I feel a little let down by the maternity world as far as fashion goes. Its hard to find stylish pieces that aren't frumpy or overpriced, which is why I opted for mostly non-maternity for the duration of my pregnancy. Seriously, any designers out there that may stumble on this blog, there is a niche in the market... help a pregnant lady out! As a stylist, its part of my job to help women look and feel their best and the buck shouldn't stop at pregnancy! If anything, some women need more encouragement at this time than ever. I'm a huge advocate for embracing the bump. I like to see women showing it off (that doesn't mean naked bumps necessarily) and being proud of that new tummy they're sporting. Women are at their most beautiful whilst pregnant, so I love to see them holding, cradling and loving their bumps, rather than hiding them away under baggy clothes.
Dress - BCBGMaxazria // Hat - Accessorize // Shades - Fendi // Watch - swatch// Jewellery - Marc Jacobs
In Feb, we spent an amazing weekend at the beach while my husband ran the RAK half marathon (yes I'm only just uploading these pics and now I'm 35 weeks so Im a whole lotta bigger now). I got to wear one of my fave (non maternity) dresses. Pinks, Oranges and yellows: all the colors of the sun. The best color combination in my books! Its definitely a color for happy people, exhibit A...
... see = Happy!
Looking out at that view with the sun on my face and contemplating babes arrival. Heavenly!
Don't over spend on maternity clothes, for 3 main reasons:
1. Unless you plan on having more than one child, then there's really no point in kitting out an entire closet in Maternity wear. For the most part, you can get by without it.
2. They're often overpriced for what they are and there's very limited choice.
3. If you have any weddings/ socials/ parties to attend towards the end of your pregnancy, invest in one or two chic maternity dresses for the last months when you are supersize. Not only will they serve their purpose but they will help you feel your best in those later months. You can use them again and again for future pregnancies or sell them on to expectant girlfriends. Isabella Oliver does some beautiful maternity dresses as does Nicole Miller.
Stick to basics:
Above all, you'll want to feel comfortable throughout your pregnancy, so stretchy basics are key. They're cheap and flexible, so they'll grow with you and you so you can wear them from the moment you start to show, through to your last trimester. You can go to your usual shop for essentials and instead of buying from the M section just buy regular, but in a couple of sizes up. Go for long too, to help cover the bump well. H&M are great for these. The bonus is, because they don't cost much you won't care if you never get to wear them again. You can donate them afterwards without feeling guilty about any huge spends.
Buy things you know you can wear post-pregnancy:
Every bump grows differently - different sizes, shapes and at different rates. But most of the first and second tri, your bump will be barely visible to very small and neat. You can get away with your regular clothes for these first 4 months or so before you start to feel 'tight'. Don't go rushing to the Maternity shops. Try and find items of clothing made in flexible fabrics that have some give, so that the clothes can accommodate you as you grow. Maxi dresses and wrap dresses are great for comfort and anything with an empire cut will flow nicely over your mid section. If you go for stretch cottons or jersey material, then you can probably get away with buying your own size and these fabrics will bounce back into shape after baby is born, so you can buy clothes you would choose to wear again. Fabrics that drape or gather at your midsection are also good, so if you look hard enough you can spend wisely and choose clothes that you actually like.
