Maternity Wear Troubles

[SaraLB21]

Hi all,

My name is Sara and I am currently at student at the University of Huddersfield. I am in my final year and for my final major project I am focusing on issues within the maternity wear market.

My friend who is currently expecting has issues finding clothing that fits her properly as she is petite, and also finds a lot of brands are over priced for what is being provided. So I wanted to look into this further...

If you could reply with any issues you have had with maternity wear that would be much appreciated, and how you think it could be improved. Or shops/brands who have found great, or not so great! Or if you think that the maternity market is fine then please let me know!

Thanks! Any replies are much appreciated!!!
Sara

I'm a size 22 when not pregnant and it's really hard to get plus size maternity clothes. And where I live there are literally no shops that stock stuff in store - so I'm limited to ordering online.

I actually ended up ordering from my fave American store and getting it shipped over as it's the only place I could find that was the right size, nice and affordable.

What course are you studying?

Problems:
Most stuff is online only at the one time when you really need to try things on and don't have the energy to traipse back and forth from the post office to return stuff
I'm 1.75 and a lot of the stuff is too short
There are extremes-cheap and cheerful in places like New Look or mega expensive brand like Seraphine. I'm expecting twins and only likely to have one pregnancy-I don't want to spend a small fortune on clothes that will only be worn for one pregnancy but at the same time I still want reasonable quality.
Good brands:
Red Herring purely because I can try it on in store
Jojo maman bebe-good range of not overpriced items that can be tried on in store-some things too short though
eBay although it is hit and miss but got a great bundle for £35 that included a pair of jeans I have lived in (American brand and not the usual style you can get over here)

The main problem for me was that everything was online. The only local stores that had stuff instore are mothercare, jojo and h&m. Everywhere else I've asked has said to order online but that's useless when your shape is changing when pregnant. I've also found it's quite tricky getting well fitting over the bump jeans. Normally theres only one cut of over the bumps available and they tend to be in bootcut :(

I have the same problem as Gillian. Size 20 and not able to try anything on in shops so have had to resort to shopping online. I have got most of my trousers from Bon Prix and just bought bigger sizes in tops from my regular stores - which is no ideal as they don't sit that well on the neck and arms.

Also - I am really, really struggling to find a maternity swimsuit. I am currently a JJ cup bra size and no maternity swimsuits seem to go anywhere near that large - even plus size ones. I'm going on holiday in six weeks and am starting to panic!

Tall (6ft2) and plus size. Impossible

Office wear is extremely limited - looks like all pregnant women should immediately quit and spend their time in leggings, tunics and t-shirts.

I have been stuffed if I hadn't had top shop jeans and Asos.

I'm a ten and just in petite range but with a bigger bust.

It totally does my head in that there's nothing in the shops apart from the very odd mothercare or a specific new look branch miles away.

But I do ??????????ASOS.

Scan tomorrow for dc2 and then I'm on the iPad like it's hot for next day delivery (I have this anyway with them)

*I'd have been.

I go to H&M a lot and I order from ASOS a lot, too.

Quality is good and prices are reasonable.

Not possible to buy maternity jeans in short/petite length ime.

My biggest problem is that the clothes are boring, ugly and overly expensive for what they are.

The online only thing is a PITA. Over the bump jeans only fit once you have a decent bump. So 30/40 quid for jeans you'll wear for 4/5 months max.

I've only bought two maternity things this time around. Instead I shop for normal clothes that will fit a bump! So leggings, loose tops, stretchy fabrics.

Tops you can breastfeed in are even more scarce. Horrible ugly things. I swear if someone brought out a range of fashionable, affordable breast feeding tops they would make a fortune

My main grumble with maternity clothes has been the quality - even from shops like Debenhams and Next they've been quite poorly made and used cheap thin material. Was hoping to buy decent stuff that would last at least another pregnancy in the next couple of years for me but most things I've bought will be going in the bin once I'm done with this pregnancy. I didn't buy much in the end either.

Frustrating that you are so limited as to places where you can try stuff on in shops and have to rely on ordering online too, which I don't like doing.

