Where to buy Maternity Clothes
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Where to buy Maternity Clothes
Dec 2010
The last posts on the topic are pretty old so I'm looking
for current recs on where I can consign, sell or trade my
used maternity clothes in the Berkeley area. Amy
Grove Street Kids in Berkeley on MLK
Aug 2009
The time has come to start thinking about maternity clothes. I am
looking for any advice about where to find affordable,
comfortable, and quality maternity wear. Information about used
clothes/resale stores is also appreciated, as well as any
relevant information about what were your must have items and/or
anything that you think is not worth buying.
Growing mom to be
A Wee Change consignment store at Palos Verdes shopping center in
Walnut Creek carries nice quality, current maternity clothes.
I had my pregnancies in my 40's and had a home business and was then
a teacher. Depends on your lifestyle, but for me, the outfit I wore
the most was a good looking set of upscale ''sweats'' in an unusual
color (periwinkle) with a sort of cowl necked top. With a necklace
they were ''dressed up.'' I bought a suit jacket but only wore it
once. A bathing suit was a good buy and I used it for the pregnant
moms' aquatic class at the YMCA which I loved. I think I had one
nicer black dress, but rarely wore it. A friend's daughter passed on
black and khaki maternity pants and capris, which I could wear loose
tops over. I bought most of my things at a consignment shop on San
Pablo Ave. in El Cerrito. I highly recommend asking recently
pregnant friends, shopping consignment, etc. It is really such a
short time to wear things (usually months 4-9)and if you are more
slender, perhaps less than that. I also shopped Hannah's on Solano
Ave. for consignment baby clothes. She is very nice and
as the baby outgrew his things, I packed them up and took them to
her for store credit. BIG money saver.
kl
I will preface this message by saying that I tried to spend as
little as possible on maternity clothes, since I figured they were
for such a relatively short time of my life, even with multiple
pregnancies. Plus I was able to share amongst friends who were
fortunately the same size. In general, I would say that it's worth
it to get a few good pairs of pants, because you'll wear those all
the way through and they can go with most anything, but you can
probably get more and cheaper shirts to keep some variety. You can
probably survive with only 1-2 nice shirts, skirts or dresses,
depending on your job. It's common that women can wear some clothes
from ~4-7 months (which you can also use again for the first couple
months after the baby's born, as unfortunately your stomach's about
the same then!), and then may need some more things at the very end
when you're hugest.
So if you want somewhat cheap, but still durable and pretty
fashionable clothes, this is what I found:
1) You can shop for used clothes at Fashion After Passion in
Alameda. People will also sell things on BPN, but it's often ''buy
the whole bag'' for a certain price and you have to correspond to
figure out if you like the things.
2) I got many things at Gap Maternity online (the online store has
much better selection than what's in stores), Old Navy and Mimi
Maternity. I bought most things on sale, because in the Bay Area I
think you can wear many ''seasonal'' things yearround. Motherhood
(the cheaper branch of Mimi) is cheap as well, but that seems to
also be reflected in the quality of clothes.
3) For a slight splurge, Mom's the Word (SF and Walnut Creek) has
good and hip inventory. I got most of my pants there (see above
rule). I found Pea in the Pod too expensive to be worth it.
Cheap mama
Fashion after Passion in Alameda. Child's Play in Oakland on
College Ave at Chabot. These have consignment maternity.
Walnut Creek... Broadway Plaza... Mimi Maternity (I think).
Emeryville... Bay Street Shopping Area... Mimi Maternity (across
from the Gap stores). Corte Madera... Gap Maternity. Online
places. For new stuff.
And my fave.... Craigslist. You will find great stuff for AWESOME
deals. I sold most of my maternity wardrobe on CL and it was great
stuff in great shape and went for a song. There are lots of
postings for maternity wear there.
anon
I recommend the following for maternity clothes:
Both GAP and Old Navy have maternity lines and carry at least some
items in some of their stores. I know the GAP in SF Union Square
has maternity in-store, and I just saw the Old Navy on Bay Street in
Emeryville does, too. I had good luck with the sale items at GAP
and I really liked being able to try things on before purchasing, I
am not a big fan of buying clothes online.
Also, there are two stores in Alameda with Maternity resale -
Fashion after Passion and Lauren's Closet. I have gotten some good
items from each place. Other than that I also got items from
Motherhood and friends.
anon
Dec 2008
I am looking for some new recommendations as to places to get some
stylish maternity clothing for working in a professional office, as well
as for the holidays. I love fashion in general, and have been stretching
my wardrobe to stay away from maternity stores as long as possible, but
at 5 months, I have to admit defeat and buy something maternity. The
most recent posts on BPN are from 2003-4 and recommend Gap, Old Navy and
Target. However, I'm not prepared to spend the next four (plus) months in
stretchy yoga pants and T-shirts. Can anyone recommend places to buy
fashionable maternity clothes(possibly an oxymoron)? Price is less of an
issue, as I feel my 'fat time' is not the time to limit myself to bargain
shopping. I am a regular size 'Medium'-- 8 on the bottom, 10 on the top.
