Maternity wear

Okay, so I am getting to that stage where I really need to start considering some maternity clothes. My regular pants are just too darn tight. What are/were your favorite items and where did you get them from? So far I have tried the liz lange collection at Target. Most of the tops look great on the hanger but look awful on me. The elastic around the pants are also very uncomfortable as well. A friend of mine gave me some of her maternity clothes. But she is much much larger than I am so most probably won't fit until I am really really preggo. I have one pair of pants don't know where I got them from but the belly panel is very comfy. It comes up over the belly and has a draw string that you can tighten. I really like them but not sure where I can find more like it. Any other suggestions. I work at a university where the normal attire is business casual monday - thursday and fridays is blue jeans/capri day. Any ideas on not too expensive but comfy and decent looking?

[mami1323]

I loved old navy maternity and motherhood maternity.  Not expensive and very cute.  I heard the maternity at target was adorable but I didn't have one close to me in NY.  I found Old Navy pants to be very comfortable.  Motherhood was difficult because I always felt the sizing was off.  But they had cute work stuff.

[Diane1003]

Motherhood Maternity has a line with a 'secret fit belly' that are great.  Even as you get further along they are still comfortable.  I was given a bunch of stuff from Old Navy from a cousin.  I've have heard others talk about how they liked Old Navy stuff.  Also - to make your pre-pregnancy pants stretch longer - try a 'Bella Band'.  They have ones like them at Old Navy - some stores sell them by name.  You can find them on-line too.  They come in solids or patterns.  I've started wearing them again at 36 weeks b/c my belly has started popping out the bottom of my shirts.  The waist keeps bunching under my belly - so they come in handy!

[LosingMyMindInGA]

I don't know about you but for me maternity clothes are way too overpriced for something you will only wear 4-6 months and then will either get rid of or box up until the next kid.  I got my maternity clothes from thrift stores, clearance racks and ebay.  Buying used had several perks:
1.  the price was a mere fraction of buying new
2.  they had already been washed and i could see if they were the type that would fade, pill or wear out.
3.  They had already been "broken" in so I knew how they would fit me even after being washed.  

Personally I like the "real waisted" jeans.  I'm really not into fashion and tend to wear what *I* like and what I'm comfortable in...so my wardrobe is pretty basic...some jeans, jean capris, knit capris, khaki capris and different shirts...nothing fancy..

Just beware...different manufacturers may say "s, m, or l" or even a number size but the ACTUAL size of the garments vary dramatically.  I can get a large in one brand that first perfect but a large in another may be too small or too large.  

Also when buying shirts...always buy something that is going to allow room for your growing breasts...ESPECIALLY when buying button ups....my biggest problem is that my breasts are too big for most of my shirts...even though they fit my belly they squash my boobs.

[krissyy]

old navy maternity has been my favorite.  but honestly, at 29 weeks i am still wearing many of my regular clothes, just in a different way.  i wear a lot of those victoria's secret fitted tshirts which i love because i am tall and they are a little longer so they cover over my belly...some my belly peeps out the bottom.  

***my number one recommendation which has kept me in my regular shorts/pants is the BELLY BAND!!  not the kind that buttons on to your pants, the kind that is just a tube band.  you can wear your regular bottoms unbuttoned/unzipped and put the band over top to hold them up and keep the zipper part flat.  i've purchased several belly bands because i use them so much.  i highly recommend them, especially if you are carrying your weight mostly in your belly.  you can purchase them at motherhood maternity, and in the maternity section of dept stores.

good luck to you!  i asked this same question when i was starting to pop...i think it's hard to find maternity clothes that fit in a hip way!  ;-)  

[nikko*ttc]

I went to Kmart today at lunch and bought some maternity bottoms from there. The panels come over my tummy unlike the liz lange pants at target and don't dig in. They didn't have a big selection, but I got about  two pairs of khaki pants, a khaki capri, black pants, and black capri with three maternity shirts for less than 100$. I tried on all the pants and none of them were digging into the lower belly. I dislike the pants I wore today so much I pulled a pair of the hanger and changed when I got back to the office. I am feeling much better now. The liz lange pants I wore today were digging into my tummy so much that it hurt. I wouldn't recommend them. Maybe they are better in later pregnancy. But I find my lower tummy is very sensitive right now. Especially since I am already starting to have some round ligament pain.

[nikko*ttc]

Got to get a belly band. That will be my next purchase.