Not Your Mother’s Maternity Clothes
Dear Fashion Police: I am 41/2 months’ pregnant and officially need maternity clothes. I cannot raid my husband’s closet, as many pregnancy books advise, because I do not want to wear belted extra-large polo shirts.
Avoiding sailor-suit maternity outfits does not seem to be the problem it was in the past, but it is still challenging to find reasonably priced, not-too-trendy yet stylish pieces for the growing belly. Both the Gap and Old Navy have some appealing styles on their Web sites, but do you know of other sources or stores worth checking? I like the clothes from Liz Lange and Japanese Weekend, but they are a little out of my price range. I am 33, 5 feet, 6 inches tall, usually a size 6, and I work in a very casual office.
--EXPECTING TO LOOK GREAT
Dear Expecting: Fashion-wise, you chose a great time to start a family. Not only are there more choices than ever in maternity clothes, but the styles are hip, comfortable and not prohibitively expensive.
That’s because several things happened almost simultaneously, according to Julie Hill, fashion editor of Fit Pregnancy magazine: Pregnancy is being approached as a “time of celebration.” Technological advances in textiles allow for fashionable, flattering clothes, and women want to show off their bodies because they’re staying in shape throughout their pregnancies.
So we’re seeing more expectant moms in stretchy, form-fitting tops, pants, dresses and skirts that show off their new curves, instead of voluminous pieces that hide them. They’re not missing a beat in those nine months when it comes to their wardrobes, staying in step with current looks.
Even trendy jeans styles can be found in maternity wear, says Hill, adding that designer Marc Jacobs and the popular label Seven now offer maternity jeans. In exercise wear, Mothers in Motion, Adidas, and Nike are making comfortable workout clothes for the expanding figure.
Celebrity mothers play a part in this revolution as well: “Some of the women who have been on our cover,” says Hill, “like Cindy Crawford, Toni Braxton and Alex Kingston, have really helped to further that viewpoint. And the readers are really responding to it.”
Fashion stylist Rita Rago, who’s responsible for several Fit Pregnancy covers, says mothers-to-be don’t have to dip into baby’s college fund to find workable clothes. She suggested starting with Internet sites such as EStyle, which carries such lines as Belly Basics, Babystyle and First Comes Love. We saw some great pieces, including a long-sleeve Ultimate Everyday Shirt in cotton/spandex ($59), cotton drawstring bootleg pants ($38), a lined polyester knee-length matte jersey skirt ($42), a short cotton/lycra dress with three-quarter sleeves ($55) and the Essential Mom-to-Be T-shirt in cotton ($24). Go to www.estyle.com or call (877) 378-9537.
Another site, MaternityMall .com, features clothes from several companies, including A Pea in the Pod, Mimi Maternity and Motherhood Maternity.
Though some of the clothes can be pricey, we found a V-neck pantsuit in a poly/cotton blend from IMaternity ($29.98), and a slim leg stretch pant in cotton/spandex ($54) and a ribbed cotton cardigan ($44), both from Mimi Maternity. You can find them online at www.maternitymall.com.
Rago also said that in the early months of your pregnancy, you don’t have to confine yourself to maternity wear. Look for “anything that stretches” she advised, meaning you should choose knits and stretch micro-fiber over woven material, which won’t give.
“Certain pieces you do have to invest in,” she advised, especially as your middle expands and regular drawstring and elastic waist pants may no longer work. “Look for a great pair of basic black pants and a skirt. You may have to pay a little more, but they’ll take you through the pregnancy.”
You might find that some of the stretchy pieces will work for those few post-baby months, too, since some fabrics have enough flexibility to pop back into shape.
Write to Fashion Police, 202 W. 1st St., Los Angeles CA 90012, fax to (213) 237-4888, or send e-mail to jeannine.stein@latimes.com.