H&M has been reasonable, not anazing quality again but very affordable for most people.

The issue for the retailers will be costs. The number of pregnant women (particularly pregnant women needing smart work clothes) is small compared to the market for women's wear as a whole. Yet pregnant women are price conscious, for obvious reasons. So the margin on pregnancy wear seems likely to be tiny (possibly some retailers do it as a loss leader even, to keep the custom?)

I liked Seraphine, also JoJoMamanBeBe and Mothercare was not too bad for workwear.

Another tall (6 feet) and plus size (22) here. I have not found ANY high street shops that stock maternity wear that will fit. Online only, and since I work, its hard to be in for deliveries and to get to the post office, so Im surviving in one pair of leggings from Long Tall Sally!

Nursing bras: am already a 42H, and this is in second trimester. I have looked and looked, and cannot find anywhere that sells nursing bras over this size. Not sure what Im going to do...

I also liked a brand for underwear and nightwear called Emma-Jane (I think). NCT had some links to retailers. I think if retailers could band together and offer a one stop shop for maternity workwear with advice on sizing and bumps mad so on. MumsnetWear

I think there's lots on the high street that can be worn as maternity wear that isn't necessarily marketed as such. If I could be arsed I'd set up a blog showcasing it.

For example, I've been in normal high waisted jeggings a size up for much of this pregnancy, teamed with a silly camisole and kimono cardi from Oasis. For work I've had a few dresses from Oliver Bonas which have empire line belts. Very smart with a jersey jacket.

I consider myself reasonably stylish and dispair of most of the offerings. Even H&M is almost entirely black and grey. Topshop has been the best IMO, but it's more expensive than it should be.

Wildfire, Bravissimo and Simply Be do nursing bras in large cup sizes - but they are all soft cup bras. You won't fine any underwired.

....also Wildfire if you get a 40 back, you can get bra extenders (on Ebay) for a few quid and that will extend the back size.

Can't you get stuff sent to work wildfire? Seems reasonable if they want you to be dressed! You may need to try American retailers, as someone above suggested. Or post in the Style and Beauty thread in here for suggestions?

Thanks Gooorooo, I didnt see any on their websites last time I looked, but will look again.

Phineyj - I work in a hospital, so we cant get things delivered there (would never see them again!) but I havent tried going American yet... i'll have a look. :-)

PS dont even go there about work clothes - Im going to expand out of scrubs very soon, which is going to make operating a little difficult! However, that probably isnt of interest to a design student.

Here you go Wildfire

Simply Be Maternity Bras H Cup

These go up to a 40 back so you'd need to buy extenders like these.

Most of it is ugly! Apparently when you get pregnant you lose your sense of style. Also it can be quite expensive and not always the best quality. Being short doesn't help either.

Jeans that are way too low rise! Even over the bump ones - the denim part starts waaaay to low at the back. I don't want jeans that show the fabric panel with a normal length top! No one over 25 wants teenage style hip hugging, on-the-muff rise jeans, for the love of God!

Poor cut - I dressmake myself and I'm surprised at how few items have what I'd consider good pattern construction.

Poor fabric quality. Thin leggings, bleeding dye, nasty polyester. Yuck. No one wants to wear polyester when they are overheating and preggo.

Poor choice of smart office wear - very difficult to find things that would be smart or stylish enough for executive wear.

Poor colour choice in leggings and tights.

Poor size choices. I'm quite short, and also my tall friends have issues. The stuff just doesn't bloody fit!

No good cold weather clothing - I live in a very cold country - I've always thought some sort of zip in extra panel for my down parka would be good. I'm going to make one myself I think....

Basically, maternity wear is shit. It's poorly fitting, badly designed and cheaply made. The reason is probably that it actually takes some skill to cut and drape for a curvier figure - designers know they can get away with any old crap on a rail thin body but it's very tough to design in three dimensions.

There's a wonderful book called draping for apparel design by Joseph/Armstrong (?) if you don't have it already.

Good luck with your project!