Jeans are at the epicenter of nearly every woman’s wardrobe. However, the thought of maternity jeans will make the average girl will shudder with horror and feel vaguely nauseous. Images of thin, pale blue fabric with a pouch you could carry your groceries in do nothing to inspire visions of just how great a pregnant girl can look when she buys the right maternity jeans.
Unfortunately, once a baby prepares to arrive on the scene the love affair we have with our jeans quickly dissipates into a battleground. Our once beloved skinny jeans are the first to betray us, making us painfully aware of the impending arrival and leaving us wondering if it’s possible that no one will actually notice our new outfit consists of high heels and track pants.
Thankfully, maternity jeans have progressed somewhat from the hideous tummy-pouch variety that our mothers became victim to, and the modern Mummy-to-Be who is ready to buy has a veritable treasure trove of styles and features to choose from.
Maternity jeans have some unique problems that they need to address, as well as some unique problems they can create. So here are some points to consider before you buy your next pair.
What to Look For When Shopping for the Best Maternity Jeans
Comfort: Whilst it’s important to look gorgeous in your maternity jeans, if they aren’t comfortable you simply won’t wear them. Here are some points to consider when next shopping:
- Make sure the fabric has a least a little bit of give in it. Rigid denims are best avoided, as they can dig into your tummy, and make the jeans uncomfortably tight should you gain any weight. A cotton elastane mix is perfect.
- Check the top button – this seems like a small thing, but the backing of a button can be surprisingly irritating in the later months if it digs into your tummy.
- The best maternity jeans for comfort have a low-rise front, fabric at the top of the waistband, and a stretch denim. This means you get all the good looks of jeans with the soft comfort of trackies – what more can a girl ask for?
Maternity Jean Style
Maternity jeans have some unique areas to contend with that regular jeans don’t, and there are some jeans out there that fail miserably – and often you won’t know it until you’ve ripped the tags off. Some things to check in the store:
- Check that the back of the jeans is high. This is because if the back of the jeans is low, every time you bend over you will have consistent plumbers’ issues. Nasty.
- Check that the front rise of the jeans is low – the lower the better. Likewise, if the back is high and the front is also high, the jeans may look fine while you are standing up in front of the mirror, but as soon as you move, the waistband will slide down your belly. The front of your jeans will balloon out leaving handfuls of loose fabric. Ew!
- Check for belt loops. It’s better to be safe than sorry, and when your body shape is changing as quickly as it does during pregnancy there are no guarantees that what is perfect today will be perfect tomorrow.
- Adjustable waistbands are brilliant! There are some maternity jeans out there that are fully adjustable on the inside, with no tell-tale maternity bits to be seen. Perfect!
- Straight leg or skinny maternity jeans are great as they balance your pregnant shape beautifully. Larger girls look wonderful in long, straight maternity jeans, and wide leg jeans are best avoided – all they do is make your whole body look pregnant.
- Make sure the maternity jeans have enough length. In the later stages of pregnancy, wearing long jeans with heels is a great way to feel slimmer and sexier.
Stylish Maternity Fashion
Being pregnant is tough. Weight gain, mood swings, no alcohol – it’s a hard ride for nine months. And, for those who like to look good and are interested in fashion, it’s difficult to come to terms with wearing tent-like kaftans and maternity dungarees. This is only made worse by the endless pictures of celebrities in gossip magazines who, despite having a huge bump, still manage to look effortlessly stylish.
Famous Pregnant Celebrities
Gisele Bundchen, Sarah Michelle Gellar, Halle Berry and Coleen McLoughlin have all been spotted with stylishly-dressed bumps. They all looked fabulous before they were pregnant and are obviously determined not to let being a mum-to-be get in the way of following the latest trends.
High-Street Maternity Wear
Luckily, there is hope for those who want to follow in the footsteps of these stylish celebs. Many high street stores are now realized that there is a niche for trendy maternity wear and have launched new ranges. Topshop, as always, leads the way, as it has been stocking maternity clothing for some time now. They have a well-designed collection which includes everything from party dresses and sequinned shrugs to leggings and vest tops, and the prices won’t break the bank.
River Island has also just launched a maternity range, which is punk-inspired and looks just as good as their women’s collection. It is refreshing to see that the high street is now making an effort to appeal to a wider customer base – especially since these women have probably been shopping with them for years.
New Look offers trendy maternity wear at the cheapest end of the high street – ideal for those who don’t want to spend much, especially considering the short shelf-life of a maternity wardrobe.
Maternity Clothing Online
Shopping online is as simple as gaming on casino-online-canada.ca. It is a good option for those who are short of time, or do not want to trail around the high street looking at skinny jeans and tight tops. Mama-la-mode is the complete online eyummy-mummy shopping experience – it sells its own brand of maternity wear as well as designer labels like Melissa Obadash, Juicy Couture and Elle MacPherson. It also stocks babywear, books, gifts and beauty essentials.
Apeainthepod is the hottest place for maternity clothing at the moment, thanks to Nicole Richie who have just designed a range for the site. Richie has always been a poster-girl for stylish pregnancy, and looks effortlessly chic in her boho dresses and layered cardigans. Expect more of the same from her collection, which starts from just $48. Although the site is American, the company does ship to international destinations.