Thank you!
pregnant fashionista
Maternity Xchange is great. Mostly high-end brands. Better
selection than I expected. www.maternityxchange.com SF
Presido this weekend I think! Check the site.
Hi-
I'm on my 3rd pregnancy and a self admitted clothes
horse...here is where I have had good luck (other than Old
Navy & Target which are definitely worth a walk through):
-Mimi maternity/Pea in the Pod-I think they are merging.
Mimi is more moderate in price point, but some very cute
options. Pea in the Pod is high end designer and not always
true ''maternity'', but will work
-Japanese Weekend in SF can have some cute things, but often
they are a yucky poly and after 3 pregnances, I have decided
natural, especially organic fabrics just feel so much better
-Mom's the Word in Walnut Creek
-Babystyle on line
-Nordstrom on line
-Lucky Brand jeans-cute tees
-Chaiken does maternity and is pricey, but very professional
in style and great quality
Just a few of the places I've done well...I have also
recently bought a GREAT pair of maternity pants from the
company that makes Bella Bands. Super comfy, but more along
the legging line than professional.
Good luck!!
Preggy shopper
Well, you can spend a small fortune at maternity boutiques
in SF or even at Mimi Maternity and look pretty good. If you
don't want to go broke on clothes that you'll only wear for
a few months, look for consignment stores that specialize in
higher end maternity, and then head out on 80 towards
Sacramento -- there's a maternity store in the outlet mall
in Vacaville, and there are often some very nice things
there at reasonable prices. And of course, there's always
the internet. Don't forget that you're also probably going
to have to spring for a pair or two of shoes in the next
size up.
tightwad
My favorite maternity clothes were from Japanese Weekend;
check their website.
stylin' mama
May 2008
Hello!
I recently heard of a place that sells used maternity clothing in the Berkeley area
and for the life of me I cannot remember the name of the place. I have searched the
archives and nothing is ringing a bell. Does anyone know of what place I speak? Thanks
so much...
Momma-to-be!
Check out Grove Street Kids on Martin Luther King near Virginia (just north of
University). It's a beautiful store with used kids' clothes, and now they've
also added a lot of maternity clothes. Good prices, nice owner, great clothes!
Star
I hope your asking about our store, Grove Street Kids.
We have recently started selling quality resale maternity clothing.
Please visit our website, www.grovestreetkids.com, or come by....
Anne Marie, Owner, Grove Street Kids
Dec 2004
I'm looking for a serious maternity swimsuit for laps- nothing
cutesy. I've had no luck finding Speedo or TYR. Is there a good
store around Berkeley or SF? Websites or brands? Thanks.
I have been swimming laps my whole pregnancy and had to give up
my ''lap'' suit pretty early. I have two suits - one from
Japanese Weekend (bought on line on sale) that I love but its
not at all speedo like - its actually a tankini but very comfy
and works surprisingly well for laps. I also got a used one at
Fashion After Passion on Webster Street in Alameda. I tried on
a few new ones - I think they were addidas - and none fit. I
ended up with a one piece that has been really comfortable and
seems to just keep expanding with my belly. It did seem *huge*
when I bought it but now that I am just about 30 weeks I am
starting to fill it out. I would go the resale route as new
seems to run in $70 - $90 range. Laurens closet on park street
in alameda also has quite a few used suits.
good luck
With both my pregnancies I wore a two piece bathingsuit very
comfortably. I would just increase my top size from a medium to
a large when my boobs kept getting big. I managed to wear the
same bottoms which fit nicely under my belly. The unadorned
pregnant belly is something to be proud of!
Let it all hang out
Nov. 2003
Any advice on affordable places
to find/purchase both casual and somewhat nicer maternity
clothes in the area? Thank you.
Happy pregnant lady
I'm currently pregnant and have found that Old Navy has the most reasonable prices and is actually pretty stylish too. Great jeans. The Old Navy at Bay Street has a small maternity section. You might also try Target. I got a few outfits there early on. The Gap at the Embarcadero Center has a maternity section but I haven't been. I've bought some things on-line from them. Mimi Maternity (Bay Street) has nice clothes but is quite pricey. I've found some good things on sale there though. If you have any friends who have been pregant recently you might want to ask them if you can borrow some of their clothes. A significant section of my maternity wardrobe is made up of items lent from friends.
I am in my last month of my pregnancy and the best places that I
have found for maternity clothes so far are Old Navy, the Gap
and Target. You can purchase them online and some stores carry
maternity clothes as well. Right now the only Old Navy that
carries maternity clothes in the store is Emeryville and the
only Gap is Corte Madera. Both the Gap and Old Navy have wide
selections from casual to business dress. Target is great for
casual or workout clothes and they have great prices. I have
found that Mimi is very expensive, but great if you need to find
something dressy or formal. I did not care for Motherhood.
I hope this helps.
