please help with my dissertation

[pinklemonade]

Hi Guys, I have been directed to these pages by a friend who thinks you may be able to help!

My Name is Jennifer and i'm currently writing my dissertation for my Honours project for my degree in Clothing Design and Manufacture.

My Dissertation is on The Use of Thermoregulatory Textiles in Maternity Wear.

So if you could spare a few minutes could any of you who have any experience with maternity wear just answer a couple of questions for me.

Thanks so much for all your help!

1.While buying maternity clothes do you look at the fabric composition of the garment, or do you choose based on the style of the garment only?

1. Have you ever felt uncomfortable during pregnancy because of increased body heat?

1. Would you be interested in maternity wear made from fabrics that actually help keep you cool?

1. Do you/ did you tend to purchase your maternity clothing from Online Retailers or High Street stores?

5.Which age bracket are you/were you during your last pregnancy?

16-23
23-30
30-35
35+

1.While buying maternity clothes do you look at the fabric composition of the garment, or do you choose based on the style of the garment only?
Both. I tend to go for natural fabrics, but if I saw something that I particularly liked I would buy on stlye, and price plays an important part too!

1. Have you ever felt uncomfortable during pregnancy because of increased body heat?

no, never. in fact I have suffered from feeling very cold durng my last 2 pregnancies

1. Would you be interested in maternity wear made from fabrics that actually help keep you cool?

no. see above! (unless I was pregnant during the summer)

1. Do you/ did you tend to purchase your maternity clothing from Online Retailers or High Street stores?

Both.

5.Which age bracket are you/were you during your last pregnancy?

23-30

1. style 2)yes
2. if cheap enough
3. high street
4. 23-30

1. Style is important as you still want to look decent and the type of fabic will be dependent on what seasons you're going to be pregnant through, so also an important factor.

2)I've found it harder to control my body temperature. Usually being a cold person, I found that I would layer up to walk to the train station in the morning coz it was bloody freezing, only to find that my top would be soaked through from sweating once I got there! Nice!

3)Yes, if they had breathable material around the armpit area.

4)I could never find high street stores that sold mat clothes so ordered all mine online. Bit of trial and error with the sizing of certain brands!

5)23-30

1. Style. Would maybe look at fabric composition to see if it contained lycra etc (for eg. with stretchy clothing) but this wouldn't influence a purchase.

1. Yes, in the height of a hot summer.

1. Only if it looked stylish. With our summers at present wouldn;t be the first thing I would think of looking for.

1. Mainly on-line retailers - not a great deal on my local high street.

1. Age bracket 35+

1. style is very important, although it has to be comfy too

2. God yes!

3)Yes

4)both

5. 30-35

1. Style first

1. Yes, but my DS was born in August so it was hot anyway. I did sweat my way through almost every day and night for the best part of 2 months before he was born though.

1. It depends on the cost. In theory, yes.

1. High Street stores.

5.I was 30, i'm being dense though as to which group, 23-30 or 30-35...

1. Style
2. No, I feel extra cold in pregnancy.
3. No
4. Both
5. 23-30

1.Style first, then I may look at fabric composition (really only something I care about for knitwear and evening clothes)?

1. No, I was hoping to be hotter but haven't been.

1. Doesn't really seem relevant (England not that warm to me!), so no.

1. Both, but mostly online as most high st stores only stock maternity wear in their Oxford St stores (shudder).

1. 30-35

Good luck!!!

1.While buying maternity clothes do you look at the fabric composition of the garment, or do you choose based on the style of the garment only?
I sometimes look at what things are made from but more from a 'how easy is it to look after' perspective. Price plays a big part too.

1. Have you ever felt uncomfortable during pregnancy because of increased body heat?

A little but I also feel cold sometimes too.

1. Would you be interested in maternity wear made from fabrics that actually help keep you cool?

Possibly but not if it meant they were really expensive. If it was a natural fabric I'd be more tempted.

