Trying to shop for maternity clothes on the high street

[AcademicNerd]

Hiya,

So I've been in hormone-fuelled pieces trying to find a wedding outfit (aunt is getting married in a couple weeks). I really want to try things on, because I've gained weight and everything fit weird now. I'm ready to spend, but the high street doesn't really want to know.

Here is my rundown of recent shopping expeditions:

• local high street was poor. Shops that carry mat wear online don't necessarily have it in average size shops.
• Westfield Stratford was a bit disappointing. Mothercare had jeans, but only skinny ones. H&M had a reasonable choice of casual wear.

Oxford Street was a bit more fruitful:

• Primark has maternity tights, good if you're on a budget like me
• Nothing to be had in House of Fraser or Selfridges
• Maybe M&S would be in less financial trouble in their clothing department if they stocked maternity wear. They had nothing in either location.
• If an H&M has a kids department, they probably have maternity. They got some more of my money.
• John Lewis had a couple racks of mat wear. Nice, but out of my price range.
• Debenhams has a line called Red Herring that is mat wear. Found a simple dress to pair with a cardigan I already own for the wedding, so result!
• Topshop (the big one by Oxford Circus stn) has a mat wear section. All casual stuff, but pretty decent choice. All skinny jeans again. Found a sweater.
• the New Look near the big Topshop had a bit of mat wear, but I didn't fancy it.

I think I'm done for a while. I've never liked shopping, and being pregnant makes it worse. Time to rest the puffy ankles!

Dorothy Perkins has a nice little mat wear range

I know you prefer to but in store but as you've seen it's a hopeless and frustrating experience. ASOS online is your answer. Buy a load of stuff, try if on at home and send what you don't like back. Repeat as needed.

At least you found something for the wedding!

I've ordered a few things from boohoo.com, not a huge range but think they have only started doing it. I got some nice pieces from H&M and Next as well. Didn't like the fit of anything from Dorothy Perkins. New look had the odd nice thing but quality was great

Found one or two things in Peacocks which was cheap at least.

The only places in the (major) shopping mall near me with a maternity range are H&M and New Look - each with a selection of approximately 20 items, with rarely one of each size stocked (usually size 8 and 18). M&S, Next, Dorothy Perkins, Debenhams, Topshop, House of Fraser and Primark have nothing. You have to shop online. So far I've purchased 2 pairs of trousers and a pair of tights, and used bigger tops from Primark, but I've another 2 months to go...

It's dire, isn't it?

Even our largest shopping centre doesn't have much. I had a very interesting discussion with a John Lewis manager when I first discovered just what little maternity wear is available in stores. He told me that I would find everything I needed online... Completely missed the point when I said that actually after gaining 15lbs I had no idea what size I was. Ordering a whole wardrobe in 3 sizes and returning most of it is just not efficient, or environmentally friendly!

In the end I've been pleased with New Look, not somewhere I'd usually shop, but they carry a good selection in stores. H&M also, but their sizing is bizarre. If you want evening wear though, ordering online is your only hope.

N.B I detest skinny jeans, but it's all anybody has! When they only stock 5 pairs of maternity jeans, why do they all have to be 'skinny'??

Go to seraphine, there's one on High Street Kensington

I was shocked at how little is on the actual high street during my first pregnancy. I just buy online at gap, h&m and ASOS. GAP have great offers on all the time if you get their VIP emails usually a 40% off code.

Oh Lord it's awful! I ordered a lot online and returned what didn't fit. Here is waht I got (mostly online)

Jojo maman Bebe has realistic non-skinny jeans that fit me. Many are too tight at the thigh but these ones are good. Bought these online and got a couple of jumpers in store.

M+S Leggings

BonPrix maternity trousers: cotton, good enough for work as well

Amazon: got a jumper for around 8 quid

H+M: found a brach that did maternity in store and got a few shirts that can be used for nursing later on

Dorothy perkins: think I got a dress and possibly one from Mothercare as well as some mothercare tights

It's a huge pain but with a toddler I don't have time to keep up with weating/washing so have ended up buying more.

Then there is the changing bra size issue.....!

I've been in tears trying to actually find a shop that has maternity wear for me to try on, they all say 'it's online so order it into store' (pay first!) then take back. The ONE crucial time a women HAS to try on clothes beforehand. H&M had stuff in store and had straight leg jeans. Goodness knows why Mothercare only have skinny leg jeans, I tried them on and they are awful!

Most of my maternity clothing is from Topshop simply because they have a concession in the Oxford St store. Whilst it was all quite flattering when tried on, the quality is crap - stuff is falling apart / pilling after a few wears and washes. Had a nightmare with stuff ordered online though and kept very little. I have basically bought the bare minimum. So depressing - sorry OP.

I keep telling different shops on Twitter that they would make so much money if they had clothes for us to try on! I'm going to have to bite the bullet and do online shopping I think, even though it means queuing up in the post office to return items while there's a big Xmas queue.

I've got: a pair of jeans, a mat dress, a dress in my closet from when I used to be plus size, two ruched tops to allow for bump, a sweater, three drawstring pj bottoms, and whatever tops still fit me as I grow. I may need one more pair of jeans. Thank god I kept the bras from the plus size days, cause bra shopping is the worst.

I suppose the day will come when I have to buy nursing bras, but I'm only 5mos 1wk along so I can avoid this for a while.

If anyone gives me grief for not dressing to the wedding theme they will sorely regret it. I will rock up to this biker wedding looking pleasant, a bit dull, and hopefully with a pregnancy glow.

I'm echoing artandco. Go to Seraphine. Beautiful mat clothes, especially if it's a dress for a wedding.

Drives me round the bend. We're not in London, but fortunately one of our local retail parks has a New Look, and the city centre has a Debenhams and H&M. I've had to resort to online shopping to find anything reasonable. As a protest I will only buy maternity wear online from 'online only' outlets - not M&S/Next and the like, who could stock it but don't.