Ok - to say I have strong feelings about maternity clothes is an understatement. They are not something I want to spend a ton of money on, but I don't want to look terrible for 9 months. So, in case any of my 3 readers every are in the market for them, I'll be chronicling my ever-expanding belly - well, I'll be tracking my shopping stages and how I tried to not break the bank on buying new clothes. Thus far...
Up until week 12, the only thing to cover is your expanding bump, which is more because of gas than anything else. All my clothes fit up until week 14. After that....
Shopping trip (and tip) #1 - about 14 weeks - a bought Bebe Bands (at Target, I think $16 each). Here is the thing about these - they don't hold up your pants. But they do smooth the growing pudge, and cover if you need to unbutton your jeans - ha! Best tip I can pass along - take a hair tie and loop it in a knot through the button hold of your jeans, then use the other side of the loop to button your pants - this gives you about 1-2 extra inches on your jeans (works best with jeans that are already pretty low rise).
Shopping trip #2 - about 16 weeks - headed to the Allen Outlet with Meme and Laura for our semi-annual shopping pilgrimage. I focused on tops and dresses since it is summer, and steered clear of jeans and anything actually maternity. Everything I bought was something I would wear if I wasn't pregnant, just a little bigger :) I did do a lot more trying on than I normally would, just to see how much extra time I would have in the dresses or if the shirt looked too pregnant.
Shopping trip #3 - 18 weeks - the one I was trying to avoid - Maternity Jeans. Ugh. Lame. You know when nothing fits every time you hit the dressing room? Well I felt that way before we even looked. So I shopped in this order...
Pea in the Pod - I didn't look at any of the tops or dresses - just the jeans. They have brands like Citizens, Sevens, and then their own line. Prices from $85 - $200. Lame. But, I tried on jeans anyway (the sales girl was really nice) and liked all of them. Double Lame. So, on I went. I don't pay that much for regular jeans, so why pay them for jeans I'll wear for 4-6 months.
Motherhood Maternity - the sister store to Pea in the Pod - this store was OK. The clothes weren't really my style, but nothing awful. The selection of jeans weren't as trendy as I like, but I found 1 pair of jeans here that I liked for $45. I got really excited that I could wear an extra small, and I had on flip flops, so in my relief that I found something, I didn't notice that they were too short. Lame Again.
Old Navy - I heard the Gap was great for maternity wear, but it isn't offered in OKC. I really like Old Navy (and their price point) and we hit. the. jackpot. Bought a pair of jeans and a pair of capris for somewhere between $50 and $60 total. And they fit perfectly, super high quality, and a great wash. I went back a couple weeks later and got another pair on clearance for $14.99 - consider me a happy momma-to-be.
Ebay - I still have a lust for designer jeans, so Ebay was the place to go. The hard part is that sizing yourself is a bit tricky. What I tried on in the store fit perfectly, but after buying the same brand/size on Ebay, fitting was hit or miss. But the prices are totally worth it. I got 2 pairs of sevens for $70 total, and a pair of Citizens for $45 (including shipping). I hemmed them myself (short legs over here) - and think 2 pairs will fit for a month or so, and the last pair should fit when I'm a bit bigger.
Week 20 - this has yet to necessitate a shopping trip, but my t-shirts no longer fit. Well they fit, but they are small. Sheesh. I'll keep you posted.
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