This is my first ever blog post on this subject, not that we haven’t had pregnant clients in the past, but I’m currently in a position to know a bit more on this topic. There’s nothing like first hand experience!

I’m sure every pregnant woman will have different ideas (and a different style) and find some things that work for them better than others.  So this will be from my point of view and hopefully have some tips for anyone struggling with what to wear!

I’m currently 32 week so I’m the final stretch and am fortunate in still being quite neat (although growing weekly!) Having said that it was amazing how many of my clothes didn’t fit me quite early on. Basically anything “waisted”, highly waisted jeans, skirts & dresses fitted at the waist (which turned out to be a large chunk of my wardrobe).

During the second trimester I did a wardrobe overhaul and took out everything which no longer fit, leaving a minimal selection. I experimanted with what was left and wore things until they started to look a bit wierd, tops getting shorter as the bump grew… Now of course there are even less options and its a real capsule wardrobe situation but on the bright side it does make getting dressed easier!

So far the only maternity items I have bought are three pairs of jeans… light denim, dark denim and black!  All from H&M and Topshop. Until now I have gotten away with buying non-maternity tops in shapes and fabrics that accommodate the bump. The best of course being empire line, swing shapes, smock style, boxy T-shirts, A-line tops and of course soft jersey is your best friend whether in tops or dresses. Buying tops that were long enough was something I learned to be pretty important as the bump grows, particularly to come over the top of maternity jeans.

Speaking of jeans, I found myself prefering the over-the-bump styles as they just seemed to stay up a bit easier. Now of course they are getting tight and are more like “halfway-up-the-bump”. It was also important to me to get jeans that were actually denim but still soft, there are too many jeggings around and while I accept comfort during pregnancy is paramount, they just aren’t the most flattering. Having said that I can see myself resorting to leggings in the near future to get through the last weeks (did I ever think I’d see the day!)

Other items I purchased were a few bits for holidays including a soft jersey maxi, an off the shoulder smock style cotton dress (see below), maternity denim shorts and a bikini. Yes I opted for a two piece with a hipster bottom, partly because I never wear swimsuits and will get a lot more future wear out of the bikini!

I did have an special occasion which meant a new purchase, but again I really didn’t see the point of buying a maternity dress that I would probably only wear once. I was lucky enough to find a vintage dress that was empire line and had a bit of stretch, and to me, vintage items are pieces I will keep and re-wear (there’s a bit of a theme here!) as well as adding personality to your wardrobe.

So with all that said and done here are my final tips on shopping for a maternity wardrobe:

• Think about what you really need and resist the urge to over-buy as the time is relatively short.
• As I mentioned above there are a lot of styles out there that will work for pregnancy without being “maternity”.  The idea being that you will still be able to get use out of these afterwards (depending on your personal style of course).
• Try to buy pieces that suit your personal style as much as possible.  I personally found a lot of maternity styles just not “me”.  Retaining your own sense of style is still important!
• Think capsule wardrobe and buy to suit your lifestyle.  Always ask yourself how versatile an item will be.  During pregnancy you might want to buy items that will suit both work and casual wear.
• If you’re planning on future pregnancies go for maternity items that have a style that you like and aren’t trend driven.  That way you’re more likely to get wear out of them the next time!
• To get more wear from shirts or blouses just wear open and layer over a vest or T-shirt.  Stripes cotton or denim shirts look great.
• Lastly when it gets boring just have fun with accessories!

I hope that will be useful to any mamas-to-be out there. I’d love your feedback and if you have any good tips please share!

Jessica x