Here we are already...another Baby Bloomer update! I'm six months this week. My 'crumb-catcher' is growing daily, and I keep asking myself: "How can I possibly get any bigger?"...only to get replies of "Just wait..."!
A while ago I posted about my quest to stay stylish while preggers on a budget, and I just wanted to follow up as I have become a bit of an expert since then. For those of you soon-to-be yummy mummies in the Toronto area, here is what I have found!
Maternity Clothes Survival Guide
I didn't really want to spend too much money on a maternity wardrobe, but I still wanted to look nice! I would recommend looking in your closet to see what you already have, as I've been able to use a lot of pre-peanut clothes - dresses that either have an empire waist, or are made of stretchy material. Long tank tops and t-shirts are great and I can't recommend leggings enough! So good to wear with dresses, tunics and long sweaters and very comfy too. Don't forget to pair them with boots! Boots always make an outfit look good. Or else, in the summer, a nice pair of flats would do quite well.
In addition to using what already existed in my closet, I did get quite a few maternity basics: jeans, some shirts and dresses as I've had a few fancy functions in the past little while. Here are some of my recommendations!
Some stores I've had luck with:
Thyme Maternity - They are ok, but I found their sizing doesn't fit me that well. I got a nice shirt there though.
Motherhood Maternity - Same as above; I got a simple black dress there but the sizes don't fit me too well for some reason.
H+M - I got some jeans there and some shirts. Their maternity section is pretty teeny, and you really have to go on a bit of a treasure hunt! But definitely reasonable in price.
Old Navy - Their maternity section is piddly, but with the advice of a friend, I found that their 'regular' line of clothing is roomy enough for a blossoming belly. Check out their sale racks for long shirts and dresses.
Bella Band (www.ingridandisabel.com) - I got one of these hoping I could just wear some of my older pants or jeans and 'close' them with the band. However I soon realized that my old pants didn't make it very far up my new heftier thighs and hips! I use it now to cover my belly if some of my old t-shirts or tank tops are too short! They can be purchased online, or at pretty much any maternity or baby store.
Bella Mom Maternity (www.bellamom.ca) - In the plaza just outside Vaughan Mills Mall, this store has some beautiful clothes! A bit out of my price range, however I did get a dress there for a wedding. They have designer jeans there too like Paige jeans, and Habituals that apparently you can wear post-peanut! I would recommend checking them out.
My Bump Maternity (www.mybumpmaternity.com) - Located in the Beaches, this store is much like the store above, a lot of really nice things! I got a light summer dress there.
Other stores that I haven't shopped at, but sound pretty good:
Belly (www.bellymaternity.ca) - This is in my old neighbourhood of Mount Pleasant, between Eglinton and Davisville. And I will admit that way before I was pregs, I would visit this store as it always had very cool clothes in the window. Not really in the 'economical' range, they carry high-end designer labels like Diane von Furstenberg, if you need some fancies.
Evy Mama (www.evymama.ca) - I haven't been there but it looks good!
Target (www.target.com) - I haven't made it down to Buffalo to check it out, but apparently they have a pretty good line of stylish maternity wear, and no doubt very affordable.
Some online stores:
There are tons of online stores out there, and I have to admit that I haven't bought anything online yet. But here are a couple that have been recommended, or that I have found:
A Pea in the Pod (www.apeainthepod.com)
Haute Mama (www.hautemama.ca)
Euphoria Maternity (www.euphoriamaternity.com)
I hope this helps! If you have any other suggestions, feel free to leave them in the comments section. Have a wonderful weekend!
