Congratulations to all of you moms-to-be! Maternity fashion doesn't have to be just a bunch of frumpy fashions. Designers have come along with various fashions for pregnant ladies. In addition, there are even sexy clothes for pregnant women. I want to be very careful talking about pregnant fashion here. Obviously, I'm not a female. I don't have a girlfriend or anything. I am NO professional on maternity fashion, and I am ESPECIALLY not a professional on the whole pregnancy process! Do not slam me just because I get certain things wrong! Most of my own commentary regards things I've read online as well as certain fashions I've seen in pictures. What I can do, however, is talk about fashion for expecting mothers.
With this said, it's time to move on. But first:
BEFORE I BEGIN... There are a number of different terms to describe a pregnant female. To keep things simple and professional, I will avoid using terms such as the following to describe someone pregnant: "preggo," "preggers," "[baby] bump," etc. Some of these terms are silly to begin with, so I'm just keeping things simple and real. You already know I'm all about keeping things real. So please enjoy this blog post!
LATEST UPDATE(S)/REVISION(S):
MAR 2 2013 - edited post; changed image source to one picture; edited shopping material (towards end of post)Since most of this post is fashion-related, most of this material is outdated. To read my fashion-oriented post on maternity fashion, I invite you to the stylish space of my blogging universe: "StyleSpace, by John B. Marine":
• "Hot Mama!" (StyleSpace by JBM)
Remember- the post linked above is more about the fashion aspect of pregnancy. This post here on "John's Blog Space" deals with maternity fashion as well as various other issues. So you have a choice. Enjoy this post!
--- Maternity Fashion at a Glance ---
^ from: www.gendenk.org - Becoming a mommy? Congratulations!
You don't have to wear a T-shirt and some sweatpants while pregnant. If anything, there are various fashion items to help you look stylish while sporting a pregnant belly (or baby bump, or whatever you want to call being pregnant). Finding the right clothes would entirely depend on how far along in your pregnancy you are. There are primarily three "levels" of pregnant fashion- maternity itself, nursing, and post-baby.
Maternity Clothes.
The majority of this blog post will regard fashions for pregnant females. Common belief is that being pregnant means you can no longer enjoy wearing your ultra-chic, real sexy, real cute clothes. That's not true as certain designers, including maternity fashion lines and maternity specialists. This is where those nine months of child-bearing goodness take form. This is where shopping for clothes to help compliment your pregnant body begin to take form. Just because you're pregnant doesn't mean you have to wear frumpy and dull clothes. There are shapers you can wear if pregnant.Maternity Nursing Clothes.
After giving birth to your child or children (congratulations!), you will need to get yourself some clothes to help you in nursing your little one(s) to health. Nursing clothes (also refered to as transitional clothes) allow you to do just that by helping you better be able to breastfeed to your little one(s). Clothes that are nursing-friendly (especially those designed for nursing) mostly have certain openings that make breastfeeding simple and unobtrusive.Post-Baby.
You've given birth to a baby or babies! Now it's time for you to gain back your lovely body prior to being pregnant. You will need to exercise to work to get your body back to its former shape prior to pregnancy. Or... it's possible you can have a LOVELIER body than when or before you became pregnant! Certain clothes and certain compression binders help you to regain your body's fabulous form. These compression binders help make the post-baby body process easier and faster to help you get back to your pre-pregnant body. Or as I mentioned earlier, you may even work yourself out to be lovelier than even when you became pregnant.The majority of this blog post primarily pertains to maternity clothing. This was not meant to be a serious resource on what you need to know in becoming pregnant or anything like that. All about the clothes here.
--- Remaining Sexy When Pregnant? ---
This is a strange issue to some. Strange in the sense that you wonder how to remain sexy and confident when pregnant. And I'm like... hello! You're about to deliver a baby (or babies)! How much more sexy do you need to be and feel?Being a pregnant female is beautiful in its own ways. After all, you are the bearer of a baby (or babies). Being a mother should be a beautiful feeling and should be treated with great responsibility and pride. One of my friends who was pregnant in the past talked about enjoying being pregnant. She mentioned things like enjoying the feeling of becoming a mother and remaining positive through her pregnancy.
--- Glorifying Pregnancy? ---
^ from: foolzfun.com, by way of imageshack.us - While Demi Moore's pregnant shoot for Vanity Fair in 1991 was risqué, Christina Aguilera's picture on the cover of the January 2008 edition of Marie Claire was equally risqué.
