Sometimes it can feel as if when you get pregnant the fashion industry decides that all you’ll want to wear are leggings and ponchos – Some days, yes… But not EVERY DAY! Expecting a baby doesn’t mean that we suddenly stop caring about looking good. And deep down it’s not even about looking good, it’s about feeling confident and comfortable and looking great is often part of getting that feeling.
Now it’s true that some high-street fashion stores do have a maternity range, but more often than not they tend to feel more like clothes that are adapted versions of clothes from their standard ranges, rather than clothes designed specifically as maternity clothes. So we end up with unyielding denim jeans only with an uncomfy large elastic waistband, or jersey dresses that tie under the bust but get a severely shortened front hem as soon as any kind of bump appears.
Not only that but the selection is limited, to say the least. A search for tops can get over 500 hits on an average shop’s website. Search for maternity tops on the same site and you’ll probably get more in the range of 30. This lack of choice means we can be limited to finding one or two tops that actually fit and that we like, and then we end up feeling as if we have been given a uniform to wear for nine months.
What we need are clothes that are designed with pregnancy in mind right from the off; clothes that let us move and make us feel so good that they let us move mountains (not feel like mountains).
One website dedicated to delivering a wide range of fashionable maternity wear is Seraphine. Their clothes are designed specifically with pregnancy in mind so they’re comfortable as well as gorgeous, and their clothes have been featured in the pages of Hello! magazine and on a fair few celebrities. As well as the everyday tops and trousers they’ve also got workwear, bridal wear and swimwear covered. Then for after your baby is born they also do a good selection of nursing wear. The jumpers with asymmetrical zips are especially good.
If you’re ever looking for some momma fashion inspo, head over to ‘Dress Like A Mum‘ where you can feast your eyes on sequins, faux fur jackets and sneakers.
A few of the other sites we thought were good are:
Heavenly Bump – Especially good if you’re a playsuit/jumpsuit fan.
Tiffany Rose Maternity – If you’re looking for an outfit for a special occasion. They specialise in beautiful evening wear fit for royalty; in the past Princess Sofia of Sweden, Crown Princess Victoria and Princess Madeline of Sweden have all worn Tiffany Rose evening gowns.
Envie De Fraise – Affordable, lots of choice and easy returns. A particularly good place to look for a maternity coat.
9 In The Mirror – Stunning, but not cheap by any means. This site is full of designer garments from the likes of Valentino and Alexander Wang. You can also shop by stage which is great when you just don’t know what you’re looking for!