« Breastfeeding Class | Main | Maternity Wear Might've Been A Washout... »
April 15, 2005
Round And Round We Go
Thursday I went to the mall, in an attempt to find a few more maternity clothing items, seeing as regular tshirts are creeping ever higher, and while that's okay for slumming it at home, it's not a look I want to really flash in public too much. That and I can't keep avoiding the fact that this belly is getting bigger, and the weather is getting warmer, and I'd like to feel like I'm looking good in this more blimpy state. I also needed to look for shoes.
Of course it was a fruitless and depressing trip, much like the one a couple months ago that I schlepped PreZ along on.
Looking online tonight at a specific maternity chain's site I noticed that there was supposed to be a maternity store at the mall, which definitely wasn't on their store directory.
H&M had a few interesting items, but they further reinforced my belief that I can no longer, or no longer want to, shop at places that have really cheap clothing... everything fit badly. Sure that tshirt for $9.90 or $14.90 is a great deal, but if it pulls funny across the bust, or in the shoulders, what good is it? And this has happened with me with their normal wear too, so it's not just the maternity items. Filene's apparantly decided that they could be a department store without a store directory, and after just glancing around I decided I couldn't be bothered trying to search through an entire floor of women's wear in a vain attempt to see if there was any maternity wear (there was no staff anywhere to ask either). JC Penney was a disaster. The same sodding shirt in 6 colours does not constitute a maternity section. That said, that same sodding shirt style is one you find in most stores that have some maternity wear... v-neck, pull-over style, cross-over empire bust, 3/4 sleeve. It's bland, boring and decidedly not attractive or sexy looking.
All maternity wear also comes mostly in easter egg colours. Now I realise being fruitful and pregnant is thematically in line with easter, but I don't want to look like an easter decoration. I also wouldn't mind some colour in my wardrobe, but when the only other options are pink, mint and turquoise, black does become the staple favourite yet again. I'd love to see something nice in a burgundy, jewel-tone red or purple, or any other nice jewel tone for that matter. Something that looks more sophisticated than the kiddy-easter stuff.
Next week I'll be heading into the city to try there, they have more stores to choose from, and a couple are close together, like the Gap and Motherhood. The Gap I know will probably be fairly reasonably priced. The prices on some maternity sites are nauseating though... $80 for a shirt, $80+ for maternity swimwear (!! how often do you wear that stuff?!) and $70 for pants. Not exactly prices with which you establish any kind of elaborate wardrobe. And for a wardrobe that fits for less than a year, and in my case maybe 6 months or so (seeing as you don't spring back into your former shape overnight) that's pretty steep.
I'd consider making my own clothing if it weren't for the fact that between all the major pattern makers there seem to be a mere 3 different patterns. And it's all the kind of formless tops/dresses stuff, nothing at all like anything you might see in a more trendy boutique. So that goes out the window post-haste.
Here's hoping that next week's endeavour will have a bit more luck, as I'm running out of things to wear.
Posted on 02:18 PM to: Pregnancy