Maternity Clothes! UGH!

[Stayseeliz]

Am I the only one that thinks maternity clothes are UGLY??? I hate shopping for maternity clothes. It doesn't help that I show early and get as big as a ship by the end. I can never find things that are comfortable! All I wanted today was a few cute t-shirts, jeans and a light sweater. I don't work outside the home and our church is casual so I don't need dress clothes. And I don't want to pay out the nose for items I'll wear for the next few months and never again!

Today I went to Kohl's, JC Penney, Sears, Motherhood, Target, Burlington Coat Factory and Ross and found one pair of jeans, 1 shirt and 1 pair of yoga pants. ARRRRGGGGHHH!!! Our Old Navy here doesn't carry maternity clothes in store. I have tried a few local consignment stores in the past few weeks and all the stuff in too worn.

I honestly think a lot of the clothes now are tailored to pregnant teens or people with more eclectic taste. I saw several shirts that looked like something out of flashdance! lol

Anyway, sorry to whine. DH told me to take the day "off" and go shopping and to a movie and it was a very unproductive day shopping wise.

[Bird Girl]

I hear you. Apparently, only slutty teenagers with very skinny legs get pregnant in my neck of the woods, since that's the only demographic for which they sell maternity clothes. Just what I need! Tissue thin t-shirts with uneven hem lines!

Last time, I wound up getting a few plus-sized sweatshirts and yoga pants. They worked for second trimester and postpartum.

[Mamato3wild ponnie]

I felt like I hit the jack pot at the mall the other day. I walked past Express and was rolling my eyes...thinking it will be years before I'll ever fit into a pair of jeans from that store. When i saw a bunch of crates full of clearance clothes, so i said what the heck...and walked right in. I found the coolest t-shirt tops. They have elastic on the sides...or they look like they are scrunched up down each side....and it's kind of a wrap around style with a slight v-neck. $7......yes....$7. And they fit and there is room for a huge belly....then....i saw some leggings....and they fit tooo...underbelly of course. But i felt so excited to find some non pregnancy clothes...that can be pregnancy clothes for so cheap.
I bought several of the same style shirts in different colors and a few pairs of leggings.

[othersomethings]

Out of my frustration over waistbands, I designed my own maternity skirt. I've made two so far and am in love with them. I will probably make several more before this is all over.

Just have to figure out how to keep warm once the weather turns...I'm loving the feeling of no waistband.

If you have any sewing inclination at all, here is the tutorial. I'll take some pics of an actual skirt tomorrow and add those.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/otherso...gs/5066717950/

[kawa kamuri]

Originally Posted by Bird Girl

...only slutty teenagers with very skinny legs...

WOW

[Stayseeliz]

Originally Posted by kawa kamuri

WOW

I think she was implying that a lot of the maternity clothing out there is very revealing and showing too much for a pregnant woman. Not that a pregnant teen is slutty but that the clothing made for pregnant women now is too revealing. I saw a ton of this yesterday. Why make see through clothes?? It's annoying.

[StarCat]

truly- I'm not loving the maternity clothes out right now either. When I was pg w/ dd's #1 & 2 I had some cute stuff and this time I'm not liking much. I have a pair of comfy jeans from Old Navy and shorts from Target. I also am liking the side rouched shirts. They work for this early stage- and hopefully will work as I get bigger. I am one of those people who gets big with pregnancy. (everywhere, esp butt and legs!) and this time I feel like the belly is closer to what I was at 18+ wks at 14 wks.

Wish there was another store besides motherhood. Old Navy and Target have stuff but its so limited! I guess I'm lucky that I wear scrubs to work. they are very forgiving!

[IdentityCrisisMama]

I haven't been to the stores to shop because we have a great Goodwill with a nice selection (sorry, don't mean to make you jealous!). What I have found out is Pea in the Pod makes nice clothes. That's about all the input I have.

[daisychain]

The selection at my local Kohl's is okay, but I'm not looking for much so far. I love the shirts with the ruched sides, but I think they look funny at this stage for me - I'm still in that stage where I look fat rather than pregnant.

I got a pair of khaki pants there with the "secret fit belly", and I got a pair of yoga pants and a pair of terry knit "activewear" pants on sale. I only have one top so far - just a short-sleeved top I grabbed off the clearance rack.

I'll probably get a pair of jeans from Motherhood. I'd kind of like to get a dress on the off-chance that DH and I get a date night between now and April.

I really do hate spending money on clothes that I'll wear for such a short time.

[MnMtm]

I have noticed in mybrowsing that it i a lot harderr to find cute and comfortable maternity clothes this time around. Luckily, I think I'll be able to make due with the ones I have from being pregnant with DS. Which is especially good because I am strapped for cash this time around. Ross is really hit or miss. I've bought some cute thngs there, but other times, I've found nothing. Shopko used to have some cute maternity cothes, but they don't carry maternity clothes anymore.

Good-luck to everyone!

[Ola_]

I've found a few things but had to wade through a whole bunch of ill-fitting and odd looking clothes in the change room. Managed to get a couple of tank tops and a short sleeved shirt from Old Navy, a couple of tops from Thyme maternity (is that a Canadian chain?), and a pair of jeans from Motherhood cause I just can't stand waistbands that squish my belly anymore. Also picked up a couple of non-maternity yoga pants that are working well for hanging around the house and doing errands.

