- Fashion
How to tackle pregnancy fashion sustainably
What co-founder Jenny Ringland wore during her third pregnancy, from hand-me-down denim to her favourite activewear
You’d think by the third time around I would have nailed maternity fashion, but alas, it isn’t the case! As our bodies change and grow it’s hard to find clothes that fit and make us feel good; plus I also discovered it’s almost impossible to find brands that are sustainable or 100 per cent organic.
I came to the conclusion the best maternity wear philosophy is to invest in quality, that way you can pass on to other pregnant friends, or store for your next pregnancy. During my first two pregnancies I was forever on the hunt for cheap, new clothes to make me feel good, which I then dutifully stored away ready for the next time, only to discover on unpacking they were so worn and stretched they were virtually unwearable. The clothes that I have worn again and again are the investment pieces. This seems counter intuitive when you know you might not get 30 wears out of them over the duration of your pregnancy, but you can always sell online afterwards, give away to friends, or store for the next time around!
Here’s what I loved during my third (and final!) pregnancy. Some are organic, some aren’t, but the over riding theme is quality.
ACTIVE TRUTH
Their maternity tights are designed to go over the bump, which I was dubious about as I have never liked anything tight on my tummy, however I wore the same pair from 12 weeks right up until the end. They hugged me in the right places, while allowing my tummy the space it needed!
LEGOE HERITAGE
This is a gorgeous brand I wish I had known about earlier. All their styles are designed to transition from pregnancy to motherhood, which means you are guaranteed to get your 30 wears. I am still wearing them as a breast feeding mama.
BASSIKE
I am a Bassike fan pregnant or not. I lived in their t-shirts and stretchy pants, and still do.
MORTON MAC THE LABEL
Dreamy linen button up dresses floaty enough to wear whilst pregnant, but also perfect for breast feeding and am already imagining it as my beach throw-on, just add slides.
HATCH
As I write this I am wearing a stretchy Hatch dress I bought when I was pregnant with baby number one. At the time I remember feeling indulgent as I was only a month away from my due date. But I wore it constantly till the end, and it was in beautiful condition for the second time around, and the third. It really does pay to invest!
HAND-ME-DOWN JEANS
I had a pretty wide selection of Topshop and ASOS maternity jeans that were passed on to me by my sister and friends. So although they are technically fast fashion brands, they have been worn many times and I have since passed them on to other pregnant friends.
MY HUSBAND’S T-SHIRTS
Plain white or black men’s t-shirts worn over jeans with Birkenstocks. That was my uniform for the last couple of weeks as I crept towards my due date. Because there comes a point when even maternity clothes no longer fit!