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Original poster

short, fat and pregnant!

45 replies

pixiestix · 04/04/2010 13:26

Hello,
This is my first foray into Style and Beauty, largely because I am neither stylish nor beautiful
I'm really struggling to find anything that doesn't resemble a bin bag to fit me at the moment. I'm about a size 18, but expect to get bigger as I'm 15 weeks pg. I have ridiculously small shoulders which means that normal cut tops become low cut on me, and strappy tops just fall straight down.
This is the kind of thing I would like to buy at the mo
soul cal

but, of course, it only goes up to a size 14

Any suggestions, style goddesses?

OP posts:
OhFuck · 04/04/2010 13:27

I am watching - also short, fat and 15 weeks pregnant. Solidarity!

wastwinsetandpearls · 04/04/2010 13:29

I am watching as another short fattie who hopefully will soon be pregnant.

Original poster
pixiestix · 04/04/2010 13:32

This is great, I feel better already!

(Although I still have nothing to wear!)

OP posts:
traceybath · 04/04/2010 13:33

Well I'm not pregnant but have done 3 pregnancies in the last 5 years and am just 5ft.

Normally slim - I stack it on when pregnant - 4+ stone with first two pregnancies.

So - its easier when you've got a definite bump and I found I looked better when wearing very fitted tops - nothing that just hung as that made me look vast.

I lived in slim fit jeans from mamas and papas with stretchy tops from h&m and a long cardigan in a light fabric as this slimmed/skimmed in a flattering way.

Perhaps a necklace/scarf too.

But I also came to realise that it is harder to look good when pregnant when you're short.

Congratulations on your pregnancy though!

wastwinsetandpearls · 04/04/2010 13:39

I looked really good in my first pregnancy and started at a size 14. Am trying to get back down to that.

tethersend · 04/04/2010 18:02

Here?

Here?

Here?

Here?

notyummy · 04/04/2010 18:18

Tethersend - that third link is lovely. Some of the other ones only go up to a 16 though - seems a bit unfair!

There are a few things here

I will have another look...

notyummy · 04/04/2010 18:23

This is in an 18:

pretty

also nice

this

another

Quite a few things on that site actually.

tethersend · 04/04/2010 18:36

Out of stock in 18, but have 20

ChunkyPickle · 04/04/2010 18:40

Another short and dumpy - 23 weeks for me though so it's getting pressing!

Next also have a pregnancy line that goes up big enough - they just almost never have it in stores.

And if you can splash out, Isabella Oliver stuff is absolutely beautiful looking (never seen it in person) and goes up big enough.

New Look Maternity goes up fairly big - but the big sizes are almost all sold out whenever I go in.

traceybath · 04/04/2010 18:41

IO stuff is for tall people in my experience - and very expensive albeit lovely.

ChunkyPickle · 04/04/2010 18:41

And I totally sympathise on the shoulder thing - by the time something's big enough to fit you round, they assume that you're a rugby player across the shoulders.

They have a petite section, but it never goes big enough, and the big girls section never fits.

We need some kind of short and dumpy revolution.

ooosabeauta · 04/04/2010 19:11

traceybath, clink clink! What you've written describes how I am in preg. too - 5ft 3 but put on 4st in first preg. For me that was like someone who's 12st becoming 18st, so made a huge difference to wardrobe! It's soo difficult to get clothes that look good when you're little and big!

I'm all for a short and dumpy revolution... but can we make it quick because I'm 15 weeks now and rapidly running out of clothing options

I also found that the stretchy-topped maternity trousers rolled right down under my bump whenever I wore them, exposing a good bit of huge knicker (often without me realising) . What's the solution to that?

ChunkyPickle · 04/04/2010 19:20

traceybath - really? I shan't bother even trying to persuade myself it's worth parting with the kind of cash they're asking for the IO stuff then.

I know it's wrong, but I'm actually longing for some dungarees - it's not like that's something you could even slightly get away with when not pregnant. I can just tell people it's because of the bump.

I'm also considering braces, but I think that as a short, non-fashionable person I might just look like a clown.

The thought of running around in mu-mus and leggings just depresses me (not that I'm normally anything more than t-shirts and jeans anyhow)

Perhaps it's time to dig out the sewing machine.. but then have you seen the hideous maternity patterns that seem to be all people sell?

wukter · 04/04/2010 20:07

I'm a "little cuddleball of fun", apparently (thanks DP), looked shocking during pg but got compliments when I wore dark empire line tops, bright shrunken cardis, dark trews that fell from the hips and bright wedges. Might be a worth trying.