While being pregnant is a wonderful and joyous occasion, the thing that has made me uncomfortable was in glorifying pregnancy to be cool. Case in point- your favorite female celebrity gets pregnant. What happens next? Many (usually younger females) want to have their own baby so they think they can be cool. It's that "celebrities are doing it, why not me?" deal. If you want to read much more about my thoughts on youth pregnancy, read my blog entry called "Young and Pregnant."
More Attractive When Pregnant?
^ from: olx.com - Some people find pregnant women more beautiful than or as beautiful as non-pregnant women.
Speaking as a male, there are some males who think females are more attractive when pregnant. Most of us guys are usually into females with slender and attractive bodies. We often become romanticized on the image of a pregnant female, especially ones that have their pregnant bellies exposed. I came across a website where people have posted notes about what makes pregnant women attractive. According to what I read, there are hormones added to make women more attractive when pregnant. These include features like fuller lips (for example) to keep the father aroused and attracted to her. Pregnancy may be nightmarish considering how much your body swells up or being grumpier than usual. If you suffer from stretch marks in being pregnant, you will likely have to rub some sort of cream or oil or whatever to help take away the stretch marks.
Is it Okay to Flaunt Your Pregnant Belly?
^ from: imageshack.us - How confident are you at showcasing your pregnant belly?
The image of a pregnant female, especially in a romantic and enticing way, expresses something totally beautiful. There is a romantic and ultra-feminine quality of a female about to populate the world with her offspring. Think of a strong woman ready to populate the world with a heavenly offspring of her own. Nothing makes any female more beautiful than when a female is confident about herself and her body. I am someone who believes in three "B's" that make any female beautiful- breasts, belly, and butt. In this context, we're discussing the belly. I think it is a showing of confidence and beauty for a pregnant lady to showcase her pregnant belly. Not as many females are happy or as confident in their evolving bodies in showcasing their pregnant belly. That is why so many very confident females show their pregnant belly in a romantic way. If there is more reason to be convinced at the appeal of showing off your pregnant body, you gain weight as you become pregnant. Your body is still changing as you are trying to properly and safely deliver your unborn child to the world. Therefore, it is even more of a confidence boost to say that while a female is gaining weight, she still loves herself and her body enough to showcase her beauty to onlookers. In ways, you can say that a pregnant woman still confident to show off her pregnant bare belly to others and in pictures boasts as much confidence as a plus size female confident about her own body.
As an artist, I think there is artistic beauty of showcasing your pregnant belly in an artistic or romantic way. This is one time in your life where you feel like you are a goddess. You may or never may become pregnant again. If you become pregnant, this is a chance for you to look great while also bearing an yet-to-be-born child.
I have MUCH more to share than what you just read. I have included this Jump Break for performance purposes. Make sure you are reading the full blog entry. If you are, disregard this line. If not, click on "Read More" to see the rest of this blog entry, which includes resources to various maternity specialists, maternity fashion lines, resources for petite and plus size maternity fashions, and more! Click on "Read More" if you are not reading the full post and if you enjoyed this blog post so far.
--- Maternity Fashion in Pictures ---
The next section will feature pregnant fashion in pictures. These are certain garments for pregnant females. I had initially intended this section to include various pregnant females in pictures. But because I've struggled to find pregnant pictures to help keep this blog moving, I will mostly just discuss certain garments. Consider this a digest of maternity fashion in this section. So here is a look at pregnant fashion through pictures:Maternity Tops and Dresses.
^ from: www.motherhood.com (couldn't find anything better) - A sleeveless maternity top with fun floral designs.
Here is the first example that maternity fashion doesn't have to be frumpy or ugly. This top would be beautiful even if it wasn't made for pregnant women. A similarly-styled top would look equally lovely on a non-pregnant woman. A good pair of jeans and some cute pumps or sandals will set you straight with a top like this. And of course, nothing says "hot!" quite like a sleeveless chic top.
^ from: 3critical.wordpress.com - A pregnant T-shirt with a funny message.
Just as much as there are novelty tees for almost anything, there are also things like novelty maternity tees, such as the picture above. It's always nice to have a sense of humor in making pregnancy fun. Those who fancy novelty T-shirts usually find something fun to wear as a top showcasing your pregnancy.
^ from: olx.com - A cute, feminine maternity top paired with jeans and sandals.
Again- this top looks lovely even if it were not made for pregnant women. The patterns and style make this very lovely and fun to wear. Take note of the loose sleeves as well as the neckline- very chic and fun. It's girly. It's cute. It's ANYTHING but frumpy. Of course, the look is topped off with a lovely pair of jeans and some chic sandals.
^ from: just4mums.com.au - A casual maternity dress can be just as lovely as a formal one.
Dresses can still be fun to wear even when pregnant. You can still enjoy wearing airy and cute dresses, just that there are some casual maternity dresses that can be just as lovely as most non-maternity dresses.
