I remember back 13 years ago when I was VERY pregnant during the holiday season. We always had tons of events and parties to attend and the lack of fashionable options drove me to tears. I was going to be a MOM and I was thrilled! But the stores offered nothing appealing. A couple years later, I started seeing a surge of more stylish pregnant ladies in my neighbourhood fueled by the celebrity tabloids of everyone flaunting their bellies and then some. Finally! Designers and retailers realized that pregnant women didn’t all want to take the backseat in the style zone.
Pregnant women, especially those living in the city, are requesting more and more clothing options from the work place to the party circuit. They want to continue to dress in the same style before they were pregnant. Where does one go?
Belly Maternity – a Canadian retailer who specializes in designer maternity wear. Co- owner and hands-on director Dionne Klein has recently taken the helm at the store which now carries even more exclusive collections. They have travelled the globe to bring the some of the most fashionable labels to our stylish mommies-to-be working with designers who understand the needs of a pregnant woman. “I grew up learning about maternity fashions and the needs of Toronto’s pregnant women as my mom owned the Yorkville boutique Forms for years,” said Klein. “Now I am excited to bring the Belly brand into the next millennium with an easy and accessible online presence, a revamped in-store experience — which will include my mom on some occasions — and exciting new collections!”
We caught up with Dionne to get the scoop what to wear for our stylish mommies-to-be’s!
Urbanmoms: What holiday trends are we seeing this season in maternity wear?
Klein: Patterned dresses, bejewelled tops and anything red. We suggest you grab a cozy red cowl neck sweater that you can glam up with some accessories for a night out or throw on with a pair of leggings to enjoy a book by the fire.
Urbanmoms: What should pregnant women be aware of when they try on maternity wear?
Klein: Sizing is based on yoru non-maternity size…so going bigger is not better. The benefit of buying maternity cothing is that it is specially desinged to expand in just the right places so that your clothes fit as they are supposed to. Buying non-maternity clothes tend to look sloppy. Invest in a few great pieces that you love. Grab pieces that can be mixed and matched to offer may different looks.
Urbanmoms: What cuts should pregnant women avoid?
Klein: No specific cut to avoid. Follow your pr-pregnancy styles and cuts. Choose pieces that you would wear not pregnant. You want to love your clothes or you won’t end up wearing them. A tip for a first time pregnant woman, wearing baggy clothes definitely hides the growing tummy but also makes everything else look bigger than it is, showing the curves of your belly makes the rest of you look smaller. A fitted dress or clingy sweater and skinny jeans is more flattering than anything big and baggy.
Urbanmoms: What’s the most flattering style of dress?
Klein: A fitted dress with ruching along the sides is the way to go for most pregnant women. The fitted silhouette shows off your curves but slims the rest of your figure and the ruching along the sides helps minimize any extra weight that you are looking to hide.
Urbanmoms: Any tips on accessorizing?
Klein: Accessories are the easiest way to bring high fashion to your looks and expand your maternity wardrobe. Adding shiny metals will dress up a simple wrap dress or throwing on a pair of booties will add some edge. Accessories allow you to take one maternity dress and create many different looks.
Belly Maternity is a premiere maternity boutique located in Toronto and has recently partnered with online retailer eLUXE to ship across Canada. This spring, Belly will be the first shop in Canada to carry Rosie Pope Maternity (host of Slice’s Pregnant in Heels).
Belly Maternity carries designer labels including JBrand, Line Knitwear, Olian Maternity, Queen Mum, Ripe Maternity, Ingrid & Isabel, Maternla America, Isabella & Oliver, NOM (Naissance on Melrose), Noppies, Sono Vaso. They also carry the very popular Belly Bands and Spanx for maternity.
Visit their website for more information at www.bellymaternity.ca
and also available online at eLUXE.ca
BTW… Belly is having a big blow out sale at the store this coming Sunday and Monday! Dec 2 & 3, 2012.
Belly Maternity is located at
615 Mount Pleasant Rd. (Toronto)
416-440-1734