So disappointed with maternity wear

[NorkilyChallenged]

I don't know why I'm surprised, this is my third pregnancy but I am already sick of maternity wear. Why are pregnant women only able to wear black, grey or pastel pink?

I'm grumpy because I ordered some dresses in jojomamanbebe sale - they were ridiculously cheap so I should have known - and they arrived today... So disappointing. They are all tents. I know I'm hardly slim just now but why accentuate the fact by wearing a parachute? Gah

Just getting my grumpiness out

try H&M.

cheap and cheerful.

Our h&m doesn't stock maternity stuff. Grr. Do have nice shirt from there that sil gave me for Christmas

Hellooo Norkily

How's it all going?

Get thee to a topshop or have a look at asos especially in the sale.

Isabella Oliver has some good reductions on at the mo, although still expensive.

jojomamanbebe is bolleaux

French Connection have a nice range and so does New Look if you can find a store that stocks it. Agree with Topshop too.

I hate that all maternity workwear is black or white. And dreadful black bootleg slacks to boot. I don't work in a bank in the 90s you know.

I totally agree OP, in fact, I was going to start a thread on exactly the same subject!

Maternitywear is shit!
It's overpriced too isn't it?

The only place I've found with ok stuff is Topshop (but it's very limited in terms of both number of styles and also availability). Was very disappointed with the range in H&M.

All of the internet brands like Isabella Oliver, etc, seem too corporate and formal for me.

Buy LK cotton dresses one size up on ebay,they're always on for less than twenty pounds and they're stretchy enough to wear till 36 weeks or so and very cute.

Jojo is dreadful for maternity, I love it for baby and toddler clothes though!

This pregnancy I have had some success with Crave, and Mamalicious (which I order through Asos). No tents, things are cut well and in colours!
I'm a SAHM so these are clothes which are nice rather than smart - I don't want to feel like I'm going to work!!
I also bought a couple of non-maternity jumper dresses from M&S in a size up which are still going strong with leggings at 31 weeks and will be good for another month at least I think.

Saw a couple of really nice tops on M&S maternity website the other day.

I've got lovely things from next maternity both times, I'm liking this look, this bright dress and New Looks has some good cheapy bits-like this cute dress/top

Thanks everyone. Am going to look at the suggestions. Our Top Shop stocks v little mat wear. Ditto our M&S. It's rubbish and obviously buying online not a huge success.

I love Isabella Oliver but it's too pricey for regular wear (I do have a long skirt and wide leg jersey trousers from there though which I wear a lot).

In my defence, Jojo dresses were £9 each so definitely worth a shot, no? And this one would be lovely if it wasn't so loose and shapeless (in a size 12!) and instead looked like it does on the picture.

Don't think M&S stock any maternity wear in any stores anymore, you have to order online.

Is Mamas & Papas any good at the moment? During last pregnancy I got loads from them, v cheap in the sales. Haven't wanted to look yet as only 10 weeks.

I went into our local Mamas and Papas last week, picked up some nice maternity skinnies (which I'm already in a 12 weeks) but the rest of the stuff was a little bland IMO (a couple of nice shirts, but lots of 'jersey basics' in marl grey).

I tend to use Seraphine. It's not great for colours (and I'm feeling this acutely as I look into a stark, black pregnancy wardrobe this time round) but it's elegant, well made and very chic in a French sort of way (which is surely the best way to be chic?). I'm due in August so am hoping to move into colourful tops and some cute frocks and shirts come summer!

Thanks helza, maybe I'll give M&P a miss then.

Gap maternity wear is great. Try the website.

My other top tip is French Commection. They make a lot of things that are cut so that pregnant women can wear them. They know this but don't advertise it. I have some fab tops and dresses from them that I wore all through my pregnancy and can still wear now.

Have you had a look at Seraphine? I recently ordered a few bits from there and am really pleased with them.

I got this dress and it's lovely.

I also got one of their wrap tops and every time I wear it someone comments on how nice it is.

I got a few bits from funmum.com and was really impressed. I did however get everything in a half price sale but I have LIVED in the jeans for the last 8 months and never want to wear any other jeans again. They have never fallen down either which I believe is a problem for some. Their tops are flattering to.

Gap, H&M (who sell online now did you know?), crave, and one of those bandage wrap tops from Isabella Oliver which I've worn and worn through two pregnancies and so is worth the money. Also, this time I slightly took against mat wear (similar to you - bored!) and just bought ordinary wrap or empire line dresses in jersey (or anything scretchy) and accepted they would get out of shape.

Seraphine and Crave are good. Try Ebay - I bought loads of stuff on there and it was all in pretty good condition. If you buy nice things (i.e. Seraphine, Crave, Isabella Oliver) you can resell them later.

I used my 3rd pg as an excuse to dress like a student again. I wore some of those foul black slacks cut off to just below the knee with tights underneath. I had some non maternity short dresses from h and m which i wore with leggings and long sleeved t shirts underneath and when it got HOT I wore a sundress as a skirt. I didn't have to go to work in an office though!

Thanks for all the tips everyone. Some nice things but a bit too pricey to be justifiable at this stage of what is (probably) my last pregnancy (Crave, IO, French Connection).

But I've just done an order for a couple of things from Top Shop and another from ASOS so thanks for the links. Will report back on how they fit and what they're like when they arrive.

Now must package up all the Jojomamanbebe stuff to return.