4 more weeks to go!
Well believe it or not in my two pregnancies I had the best luck
shopping at Sears in Pleasanton for Materinity clothes. They had
the best range of sizes (pants in both long, regular and petite
lenghts, real size #'s instead of just S,M,L) as well as the
best quality. (They were regular weight fabrics, not the super
thin-shinks-up-the first-time-you-wash-it types I have found at
Motherhood or the other maternity stores. And personally, I felt
that the clothes there fit better than those I purchased at
other maternity stores. The prices on materinity clothes are
always IMO higher than you would pay for regular, regardless of
where you shop. But at least at Sears I felt like I wasn't
getting ripped off; by the end of the pregnancy the items still
looked good enough to wear.
Rose
Here is where I have had luck finding maternity clothes within
the last few months. I have found prices at all to be what I
consider reasonable (less or at least not more than I would
spend on regular clothes).
The BabyGap at Embarcadero Center has a small maternity
section. Also, if you order from Gap.com, returns can be made
to any Gap store and if you join their emailing list, you often
get emails for free shipping if you spend a certain amount.
The Old Navy stores in Emeryville and near 4th St. in SF both
have maternity. The SF selection is quite a bit larger.
Orders from Oldnavy.com can be returned to any store and if you
join their emailing list, you often get emails for free
shipping if you spend a certain amount.
Japanese Weekend is located at Powell and Sutter in SF. A
little more expensive, but good for less casual items. The
sales people were extremely helpful and friendly. Also
available on line at japaneseweekend.com.
My current favorite is babystyle.com. They have a mix of
casual and dressier items. A store is opening in Burlingame on
Nov 26.
Other stores I have heard about but not bought anything from
are Nordstrom (carry Belly Basics), Mini's (near Union Street
in SF), and Mom's the Word (in Walnut Creek and SF).
Happy shopping!
Old Navy has good, fairly cheap and cute maternity clothes,
particularly if you shop the sales at their online site. You can
also get their stuff in the Emeryville and downtown San
Francisco stores if you want to try it on, but the selection
there is limited & not on sale as often. Gap.com also has
nice stuff but more expensive--again shopping the online
sales is the way to go. You have to pay for shipping but there
are often pop-up window specials that discount or eliminate
shipping charges. You can return anything you buy online at
any Gap or Old Navy store for free
Target also has some pretty good stuff--sometimes limited
size selections--
vs
I picked up a few items at Lara's Closet on College Ave. They are a
kids consignment shop but they did have some great maternity clothes.
I found a fleece jacket, pants, dress, etc.
Motherhood at Stoneridge Mall (Pleasanton) also has some great buys.
I highly recommend Target; the prices are very reasonable
and the clothes are cuter and more like what you might want
in nonmaternity clothing than you'll find most places. I got
the most wear out of what I bought there. Old Navy (Bay
Street in Emeryville) has great styles at good prices, too;
they just added maternity to their in-store offerings. Also try
Motherhood Maternity (there's one in Walnut Creek and one
in the Hilltop Mall), which is under the same umbrella as
Mimi Maternity and A Pea in the Pod, but more affordable. I
found a few great items on sale at Mimi Maternity at
Broadway Plaza in Walnut Creek, and Mimi's is a good
place to go for nicer things if you need to dress up for work
or a party. I tried Cracker Jack off of Piedmont Ave. in North
Oakland and A Child's Place on College Ave. for used
clothing but didn't have any luck with fit; their prices were
okay, though. And for nursing bras, which you won't want to
skimp on, check out Mom's the Word on N. Main St. in
Walnut Creek--the salespeople are excellent for helping
determine what styles and fit are appropriate.
Anne
i had my baby this past june, and bought most of my maternity clothes at gap, old navy and japanese weekend, and they'll all have end of the year sales.
japanese weekend was my favorite store and is in san francisco on post at
powell--it's expensive but has good sales. their pants have a waistband that goes under your belly (as opposed to a panel) and i found this more
comfortable. and the clothes look like real clothes! also in SF, the baby gap at embarcadero and old navy on market street have maternity clothes--and i believe some of their other stores may carry then now too. i bought a lot of gap online and only had to return a couple things. mimi maternity also has nice clothes (more work-type clothes), but it's pretty expensive. i went to the one in walnut creek. good luck with your pregnancy!
eowyn
Guess what? I loved being pregnant too. AND, I love shopping
for bargains and great clothes at great prices. Try some of
these:
2nd Hand stores: Fashion After Passion or Lauren's Closet -
both in Alameda; Child's Play & Lora's Closet - both on College;
Goodwill gets Liz Lange new with tags from Target sometimes - on
San Pablo.
New: Target, Old Navy (store in SF or Emeryville - or online),
Gap online, Ross Dress 4 Less.
Fashion Mama
You'll probably get a LOT of responses to this. :)
I have some slip dresses (professional look) and blouses (an
''office'' look) and some casual stuff. Email me for pictures.
Kathy
I often found non-materity wear to be the best option.
