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Best places to buy maternity clothes....your tips needed

24 replies

IsabellyMoi · 01/02/2007 22:47

What are your favourite shops for maternity clothes shopping? I'd especially appreciate hearing from all my fellow 'vertically challenged' (i.e., petite) mums and mums-to-be. All ideas most welcome and I think your tips will be very useful to many of us. Thanks!

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lucy1978 · 01/02/2007 22:51

dorothy perkins do a good range as do next but next are a bit more expensive

ja9 · 01/02/2007 22:54

asda, ebay, h&m

dotcotton · 01/02/2007 22:57

Topshop for nice dresses and jeans, Primark for everything else because i knew i wouldn't wear them afterwards, If you are small you can get away with wearing normal clothes in bigger sizes almost right til the end - when you'll just want to wear tracky bottoms anyway!

jabuti · 02/02/2007 08:58

www.funmum.com

and you if you have any chance of going to the us or canada, old navy for sure.

geordiemacminx · 02/02/2007 09:02

ebay was great for me as I managed to get a couple of pairs of petite maternity jeans that would have taken ages to find otherwise!! Got a couple of black stretchy type trousers from H&M but they are long so would need taking up - at £15 though it wasnt too bad. Dorethy perkins is great for long line t-shirts and jumpers that arent necessarily maternity and also cheaper trousers. I also found larger New Look stores had some great "high fashion" stuff which was nice if I was going out.

NbgsYellowFeathers · 02/02/2007 09:04

I really liked Dorothy Perkins. I didnt think their prices were bad and they seemed to have a very good range.

I also bought a few bits off La Redoute and Vertbaudet. I got alot of voucher codes off Hot Uk Deals and even got a few bits just for postage costs!

incy · 02/02/2007 09:14

Isabella Oliver is excellent - I love their maternity clothes. There is a section where you can select your body shape and they suggest suitable items.

Top shop are good for trousers as they do a 30inch inside leg.

BibiThree · 02/02/2007 09:14

I found out the hard way after living in Asda maternity the first time, that it's worth paying a little bit extra in Next for the things you'll get a LOT of wear out of like jeans, work trousers and nice tops.

This time I haven't bought as much, 2 trousers for work (Next) 5 tops (Next and DP), a pair of jeans (Next) and that's it. I'll fill in the gaps with cheaper things from H&M and DP but it's worth getting a few good pieces I think.

M&S do a maternity range now but don't know what it's like, also Argos Additions.

maveta · 02/02/2007 09:31

Topshop definitely. Got a couple of pairs of jeans that are the envy of even my non-pregnant friends, some nice tops for going out and this season is great for the little cardigans that just do up with a few buttons at the top. Can´t remember what the style is called but they are from the normal topshop range and are fab.

Also have a few tops and jumpers from shops like Mango in a larger size that have done me well.

Scootergirl · 02/02/2007 09:33

I'm only 5ft and I really liked Next's stretchy wide-leg trousers (in petite obviously) which have a huge waistband which you can pull right up to cover your boobs (if you fancy a laugh...) but otherwise roll round your bump.

BibiThree · 02/02/2007 09:35

I've got those trousers too scootergirl - fab and v v comfy! Also good for a laugh when pulled up to my boobs. We can't drink so have to get our kicks somehow, eh?

FioFio · 02/02/2007 09:35

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn

Scootergirl · 02/02/2007 09:36

It almost looked like one of those glamourous things All Saints or someone would wear when pg... until you looked up and got the grey face and limp hair....

Juicylucytoo · 02/02/2007 10:23

TK Max have some great comfy pants that aren't as casual as trackie bottoms (Primark £3 a pop!), and I love them.

Main tip - don't spend too much!

cryingatthediscoteque · 02/02/2007 12:04

I like funmum.com too and jojomamanbebe.co.uk has good quality stuff. GAP t-shirts are good because they are long and fitted me until very recently (now 37 weeks).

cryingatthediscoteque · 02/02/2007 12:06

Forgot to say Sweaty Betty do these AMAZING wide leg drawstring yoga trousers by Fuertaventura. They are pricey at £55 but I literally wear mind EVERY day and they are nice enough to go out in without feeling like a tramp.

mammaduck · 02/02/2007 12:15

I visited The Maternity Exchange in Bourne End, but you can also buy on their website. I'm petite too and they have a special section of petite maternity clothes. Particularly good for trousers.

