Maternity clothes - anyone else pretty peed off?

[LuluFM]

Hi all :-)
I live in Brighton, self-styled shopping mecca of the south coast. And also home to lots and lots of mums and mums-to-be.

At 19 weeks pregnant with a reasonably obvious bump, I'm still just about squeezing into my regular jeans - because the choice of maternity wear actually in the shops is really, really awful.

Recently I've been into town, where Next, New Look and M&S all have large if not huge stores (two, three or four floors of retail space, with food and/or homeware sections). They've ALL told me the same thing: their maternity ranges are online.

This makes me really angry, because when your body is changing in an unpredictable way you really need to try the clothes on. More than non-pregnant people whose breasts haven't grown two sizes in as many weeks.

I feel ignored by these stores, despite being supposedly one of their prime target markets (ok, maybe not New Look). And I'm not going to shop in them while pregnant and maybe not afterwards.

Their social media responses have been woefully inadequate - they'll 'pass the comment on' to the relevant department. Or, in New Look's case, some unknown social media gimp will offer advice on what might suit me, despite never having met me, not knowing my age, size etc.

Thank God for Hennes, that's all.

Anyone else finding the same problem?

xx

I had a horrible shopping experience, probably over emotional at the time, but made to feel huge and ugly in every shop I asked about maternity clothes in. Eventually wandered into jojo and the ladies in there were LOVELY. I think I cried! I ended up buying way more than I intended (but I got 4 tops suitable for nursing so will last into breastfeeding stage) and of course spending too too much. But after the other shops made me feel like a freak it was so nice to be looked after.

I think I was just in a pregnancy over-emotional state.

At around 14 weeks I got some maternity trousers from h&m in my usual size - these no longer fit but I've been back and got 4 tops and some chinos... chinos are 2 sizes bigger than my normal size. They are incredibly comfy, soft soft fabric. If they'd had the blue in the right size I'd have bought those as well!

Just wait until you are looking for nursing bras. Nowhere either in shops or online goes up to my size. They just dont exist. They do in regular bras - I thought it was understood that you get bigger whilst nursing, not smaller! Not sure what Im going to do.

Yanbu. It shouldn't all be about the coat of floor space. The big shops do lots of things which are essentially loss leaders. It should be about providing a service.

H&M seem to be stalwarts, but their entire trouser range this spring was skinny. Not much good for those of us who don't like tight trousers.

On a separate question, does anybody have any tips on jojmanan bebe sizing? It just seems to be s, m and l.

I wear a lot of DH's old T-shirts which gets around the 'tops' problem, but the bottoms problem isn't so bad. I have used up the maternity wear from the last two pregnancies (a pair of cropped trousers from nearly new NCT sale) and I did buy a pear of maternity over bump jeans which I wear regularly (did have to buy online). Hoping the weather improves so I can buy regular stretchy maxi dresses to do the rest of the third trimester and get use out of them after the birth too!

I am 184cm tall and a size 18-22 (I would love it if retailers would unify their sizing so I could be one size) so gave up shopping almost all the high street shops (certainly Next/H&M/New Look/DP/etc) when H&M dropped their 'Big is Beautiful' range.

I haven't been able to try on a single new maternity item in store. Even Mothercare/JoJo don't really cater for my size/height combo. So maybe my usual shopping tips will help you out?

Charity shops are surprisingly good. Pick one with a dressing room. Try on anything you even half-like that's your size or larger. I got an entire maternity work wardrobe that lasted from about 8-24 weeks for £30, including a coat. The sizes on the labels were 'M' (ha!) through 24.

Evans & Yours go from size 14 to 32 so you can easily get loose or stretchy basics (e.g. tights, nighties and t-shirts) that are just a larger size.

At 27 weeks, I'm wearing leggings & tights from Evans (my current pair is a size 26, they over the bump on me and loads of stretch for about £9/pair); wrap dresses I've had for years; a pair of maternity jeans my mum found in Debenhams; a few maternity t-shirts mum bought in Lidl (of all places!); long t-shirts and loose tops I've had for ages (mostly from Evans or Yours) and some odd bits (a skirt and some tops) that are actual maternity wear I bought at NCT type sales.

For bras, I've been wearing stretchy sports ones but got a proper fitting at Bravissimo for one to go with an outfit for a wedding (dress from ASOS maternity, excellent service, gorgeous dress). Hello FF cups, at least DP is pleased to see you!

Good luck!

I totally agree and think it's ridiculous more shops aren't selling stuff in store. I hate shopping at the best if times and having to order online without the means to try on is a total pain. There should be a campaign to change things.