I bought several Weston Wear and BCBG dresses while pregnant and
found that they not only stretched and stretched to full-term,
they shrunk and shrunk with me to pre-pregnancy (sort of) size.
I received many a compliment on them (still do) and they were
very comfortable. Although boutique prices can be higher,
Macy's often has large sales so you can get them for a bargain.
''A Step Forward'' on Piedmont Avenue (near Piedmont Grocery) also
has fairly inexpensive ''stretchy'' skirts, tops and dresses (and
shoes that will stretch with your feet!)
Good luck! This is a special time to feel beautiful!
Tracy
I did the majority of my maternity shopping about 18 months
ago. I lived in Old Navy. Super cute stuff and so cheap!
Now Old Navy and Gap now have maternity in most stores.
You can also shop on line for some great bargains. I also
got some cute basics a Target. They now have Liz Lange
so its probably even bettter.
When I need someting fancier and a bit better fitting (like a
bathing suit or something to wear out) I was very happy a
Japanese Weekend. They have a store in SF off Union
Square (Post street?) and online.
Good places to buy maternity clothes: on-line, try Gap and Old
Navy for good basics. I liked the quality of the Gap stuff
better, but the Old Navy stuff is really cheap. Someone got me
a couple things from JC Penny maternity and they were actually
decent-even more so- I got compliments. Strange but true. I
have friends that swear by Motherhood, but their clothes didn't
fit me well. Japenese Weekend and Pea in a Pod are nice but
super expensive. In Emerville there is a Mimi Maternity that
is really great but also super expensive. There is a very
limited selection of maternity clothes at Cotton and Co. and
The Nurture Center in Lafayette. I got almost everything on-
line just because there is a better selection offered, with
better prices than most of the stores.
Rebecca
I got a lot of my clothes used at places like Lora's Closet (on
College Ave.)and Child's Play (also on COllege). Old Navy has
nice, inexpensive maternity (In Emeryville mall) and there is
also a maternity store at the same mall (I forgot the name- Pea
in the Pod?) - they have pretty good sale items, but their
regular priced items are pretty expensive. By the way, I
happen to be selling my maternity clothes- variety of styles,
mostly size medium. email me if you are interested.
aw
For the person looking for up to date maternity clothes info,
I'm currently 32 weeks along, and have had good luck with
Motherhood Maternity. Its a chain - locations on Market Street
& 4th in SF, one in Walnut Creek, and I think one in Richmond -
might want to check at yp.yahoo.com to find one closest to you.
They're very inexpensive, on par with the GAP, but with any less
expensive retailer, you have to keep an eye out for quality of
materials & construction. I found some black matte jersey pants
I LOVE for $20 a pair - so comfy and incredibly good looking
that I bought 2 pairs, and get compliments on them all the
time. I think the best favor you can do yourself is to find
some nice looking wide-elastic-waist paints that flatter your
legs & rear end - huge ego booster! I also found some adorable
(not flowery or foofy, but elegant) dresses there and some good
tops that have become staples for me, and are nice enough to
wear to work.
Also had some luck (very hit or miss) with Old Navy - good for t-
shirts ($15?), comfy shorts and the occasional nice skirt. A
friend highly recommends Target, and I did find a great
turtleneck & nice t-shirt there the other day (Liz Lange - $20
each).
For more pricey items and smaller sizes (go up to 12, I think),
you could try Pea in the Pod and Mimi Maternity, but that's a
bit small for me, and I was frankly disappointed with both shops
given the prices. I think dresses START at $98, but did
occasionally see more stylish pieces there. Try their sale
racks?
Early on, I also recommend just buying a size up from your
normal size (since you'll be able to wear it again on the way
back down). This is especially important for underwear -- I
recommend bikini-style, since they'll potentially fit you all
the way through and won't slide around or pinch like giant
maternity briefs. I bought in my usual size early on, and have
only had to go up one size since (think they'll work through to
the end). Also, for early on, try plus size shops like Lane
Bryant (unless you started out as a size 2 or something) since
they tend to cut the bellies full anyway & have some nice,
stylish pieces that go on sale often. Just realize that you
can't wear normal plus size clothes instead of maternity clothes
beyond probably 6 or 7 months - there will come a point when you
will look like a shapeless potato sack (or, frankly, just a
heavy woman) if you don't switch to maternity cut clothes.
Congratulations and good luck!
Rebecca
Sorry for getting this in so late-just saw your post. I have
gotten most of my maternity clothes at baby consignment/2nd hand
stores. Two of my favorites are Play It Again (I think that's
what it's called)in San Rafael on 4th street-good selection and
Barely Worn in Walnut Creek-sometimes have a lot of the trendy
stuff (located kind of behind the very trendy, expensive ''Mom's
the Word'' maternity store on Main I think - several blocks down
from Pottery Barn). As with any store like this you sometimes
score big and sometimes strike out. And their stock changes from
week to week and day to day. The Goodwills (et al) of the world
are usually not so good since they mix the maternity in with the
other 2oo pairs of pants or shirts. I buy second hand because I
can't stand the idea of spending $15, $20, $30, or more for a
single item I will only wear for 3-6 months. And since the 1st
owner only wore the item for the same short time span the
maternity stuff in 2nd hand stores is usually in great
condition. Keep this in mind also while shopping for clothing
for your little one.