Tutter · 02/02/2007 12:21

top end:
isabella oliver
push maternity
formes
9 london

cheaper:
h&m (not all stores sell their maternity stuff though)
top shop
m&s (v limited selection)
crave maternity
dotty ps

i just received 2 bells bands in the post today - look like they're goign to be invaluable for holding up maternity jeans (that never stay up ime - howevere much you spend on them)

Creena · 02/02/2007 12:28

It kind of depends on what sort of price range and purpose you're buying for, IYSWIM.
I'm pregnant with my third at the moment and there is a 10 year age gap between this one and my last one - I have to say that, in those ten years, maternity wear from the high street has definitely improved beyond measure! When I was expecting my DS (now 10), the only stores I could buy maternity wear in were Dorothy Perkins and C&A! Blooming Marvellous was around then too but only via mail order. It used to be so frustrating, so I'm quite pleased to see how things have changed now.

For me, I've really liked the following;

For work wear (black trousers, skirts, shirts tc), Next has been good.

For dresses or clothes for a slightly more dressy look, Blooming Marvellous and Picchu.com have been good.

For every day wear, Dorothy Perkins is great.

For items that are a bit more 'on trend', TopShop is excellent. For similar stuff that's more reasonably priced, you can't beat H&M and New Look.

If you can afford a bit extra, Isabella Oliver is good as are Formes and Seraphine.

For maternirt jeans, I would whole-heartedly recommend bootcut 'on the bump' jeans from mamas and pappas - the best ones I've ever had.

As has been said already, there are lots of swing/trapeze/empire line shape clothing in the shops at the moment - you could easily buy tops in these shapes that aren't maternity wear (perhaps in a bigger size if needed). I know I've already spotted quite a few fab tops in Oasis that I'm hankering after now!

A couple of health warnings on top of all of these recommendations!

Next - not all of their stores stock the maternity range so do check before you turn up at your local branch. Alternatively, you can buy direct from their website instead.

Vertbaudet - trousers aren't so good if you're not particularly tall nor long of limb. I'm 5'5" and had to send regular length trousers back when they trailing several feet of material over my feet and onto the floor!

ebay - do be careful when you buy stuff from here. Always check that the photos featured on the site are of the actual garment that you'll be buying and not taken from the site from where they were originally bought - you might end up disappointed when something a bit grubbier than you were expecting arrives in the post!

Maternity trousers generally - try to buy 'on the bump' styles if you can, (especially if you're not particularly tall), rather rhan over the bump or under the bump styles. In my experience, on the bumo trousers are more likely stay up and in place when worn!

IsabellyMoi · 05/02/2007 06:21

Excellent advice, everyone! Thank you so much for taking the time to post and share your wisdom. I'm almost at 31 weeks and so far have coped with 1 pair of black trousers, 1 pair of jeans, several maternity tops and a few non-materntiy items. However, I really need to expand my options a little but I don't want to buy a tonne as it isn't THAT much longer to go.

I shall be doing some shopping at the some of the places you mentioned!

OP posts:
Juicylucytoo · 05/02/2007 09:02

Knickers - The best ones I've found that are non granny type were recommended to me by someone on MN - The lacy short-type (no VPL) ones in M&S at 3 for £10. They come in loads of colours too. I'm still wearing them at 24 weeks and hope to for many more to come.

They're really comfy and don't cut in as no elastic line. Make you feel like you're still "normal" too. IYSWIM!

Happy shopping

Shoobiedoo · 05/02/2007 12:13

I got my best stuff from American Ebay - loads of Gap Maternity stuff and even a Juicy Couture hoodie. Because the exchange rate is so good at the moment I got some stuff really cheap even when you take into account the postage.

Gap Maternity do the most amazing jeans and trousers, and the range of stuff is much more like normal clothes and therefore quite flattering.

cupcake78 · 05/02/2007 12:15

Shoobiedoo

my god that's brilliant. Never even thought about that. Can't wait to shop now. Aren't the sizes different? How do you know what siz to get?

Juicylucytoo · 05/02/2007 12:40

Wow american ebay. Now that's an idea...

Also worth checking out
american apparel

I've got a couple of short dresses from there I'm wearing as t-shits.

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