Another vote here for Next's harem pants. Bought two pairs on Sunday because I was desperate to find something now my jeans are hurting me. They are so comfortable (even if they do look a little like PJs)

It's dire isn't it. Maternity wear shopping is the most frustrating experience.

I have actually found topshop to be the best place for maternity clothes in store. Bizzare because I haven't even considered shopping in there since I moved out of my early 20's.

I could just about live with the online shopping experience, but most places seem to charge for delivery or returns (ASOS being the exception to that) which makes shopping very expensive! Plus why is it that most maternity wear is so frumpy? I'm pregnant not 70, the two actually would be a pretty unlikely combo! The final nail in the coffin is the fact that even having resorted to online and paying for delivery, so many places seem to be out of stock of size 10/12 clothes! Every time I find something I like its out of blimmin stock.

Feel like dressing in a bag for the rest of my pregnancy.

As midnight struggles, I do too. I'm a 12-14, but I'm also 6'2". With a 37 inside leg, long arms and long body. I got some over the bump roll up combats (can't see they're too short then). Some skinny jeans that look like leggings so the fact they don't quite reach my ankles doesn't matter that much. And some cheapo vests from primark which are ok for now (22 weeks) but won't be long enough to stretch much further over my bump. And bras. I'm a 36DD usually. Up to an F now. Why the fucking fuck do bra people think I need any padding whatsoever???

Stinkers, I'm 6ft and have the extra soft long leggings (called something similar to that anyway!) from the maternity range at ASOS. They are really long! I have a 35" inside leg and there is plenty of left over material so they should work for you.

Ooh, thanks Shantotto, I'll have a look!

I remember ordering a truckload of stuff online for collection in-store and then holing myself up in the changing rooms there and then to try it all on, then doing the returns straight away at the desk. Next and New Look were both very accomodating in that respect. I liked New Look for casual summer stuff especially.

I did have a few bits online, mainly from Seraphine whose trousers were just right for my shape. I still have them waiting to get rid of actually if anyone is in the market for some linen trousers or cropped black trousers.

Noppies is quite a good website. They sell European maternity clothes. Quite expensive but really great quality.

I do like to try things on although this link was on another thread and looks good

www.ebmaternity.co.uk

I've also bought some bits at Peacocks who do actually stock maternity clothes in their stores.

I'm not showing much yet, so I've been able to get away with buying just a few things, as many of my regular dresses + leggings still fit (but most of my trousers don't). But I'm dreading autumn when I'll be much larger and not be able to find anything--I'm 5'2" so most shops' trousers are already out of the question.

Guyropes I've bought a few things from jojo, and I found I'm a medium in anything with a more fitted bust (ie some nice vests with a bit of support) but I went in to try on this: www.jojomamanbebe.co.uk/sp+floral-border-tunic-in-maternity-dresses+d5114 and found I'm definitely a small. I didn't get on with their leggings, so I'll probably just order some from New Look as their everyday leggings are pretty good (better quality than H&M imho).

H & M in Westfield doesn't stock maternity wear? That's insane . They definitely do in our pretty small city. I know , because everything I like is maternity wear and I'm not pregnant!

15 years ago, the only shop that sold maternity wear was DPs. I never wore jeans at all for 6 months - just clingy/stretchy skirts and dresses from wherever I could get them...mostly C and A (feels old)!

Currently rocking some MC hammer comfy a little too large and unflattering black cotton maternity tapered trousers to work as i could not face the synthetic hot tightness of other mat trousers. Yes they have a bump band but in the heat my legs expand and they are so warm/itchy!

I am hiding them under my desk, with a smart top ( tshirt that is stretching over the mini bump and statement necklace to distract people but in blissful happiness..practically pjs. Work clothes for maternity should not ideally be this sloppy but the choice is limited and so expensive and i am as happy as a clam today...hammer time

ps they are ASOS.

OMG thank you for putting exactly what I'm thinking. I live in Brighton too and went into New Look - a mahhoooooosive store - and was told they didn't have the space for maternity! I pointed out its a shame as it's literally the biggest market and, unlike fashion, never will go out of fashion!

Hennes are good but limited. Try 'Jojo Maman Bebe' down the lanes. People says it expensive but I find worth it. I bought several nice wrap over tops that can be used post-baby, there leggings are really comfy and they have some nice linen trousers in at the moment. Take a look at them online first so you get a realistic view of what they look like as I find pregnancy stuff looks awful on a hanger!

For vests and 'wide fit' shoes - Primark all the way!

For jeans - 'Just maternity Jeans' on the web. Good value and sooooooo comfy

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