Maternity Clothes « Back to Group Discussions

[junebug1]

I need a new pair of maternity work/dress pants stat.  I tried on my work pants from my last pregnancy this morning and they were too tight...ugh, that's why I should have worked harder to drop the baby weight from my last pregnancy before ttc! 

Anyhow, favorite websites for ordering maternity work pants?  Discuss.

[nosreves]

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Edited by nosreves - 7/13/12 at 3:59am

[junebug1]

Originally Posted by nosreves 

someone needs to make a dyke-friendly maternity clothing company, seriously.  

agreed!! 

[cieloazul]

Target and Old Navy come to mind for a good selection of basics. There are probably also deals to be had on eBay or your local craigslist.

Nosreves, IMO the crappy maternity style issue is offensive to all women. I'm moderately girly in that I like dresses/skirts but no pink bows or ruffles, please. It's crazy frustrating. Maternity wear being such a small sector of women's clothing, it's like all the BS around women's bodies and images and marketing is boiled down into the few maternity looks that are readily available. Check out this quote from a maternity blog I was browsing today, "trimester 1: Slyly masking your newfound curves ain’t easy. Your goal? To simply not look fat." WTF? Not to mention the baby-as-excuse-to-consume thing where you can drop loads of cash on a wardrobe that's explicitly temporary. Maybe when we all get a little more bumptastic this group needs a flaunt your maternity style thread where we can post pics of the unique looks we've cobbled togeteher...hmmm...

[lizzie28]

I haven't shopped for maternity clothes this pregnancy yet.  During my last pregnancies, I bought some decent basics from GAP and Old Navy.  I don't like the "no returns" policy at maternity stores.  

[kel]

I think everyone is right in that you can get some good basic maternity pants at gap or old navy - although I've heard a few people say the gap maternity pants fit the best.  They wouldn't be too pricey either, for if/when they get too snug and you need another size.  Even if you're not into wearing dresses, I've found that since the fashion has been low waisted pants for so long, that I can find pants that give my belly breathing room just by going up a size and then wearing a long think tank top or camisole under whatever shirt.  My favorite pair of pants right now are some velour jeans from old navy that I got at the thrift store - they're low waisted with a bit of stretch and completely stay out of the way of my belly (for now anyway).

[nhklh]

Originally Posted by nosreves 

someone needs to make a dyke-friendly maternity clothing company, seriously.  

I have seen one, will try to remember the website and post here.

[nhklh]

Aha, this is it:  http://www.barefootmaternity.com.au/  

It's girlier than I remember it being.

[kel]

Asos sometimes has cute stuff, too - http://us.asos.com/Women-Maternity/rsry2/?cid=5813

[Lilac11]

I'm starting all over with maternity clothes this time too as I'm 15lbs heavier to start out with than last time - ugh is how I feel too.

I hate anything that remotely squeezes at the waistline!

Last pregnancy I had 2 pairs of stretchy black pants that *didn't* look like sweatpants and that were formal enough for work (and even a wedding!) Pretty sure at least one pair was from motherhood maternity.

[GreenTeaGinger61]

I'm living in these: http://oldnavy.gap.com/browse/product.do?cid=50209&vid=1&pid=552400. In fact, I'm trying to squeeze out some extra money to buy another pair LOL. I LOVE them. They are so comfortable. And Old Navy also has these fab. tank tops that soft and really comfortable. Also for an added benefit the sizes run big. I was rather please that the XXL was actually a little big on me (for reference I'm 5'4 and 220).

[nosreves]

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Edited by nosreves - 7/13/12 at 3:59am

[Jackies]

I was happy when I found http://www.minefornine.com/ I have to wear business jacket every day for work, and the only ones I'm finding in stores are 100% polyester. They have a system where you rent the item and return it when you're done. Brilliant, really. You can buy it or rent it for about 25% of the buy price. Still have a lot of polyester. I'm going to wait until I'm bigger to get anything.

I did a quick look around the site and couldn't tell if they ship outside the US.

[travelmumma]

Originally Posted by nosreves 

cielo -- i completely agree with you, and i find that quote ("your goal? to simply not look fat") disgusting.  isn't it enough that the media/pop culture has effectively ruined the possibility of a positive body image for most girls and non-pregnant women?  it's the constant barrage of this kind of fat-shaming sh*^ that makes people like my SIL eat less than she should during pregnancy (and consequently give birth to an underweight baby.)  grrrr.....  personally, my goal is to simply nourish myself and the life growing inside of me in the healthiest way possible (with, of course, the occassional milkshake, huge slice of cake and/or pizza, etc., when the baby demands it.)  also, i love your idea of the maternity style thread!   

 About your SIL nosreves!!! I can't believe that people actually do that?!?!?

My "goal" is to have the healthiest pregnancy, and, subsequently, baby possible! In fact I am trying for a chubba bubba!! 

And yes yes yes to milkshakes, pizza and cake! As long as I am fulfilling my nutritional requirements I don't see anything wrong with "topping up" with delicious naughty goodies!

Feeling good is far more important to me than looking good, esp while pregnant!! I mean "Im growing a life, and if you have a problem with that then bugger off fashonistas!!"

[tropicana74]

As someone who is struggling daily with what to wear I can honestly say that I get the "simply trying to not look fat" mentality. I think in a few more weeks I will look pregnant but for now I really feel like I just look fat and I try my darndest everyday to "simply try not to look fat"! I feel like I just have a gut that looks like I have been living on McDonald's and beer (neither of which I partake in) and it makes me extremely uncomfortable and self-conscious. 

[watchedpot]

nosreves - Thank you for posting the fit maternity swimsuit link. I have been scouring the internet for a suit that looks both functional and at least semi-flattering. That is one of the few I've seen that fit the bill, and it's (relatively) affordable as well. Yay. I am planning to be at the lake for much of the summer, we have a beach trip planned in late Sept. and I'm starting to bust out of my regular suit already. I'm hoping for a good fit, since I'm in between two sizes and they didn't have the smaller of the two!

Last time I found most of my work & casual stuff on craigslist and at thrift stores. Craigslist was the best option for me - I got several lots of maternity clothes from local mamas and even though I only wound up wearing a small handful of what was in the lot it was still much less expensive than any of the other options, including thrift stores.  I went into Motherhood Maternity once and will never go back. It was horrible.

In addition to regular maternity clothes, I have a couple of linen pants/long skirts that are "one size" with a really large drawstring waist. I know, they sound hideous but really aren't. Those should last throughout pregnancy and are quite comfy.