Buying new stuff!
If you do opt to buy some new pieces to supplement your wardrobe when you are pregnant, ideally you want to select items that could feasibly be worn after the pregnancy too. Especially if your budget is tight.
This means selecting tops that are long and floaty, ideal for covering the bump, but equally pretty afterwards; better yet, select wrap around styles in which you can show off your bump, but which will work equally well sans bump.
There's another reason I am not a fan of the tent dress; nor indeed tent tops. Wearing tops like this; that drop from the extreme edge of your bump straight down; actually make it more difficult for the average person to judge if indeed you are pregnant, or have just been eating generously. I firmly believe it is these tops that cause the most confusion.
Once I was happy for everyone to know, (after the 12 weeks point) I preferred to make it quite obvious that I was pregnant, with tops that wrap around, preferably with an empire-line.
Next's Black Hem top, for example, is a lovely top, that could be worn whether pregnant or not. But it 'tents', so I'm not personally a fan after the first few weeks.
Next's Pink Breastfeeding wrap top is better, not only because it shows off the bump, but also because it is then perfect for breastfeeding.
I link to these Next tops as an example, but also because Next have a good range of maternity wear – particularly for working women. As well as a handy Maternity 'Sizing' guide here.
I don't know about you, but during my first pregnancy I thought you had to go up a size in clothes. Actually, unless you are putting weight on all over (like I did for the first, but not for the second) you stick with your usual dress size, just in 'maternity wear'.
This obviously doesn't stop you buying non-maternity clothes that fit the bill in whatever size happens to fit at that point!
Other great maternity wear suppliers include:
Online:
High Street:
And it's always worth checking out charity shops, as maternity wear is worn for such a short time, it often has plenty of wear left in it!
Second hand baby wear stores often include Maternity wear too, for example;
Lilypad4kids in Derbyshire
Maternity Exchange
Lilypad4kids in Derbyshire
Maternity Exchange
But do you have to go out and buy a new wardrobe? In these financially challenging times, when disposable income is decreasing, can you afford to buy a new wardrobe? And what if you can't?
Pop back next week for a post on 'Making do' with what you've got.
Pop back next week for a post on 'Making do' with what you've got.
I don't think I bought anything new at all, apart from one pair of jeans that were for some reason in one of those bargain shops.
ReplyDeleteI got two bump bands free with a magazine in my first pregnancy, and then just used a combination of them, dresses (anything not really fitted worked)leggings and tunics.
Some of my clothes sat differently to how they do now I'm not pregnant, but that was fine.
Or maybe I'm just cheap :)
Alicia, I which I could have got away with that!
ReplyDeleteThe bump bands were good, (and will feature in the follow-up post on "Maternity Wear: Making Do")
The problem I had was due to my body shape....Once my bump dragged my waist out past my hips, trousers just kept falling down.
Not something you want to happen in Sainsburys!