About the awfulness of maternity clothes
Now I have a mini-bump, I’m taking baby steps into the sizeable and stretchy realms of maternity clothes. It’s lucky that my job doesn’t require a strict dress code and we can pretty much wear, within reason, whatever we like. However everyone always looks nice though, and I can’t bear the thought of wearing sack-like smocks for the next few months.
I’d heard some really good things about modern maternity clothes, but I have to say they’ve not been true, for me, so far. I don’t know if it’s the time of year – I’m sure when I first looked in the summer here were a lot more nice tops and printed dresses – but there’s such a tiny choice, and all the colours are so drab. Plus I know it’s practical, but all that stretchy jersey fabric is really depressing, and I’ve never worn anything due to practicality. And don’t get me started on maternity coats…
So far my favourite top is this one from some of the things I bought from Isabella
Oliver – if money was no object and I was buying clothes for longer than a few months, I would wear everything from there. I also have a nice dress (as in the photo, worn to a christening last week) and top from Topshop*, but these were pretty much the only things I liked in the store. H&M is good for plainer tops and tights, and although you can wear lots of the normal stuff, the main maternity range is tiny and on the grim side.
After asking on Twitter – thanks Twitter! – I was given some good tips including this gallery on The Guardian. But I’m still open to suggestions or pointers as to anywhere I’m over-looking. Ideally I want to wear things things that I’d wear normally (usually typical London-type clothes like skinny jeans and ballet shoes, stripy things, flowery things, and nice dresses). Although if this isn’t completely possible, I want to wear things that at the very least aren’t massively practical or horrible. Help!
*A fun side note about shopping in Topshop Oxford Circus though is there’s a separate maternity changing room, and if it’s busy and the assistants aren’t all stood around chatting, they’ll express you to the front of the main changing room queue.
8 Comments
Ellen Arnison
October 9, 2011 at 7:28 pm
I’d never heard of anywhere having a maternity changing room. What a brilliant idea.
gillian
October 10, 2011 at 12:02 pm
It’s a lovely idea, isn’t it? They also have seats and magazines for people who are waiting for it, which is a nice touch
Kate
October 10, 2011 at 1:09 pm
Hmm, I wonder if it’s worth padding my top with a jumper next time I’m there?
gillian
October 11, 2011 at 7:51 pm
Kate, I was trying something on in Mamas and Papas (I know…) and in the changing room they have a big fake bump you can wear under your clothes – something like that might work?!
Gail Kerr
October 12, 2011 at 1:51 pm
Hi, I am enjoying reading your blog and am 34 weeks pregnant. I too have had a nightmare with clothes, particularly the trousers that sit ‘under’ your bump, which means they practically drop off if you walk any sort of distance in them. For dresses I found Boden quite good in the summer months but I agree there is not a lot of much interest around at the moment and my outfit choices are becoming more limited by the day. Hope everything continues to go well with the rest of your pregnancy, looking forward to hearing about it, Gail.
gillian
October 17, 2011 at 5:37 pm
Thank you for the lovely comment – hope you’re doing well too. I actually went back to H&M and got some maternity jeans that seem to be staying up at the moment…fingers crossed! Thanks for the Boden tip too, will have a look at the Winter clothes. Let me know if you find anything else though! Gill x
Gemma
October 15, 2011 at 6:59 pm
ASOS! it was a god send for me, and although I never bought anything from there Dorothy Perkins has a massive online selection!
Hth 🙂
gillian
October 17, 2011 at 5:40 pm
I completely forgot about ASOS! Also just checked and Dorothy Perkins is having a sale at the moment – brilliant timing, thank you 🙂