Any maternity clothes advice please??!!

[Sluggers]

OK I need some new clothes as mine are getting too tight. I'm only 15 weeks though with my 1st so have pretty non-existent bump.

I need jeans, a couple of work type shirts or tops and a tankini or something for swimming.

I'm not great at buying online - although accept I'll probably have to. But today, I'm off to the shops.

Oh - and I really don't want to spend a fortune.

Any advice, tips, must haves, things to avoid greatly appreciated.

xxx

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Hi! This thread is a little out of date. If you're looking for comfy maternity wear, take a peek at our round-up of the maternity dresses - as chosen by Mumsnetters. MNHQ

You won't find much in shops, unless you have a jojo maman bebe, mother care, mamas and papas. Some h&m have some.
Online look at next, shops mentioned above, gap.
DP used to be good, not so much now. M&s hit and miss online.
I got most of my jeans and work trousers from next online, shirt and tops from jojo and mamas and papas. Try to hold off for most of it if you can when they have sales online however next always has a sale section online so worth looking there.
Might be worth looking as asos also, however I bought a shirt and it didn't fit at 30 weeks!!
Good luck!!

Meant to add I got 2 tankini s from m&p and they are fab but pricey.

Next.com, but you need to set up and account.
Or, go into next, look at the catalogues and you can order items at the till. No account needed, pay cash or card. Only costs something like 50p - £2 to have it delivered to shop a day or two later or to your home.
Bish bosh,
They have everything you're after.

May I be permitted a small hijack to ask if anyone knows about how Isabella Oliver ans Seraphine sizing comes up? Would prefer not to have to order two of everything if I can avoid it!

I gave up in the shops near me and I'm heading to London in a few weeks. Much easier to actually try things on than dad about ordering and returning things.

I bought a huge amount of leggings and a-line longer tops...not necessarily 'maternity' wear but i hated spending money unless i could wear it post baby as well.
In hind sight it's nice to embrace your pregnancy style as well so- what other posters said!
Congrats!

Thanks. Starting with a big out of town M&P then there's a big Next next to it which someone said had mat stuff.

Other than that - someone said New Look - but I think it has to be a pretty big store?

Wasn't holding out hope for any other shops to be honest! And once I can get an idea what sort of thing fits then online will be easier.

Any thoughts on the types of clothes that get worn most? I guess it's down to personal taste maybe. I'm sick of feeling fat in everything. Maybe that's not a feeling that's going anywhere fast......!!

I find that fitted clothes are much more bump-flattering than baggy ones, which just tend to make you look fat. Empire lines are also good.

I would say when you're just starting to show a couple of bump bands are a must and will keep you in most of your normal stretchy tops for quite a while. I am 30 weeks and still haven't bought many maternity tops as the bump bands do a fab job of bridging the gap.

To the poster asking about Sera phone sizes, I bought an under bump denim skirt in my normal size and it fits well now at 30 weeks and I think it will fit fine until the birth.

Peacocks have maternity clothes, some branches have it in stock so you don't have to order it.

*Seraphine sizes!

Subject close to my heart!I didn't want to do online shopping as am never in to receive parcels so have done a lot of trawling, if it helps this is what I've found -

I've found quite a bit in New look, but can be frustrating as they seem to have very few sizes - what I have bought from there (zip up hoodies and over bump skinny jeans have lasted pretty well). I've lived in my topshop underbump skinny black jeans as I could get away with them for work too, and they have some nicer tops - I've got one pretty top so if we go out I don't feel like a frump! H&m have stuff in store, there jeans are tiny in my opinion so try on maybe before ordering online. peacocks also do maternity in most stores, not the most exciting stuff but good for.basics.

Other than that, mamas and papas is ok and they sometimes do a 3 for 2 on basic tops which make it more affordable. Mothercare and jojo maman bebe also do clothes but I felt they were a bit boring personally.

Good luck!

I'd start with a pair of maternity skinny jeans - under the bump ones were best for me at the start. Then wear some of your looser tops or buy some of the maternity tops that are just a looser A-line rather than those with pleats etc. I got a top I loved from topshop that was just a big jersey top that I still sometimes wear even though DS is 2 Topshop also do maternity Baxter jeans I think.

The same jackets you usually wear will probably be fine too for a while as it's getting warmer.

Lurking as I'm in the same position! Does seem to be a rubbish range held in shops as I couldn't find any maternity stuff when I was out the other day looking.

Seraphine sizing is small. You need to size up.

