Why bother trying to expand waistlines with elastic bands and opening up buttons? Let's face it, with the exception of the few, buying maternity clothes will be inevitable. So don't delay, as the more wear you get out of them, the better the value for money. My advice is to treat yourself, as soon as you can't zip up your favourite jeans to comfortable maternity ones but do avoid impulsive shopping sprees and make your maternity clothes work for you. How do you do this? Well read on and find out.
First off, stick to basics and a base colour that you know flatters you and that will go with anything. A base colour will be black, navy, beige or white. Denim jeans, stretch trousers and skirts are a few basic bottoms that can be combined with any solid colour or print top. Now after establishing your basics then "push the boat out" with one complete fashion outfit that you cannot live without, that seasons "must have" outfit! Then as your bump starts to grow add fashionable prints and colours that you can mix and match, giving you new looks, as well as, that much-needed psychological boost.
For work, if you need a suit, choose a style that makes you feel every bit as professional as you did before but remember also to ask your human resources department for guidance on dress codes. Some companies will expect you to keep up their pre-pregnancy dress code but others may relax the rules for days with your colleagues in the office but may ask that you still maintain it for clients. So take a wait-and-see approach and don't go out and buy lots of suits as you might be able to use your basic bottoms and coordinate them with a fashionable twin set or a solid colour separate jacket layered over a smart work blouse.
Specialist maternity manufacturers realise that women like to continue dressing in the style to which they have become accustomed and have brought bootleg trousers, tailored business suits and skinny jeans to the maternity market place and you'll be able to find many special occasion outfits, such as, the basic "Little Black Dress" to take you through all your events and parties and there are just as many colours and prints as your non-maternity peers have. You will find a great selection of styles to flatter your figure. So you don't need to skimp on quality, particularly as buying only a few items usually means repeated washing or cleaning. Anyhow, afterward you can always store them away for the next pregnancy or pass them on to a friend or family member.
Select your pre-pregnancy size as maternity clothes are designed to accommodate your bump. After all your basic body structure has not changed and well made maternity clothes give you the extra room where it is needed. If you are in between two sizes go for the largest, - you reduce the risk of seams pulling and your underwear showing! You will also help to prolong the life of your maternity clothes. Earlier on front hemlines may be a little longer to allow for your bump growing and there will be a little extra material in dresses, pinafores and jackets to allow for expansion - jacket clips, button elastic and built in ties are used to gather this back earlier on until you need it and believe me you will! Manufacturers do have different ways of fitting maternity clothes using zips, fabric panels, drawstring waists and adjustable elastic. The most common method of waist adjustment is the adjustable elastic, which has a series of buttonholes that you simple move along and fix to the button(s) on the side of the waistband as you grow. Another method commonly used is the waist ties on dresses - again allowing you to adjust as you grow.
Some clothes can be worn post-pregnancy, thereby providing even more value for money. These are generally pull-on items that have elasticated or drawstring waists that grow with your bump but retain their shape and comfort after the birth.
In summary, the fashion for maternity clothes has never been better. So rest assured there are specialist stores out there happy to help you and give you all the advice you need. Therefore, I recommend you search out your local independent maternity wear specialist in the Yellow Pages or on the Internet and give them a visit as soon as those clothes start getting tight!
First off, stick to basics and a base colour that you know flatters you and that will go with anything. A base colour will be black, navy, beige or white. Denim jeans, stretch trousers and skirts are a few basic bottoms that can be combined with any solid colour or print top. Now after establishing your basics then "push the boat out" with one complete fashion outfit that you cannot live without, that seasons "must have" outfit! Then as your bump starts to grow add fashionable prints and colours that you can mix and match, giving you new looks, as well as, that much-needed psychological boost.
For work, if you need a suit, choose a style that makes you feel every bit as professional as you did before but remember also to ask your human resources department for guidance on dress codes. Some companies will expect you to keep up their pre-pregnancy dress code but others may relax the rules for days with your colleagues in the office but may ask that you still maintain it for clients. So take a wait-and-see approach and don't go out and buy lots of suits as you might be able to use your basic bottoms and coordinate them with a fashionable twin set or a solid colour separate jacket layered over a smart work blouse.
Specialist maternity manufacturers realise that women like to continue dressing in the style to which they have become accustomed and have brought bootleg trousers, tailored business suits and skinny jeans to the maternity market place and you'll be able to find many special occasion outfits, such as, the basic "Little Black Dress" to take you through all your events and parties and there are just as many colours and prints as your non-maternity peers have. You will find a great selection of styles to flatter your figure. So you don't need to skimp on quality, particularly as buying only a few items usually means repeated washing or cleaning. Anyhow, afterward you can always store them away for the next pregnancy or pass them on to a friend or family member.
Select your pre-pregnancy size as maternity clothes are designed to accommodate your bump. After all your basic body structure has not changed and well made maternity clothes give you the extra room where it is needed. If you are in between two sizes go for the largest, - you reduce the risk of seams pulling and your underwear showing! You will also help to prolong the life of your maternity clothes. Earlier on front hemlines may be a little longer to allow for your bump growing and there will be a little extra material in dresses, pinafores and jackets to allow for expansion - jacket clips, button elastic and built in ties are used to gather this back earlier on until you need it and believe me you will! Manufacturers do have different ways of fitting maternity clothes using zips, fabric panels, drawstring waists and adjustable elastic. The most common method of waist adjustment is the adjustable elastic, which has a series of buttonholes that you simple move along and fix to the button(s) on the side of the waistband as you grow. Another method commonly used is the waist ties on dresses - again allowing you to adjust as you grow.
Some clothes can be worn post-pregnancy, thereby providing even more value for money. These are generally pull-on items that have elasticated or drawstring waists that grow with your bump but retain their shape and comfort after the birth.
In summary, the fashion for maternity clothes has never been better. So rest assured there are specialist stores out there happy to help you and give you all the advice you need. Therefore, I recommend you search out your local independent maternity wear specialist in the Yellow Pages or on the Internet and give them a visit as soon as those clothes start getting tight!
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