For those of you that have been following BBP for awhile, you already know that much of my passion for pregnancy aside from all of my ranting about 'fat' and bodies is maternity fashion. I can't get enough of it and I love to follow the trends. Nevertheless, while it may appear that women are overwhelmed with choice now when it comes to choosing what to wear, when I was writing my PhD thesis back in 2006, there was almost no academic work being done on the topic. So I'd like to think that I'm a bit of a pioneer ;-) ANYWAY, one of the more fascintating things that I realised was that as I talked to pregnant women I became more interested in was what women did with their pregnancy clothing once they were no longer pregnant. Were the clothes given to a pregnant friend? To a second hand shop? Thrown in the bin? For many of the women in my study, even though they hated a lot of the clothing that they had to wear (maternity jeans are never perfect no matter how expensive or designer they are...), several women said they were hesitant to just get rid of them even if they were not planning on having another baby any time soon or ever. This article by Kate Haas for Salon is excellent because it reminded me so much of some of the themes that came up in my research about maternity clothing when it comes to the circulation of pregnancy clothes between women (mothers and daughters but also girlfriends) and the emotional significance of clothing during pregnancy but also more generally (for example, wedding dresses). Haas recounts having her mother offer up her old maternity clothes and not being interested in them given their preponderance of horrible patterns, ugly buttons and generally unflattering shapes. She doesn't want to wear them but at the same time realises why her mother kept them for so long.
Did you inherit maternity clothes from your mother? Your girlfriends? Did you keep your clothes or did you pass them on? If you kept some of your pregnancy clothes which items did you keep?
Showing posts with label maternity clothing. Show all posts
Showing posts with label maternity clothing. Show all posts
Forever 21 launches itself into maternity market, cutout vests, leggings and all.
So it seems that Forever 21 (that shop where everything is sized for a 12 year old) is launching a maternity line.
Questions that spring immediately to my mind:
1) What woman would want to wear maternity clothes from a shop that considers this or this to be 'outerwear'?
Oh, that's right...a 21 year old.
2) Why on earth is Forever 21 stepping so clearly outside of their market?
Oh, that's right...they're not.
Let me explain. The maternity duds are only available in Arizona, Alaska, California, Utah, and Texas.
Why these states? Well, the girls over at Gloss point out that three of these states (Arizona, California and Texas) have some of the highest rates of teen pregnancy in the US. Utah and Alaska are otherwise a mystery to me.
So there you have it. Forever 21 can see dollar signs in tragedy. Natch.
Questions that spring immediately to my mind:
1) What woman would want to wear maternity clothes from a shop that considers this or this to be 'outerwear'?
Oh, that's right...a 21 year old.
2) Why on earth is Forever 21 stepping so clearly outside of their market?
Oh, that's right...they're not.
Let me explain. The maternity duds are only available in Arizona, Alaska, California, Utah, and Texas.
Why these states? Well, the girls over at Gloss point out that three of these states (Arizona, California and Texas) have some of the highest rates of teen pregnancy in the US. Utah and Alaska are otherwise a mystery to me.
So there you have it. Forever 21 can see dollar signs in tragedy. Natch.
Disney to make maternity clothes even Minnie wouldnt want to wear
Hmm. Just when you thought that maternity clothes were moving into 'fashion' as opposed to 'frumpy, Disney has announced it is creating a new range of maternity clothing.
What better way to say I'm pregnant, than with Mickey Mouse...
All I can say is YIKES.
Forget about buying preggo clothes: RENT THEM
If you're the kind of gal that likes the idea of designer fashion without the price tag, now you can hire boutique maternity gear from a new company that launched on Monday: Rent Maternity Wear.
Featured in the LA Times, the company has a limited collection of designer gear that you can rent starting from $35 per week. They also have lots of formal dresses which can cost up to $70 but in the end, I suppose it's cheaper than buying a formal maternity frock.
Would you hire maternity clothes?
Featured in the LA Times, the company has a limited collection of designer gear that you can rent starting from $35 per week. They also have lots of formal dresses which can cost up to $70 but in the end, I suppose it's cheaper than buying a formal maternity frock.
Would you hire maternity clothes?
Leather leggings, maternity unitards and stilettos OH MY.