^ from: pregnancyfashion.sheknows.com - You can still be one glamourous pregnant party princess even when it's party time!
You can still look glamourous (even when pregnant) for a night out or for a party! If the occasion is a fancy party or anything that coincides with my "Party Time!" blog post, a dress like this is still fun and elegant for formal (or even semi-formal) functions. Something like the dress above will help you in looking and feeling beautiful even with formal occasions or certain parties.
^ from: www.maternity-wedding-dresses.com - A formal-type long gown for pregnant women.
Whomever said you can't look stylish in a formal gown while pregnant is kidding himself/herself. When the occasion calls for a formal dress that is as beautiful as the pregnant lady wearing is, you'd be surprised what beautiful formal dresses there are to compliment and flatter a pregnant lady.
Maternity Bottoms.
^ from: www.momfinds.com - Everyone (let alone females) want a good-fitting and stylish pair of jeans. Even when pregnant, you can still enjoy wearing good jeans.
^ from: babble.com - There are also other bottoms (such as shorts, pants, and skirts) specially tailored for pregnant women. They serve the same purpose as the maternity jeans from the previous picture.
As much as you enjoyed them before pregnancy, jeans are still enjoyable bottoms while pregnant. Maternity jeans allow you to enjoy the appeal and style of jeans even as you're due to give birth. Denim designers, ranging from affordable makes to high-end makes, make these jeans available to many pregnant women. For example, I saw a pair of maternity jeans online from either Chip and Pepper or 7 for All Mankind. Other maternity bottoms, such as pants and skirts, allow the same amount of comfort and style during your pregnancy. These bottoms have spandex belly bands to help offer back support and lower belly support. They basically help keep your lower body secure and shape your body firmly.
^ from: runningskirts.com - A mom must still remain active. Would you, then... do some running while pregnant? This mom-to-be did!
Feeling sporty? Well, fitness is important in becoming a mom. Have to be sure to remain in shape and active even as you're due to give birth. There is a good deal of maternity activewear for sporty moms-to-be. Items such as yoga pants, active skorts, and things like that help sporty moms look and feel sporty cute.
Nursing Clothes.
^ from: sheknows.com/pregnancyfashion.sheknows.com - Proper nursing clothes allow you to easily breastfeed your baby.
In post-baby times, you'll need to do some breastfeeding to properly nurse your baby/babies to health. Nursing clothes have certain panels and plackets to make breastfeeding easy. Some nursing clothes are cute even if not pregnant. However, these nursing clothes are very much functional as you're nursing your newborn(s) or trying to regain your original body doing post-baby exercise.
Fun With Pregnancy: Belly Painting!
^ from: meredith.com - A creative way to express your pregnant belly is to have someone do a painting on your belly.
Body paint on a pregnant belly yields itself to having fun while still pregnant. These painters use pregnant bellies and paint on pregnant bellies making creative paintings on them. FDA-approved, hypoallergenic, water-based makeup are used for body painting on pregnant bellies. One such website offering these pregnant belly paintings is pregnantbellypainting.com. Some of the work featured from this site has been featured on ABC and CBS. You can learn more about this site by visiting www.pregnantbellypainting.com.
That covers maternity from a style standpoint. Thanks for reading!
--- Maternity Fashions: Special Conditions ---
I recommend you visit Maternity Fashions - LoveToKnow Pregnancy for all of your pregnant fashion advice, as it covers lots of ground in brief pieces. Here are two separate topics in pregnancy.Petite and Pregnant.
This is for you sweet petites out there! Here is a resource for you if you are a petite lady (5'4" or shorter) set to give birth: Finding Petite Maternity Clothing(ADDED: October 5, 2011) Sydney of "PetiteLittleGirl" answered one reader's questions about being pregnant and petite. To gain some insight from a petite mother, feel free to draw inspiration from Sydney by reading this blog post: "Reader Corner: How to shop for petite-friendly maternity wear" on PetiteLittleGirl.
Plus Size and Pregnant.
This is for you plus size moms-to-be who want some maternity fashion advice. Here is a resource to help you out here: 5 Plus-Size Maternity Fashion TipsMore resources will be added in the future to better suit and service my audience.
--- Maternity Fashion: Designers and Specialists ---
I will mostly focus on the "specialist" side here. Various designers have maternity lines, and some others are maternity fashion specialists. Click on any of the headings to visit their official websites (if offered). If they are also on Amazon, you can click on the alternate link to shop for their fashions on Amazon. Because my blog is read internationally, I may find some non-American sites for you to visit if wanting to shop online for maternity fashion. International sites will have their nationality listed in parentheses.--- American Specialists (or are all of them?) ---
A Pea in the Pod.