1. Do you/ did you tend to purchase your maternity clothing from Online Retailers or High Street stores?

High street usually. Perhaps get a couple of sale bits online.

5.Which age bracket are you/were you during your last pregnancy?
23-30

1. Tend to buy natural fabrics but style and cost also very important.

1. Yes but manageable as I've never been very pregnant mid summer.

1. Yes if in good styles and colours

1. Pretty much all purchased online as like others couldn't find much / anything I liked in the stores.

1. 35+

1.While buying maternity clothes do you look at the fabric composition of the garment, or do you choose based on the style of the garment only?

:- Fabric and style.

1. Have you ever felt uncomfortable during pregnancy because of increased body heat?

:- Yes

1. Would you be interested in maternity wear made from fabrics that actually help keep you cool?

:- yes, i get very hot.

1. Do you/ did you tend to purchase your maternity clothing from Online Retailers or High Street stores?

:- Mainly Online as maternity clothes are very hard to find in high street shops. In fact i have been each time i've been pregnant i have been told that there is no call for maternity clothes (all in big high street stores.)

5.Which age bracket are you/were you during your last pregnancy?

16-23
23-30
30-35
35+

:- am 39yrs and pg for the 3rd time.

1. Fabric very important, because skin is more sensitive during pregnancy. Much itching due to coarse fabrics.
2. Heavy pregnancy in the heat of summer is hell. "Uncomfortable" is an understatement. Apart from summer, no, I never felt too hot. Pregnancy is not menopause.
3. High street. Better to try them on.
4. I'm almost 38 and pregnant.

1.While buying maternity clothes do you look at the fabric composition of the garment, or do you choose based on the style of the garment only?
I have avoided synthetic fabrics and only bought fabrics with some stretch in them for comfort.

1. Have you ever felt uncomfortable during pregnancy because of increased body heat?

Yes, I get flushes from time to time. But in the first trimester was very cold.

1. Would you be interested in maternity wear made from fabrics that actually help keep you cool?

Yes, as long as they stretch too. Something that keeps you cool when you're hot and warm when you are cold is more like it I think.

1. Do you/ did you tend to purchase your maternity clothing from Online Retailers or High Street stores?

Almost all from online retailers - going shopping is very unattractive when pregnant!

5.Which age bracket are you/were you during your last pregnancy?

30-35

1. Fabric deffo, the outfit needs to be comfy rather than trendy

1. Completely the opposite, so, No

1. Yes as will be heavily pregnant this summer..and apparently it is going to be a scorcher yikes!

1. Both but mainly online

1. 23-30

Good luck with the dissertation

Thank you all so much for your input! you have been very very helpful!

Thank you for the well wishes and good luck to you all with your pregnancies and bundles of joy!!!

1.While buying maternity clothes do you look at the fabric composition of the garment, or do you choose based on the style of the garment only?

BIt of both

1. Have you ever felt uncomfortable during pregnancy because of increased body heat?

Not realy been affected by this - don't know if its cos its bloody freezing!

1. Would you be interested in maternity wear made from fabrics that actually help keep you cool?

I can see a market for it, yes

1. Do you/ did you tend to purchase your maternity clothing from Online Retailers or High Street stores?

Both - but mainly cos so little on High Street. Been 'forced' ionline really.

5.Which age bracket are you/were you during your last pregnancy?

35+

1.While buying maternity clothes do you look at the fabric composition of the garment, or do you choose based on the style of the garment only?
both, i look for cotton generally

1. Have you ever felt uncomfortable during pregnancy because of increased body heat?

Yes, occassionally

1. Would you be interested in maternity wear made from fabrics that actually help keep you cool?

Yes

1. Do you/ did you tend to purchase your maternity clothing from Online Retailers or High Street stores?

High Street, boutiques and hand me downs

5.Which age bracket are you/were you during your last pregnancy?

30-35
hth. good luck with dissertation.