Okay so as many of you know, following in the footsteps of Nicole Richie, Heidi Klum is doing a maternity line for A Pea in the Pod called Lavish. Now, Klum was quoted recently in Us mag as saying that her pieces would be a bit edgier and she was including, among other things, leather pants and glitter tops. But seriously, while I'm all for looking stylin hot when you are preggers, can you seriously envision yourself wearing LEATHER LEGGINGS when you are knocked up?! Or what's worse, could you picture yourself wearing a maternity unitard? I mean it's like if you don't have an absolutely flawless figure without an ounce of fat on you, how on earth could you possibly wear either of these pieces? And by the same token, leggings/leotards DO NOT (I repeat, DO NOT) qualify as being fully attired. Leggins are not trousers, by any stretch of the imagination. Leotards cannot replace tops/dresses without some kind of bottoms. So if you stay with me and my logic, a unitard is not a suitable replacement for a top and trousers. In fact, I'm not sure a unitard should be seen anywhere outside of a dance performance, and even then I think we're skating a fine line between 'too much information' and camel toe.
I rest my case.
EPIC FAIL.
Chiarakruza lands at Target!
Guess who's landing at Target stores on 15 Feb?That's right. Chiarakruza, maternity designer to all the celebs. This is the first time that Target is branching off from Liz Lange (the doyenne of celeb maternity fashion).
So hurry up and get knocked up because these pieces will be going fast!
Feeding tops that are fabulous
Stop what you're doing.
I just found a breastfeeding top with FLUTTER SLEEVES.
Oh so stylish, not too expensive and with hidden slits for easy feeds.
In a word, awesome.
Baby bumps on the catwalk
Hello, again. Excuse my absence, I've had a serious case of essay-marking-itis. Basically, that entails me sitting in an office for 12 hours a day marking essays until my hands crumple with fatigue from typing.
Anyway, looks like pregnancy chic was making it big at Paris Fashion Week....
Singer Roisin Murphy, who also happens to be 7 months pregnant, wore the peach coloured tutu (above) to a Paris fashion show. It was designed by Victor & Rolf.
Speaking of wacky pregnancy fashion, Jean Paul Gaultier created a pregnancy corset for pregnant British model Jourdan Dunn.
Um, not so sure about the pregnancy corset but definitely not so much on the tutu.
Boobs and bras
Confused about maternity lingerie? Khali Whatley, our good friend at Ma Mere is on board to give you some advice and the chance to get a free copy of her guide to choosing the right undies.
By the way, have you entered the caption contest to win a free maternity set?
By the way, have you entered the caption contest to win a free maternity set?
The importance of a good maternity and nursing bra
During your first trimester a network of lymph glands and milk ducts will start to develop in your breasts and a well-fitted maternity bra can make sure this happens correctly. Its important to be aware that bra underwires can affect the development of these ducts and glands inhibiting circulation, causing discomfort and even leading to infection. Maternity and nursing bras don’t have underwires for this very reason.
So what’s the difference between a maternity and nursing bra?
When it comes to features, they are basically the same. The primary difference is that a nursing bra has clips that allow breastfeeding. If you buy a nursing bra at the beginning of your pregnancy thinking it will last you until after you finish breastfeeding you will probably be disappointed.
Most women’s breasts increase in size during pregnancy and increase again after their baby is born and mature milk is produced. Their ribcage also expands as their baby and belly grows larger and retracts again once the baby is born. These changes affect both the cup and band size – and therefore the bra that should be worn.
The lack of natural muscle support in the breast increases the chance of sagging or changes to the breast shape at this time, so the right bra can provide the necessary support to maintain your breast shape.
With all of this in mind, you should be prepared to purchase several different bra sizes during and after pregnancy. You’ll probably buy fewer maternity and nursing bras than regular bras, which means they will be washed more frequently and therefore stretch and wear out faster. Hand washing and line drying (in spite of care instructions to machine wash) will prolong their life and make sure you get the support you need.
Would you like more information? Send Khali an email for a free copy of her Guide to Maternity Lingerie: khali.whatley[at]mamere.com.au
Rub my belly...or not.
Um...As if preggos need to invite people to touch their bellies.....And seriously, what 7 months pregnant woman wants to be pay US$42 to have her belly compared to a big old Buddha?
Maternity fashion has just become 'fierce'
Christian Siriano, the designer from Project Runway, is designing a maternity line called Fierce for Moody Mamas slated for production in Spring 2009. Siriano "thought it would be great" for a gay man to partner with two women who haven't given birth to create a maternity line.