Bargain Hunter
I like the Eddie Baurer outlet in San Leandro. I baought shirts
in the next size up but in tall to cover the belly.
a
September 2003
Help! I will be attending a wedding at 8 months pregnant.
Where can I find an attractive, formal dress to wear that won't
break the bank since it'll only be worn once (I'm thinking less
than $100).
I was the maid of honor at my sister's wedding last Sept when I
was 7 months pregnant. After way too much searching I had found
outfits that would work at 2 sources. One place was Motherhood,
that chain store in the mall. I got a skirt and blouse of the
same material and received many, many compliments on it. I was
able to wear the top again with slacks for nicer ocasions or
even jeans at parties. The skirt and blouse together came to $70.
The other pleasant discovery was the JC Pennys catalog - they
have a really cool and affordable maternity collection online
(www.jcpennys.com). You can also pick up a maternity catalog at
the JC Pennys store at the mall or request one from their
website. I think the hard copy catalog had more stuff. The
selection at the store itself is not good. Just order things
ahead of time so you have time to exchange if necessary -- the
stuff I ordered ran big.
I also saw some really affordable black skirts via a google
search and was also going to spend more money on a nice top and
match it up with a cheaper skirt.
anon
I was 8 months pregnant for a friend's wedding last year and
bought a cute Alfred Angelo design. Don't know how formal you
want to go, but when I researched formal wear/bridal shops, I
found that to be the only designer who had a maternity style. It
is a size 10 (maternity style is roomier in all the right
places) and was altered lengthwise (I'm 5'3''). If you are
interested in buying or renting, please let me know. I only wore
it once. Can send digital pic...
Japanese Weekend (Union Square) also has some great dresses, but
can be kinda pricey. They always have some good things on sale
though...
Good luck!
Dawn
----
Depends on how formal the wedding is, but the Liz Lange line
at Target is pretty cute, inexpensive enough that if you get
only one use out of that you don't care. There used to be a
place that rented formal maternity wear, though I don't remember
who it is: Probably if you look in the phone book you'll find it.
Anon.
Try Mimi Maternity in Emeryville. The address is 5683 Bay
Street. There is also one in Walnut Creek. Another store to try
is called A Pea in The Pod located in San Francisco. Good Luck
NW
I didn't see your original post so I am not sure what you are
looking for in the way of a dress, but I just put a bunch of nice
maternity clothes(some never worn--including an outfit I bought
for a wedding) on consignment at Laura's Closet in Alameda. They
have a lot of nice things at very good prices, not to mention the
baby clothes! I would recommend going consignment b/c ususally
thenicer clothes have only been worn once if at all and it's a
fraction of the original price. That said, I bought most of my
dressy maternity outfits at Motherhood, their prices are very
reasonable...and if you feel like taking a drive...they have an
outlet in Vacaville. I bought a goreous maternity evening gown
for a rediculous price...like $15....good luck.
anon
April 2003
I've looked on the website but all the recommendations are old
(circa 1999). Where have you found hip (or at least not too
dowdy) maternity clothes, ideally without costing an arm and a
leg? Also, any advice on maternity clothes that are also nursing
clothes, as I am nursing a toddler -- I'd love to find a not-too-
summery dress in particular. I know of Laura's Closet on
College but their selection is small. I'd be willing to drive to
an outlet store (I think I've heard of one in Gilroy?) if the
selection and prices made it worth while.
Thanks!
Old pants too tight and shirts too short
For new-but-cheap options I'd check Motherhood Maternity and
Target. Both carry some cute/hip/stylish options at fair prices.
I'd be a little bit wary of some items at Motherhood Maternity,
as the construction on items can be hit-or-miss. I had some
things that held up great (capris, sleeveless buttondowns) and
others that did not (dresses). Another spot that has some good
buys is Old Navy, but they only carry their maternity wear
online. However, you can return anything to an Old Navy store.
Hope these help!
Melissa
Have you looked at Target? I bought some maternity clothes
there that were quite hip, and I think they've since added a
new line that's a little more designer-y than the ''in due time''
label they had when I was pregnant. It's by some big-name
maternity designer, but it's cheaper than her other line. Of
course, Target's clothing is mostly made overseas, and I don't
know how closely their factories have been monitored on
sweatshop issues. As for the nursing/maternity combo I can't
claim any expertise: I just used loose t-shirts as my nursing
shirts, since I found them more comfortable, cheaper, and
easier to wash than the nursing blouses I saw (not to mention
more ''hip'' looking, though admittedly that was low on my list
of postpartum priorities).
Good luck and congrats on the pregnancy.