A Pea in the Pod on Amazon
A Pea in the Pod is a maternity fashion specialist with a vast array of garments for pregnant women. The Philadelphia-based retailer offers a variety of tops, bottoms, dresses (from casual dresses to formal dresses), sleepwear, and more from dozens of designers. It is the first retailer that comes to mind for me when thinking of maternity fashion.
Motherhood Maternity.
Motherhood Maternity on AmazonLike A Pea in the Pod (and with a similar website), Motherhood Maternity also specializes in a variety of maternity fashions for women.
BellaBlu Maternity.
You're due to give birth to beautiful offspring. Why not wear maternity clothes as beautiful as you are? BellaBlu makes this all possible. It features lovely maternity clothes, lovely nursing clothes, gifts, baby furniture, and more. In addition, there are also maternity clothes for petites and plus size women. So you can say that this is a real all-in-one online store for moms-to-be and for post-baby goods.Japanese Weekend.
Japanese Weekend on AmazonAlso specializing in maternity fashion is Japanese Weekend Maternity and Nursing, based in San Francisco, CA, USA. They have no shortage of functional and fashionable items for the pregnant woman. Have a look at their many collections. Japanese Weekend even has green (as in eco-friendly) fashions for you green types out there.
Liz Lange.
Liz Lange specializes in sophisticated and stylish maternity fashions. Her maternity fashions have been around since 1997 with her own line and since 2002 offering her fashions to Target. A vast collection of garments are offered by this designer to help you look your best as you're due to give birth. Her fashions are available through the official website and through Liz Lange for Target Maternity.Olian Maternity.
Olian Maternity specializes in stylish high-end maternity fashions. From cute to sexy, casual to classy, Olian has the right kind of fashions to make you one hot mom-to-be!Due Maternity.
Duematernity.com retails various maternity fashions from various designers. Make this your all-in-one maternity fashion online store.One Hot Mama.
Based in Los Angeles, CA, USA (and this blog post's title is NOT named after for); One Hot Mama has one philosophy- you're a 21st Century mom-to-be. Why not look your hottest? You can visit their website or check out One Hot Mama's Amazon Store.MommyLicious Maternity.
Think of Mommylicious Maternity as being two flavors- cute and sexy. Rather than modest and stylish maternity fashions, they offer their own style of cute maternity fashions. These are mostly chic and somewhat edgy maternity fashions on the cute side. On the sexy side, however, they offer some more daring chic fashions including intimates. The "sexy" clothes from MommyLicious are not seriously over the top- just more ultra-feminine and some casual fashions.Destination Maternity.
If motherhood is your destination, let Destination Maternity steer you in the correct direction! They retail lots of maternity and nursing clothes and gifts for mommies. Look your best while also proudly bearing the world's most beautiful baby/babies (at least to you)!Beautiful You Maternity.
Vast resources and items are offered for moms-to-be here, including petite and plus size maternity fashions. They offer some lovely-looking clothes. Feel free to give B.Y. Maternity a visit!ASOS Maternity (USA ASOS Site).
The maternity fashions of the world-famous ASOS is featured here. The link takes you to the USA store of ASOS for maternity fashions. Tops and bottoms from ASOS are offered. The best thing about ASOS' website is that you can view runway models wearing these fashions, so you get an idea as to how each garment looks and feels. Also, you get to hear a little song to compliment the look. :)BellyBra.
The BellyBra is designed to help you prevent pain in your upper body as you are set to deliver your baby/babies. Recommended to be worn during your third trimester, this can help take some weight off of your pelvis, thereby limiting pain on your lower back. The BellyBra is a top. I mean that in saying it is essentially a top you can wear while still feeling comfortable doing almost anything. Learn more by visiting www.bellybra.com (or click on the heading to this area).Baby Nursery Rooms.
If you want to shop for furniture and other furnishings for your new baby/babies, Baby Nursery Rooms offers a vast array of home furnishings for your baby or babies. It also includes nursery safety tips as well as various kinds of decor for your baby/babies. (PERSONAL NOTE) I want to thank a loyal reader for suggesting this site to me for inclusion to this blog post.Now let me take you around the world to see maternity fashions outside of the United States.
Wee World (Canada).
Wee World is a home-based business in New Brunswick, Canada. Many items are available for mommy, the baby/babies, and even daddy.Mummy and Little Me Maternity Wear (United Kingdom).
Mummy and Little Me can be found in the United Kingdom. Their stores in Birmingham, Leeds, and Lincoln feature various items for moms-to-be as well as lots of gifts and items for post-baby mommies. You can, of course, shop for their maternity gear at their home page online.L'avenue des bébés (France).