I've been shopping the sales of summer stuff though and one thing I noticed is that the new fall/winter stock is all blah colours. Not what I'm looking for when it's cold and dreary outside and I'm as big as a house! Need something to cheer me up.

[audreyhorne]

i've found some really cute maternity clothes at h&m, and my absolute must-haves are no-panel and demi-panel maternity jeans from the gap. i inherited mine from a friend, which is great because they're pretty spendy, but another friend of mine got several pairs in a lot auction on ebay for a fraction of retail price. i'm in the market for a great, cute, affordable warm winter coat, that's always the hardest part for me.

[bleumoose]

I haven't been out shopping this time around (I got a ton of clothes from a couple of friends recently), but I remember being SO frustrated in my other pgs about the selection of pants. All for skinny. Even the XLs at Mothering were too small for me, while the plus sizes were too big. Last time i lived in yoga pants, which I looooooved.

[Lauren82]

I love love love the secret fit belly jeans from Motherhood. The panel is made out of a really thin material that can be folded down (without adding bulk) or worn all the way over the belly and it looks like it would fit for all trimesters of pregnancy.

[Pavlovs]

Originally Posted by Lauren82

I love love love the secret fit belly jeans from Motherhood. The panel is made out of a really thin material that can be folded down (without adding bulk) or worn all the way over the belly and it looks like it would fit for all trimesters of pregnancy.

Kohl's has similar pants - I love them! I scored today and got two pair for work that were on sale for only $26 each. I also got a dress and 4 tops, all for only $91! They have awesome clearance sales there.

[frugalmum]

I hear you! Maternity clothes these days are either slutty or dorky. Nothing stylish, tasteful, fun. I usually buy my clothes at shukr.com -- the clothes are on the big side designed for modesty but are lovely. I wear them pregnant or not. At least the shirts would work great for pregnancy.

[frugalmum]

Originally Posted by kawa kamuri

WOW

It's true though about the way a lot of maternity clothes are styled-- VERY revealing and designed for stick-thin figures, plus cutsie/ girlie/really young looking styles that just look utterly lame on anyone over 20.

There is no way I'm wearing thong undies, bare shouldered girlie blouses, and skin tight crops! But I guess this is what some designer somewhere thinks I want??

[Stayseeliz]

I asked DH today if he thought it'd be okay if I wore yoga pants to church! The only time I'm comfortable is wearing yoga pants!

I actually have to go to a funeral tomorrow and I own NOTHING dressy in maternity clothing. I'm going to try and shove myself into a dress that was a tad too big pre-pregnancy and try not to breathe for an hour.

I really need to find some no panel maternity jeans that will stay up! The mid belly jeans I bought at Kohl's just aren't going to cut it. I need the no belly pants!

[kawa kamuri]

Originally Posted by Stayseeliz

I think she was implying that a lot of the maternity clothing out there is very revealing and showing too much for a pregnant woman. Not that a pregnant teen is slutty but that the clothing made for pregnant women now is too revealing. I saw a ton of this yesterday. Why make see through clothes?? It's annoying.

Originally Posted by frugalmum

It's true though about the way a lot of maternity clothes are styled-- VERY revealing and designed for stick-thin figures, plus cutsie/ girlie/really young looking styles that just look utterly lame on anyone over 20.

There is no way I'm wearing thong undies, bare shouldered girlie blouses, and skin tight crops! But I guess this is what some designer somewhere thinks I want??

I'm sure you're both right and I apologise for my knee jerk reaction. I tend to get a little riled up when I see/hear fellow women being labled as slutty even if that wasn't exactly the intention.

I think my aesthetic leans more toward slutty teenager than school marm since, for example, I kind of dig some see through items and a well balanced tight fit especially when pregnant because, hey, I look sexy Sixteen years ago when I WAS a pregnant teenager it was unnerving to shop for clothes because everything was ultra conservative, peter pan collars and demure prints.

Something I love maternity wise are the no panel or demi panel jeans from Gap. Pricey but I tend to live in those things

Originally Posted by audreyhorne

i've found some really cute maternity clothes at h&m, and my absolute must-haves are no-panel and demi-panel maternity jeans from the gap. i inherited mine from a friend, which is great because they're pretty spendy, but another friend of mine got several pairs in a lot auction on ebay for a fraction of retail price. i'm in the market for a great, cute, affordable warm winter coat, that's always the hardest part for me.

Some years ago I justified buying a decent maternity coat by looking at it as something I'd have during future winters - they're excellent for zipping up around a baby in a wrap. I spent all last winter with my daughter in a Moby and my giant, puffy maternity coat zipped up and keeping us warm.

[nadia105]

I found some nice jeans that STAY UP at Kohl's, the Oh baby brand. I have always loved my gap ones, but this pg they will not stay up for anything and that annoys the crap out of me!

I am a basics girl, jeans and t shirts, and sometimes it is really hard to find simple stuff! Or at least simple stuff in colors beyond black, white and gray. Love the basics, but I'd like a tiny bit of variety.