Maternity Wear.....'How To' Guide

The pregnancy test is positive......check!

The cleavage is out of control......check!

The brain is not functioning.......check!

I have nothing to wear.......check!

Here at Fillyboo we can identify with all of the above. Let us help you with your pregnancy wardrobe dilemmas and have a bit of fun at the same time.

Everyday we get so many girls in our stores asking us a myriad of pregnancy fashion related questions.

Some questions are easy to answer, others not so.

We would love to share with you some of the most common maternity wear shopping questions that may help to make your first shopping trip an enjoyable experience.

Q: "I am 8 weeks pregnant, am I too early to be shopping for maternity clothes?"

A: Some girls "feel" pregnant immediately. To others they may not look pregnant, but a foreign body the size of a grain of sand in the uterus has been known to feel like the size of a watermelon. It may be that the very thought of a pair of jeans digging into the belly is going to restrict blood flow to almost everywhere.

There is definately no innapropriate time to buy your first pair of maternity jeans or elastic waisted maternity pants. Both of these items will serve you well during your pregnancy and if the quality is there, then they should also last you through subsequent pregnancies.

Q: "What are the best maternity jeans?"

A: Quality is key when buying maternity jeans. The type of denim is the all important factor in your comfort and style during pregnancy. If the denim contains too much elastane, you may get sagging around the bottom and knees. A pair of jeans with too much elastane in the denim will ultimately leave you disappointed. The best thing to look at is the care instructions on the jeans where it will tell you the quantity of elastane. In our opinion, 2% is the perfect amount.

In our Fillyboo stores we only stock maternity jeans with the least amount of elastane. Most of the time this usually means a higher priced maternity jean. However, if the jeans are going to continue to look fantastic, feel fantastic and last you more than one pregnancy, it is definately worth it. Our stores are stocked with Paige Premium Maternity Jeans, Paper Denim & Cloth Maternity Jeans and Serfontaine Denim Maternity Jeans.

Q: "What do I wear to the office now that I am pregnant?"

A: Having to get dressed for the office each day whilst pregnant can only be made worse with a daily wardrobe dilemma in the mornings. (Well perhaps made even worse by the fact that you feel guilty ordering a double strength, full fat, fully caffinated cappucino at the bus stop).. we all know this is a pregnancy no no! Or is it? Have those health officials really decided on that whole caffeine/pregnancy thing anyway?... oops I digress.

The best advice we can give you here is to tell you what our corporate customers are buying.

In a nutshell. Black, black and perhaps grey.

The best starter piece in a corporate maternity wear wardrobe is a few pairs of tailored black maternity pants. There are many varieties on offer. Everything from the high-waisted belly band option to the very normal-looking high-back tailored pants.

Many girls are dressing quite simply for the office whilst pregnant. A great suggestion is one or two colourful accessories worn with a mainly black or grey outfit. An investment in a show stopping leather handbag can be all you need for a little pick-me-up that you will never grow to big for.

Another great selling corporate maternity garment is the wrap dress. Fillyboo has the "Miranda" maternity wrap dress in several prints that is constantly available. It has 3/4 sleeves which is a very flattering line and several pleats just under the bust that creates a lovely cascade of fabric over the belly.

We always suggest a pair of high boots for the ultra city chic look.

Coming next...

"We haven't told anyone that we are pregnant, how do I hide my bump?", "I am 22 weeks pregnant, will I put on any more weight?", "How do I buy a breastfeeding bra?", "I need an outfit for my friends wedding and I am going to be 35 weeks pregnant?", "I am going to be 26 weeks pregnant at my Wedding..what do I wear?"