Sources: www.moodymamas.com
http://www.lilsugar.com/1875749
http://nymag.com/daily/fashion/2008/08/christian_siriano_to_launch_fi.html
Maternity clothing questions!!
I have lots of questions:
What did you do with your maternity clothes following your pregnancy?
Did you keep them?
Pass them on to a friend?
Or throw them away?
If you got rid of your maternity gear, why?
Also, I'm writing this thing about maternity fitness clothing...
If you worked out during your pregnancy, what did you wear?
Did you buy workout gear specifically for pregnancy? Where did you buy it? Did you have trouble finding clothing?
Please leave a comment or send me an email!!
What did you do with your maternity clothes following your pregnancy?
Did you keep them?
Pass them on to a friend?
Or throw them away?
If you got rid of your maternity gear, why?
Also, I'm writing this thing about maternity fitness clothing...
If you worked out during your pregnancy, what did you wear?
Did you buy workout gear specifically for pregnancy? Where did you buy it? Did you have trouble finding clothing?
Please leave a comment or send me an email!!
Pregorexia is not caused by celebrity pregnancy
I'm getting really sick of reading about 'pregorexia'. In fact, it annoys me even more that the media is now suggesting that women are become pregorexic because of celebrities. While I'll be the first person to agree that celebrity culture is inherently problematic, the truth is that celebrities are actually not extremely significant in the life of the average woman and pregorexia is more likely to arise from significant body image issues that already existed prior to pregnancy. In fact, most body image issues in pregnancy are pre-existing. In my study, I found that sisters and best friends were far more important when it came to worrying about weight loss post-baby. If a sister lost baby weight quickly, that was more meaningful than if Angelina Jolie or Katie Holmes lost weight quickly as well. On the CBS Early Show yesterday, this doctor, Holly Phillips, was quoted as saying:
"I think we've never before been more kind of obsessed with celebrity culture, and with celebrity pregnancies, as well. It's not unusual to see pictures of these celebrities the day before and the day after birth and they're looking super-humanly fit. They're really incredible. "
I think these comments seem to assume that pregnant women (or women in general) are just these passive receptacles of popular culture, unthinking and unwilling to resist the templates of idealised beauty that put before them. Sure lots of women read gossip magazines. Heaps of women read them in my study. But, women are quite realistic when it comes to thinking about celebrities. Although my informants were interested in celebrity pregnancy and often felt badly about themselves when they couldn't lose their baby weight quickly, in the end, they would always recognise that celebrities are thin for a reason: it's their job. I hate the fact that the newsmedia constantly suggests that celebrities are like these demigods that all women, everywhere, aspire to become. Now, sure I have this blog which focuses on celebrities so you might think I'm a hypocrite but I have this blog because I think it's important to critique celebrity culture, not to constantly pay fawning tribute to these actresses just because they manged to get knocked up.
Phillips continued to say that "it's wonderful that pregnant women now have designer styles to choose from, especially those that celebrate and compliment the pregnant shape. It only becomes a problem when women become unhealthily fixated on remaining a specific size."
Yeah, well mainstream maternity wear is not necessarily 'celebratory'. In fact, it requires that pregnant women be comfortable with their size and shape in order to wear tightly fitted outfits. That in itself, is a problem, not just the fact that pregnant women worry about their weight gain. This is why alot of the women in my study didn't wear maternity clothing necessarily: they often reported feeling extremely ambivalent about wear something that would invite other people to look at them. Thus, some of these really complex experiences of pregnancy in 'public' just become watered down in the media.
Anyway, I'll just take a deep breath now and step away from the computer.
Source: http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2008/08/11/earlyshow/health/main4337521.shtml
"I think we've never before been more kind of obsessed with celebrity culture, and with celebrity pregnancies, as well. It's not unusual to see pictures of these celebrities the day before and the day after birth and they're looking super-humanly fit. They're really incredible. "
I think these comments seem to assume that pregnant women (or women in general) are just these passive receptacles of popular culture, unthinking and unwilling to resist the templates of idealised beauty that put before them. Sure lots of women read gossip magazines. Heaps of women read them in my study. But, women are quite realistic when it comes to thinking about celebrities. Although my informants were interested in celebrity pregnancy and often felt badly about themselves when they couldn't lose their baby weight quickly, in the end, they would always recognise that celebrities are thin for a reason: it's their job. I hate the fact that the newsmedia constantly suggests that celebrities are like these demigods that all women, everywhere, aspire to become. Now, sure I have this blog which focuses on celebrities so you might think I'm a hypocrite but I have this blog because I think it's important to critique celebrity culture, not to constantly pay fawning tribute to these actresses just because they manged to get knocked up.
