£300 maternity wardrobe budget: go quality or go quantity?

[5ChildrenAndIt]

What's the best maternity dressing strategy? Buy a pair of jeans & two tops from Isabella Oliver and wear them to death - or buy bags full of topshop/Dorothy Perkins?

Just coming out of the vomitty first trimester - and I need serious style injection to restore my mojo.

It depends how much wear you are going to get out of them. When I was pregnant with DD, I knew I wouldn't be able to have any more children so I spent as little as I could on maternity clothes. It just wasn't worth it for a few weeks wear to spend a lot.

I've lasted quite well on about 4 maternity tops and 2 maternity trousers, however my work uniform was supplied by my employer!

As I started getting bigger I went through my wardrobe and picked out dresses and long tops that would be ok for me to wear over bump. I also dug out the leggings!

I didn't have £300 to spend though , but if I did I would put the money away for after baby's born and you start getting your figure back. In the days where you feel like a beached whale and need a bit of pampering!

I think this is my last pregnancy (see my user name!)...

I've tried both strategies in the past. Spent tuppence ha'penny on tesco long vests with DD1 and looked like a bag lady. Got a really nice sweetheart maternity top from Isabella Oliver with DS1 that I wore for years. But with DD2 - the Isabella Oliver stuff just didn't work for me (gaping wrap blouse and nasty yoga trousers) - so I'm worried about making expensive mistakes and ending up a naked recluse .

And then gave it all away - so starting from scratch again!!

You'll get more for your money on eBay for starters. I find H&M great value and ASOS too. If you can hold off until Christmas you could make a killing in the sales.

Do you need workwear?

If you're due in June (I'm 12 weeks too!) then you need stuff to cover both seasons.

I'd certainly buy a good pair on jeans - I like H&M. I'd get a couple of dresses, maybe 3 as they're convenient to wash and wear - no ironing or looking for coordinating items. A tube skirt or two and 3/4 tops should be ok (tube skirt will see you through early summer too). Then a jumper or cardigan to see you through the winter. Then a pair of linen type trousers will be good for May/June.

Do you need a coat?

As a final point, if you but a little more, and therefore wear each item a little bit less, you might get more for it all selling on as a bundle as the condition might be better.

Congrats! I'm due 2nd week of June!

eBay is a good suggestion - though sometimes branded stuff seems to sell for near new price!

The budget was suggested by my DH - who thought I might like some nice maternity clothes wrapped up under the tree (but suggested I maybe helped Santa with choosing). I could hold back some for sales - but it'd be nice to have one or two symbolic bits - to kick off the next stage of pregnancy with panache. I guess 'fashion' items will be reduced - but plain tops and jeans are staples so won't be reduced...?

I wasn't going to go for any warm-wear - my existing coat is baggy enough - and my existing cardies can just do.

No need for work wear - but I feel too old to do cheap-casual well.

goose - I'm trying to embrace the joy of 'now' - since I know from experience that 'getting my figure back' won't happen any time soon after pregnancy! I expect to be wearing this stuff for a year at least.

Hi , I also have 6 and I know what you mean about the figure not " snapping back " .....

I found that the time I actually needed maternity clothes ( as opposed to baggy normal clothes ) was about months 6-9 of pregnancy and about 6-8 weeks post natally. So only about 5 months of proper maternity wear.

Whereas I needed much longer in " normal clothes that don't cling to a fat tummy and facilitate breast feeding " , because I wore these from months 4 onwards ( not in first pregnancy obviously ) and them for about a year or more after the birth for BF. So that's where I would spend my money , if that makes sense.

Let's face it, everyone expects you to look like a beached whale at 9 months, especially when it's your 6th pg. You have a fat face and fat ankles and weird hair . But when the baby is 6 months old you want to look half decent .

Definitely go for quality if you can. I bought one Isabelle Oliver dress, mid length black, it last two pregnancies plus breast feeding infants and could wear with anything- on it's own/jazzed up with accessories/a jumper over with boots/bright scarf and sandles, etc etc
I never found trousers that fit properly so I bought 2 dresses plus skirt from I.O., sales coming up too...

Bloody hell! I probably spent £30 and got great stuff second hand, including a fantastic coat and merino wool cardi.

I would go for quantity as I got so sick of the same clothes. Can you borrow some?

I'd get a couple of pairs of nice "elasticated bump" skinny jeans, then I'd also get some bump bands (LOVED those) and some bf tops from H&M, along with their super long vests. I'd also get waterfall cardis again and wear the lot for 6 months.

Thank you - that looks like a well stocked shop.