Browse wedding dresses from Alfred Angelo

The Hudson shirt dress from Everly Grey falls just above the knee and is perfect for Sunday brunch or your baby shower. Dress it up with wedding dresses heels and your favorite blazer and you're all set for the office. This dress features a V-slit neckline, long sleeves that can be rolled up with button tabs, and an adjustable and removable tie-sash. You can even wear this dress after baby is born, simply tie the sash at the waist.

Women are often told to choose maternity clothes in the same size they wore pre-pregnancy, but it's not as simple as that. First, not all maternity clothes are designed for pre-pregnancy sizes. Most, but not all, of them are, so it pays to do a little research on the brand or to try on the items. If you can, read the labels on maternity clothes to find out if they're pre-shrunk and how they base their sizing.

After World War II, specific maternity styles developed more markedly. Designers made pencil-thin skirts with elastic panels to cover a pregnant belly. Still, the tops often were made unnecessarily full, unlike regular fashions. Typical of postwar maternity fashion were oversized collars and buttons, an infantalizing effect possibly meant to balance the scale of the garment, although one may see in them a condescending attitude to women. Lucille Ball, star of I Love Lucy, exemplified the maternity fashions of the early 1950s, and at the time influenced many women during her 1952-1953 televised pregnancy, seen weekly by millions.

A common complaint about buying maternity clothes is price. When you shop to save, you generally encounter lower quality collections. Poorly made maternity clothes fall apart quickly in the wash, shrink or don't retain shape after laundering, pill and fray, slip down over your belly, ride up, make you too hot, and itch. Instead of shopping for quantity, shop for quality.

A great trick is to add a belt just above your bump. It will give you a bit more of a waistline and be flattering to your bump. You can also add a WIDE belt just below your bump for more of a pregnant gypsy look. This stylish body con frock is an ASOS exclusive and part of the site's extensive and keenly-priced maternity range. Works with a teeny bump but room to accommodate a whopper, and could easily be dressed up as evening wear. Removable straps are available from some retailers, allowing for quick adjustments that can take the dresses from day to evening.

i am so glad that taylor introduced” me to you! although i'm only 17 weeks, and still in the fat stage”… i am trying to buy/plan ahead for some trips and events this summer, and i am having such a hard time! the maternity clothes are terrible… and why is everything striped? i would imagine stripes would be cute for a little while, but definitely not across my 9 month belly.