down as I got bigger). I also wish I had bought myself a nice basic dress - sometimes I was so sick to death of what I was wearing that a nice dress for when we went out would have been good.

thanks girls will do the ebay as well.

think partly as i'm out with mum next week I thought it would be nice for us to hit the high street together & have that bonding morning. if not online it is. maybe both don't have to get it all in one day! lol.

jas - I usually go wired, but when PG go non wired so anything to lift the orks is a plus in my eyes. :o

Highland - love your thinking, and must say a girl after my own heart, I figure didn't have anything for DS but would like to buy enough this time to last me for one more before we have a completed family. :)

I wear a uniform to work so haven't had to buy any work clothes. I bought 3 pairs of jeans (also inherited 2 pairs from my sister but have grown out of those as she is a size smaller than me), 2 long-sleeved tops as can still wear some pre-preg ones and a smarter top for meals out etc. Also got a cardigan and jumper in bigger sizes from Primark, and was given a dress, cardigan and pyjamas for Christmas. However, I start maternity leave next week and wonder if I need more clothes when I have to wear proper clothes each day rather than my work uniform. Seems like a waste of money to buy more maternity clothes at 35+ weeks though. I bought all my jeans in Dorothy Perkins in the sale as struggled to find any short enough for me, and my tops are from H&M and New Look.

ASOS is wonderful! I've recently bought 2 French Connection knitted dresses worth £80 each for £30 each in the sale. And they're fine to wear before bump too (I'm only 10 weeks and wearing one now) but it's obvious that they will stretch well for when bump arrives.

how much you buy depends on budget and how often you are going to wash etc. I am sahm so don't need anything smart really. Have struggled this time weirdly in finding stuff to fit my short legs. Next has been the best as i've found in all my pg's..

have two pairs underbump boyfriend cut jeans
two pairs of linen trousers navy and white
some stripey nautical type tops from newlook only £5..99 each
did treat myself to one lovely boden top which i adore and fits and flatters so so well love it.
maternity cossie from jojo as i swim three times a week on own and with ds3 so worth every penny.
otherwise found my regular vest tops sitll fitting atm but then am only 24 w

I got brilliant black work trousers in Peacocks I think they were £16 they are cut a little lower than normal and have a little strechy material about the bump. They had a good range in one of their bigger stores.

I got a lovely white shirt collection from Matalan which is lovely for work and am now on the hunt for black linen trousers for summer as I'm due in August.

good luck with the hunt, its so frustrating!!