Maternity Clothes

[YummyMummy2019]

Hi lovelies,

im aware im early to start looking for maternity clothing in the first trimester, but the thought of nothing fitting and suddenly being in a rush to find things fills me with dread, panic shopping is always a nightmare even for none PG clothing!

so where are the best shops for maternity clothes at either end of the scale. day to day I know H&M but thats about it.
we have a ton of events over the months where I will need to have more high end clothing and formal wear for work.

Any suggestions welcome!
thanks
x

Séraphine on the pricier end have some lovely work and formal stuff. Some branches of John Lewis carry some of it in store

ASOS and Dorothy Perkins have some good item,also Debenhams and next do good jeans but I’ve bought these 2nd hand from eBay. I haven’t bought any maternity tops, either gone up a size in the styles I like (tunic type tops) or have worn best tops and shirts. Due to the heatwave we’ve had I’ve lived in Dorothy Perkins maternity maxi dresses but I’m pretty big now at 35 weeks!

George at ASDA do a few good basics like leggings- I lived in leggings towards the end with oversized shirts/tunics. They make you feel 'put together' easily.

Boohoo are really good if online is an option for you

Seraphine is good for formal wear, and you can usually find it in good condition on eBay, particularly as not many people wear the smarter stuff all the time.

Gap maternity is good quality (only online) but comes up huge so be aware of that.

I've had a few nice bits from frugi (and they currently have a sale) but it very much has a look.

Jojo maman usually has a shift dress each season which you can build lots of outfits from. I wore one loads for work.

H and M is good for trying in store, I dont know of many other places where you can but I don't rate the quality. Mothercare have things in store too but they are expensive for what they are, though lots of sales right now.

Im sure lots of people will say you can just size up, but I didn't personally find that, my job is quite suited and booted so that was out of the question and I wanted nice things for other times. I probably bought too much in hindsight but I'll resell some of it

So far I have bought from:

New Look
Seraphine
Jojo Maman Bebe
H&M
ASOS
Isabella Olivia (so expensive but the treggings are the comfiest thing I have ever worn)
Next
Mothercare

You’ll find that most places you shop at now probably do a maternity range, so definitely worth a look. I was in maternity from 12 weeks because I just couldn’t get comfy in regular clothes. I tried sizing up but I just felt fat then 😂

Thank you. That is my worry I don’t want to feel like I’m trying to hide my bump! Because I’m not but so much maternity stuff is saggy and baggy haha x

Thank you Hun, yes my job is corporate so when I’m not working at home I have to be pretty formal and my shirts and pencil skirts are all tailored, so guessing they will be busting at the seams in a month haha xx

Does Seraphine have an actual store where you can try things on? Or is it all online?

I do prefer to try things on, im also in Surrey so may just head back into London for the day and see what I can find.

Have any of you just got a larger size or stretchy fabrics and skipped maternity wear all together? x

Not skipped all together but a lot of my work dresses are jersey/wrap style and they've all accommodated my bump (now sizeable at 35 weeks) so have only had 2-3 extra dresses for work (and maternity tights!)

Bear in mind as soon as you have the baby your bump goes from looking cute in stretchy things to looking big, fat and wobbly. You will need some loose fitting things post partum. I had to send my sister to Jojo when I was still in hospital after having the baby because I made that mistake!

Also you will love the comfy maternity leggings and jeans later in the pregnancy. Under bump is fine earlier on but when the bump gets bigger they roll down and over bump jeans are more comfy.

Seraphine
Isabella Oliver
Jojo
Next
New look
H and m
Top shop
Mamalicious

Lots of the shops even if they have the maternity range, only stock a really small part of it. Even if you go up to London, you'll get a better range online. Better to order online and return things.

I have just got a load of non maternity shirts from Zara on order, they aren't maternity but are generous and skimming over bump area (tight is also uncomfy later on) and have buttons on the front so I can use them for nursing afterwards.

Topshop and h&m were my go to

Gap and top shop for jeans
H&M for cheap cotton t-shirt, leggings
Agree that if you get some oversized shirts they will do you for post baby / breastfeeding etc..
Got a couple of dresses, smart trousers from jojo maman bebe , ASOS and Dorothy Perkins

I like the Katie Piper maternity range at wantthattrend.com, there’s a nice selection of bump-flattering jersey wrap-style dresses that are only about £25. Because they’re stretchy they fitted from quite early on so I feel like I’m getting my money’s worth out of them!

I’ve also got a lot of wear out of several Fatface tops I bought - they’re not maternity wear but the Fatface style seems to be all quite loose fitting around the waist so they’ve been great during the second trimester when I’ve not been quite big enough for “proper” maternity clothes.

I quite often buy my maternity stuff in primark, they dont have a maternity range but you can buy items a few sizes bigger and look for things with elastic waist bands, I prefer some of it to the real maternity clothes on offer

I got some brilliant maternity jeans in jojo’s during my first pregnancy and I’m approaching my due date with my second daughter and they’re still going strong. They had loads of choice of over/under bump, different cuts and lengths etc.

Jojo? Is that jo jo mama Bebe?