Pregnancy fashion used to be limited to flowing kaftans, multi-coloured
sacks and dungarees. However, looking like little Romany Rose isn’t necessarily
going to gain you brownie points in the office. We take a look at how
to look professionally pregnant while remaining cool and comfortable.
Just
because you are pregnant doesn’t mean you cannot look professional. The
idea really is to stick to your normal office wear but with maternity
moderations. Certain professions, eg lawyers and accountants, require
a more formal appearance and more ‘safe’ colours, such as black, navy
and grey. “They are colours which say ‘take me seriously’,” says Liz Lafferty,
director of maternity wear specialists Funmum. “Anything flowery and flouncy
in the workplace is an absolute no-no! Stripes are an acceptable alternative.”
If you are scared of looking like Mao Tse Tung, fear not. You can always
add colour to your ensemble with stylish accessories, such as scarves,
earrings (but not Pat-Butcher style) and a tasteful shirt.
The
style of your clothes is as important in pregnancy as in ‘normal’ times.
Don’t just hide away your figure underneath baggy layers – compliment
it with clothes that stylishly bring out your new shape. “Wide-leg trousers
for the taller woman or smart tailored trousers when you are shorter work
beautifully with side-shirring tops which will hug the tummy,” says Yvonne
Phillips, director of Push Maternity Wear Limited.
Meanwhile, Liz Lafferty advises staying away from buying normal, non-maternity
clothes a few sizes larger. “They won’t fit properly and ill-fitting clothes
look shabby.”
Most clothes shops selling maternity wear have invented cunning ways
of hiding the essential elasticated or adjustable waistlines so you needn’t
worry about people staring at those embarrassing panels while you’re trying
to give a presentation in a board meeting. By wearing shirts that come
below your bump, you have a good chance of hiding any clever expanding
gadgets your skirts or trousers have, while also keeping your bump covered.
We’re not saying that you should be ashamed of your bump … but there is
a time and a place to expose it!
You
don’t need to take out a bank loan to buy maternity clothes for the office.
After all, they only last months at the most! Instead, buy a few simple
but classic items that you can mix and match to vary your look.
Liz Lafferty of Funmum says that a classic white shirt, a good pair of
black trousers and several tailored skirts and suits would set you up
well during your pregnancy. Push’s Yvonne Phillips is a great advocate
for separates as they offer more versatility. “However, a smart, well-fitting
dress can look equally as appealing, worn with your pre-pregnancy jacket
(left open) or a small knit-wrap cardigan,” she suggests. “Remember that
you can often feel quite hot when pregnant, so opt for cool cotton sleeveless
tops under your suit to keep the temperature down,” she adds.
Even if you are used to wearing control-top tights or slimming knickers
to fit into your favourite designer skirt, pregnancy is not the time to
be squeezing into restrictive clothing. That said, there are great fabrics
around to compliment your new figure. Soft cottons and jersey fabrics
can be very flattering and have the added bonus of keeping you cool and
comfortable. “Choose performance fabrics that are durable and machine
washable,” advises Funmum’s Liz Lafferty.
Tights can feel uncomfortable at the best of times, but during pregnancy
it is vital to ensure you wear ones that won’t cut you in half by the
end of the day. Not wearing tights under a skirt or dress, especially
a short one, is a fashion faux-pas in the office in winter – white, bare
legs don’t do anyone any favours! Your options, according to Yvonne Phillips,
are to ” … either go for the hold-up option or invest in some maternity
tights from either Mama Spanx or Gerbe. Both have wide, adjustable waistbands
for maximum comfort, and a panel to hold your ever-growing tummy.” Mothercare
and Marks and Spencer also sell a small range of maternity tights.
Where to next?
- Check out Funmum’s and Push’s maternity
ranges on their websites. - Check out babyworld’s maternity wear directory for a comprehensive list of companies.
- Check out our maternity wear product reviews
- Talk to other mums about your pregnancy fashion dilemmas on our General Pregnancy discussion forum