Alexa
I found decent stuff at Motherhood in Walnut Creek - not
extremely expensive either (particularly the sale section) and
supposedly it's the same company as Mimi's.
Kitty
I bought most of my maternity wardrobe from Old Navy & Gap. The
flagship Old Navy in SF had a maternity section last summer (I
think the plan then was to roll out maternity in more stores),
where I got a great pair of black ''yoga pants.'' Wore them all
the time, and not just yoga! They won't last through #2, but
totally worth it for $20. Gap is a little more expensive, but
they have great sales online, you can return for free if it
doesn't fit, and they often feature free shipping. Simple,
stylish t-shirts, shorts, and pants. Good luck!
Amy
The Old Navy store on Market St. in San Francisco has a whole
maternity wear section. So if you want to look like a
teenager... ;)
Christine
When I was pregnant from October 1999 to July 2000 I found what
I thought were a lot of cute and reasonably priced maternity and
nursing clothes at Motherhood Maternity. They have stores in
malls, catalogs and are online (www.motherhood.com). But since
I had my daughter, both Old Navy and Gap have come out with
maternity lines of clothing. Now Gap can be pricey, but Old
Navy sure isn't. And we all know Old Navy is way hip! In
general, I found that when it comes to maternity clothes, you
can find both hip/stylish and 'dowdy' stuff. Just have to look.
Jennifer
Target (believe it or not) is a great source for fashionable,
inexpensive maternity clothes. My currently pregnant friends
all rave about the new Liz Lange line.
Maternity-nursing clothes are hard to find, but many of
Motherwear's dresses are empire-waisted and could be worn during
pregnancy. (www.motherwear.com) Pricey, but what nursing
clothes aren't? Try eBay for good deals on used and outlet
stock.
Holly
For hip and reasonable maternity clothes, try Old Navy online
(they always have sale merchandise at great prices, the cuts are
great and the clothes are washable!) and also Target stores. I
heard that the new Old Navy store in Emeryville also actually
has the maternity clothes in the store, which we formerly only
available through the website. also there are consignment
stores that have nice stuff, lots of times along with children's
clothes. I found some second hand very nice clothing at Child's
Play in Rockridge, at College Ave and Chabot. People also sell
lots of maternity stuff on ebay. At least one pair of jeans
from Gap Maternity are worth the splurge.
cheryl
While the selection is not huge in any of the places I am going
to reccommend they may be worth checking out. I was able to find
quite a few items at Ross. There is a Lauren's Closet on Park
Street in Alameda that usually has some selection; Fashion After
Passion on Webster in Alameda also generally has something of a
selection of both nursing and maternity wear.Some cheap items
are available at the Gap and Old Navy. Good luck!
Juliette
I like the maternity clothes at Old Navy. I'm not sure if they
carry maternity items at all their stores ... they definitely do
at their big store on Market in SF and at Old Navy.com. I also
bought a couple of things from Gap.com, and I got a $10 pair of
jeans at Sears (not really hip, but cheap). I found a swimsuit
at Mimi Maternity, which has some trendy things but at much
higher prices.
Kathryn
For used maternity clothes, try Child 'n Play on College Ave
in Rockridge, kitty corner from Dreyer's Ice Cream.
For new clothes, try Old Navy in either SF or Emeryville. The
SF store has a large maternity section and I recently bought
two pairs of pants and a top for about $60 total. Target also
carries a new lower-end Liz Lange line, as well as lots of
basics -- I think the Walnut Creek store has the best
selection. The Gap in downtown SF may sell maternity
clothes by now (call first), but you should also check out
their sale section online.
There are Motherhood outlets (carries both Motherhood and
Mimi Maternity stuff) in both Milpitas at the Great Mall (off
880) and in Gilroy. I recently scanned the selection at the
Gilroy store but was not impressed with their regular
selection. The nicer brands they carry tend to be slightly
damaged, so if you can deal with a snag or make-up
staiins, you might be able to find stuff you like at a good
price.
Good luck!
Teresa
I lived in Target maternity clothes. I thought that one could
have great outfits from there if one selected carefully, and
their prices, especially on sale, aren't much more than the used
stores. I found, surprisingly, that the store near the EC Del
Norte BART station has about the same selection (if not as
neatly organized) as the one near Hilltop. I didn't ever go to
Walnut Creek, but that is probably much better.
Melissa T
After spending a bundle at Mimi Maternity for my first
pregnancy...I went to Target for my second pregnancy. I found
cute stretch khakis for $19.99, black peddle pushers for $21, T-
shirts under $14 etc. Also, the expensive M.M. clothes I bought
looked awful by the end of my pregnancy from all the washing and
wearing, but the Target stuff looked great(even after a couple
girlfriend's wore them after me!). I also hit the GAP for L/XL
women's shirts/turtle necks on sale ($9.99-$19.99) to get me
through the winter. Good luck!