Also lurking and in same position, considering whether to go to the Trafford Centre today to see what I can find but thinking about it, I don't actually think there'll be that much in store for me to try on.

So far the most successful things I've bought have been the Boden long-sleeved maternity tee (not worn yet but good quality and will be great for later on), and two pairs of linen trousers from Mothercare which were an emergency on-the-way-to-the-airport holiday buy! Have also got some new non-mat leggings from Sainsburys (nice and snug on the legs but v roomy waist) and that's pretty much it. I'd like a couple of bump bands but am wondering whether the New Look/cheaper ones are actually as supportive as the original Trademarked one, or the JojoMamanBebe ones - anyone have any experience there?

Laquila let me know if you do go to the Trafford centre, it's not too far from me. I will pop over if there is a good selection.

I'm pretty early days for me but as its #3 and I suffer with IBS my work trousers are starting to be uncomfortably tight near the end of the day. Yesterday, the morning started off tight so I know I need to start getting some maternity clothes in.

I need a short leg too, doubly awkward. Tried Next online & all their jeans in short leg are sold out. I managed to get a pair of black work trousers from peacocks after work yesterday but need my lovely mum to take them up as they're too long. Can't be taking jeans up, what a pain!

Stuck in these too tight work trousers as there's no way I could wear any of my work dresses, my tum looks so big at times and it would be so obvious in a dress! Once we get to 12 weeks and I can tell my colleagues I should be able to though, got quite a few stretchy dresses.

Hello, I bought my first maternity purchases yesterday in mamas and papas. I'm 13 weeks with first baby, but jeans are getting tight and I too feel fat in everything. By pure fluke when i went in they had a flash sale on from 1130 to 230pm with 30% off all maternity clothes! Got a dress for work and 2 pairs of nice quality jeggings. They had a nice range. The assistant said to sign up for their newsletter online to get told of future sales/events and get a £5 voucher :)

Isabella Oliver sizes are huge.... really huge. I never did grow into the jeans I bought. Size down.

I found Seraphine sizing quite normal the same as Marks & Spencer's in my experience. Their stuff is also excellent quality and lasts for ages (I'm still wearing some of it as it doesn't scream 'maternity' the way some British stuff does), however, their 'over the bump' jeans were useless as the material was not elastic-y enough to keep them up I had to get my Mum to do an emergency repair!

I liked Emma Jane a lot as a maternity brand - got knickers, bras and PJs from them from various sites -- from memory, FigLeaves for the underwear and NCT online for the PJs.

Laq I just got a cheap multipack of bump bands from New Look which have been fine. I haven't really felt like I need support yet though, just something to cover my midriff when wearing non-maternity tops.

New Look do a decent range of mat jeans and trousers in 28 and 30 leg for those of us who are vertically challenged

I found H&M best. Where in the country are you?
Also, what size are you I have a tankini I was going to sell on eBay

Willco, 2Labs

MrsO27 that was lucky - well done!

Cavort - tbh, I don't feel like I need too much support yet either - I just have a feeling that pretty soon I'm going to wake up one morning and feel like I need to employ someone to carry my stomach around for me...;) (any takers? No? Suit yourselves...)

FWIW, I tried on some Next mat jeans the other day (with the stretchy band, so are these technically overbump?) in my usual pre-preg size, and they were absolutely ginormous, so if you're ordering from them online it might be worth sizing down, or getting two pairs to try.

I found h&m clothes are the best and next are good for jeans.
Primark have maternity jeans not sure what they are like but I bought a lot if tshirts from there because they stretch

Oh just remembered i bought a couple of really nice stretchy dresses from asos maternity. That cotton stretch fabric. The length was good with half sleeves so i wore them a lot for work.

This is all really helpful thanks! I'm in Cardiff by the way.

I just tried on some clothes my sister gave me, but unfortunately she's 2 sizes bigger & a few inches shorter so the trousers are never going to fit! Made me realise though that it's way too early for jeans with bump bands or the tops with the elastic down the side so good advice thanks - jeans with a stretchy waste band and A-line tops would be best.

I'm going to have to persuade the OH to go into town I think (I've promised out of town only!!) but it sounds like New Look & H&M might be a good bet at the minute. Cheaper too hopefully - I'm only going to have to buy more in a few weeks.

Fatima - I'm a 10. Or I was! I've eaten non stop for 3 months & haven't been able to do as much exercise!! Maybe it isn't a baby bump after all - I think that's part of my clothes angst to be honest. I still don't believe that bump is baby not food!! My boobs have ballooned also.