Lack of maternity fashion on the high street?

[lindsay90]

Hey all,

Just turned 7 months pregnant today

Back in May I was invited to a wedding and left it a little late to get an outfit together. I live in the Scottish Highlands, so the closest town to me is Inverness. Spent a frustrating day trying to find something suitable, but the only place that stocked any maternity wear was New Look (and their range was tiny).

Tried shopping in Glasgow the day before the wedding and didn't get any more luck, so in the end I had to borrow a dress from a friend.

This is my first pregnancy and I was really surprised at the lack of maternity sections in high street stores. There were a few places that stocked casual wear, but hardly anywhere with anything suitable for a wedding.

Seems like most retailers have now moved their maternity ranges online, which as this is a time when I definitely want to be trying clothes on before buying is rather annoying...

We did a bit of research into this and it seems to be a problem throughout the UK. My husband is currently writing an artice on our findings.

So I was wondering if anyone had any feedback on:

a) similar problems finding stockists of maternity fashion on the high street
b) any recommended retailers (in the UK preferably) who stock decent ranges in store

Thanks!

 

[anicca79]

Hi,

Same here. First pregnancy and Manchester's high street is the same. Yesterday I went to look for holiday clothes and all I could do was buy drawstring bottoms a couple of sizes above what I was in March. Fortunately drawstring trousers and shorts etc are in fashion. I gave up looking for maternity as couldn't find any anywhere! Mothercare was great when I went into a big store in Blackpool. Picked up a fab dress for work there but I agree it's not great if you want to try things on!

 

[candymycandy]

Yep I've had the exact same issue with my lb and now this pg. Chanced going to Debenhams (a large one) the other day as was in desperate need of something in a hurry for a trip away and only one brand stocked mat clothes and that was only a few rails. Peacocks sometimes have a small selection as do H&M but I have only been able to find things like leggings there. I also struggle as I'm a bit bigger and lots of things (especially h&m) are all figure hugging or things that I just won't feel comfortable in. I only ever find stuff online.

 

[firstfreakout]

I agree with all of this. I currently have 2 tops and one pair of casual baggy trousers that fit at just over 29 weeks.
H&M is probably the only place near me with a maternity line and like others said, quite limited and usually aimed at already slimmer females. (I was a size 10-12 before getting pregnant, but never "slim")

I'm also struggling to find maternity bras or sports bras in larger sizes (I'm a 36C-38D apparently) and leggings tend to be so long which at 5ft4 are impossible!


I don't even want to think about nursing wear if I decide to breastfeed >.<

I've always struggled with buying clothes online as I have short legs but I'm not slim and have big boobs, so sizes tend to be a little off sometimes, and with my back pain and this heat I can't go looking all around London for other maternity ranges

I've been spending the last week of this heat at home in my underwear to be honest...

 

[Rose83]

Totally agree with all of that (I'm East Ayrshire so shop in Glasgow and Silverburn/Braehead shopping centres). H&M is ok and so is New Look for sort of 'throw away' clothes but you get a very small selection in there. Asda never seem to stock maternity in store and neither do Next.

For nursing clothes I stuck to ordering from Vertbaudet (online) and Seraphine for expensive maternity work wear and nursing tops x

 

[Mel32]

During my first pregnancy i genuinely looked into importing some dresses because we dont all want to wear a jersey casual dress to a wedding and dont all want the other extreme which are really pricey dresses you might not ger much use from.

A couple of times i searched for ages online and found something i liked only to find they seem to sell out in smaller sizes (8/10) .

In my first pregnancy all the big 'occasions' i attended i had a fairly small bump but it'll be differen this time. I can with a bit of difficulty get by on the day to day stuff but dresses are a nightmare!!

 

[sexyamy2005]

Asos, new look, next, h&m mothercare, some matalans, boohoo all have maternity ranges, tbh i just purchased bigger sozed dresses so a 16 as was a 14 and it stretched, i lived in Primark stuff for cheapness and think Asda do a few bits now,

I got a lot on ebay with tags on guessing ladies like us who got something hated / didnt like it and thought sod it find someone else who will take it, haha

I struggle as im only 5ft 2 for leggins infact i cant remember ever havimg a pair that had fitted, i was a DD ans went to a F when i was preg so know your struggles,

This time im only 8wks but gone up a cup size allready but slightly slimmer than i was last time so hopefully will find some clothes, my struggle is i work in a reasonably strict office so need to be smart, no jeans so going to struggle for later on when im a whale size, lol

 

[lindsay90]

Hi, thanks for the replies so far! Glad i'm not the only person then who seems to be struggling! Hadn't heard of Vertbaudet and so thanks, i have checked that out Haven't even thought about nursing clothes yet but at least i know now not to expect the shopping experience to be a walk in the park! Found the highstreet not too bad for just casual wear but agree that it's maybe just online for "dressy" clothes... x

 

[Rose83]

Vertbaudet is like a sister company to La Redoute (the catalogue) but cheaper I find. They almost always have some kind of money off discount code if you search the voucher sites.

ASOS are reasonable for nursing clothes too. Gap also do a small online range of maternity and nursing clothes but it can be a bit hit and miss. JoJoMaman Bebe is another one I forgot to mention but that's fairly pricey unless you get stuff in the sale. I also found that their vest tops for nursing weren't very comfortable or practical unless you want to get your entire 36H boob out in public lol x

 

[Eryinera]

Yea I had no look on high street I went to eBay. There are a few independent stores there's one near me called bumps and babe's. I had to get a formal ballgown when I was 38 weeks pregnant. Lol that was fun! I lived in tunic tops and streachy tops most short dresses became tops lol.

 

[Mayflower85]

I've not been able to find anything decent in store. JoJo Mamam Bebe is the only store near me that stocks maternity stuff but none of it suits me and is out of my price range.

The out of town Mothercare has a few bits, but only in a few sizes and I can never find bras to fit me in there.

I end up ordering online from Debenhams, Dorothy Perkins or Matalan.

 

[1sttimer]

Omg, this post is perfect timing! Just this weekend my excited self went to shop for my first ever maternity clothes, I was so looking forward to it as a bit of a milestone reached only to find that H&M were the only people that stocked in store and it was a tiny corner of rubbishness at the back of the shop. Not even the biggest Next in the country had any of their range in store! So...online I went, very annoying!

I am reliably informed that Asos, Asda. H&M (especially for jeans) and next are the go to places online. It would have been nice to go an have a little spree though rather than have to do it all by delivery - although I welcome trying on at home in this heat! haha x

 

[candymycandy]

Yep ASOS are fairly good, the best experience I've had. A lot of affordable stuff too.

 

[Wednesday]

ASOS, next and H&M all do free returns so I bought everything in two sizes from those places!

 

[Carly89]

ASOS, next and H&M all do free returns so I bought everything in two sizes from those places!

I do this anyway as i feel like they make up their sizes!! H&M Sizing is awful, but i buy everything from there lol. I just kind of know what type of things i need to order bigger in. I will always order a couple of pairs of jeans in varying sizes, and then just send back what is no good. I also have a credit account with them which is extremely reasonable, just pay it off monthly. I will definitely be buying all my maternity wear from there for causal, and ASOS for dressy occasions x

 

[lindsay90]

Thanks again for all the tips etc. And i'm sure my husband will thank me for having such a large shopping basket on ASOS now x

 

[Rose Michaels]

I found Seraphine to be great, loads of fashionable all round functional items. I had one less thing to stress about.