Maya
Try onehotmama.com
anon
I loved target's maternity clothes, and they just updated their
maternity line which is now from Liz Lange(?) and cuter than
before! i don't recommend buying the denim though, because it's
not stretchy and even though it had the belly panels, my butt
outgrew them! hehe i usually shop at the el cerrito store...
also, old navy has maternity clothes, and the SF Union Square
store has them in house (you don't have to buy online). Gap
maternity is ok, but expensive - look for sales at their online
store cuz their clearence is great!
good luck!
stacy
Try Target -- the one in Pinole is MUCH better than the one in
El Cerrito. You can find some good things there -- they won't
last forever, but then again you won't be pregnant forever.
Japanese Weekend in the city has ''hip'' clothes but much more
expensive. The other place I found nice maternity clothes was
Garnet Hill online. They have really good sales.
anon
May 2004
I am a newly pregnant plus size (5'8'', 240lbd.) woman. In
my non pregnant state I wear a size 20-24 bottom, a size
18-20 top, and my bra size is a 38DDD. If anyone knows
where can I find attractive stylish plus size maternity clothes
to wear for reasonable prices I would be forever greatful. I
am also wondering where I am going to find bras to fit me,
as I understand my breasts are going to get much larger
than they already are. Any advice, recomendations or
support will be welcome.
I'm behind on my emails & maybe someone's already said this, but,
Target! Inexpensive but decent, stylish maternity clothes, in
your size. As for the bras, I got mine for both pregnancies at
the Perinatal Center at the hospital where I gave birth
(California Pacific in S.F.) It's a complete pre-and post-
pregnancy center with all kinds of clothes, equipment, videos,
books, etc., as well as professionals to help you pick and choose
the right stuff (and bra size & type) for you. I bet there's
something in the East Bay, but this place was great. It's on
California St. near Laurel Village Shopping Center in the city.
Also, the guy who invented My Breast Friend nursing pillow owns
the same type of store, called Day One, that's just up the
street, across from the shopping center. They can also fit and
sell nursing bras that I bet would fit you. Congratulations!
heidi
I just ordered my favorite pre-pregnancy bra in my post-
pregnancy size. The bra has amazing support, helps my posture,
looks great under clothes, and does not have an underwire.
However, it definitely is not pretty or cheap ($69). It's
a ''custom- sized'' bra, from Colesce Couture. THere used to be
a
salesperson in Sacramento, but this time I ordered the bra from
a woman in Oklahoma. Her website is www. brasetc.com The phone
# is (405) 645-2727. There was an 800#, but I can't find it
right now. According to her, the bras she sells come in band
sizes from 26 to 52 and full and half cup sizes from A to N.
Unfortunately because she runs a small-business, she cannot
offer refunds, only exchanges; so you may want to ask her to
send you info about the bras before you buy one. The bras are
meant to fit well, so you should ask her how to plan ahead for
pregnancy-related changes.
Anita
Congratulations on your pregnancy! Definitely check out ebay
for plus-size maternity clothes - there are a lot of things
there! If you want to go to stores, Motherhood Maternity and
Sears have decent things that aren't too expensive. For bras,
check out http://www.motherwear.com (I'm not sure what size they
go up to, but you can search by size).
Good luck!
Heather
When I was pregnant three years ago, the best selection of plus-size maternity
clothes was at the Motherhodd Maternity outlet in Gilroy. Sears also had a relatively
good selection.
anon
for bras, you can try Fassion After Passion on Webster Street In
Alameda. They have a pretty good selection of plus sized
nursing bras. They also have some consignment of maternity
clothes. Also try Lauren's Closet in Alameda on Park Street,
they have consigment for maternity and do have some plus sizes.
Maternity clothes are upstairs. Or ebay as well, plus sized
maternity. For new stuff, Target, Motherhood and online. There
is a Motherhood in Emeryville. Good luck and congratulations on
you pregnancy!
Annie
I don't know how far you are into your pregnancy, and how
fitted you usually wear your clothes, but I'm a similarly-sized
woman in the middle of her second pregnancy (with BIG babies /
big belly), and I've gotten along pretty well both times with
just my regular clothing for most of the pregnancy (admittedly,
I wear a lot of elastic waistbands and big loose shirts
anyway), and a few plus size items in a size larger than my
usual. I've found good things through Lands End, Junonia, and
Ulla Popken (all catalogs / internet), at Target (for cheap t-
shirts especially) and at In Full Swing on College Ave
Occasionally, I'd like to be able to wear something a bit more
fitted, but don't personally know of any makers of plus-size
maternity wear. I'll be keeping my eye on other responses to
this post!! Have fun!
elise
My dimensions were a bit different, but 5+ years ago I found a
few things at a maternity store in walnut creek and several
things at Ross. I even have several items hanging in my closet
that it is now clear I will not have use for again, and would
be pleased to pass along (at yard-sale prices) anything that
fits you. As for bras, I was closer to a 46DD/E. I got some
at Fashion After Passion in Alameda, some at Cotton and Co. on
College Avenue, and also found that plain old (jumbo sized)
sports bras (the stretchy kind) worked fine. One last thing
about being a plus-size-breasted nursing mom: the only
position that worked for me was the ''football hold''--took a bit
of getting used to but once I got the hang of it, I could walk
around the house nursing with one hand free to do other
things. Please contact me if you're interested in the clothes
or want more support/feedback.