June2009 · 04/04/2010 21:26

I had a pair of jeans over the bump which I got from Dorothy Perkins iirc, I wore them until they split at the thighs! (and then still wore them occasionally when I had nothing else (and kept my legs crossed! ...
I ended up in leggings and tops & (waterfall)cardigans from sainsburys/tescos a lot as well which I hate now I wore them so much.

The pg tops form mothercare were big enough and lovely as long as I had a bump, (not so nice now that the bump is gone but the belly is still big!)

The best is to find a shop (but that is hard and probably why I got so much stuff from mothercare...)
I bought a lot of t-shirts/tops and jeans online that I never wore because they looked awful, I thought maybe they would look ok at a later stage in the pregnancy but most of them didn't and I never returned them. (couldn't figure out which one was from where and too much hassle).

For the mnetters who put on 4+ stones, how long did it take you to loose it?
I put on about that and 9 months later I still have 2 to loose to be back to pre-pg weight (and then some to be at my idela weight!)

Mermaidspam · 05/04/2010 01:01

Some nice stuff at Next

skihorse · 05/04/2010 06:35

I sympathise, I'm living overseas and here they don't even seem to make maternity in over a size 14, "fatties" don't get fucked y'see.

I have been extremely happy with the Next stuff so far (jeans/pyjamas/dress/tops/tankini) - I'm only 5'4" and I've not felt dwarfed. For jeans I've found that under-the-bump are surprisingly flattering and I also thought as I'm due in July when it'll be 35 degrees that I can't be doing with extra fabric up to my norks.

I got a couple of tops from www.funmum.com but didn't get on with their trousers because I've got an enormous arse.

I've heard good things about Blooming Marvellous but I've not given them a whirl (yet). Thank goodness for summer pregnancies, I'm thinking muumuu maxi-dress and Birkenstocks.

Original poster
pixiestix · 05/04/2010 09:21

Wow, so many ideas, thank you! I hadn't heard of alot of those sites, like Fun Mum and Everday Maternity, so I've got loads to look through.

At the moment I haven't put any extra weight on because of ferocious morning sickness so the thought of another 4 stone hitting my arse makes me quite queasy! I will be as wide as I am tall...

But we've made Discussions of the Day so the short and dumpy revolution must be on the move!

OP posts:
suiledonne · 05/04/2010 09:30

Not pregnant at the moment but would be a staunch supporter of the short and dumpy revolution.

I am 5'2 and size 16/18. When pregnant with dd1 clothes weren't really an issue because I had hyperemesis and hardly left the house.

Had hyperemesis again on dd2 but only from weeks 6-13 and really struggled to find decent clothes.

My best buy was a pair of combats from Simply Be. They had a normal button & zip fastening but with stretchy bits in the waistband and an adjustable waist. I lived in them for months. I also had a pair of the overbump jeans from Mothercare that were ok.

Trousers are the hardest things to find, I think.

I wore some smock tops that weren't maternity but were the right shape and two maternity hoodies from Dorothy Perkins. Not exactly glamorous but comfortable and easy to wear.

I always went back to my pre-pregnancy weight very quickly. Unfortunately that is about 3 stone over my 'ideal' weight so not something I can boast about a la celebrity mums

wukter · 05/04/2010 10:00

ROFL @ suiledonne's smug "I went back to my pre-pregnancy weight very quickly"!

chancewouldbeafinething · 05/04/2010 10:11

Hi pixie at 5ft 4 i feel your pain, why are there no stylish clothes out there? i dont want to wear a poncho for the next 6 months!

Nymphadora · 05/04/2010 11:45

Just marking my place! 5ft,size 16 & 12 weeks with a decent bump

Last time I lived in dungarees but 10 years ago there wasn't a lot of choice >

morningpaper · 05/04/2010 11:47

there is nothing you can do

just stick a light on the end of your belly and try not to get wedged into car doors

It will be over soon

Bathbaby · 05/04/2010 14:31

I'm onto 3rd pregnancy, and am 5ft 2, size 16 normally. Despite my suboptimal size, I do love clothes!

This time round I have opted for black leggings (maternity ones from Dorothy Perkins, Next and George the best) with long tops, as is the fashion, and so comfy! Interestingly, this time I have mostly bought non maternity tops, but in a size bigger than my usual, some nice ones from next.

In my past pregnancies I have found Dorothy Perkins and New Look the best for trendy stuff, and Next for work. I found it a good excuse to buy a new wardrobe, and remember girls to accessorize with chunky jewellry/Ugg type boots!

Good luck - I'm nearly 40 wks so not long now for me!