Phillips continued to say that "it's wonderful that pregnant women now have designer styles to choose from, especially those that celebrate and compliment the pregnant shape. It only becomes a problem when women become unhealthily fixated on remaining a specific size."
Yeah, well mainstream maternity wear is not necessarily 'celebratory'. In fact, it requires that pregnant women be comfortable with their size and shape in order to wear tightly fitted outfits. That in itself, is a problem, not just the fact that pregnant women worry about their weight gain. This is why alot of the women in my study didn't wear maternity clothing necessarily: they often reported feeling extremely ambivalent about wear something that would invite other people to look at them. Thus, some of these really complex experiences of pregnancy in 'public' just become watered down in the media.
Anyway, I'll just take a deep breath now and step away from the computer.
Source: http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2008/08/11/earlyshow/health/main4337521.shtml
Dress yourself pregnant
Pregnant paper dolls....I find it particularly interesting that all of the first trimester outfits are flirty and cute and all of the third trimester outfits are all extremely casual and seem to suggest that pregnant women are not working and instead are sitting at home in their pajamas doing nothing!
Source: http://wishingfish.com/pregdolls.html#
Nicole Richie: the next maternity designer?
So Nicole Richie wants to launch a maternity line. *Yawn*
"My line will be about making women look and feel good at a really emotional time. It's about showing your best self, not your tired, worn-down self," Richie said.
This annoys me. There is already too much pressure to be perfect when you're pregnant, aside from what clothes you are wearing. The idea that being 'worn down' is something women should hide is ridiculous. Celebrities have no place telling women what they should be wearing or how they should 'do' pregnancy because they have categorically different experiences. Most pregnant women actually do not want to spend alot of money on clothing that is only going to see them through a few months. Let's face it, being 'worn down' is part and parcel of the experience and there is no amount of clothing or money one can spend to get around the fact that when you are housing another human, it's alot of work.
Bah!
Source: http://www.theage.com.au/news/people/richie-to-release-maternity-line/2008/03/19/1205602433479.html
"My line will be about making women look and feel good at a really emotional time. It's about showing your best self, not your tired, worn-down self," Richie said.
This annoys me. There is already too much pressure to be perfect when you're pregnant, aside from what clothes you are wearing. The idea that being 'worn down' is something women should hide is ridiculous. Celebrities have no place telling women what they should be wearing or how they should 'do' pregnancy because they have categorically different experiences. Most pregnant women actually do not want to spend alot of money on clothing that is only going to see them through a few months. Let's face it, being 'worn down' is part and parcel of the experience and there is no amount of clothing or money one can spend to get around the fact that when you are housing another human, it's alot of work.
Bah!
Source: http://www.theage.com.au/news/people/richie-to-release-maternity-line/2008/03/19/1205602433479.html
J.Lo too good for paper hospital gown
It seems the more time I devote to following celebrity pregnancy, which at one time used to give me an unsettling thrill, now is just starting to make me angry. Celebrity preggos no longer appeal to me as 'real' women with the luxury of a bit of fame and fortune, but rather caricatures of 'isms': flagrant consumerism, narcissism and old school maternalism. Or maybe it's just because I have serious issues with J.Lo.What has prompted my rant? Well, according to MSNBC J.Lo has not only had couture hospital gowns prepared for her hospital stay but has apparently elected to have a caesar for the birth of her alleged twins. I don't know what makes me more angry, the fact that J.Lo is too good for a paper hospital gown and requires a matching couture robe or that she's having an elective caesar. Why in the world would you choose to have a caesar unless it was medically necessary? Given that all of these celebrity women apparently want to have babies so badly, I find it really hard to believe that they are all so 'busy' that they simply do not have time to allow a baby (or babies, whatever the case may be) to come into the world in its own time. A caesarean does not make birth easier contrary to popular belief. It's amazing that such smart, successful women continue to believe their bodies are not capable of pushing out a baby.
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