Plus Size Mama
I just discovered a Web site for Larger (Plus Size) Pregnant Women that I
wanted to share with people. This site has information for the larger woman.
Once you get down through all of their links, you can find information about
where to find Maternity clothes in Plus sizes. The URL is
http://www.kmom@vireday.com/
July 1999
Can someone recommend where to purchase stylish, quality maternity clothes
without paying a fortune? I would like to get something beyond
Target stretch pants, yet according to the online resources I've found
(such as Pea in the Pod online) the clothes can get quite expensive.
thanks! Tamara
Two ideas, apart from consignment, which is also one way to go: first,
there are decent maternity outlets in Vacaville and Gilroy. I got most
of my things at the Vacaville outlet, and thought they were reasonably
priced. If you need casual things, there's a store in Walnut Creek, on
Main, called Room for One More, which is also a great source for nursing
bras. Wendy
I was surprised to find that the maternity clothes at Sears were actually
some of the best I found. Their's are not as expensive as the mail away
catalogs, but have more variety than Target. For the best selection look at
the Sears at the Stoneridge Mall. I also found that Motherwear was a good
(in-expensive) place to buy t-shirts and jeans, and occassionally you will
find a good dress on sale, but in general I thought their other stuff was
over priced for the quality. One thing I did notice was that the Target
clothes were cut a little bigger and didnt' tend to shrink as much so I
could still wear them until the end of my pregnancy. (There was nothing
worse to me than walking around in a shirt that was too short with that
maternity panel displayed! LOL!!!) Rose
There are a lot of consignment places around Berkeley, if you don't mind
gently worn -- try Lauren's Closet on College (also in Alameda and Walnut
Creek I think), also Crackerjack's just off of Piedmont Ave.
For new, and fancier stuff, there is a great outlet for mimi-maternity out
in Petaluma, at the outlet mall there. I found it was worth the drive.
Allison
I had good luck earlier this summer at Ross in downtown Berkeley. There
wasn't a lot that was fabulous, but I found a few good jumpers for work,
t-shirts, & overall shorts. Ok brands & really super cheap. Like anything
at Ross, you have to look carefully & often. But it's worth it if you find
something decent for $5! I also checked out Cotton Basics (is that the
right name?) on College, & their bargain basket was a find at the time.
Also the sale rack. Another idea is, if you are the first of your friends
& relations to be pregnant, when you're done start a "clothing club" with
the other moms-to-be you know coming up. I was first 5 years ago, and I'm
now wearing some of my original clothes, the best of which have gone
through 3 or 4 people & still look decent, plus all their cool newer stuff!
(I had to wait the 5 years just to be able to look at my clothes again...)
I've added a bit but it's been much much cheaper, and with loads more
variety, this time around. Don't forget a) how short a time you'll wear
the clothes, & b) how much you'll hate them when you're done, no matter how
cool they were at first. I made big mistakes the first time around - spent
too much on too small sizes, spent too much generally. In retrospect, I
say plan to invest more money on post-pregnancy (nursing type or not)
clothes for the (long) in-between time when you feel huge & yucky, & really
need a boost.
You can buy good used maternity clothes at Lauren's Closet on College, in
Elmwood and at Silver Moon on Grand Avenue in Oakland.
Leah
Motherhood Maternity (there is one at Hilltop Mall in Richmond) is a national chain
that
sells inexpensive maternity clothes. The quality isn't totally great on a lot of their
items but since you will only be wearing them for 6 or so months they'll usually hold
up
that long. There is also a maternity outlet store down at the Great Mall in Milpitas
that
carries clothes from Motherhood, Pea in the Pod, and another top of the line store
whose
name escapes me at the moment. They have pretty good prices. Especially if you need
to
get a special occasion outfit or professional clothes. Also, Mervyn's has maternity
clothes that you might want to check out.
Allison
By all means try:
Room for one more maternity
1628 N Main St
Walnut Creek, CA 94596
(925) 937-6818
Absolutely the cheapest most stylish clothes I could find for both of
my pregnancies. (I just gave birth in April). I was not in the mood to
spend lots on clothes and here I could get a whole wardrobe for about
$300. A top cost about $20. Perhaps not as big a selection as Pea in
a Pod or Mimi's, but the prices made up for it. Great service as well.
By all means check it out.
Linda
You can buy good used maternity clothes at Lauren's Closet on College, in
Elmwood and at Silver Moon on Grand Avenue in Oakland.
LS
April 1998
Check out this web site. I have heard great things about these clothes.
I am ordering the Pregnancy Survival Kit.
http://www.nystyle.com/bellyb/
Susan
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