As you may know, fashion is a big deal in France. So be fabulously French by checking out L'avenue des bébés. This French online store offers many feminine and fashionable maternity clothing items. Unfortunately, I think they only offer maternity clothes, not nursing clothes. It is still worth a visit. Most of the website is in French, but there is still a good amount of English-language material so that you don't scratch your head trying to understand what the site is about.Polline srl Maternity Wear (Italy).
Be bellissima (Italian for "beautiful") with Italy's Polline srl Maternity Wear. Both SARA... and menonove are offered from this online store. The site links you to the Italian page. However, there are language options available for English, German, French, and Spanish sites.Boob Design (Sweden).
The Swedish designer known as Boob Design specializes in maternity fashions and has done so since 1999. Since their store site is in Swedish, you may have trouble understanding the text on this site if you don't speak or know Swedish. The site includes a brand site and its own store.Maternity Lane (South Africa).
A South African online store based in Gauteng, South Africa; Maternity Lane features fashions for both moms-to-be and babies themselves. They even offer petite and plus size maternity fashion. I didn't see any nursing fashions offered, though, when I checked this site.Sweet Mommy (Japan).
• Sweet Mommy (English/Multilingual; Alternate Link)This Japanese retailer of maternity fashions specializes in a variety of fashions. Maternity and nursing fashions are offered with many cute styles. Their clothese are colorful and cute no matter what styles may interest you from Sweet Mommy. You're going to give birth to cute offspring... why not look as cute as the baby/babies you will deliver? The link takes you to the Japanese site, but English, French, and Italian sites are also offered. Click on the link below the Sweet Mommy heading to visit the English Sweet Mommy Site, which also features currency conversion if you plan on shopping for their clothes.
Just 4 Mums (Australia).
Just for you moms-to-be in Australia, this site features lots of items for you Australian moms. Many resources and styles for you moms-to-be in Australia.Motherhood Maternity Wear (Australia).
Mommies in Australia can seek maternity and nursing fashions online from Motherhood Maternity Wear. Based in Ormond, Victoria, Australia; they have many fashions so that you can still be chic while and after pregnant. Everything from clothes to swimwear are offered as well as maternity fashions for plus size women.EGG Maternity (New Zealand).
The maternity fashions offered by New Zealand's EGG Maternity are vast and varied. Loads of different items are available for you Kiwi moms to look your best while reluctantly ready to give birth.More specialists may be added in the future. These are various stores and collections with maternity lines offered. Click on any one that you are interested in to visit their official sites. More may be added in future edits, so if you have enjoyed your reading here, I MAY be able to interest you in more sites.
--- Maternity Lines ---
• Love 21 (Forever 21's maternity fashion line)
• GapMaternity (The Gap's maternity line)
• Ann Taylor Loft - maternity line
• Maternity on Saks Fifth Avenue (better have a lot of money!)
--- Maternity from Major Retailers ---
• JCPenney Maternity
• Target Maternity
• Walmart (or Wal-Mart) Maternity
• Kohl's Maternity
• Sears Maternity
More links will be added in future edits.
That concludes this blog post regarding maternity fashion. I want to try to work on a blog post for John's Shop Space featuring certain individual fashions for those looking to shop for maternity fashion online through Amazon. You can use these Amazon widgets below to shop for maternity fashions ranging from maternity to nursing/transition fashions. Change up the search text to include anything you are interested in (relevant to this blog post recommended). For example, change "maternity" to "petite maternity" for petite maternity fashion items. Change "maternity" to "maternity dresses" to find maternity dresses that may interest you. Have a look around and thank you for reading my blog and its entries (including this one)!
Shopping online is voluntary, but would be vastly appreciated.
ShopStyle.
Other Sources.
Here are more garment options for you pregnant females out there. These are general item searches, so if you want something more specific, you'll have to look around at each individual site:• all maternity clothes on Amazon
• all maternity clothes on eBay
• all maternity clothes on Shopbop
• all maternity fashions on Nordstrom
• all maternity fashions on Overstock.com
• all maternity clothes on Walmart
• all maternity clothes on Target
• all maternity clothes on JCPenney
• all maternity fashions on Sears
Thanks for visiting and (if you're doing any) shopping!
Thank you for reading!
Posts
1 comments:
It just goes to show that women can still be fashionable while they're in the maternity stage. They always face the challenges of the growing belly. Oh, speaking of, have you seen a belly band? You're going to like. I think your readers will definitely like it, too. Anyway, I love the choices of clothes there! I hope I can order some soon.
Post a Comment