Pregnant in Fashionable Comfort

Pregnancy is a time of change and growth and there will be little adjustments to be made every day. You will notice great changes in your body as it blossoms and grows with your child. In the first trimester great activity is taking place in the womb, however externally (unless you are having a multiple pregnancy) little change will be noticeable.

The second trimester is when you start thinking about leaving the top button of your jeans undone and opting for elasticated waistbands over fitted suits. This is the time when you should consider investing in a few carefully selected items of maternity wear.

Any maternity wear that you buy should tick the ‘versatile’ and ‘comfortable‘ boxes. Maternity dresses meet these criteria 100 per cent. Forget the jokes about tents and marquees, modern maternity dresses have style and elegance in abundance.

By their very nature, maternity dresses are perfect for later pregnancy because they do not constrain the area around the tummy. Before making a purchase, think about your lifestyle and the sort of dresses you may need.

I found a great selection of good value maternity dresses at the French retailer Vertbaudet. They stock dresses suitable for work and relaxation, with structured tailored designs for a professional look or more casual flirty floral print designs for relaxation. Choose from a selection of chic and sophisticated black dresses in soft stretchy Jersey which offer just the right combination of comfort and cling.

Experiment with styles which complement the pregnant silhouette such as empire line dresses that emphasise your (often boosted!) bust. Trendy maxi style dresses look very fashionable with the bonus of being roomy and comfortable. Wrap around dresses with or without sleeves flatter the pregnant form beautifully and allow for gradual expansion as you grow. Some women choose to proudly show off their bump in sheath dresses with extra stretchy panels.

The solid colour versus print debate rages on. Personally, I like to mix it up a bit and go for solid colours with contrasting splashes of colour in accessories. It all depends on what you feel comfortable with. If you envisage wearing a particular dress frequently, a muted solid colour with varied accessories will enable you to keep refreshing your look. Vertbaudet have a choice of dresses in classic styles in grey, black and green tones that you can work into your existing wardrobe. For a brighter alternative try their pretty print dresses or funky floral sun dresses.

Maternity wear is sometimes criticised for being all function and no fun, with bland designs and little choice. Again, this is where Vertbaudet differ from the rest of the pack. In their maternity wear collection you will discover chic and feminine breastfeeding dresses with exquisite detailing and clever inverted pleats, dresses with 40s elegance and crossover necklines, casual tunic dresses with cute drawstrings that pull under the bump and classic sailing dresses in chic navy and white stripes. Great variety, high quality and competitively priced.

So, there you have a brief rundown of your maternity dress options. Happy shopping!