Week 24: Slim pickings for the not so slim

By Published On: July 4th, 2013

Thanks to my growing baby and thus expanding belly, I […]

shoppingpicksThanks to my growing baby and thus expanding belly, I needed to spice up my wardrobe a bit. I’ve been supplementing my regular clothes with dresses, skirts, and shirts from Target’s maternity department for a while now, but with two upcoming weddings to attend, I thought I should class it up a bit and venture beyond Liz Lange maternity wear to see what stores expressly for pregnant women had to offer. Okay, my hand was also forced due to the realization that I wouldn’t be able to get away with pre-pregnancy clothes for much longer: my favorite summer skirt no longer zips up the side, and the lower half of my belly started poking out from under pajamas and tank tops.
My mom and I ventured forth to the largest mall around. With more than 300 stores, they’d have to have at least a handful catering to the expectant mother, right? Wrong. The people at the information desk (yes, this mall is so big that they have employees at your disposal to help you navigate the place) gave us two options: a department store and another shop at the mall’s outdoor shopping center. Mom and I looked at each other as if to say, “Well, with all those options, where should we begin?”
The maternity section at the department store was haphazardly thrown into the basement in the furthest corner of the store, right next to the plus size department. Talk about making a pregnant lady feel excited to shop for larger clothes! The selection wasn’t really anything special; most of the clothes were things I could find at Target for a fraction of the cost. Many of the dresses that made me swoon even a little bit didn’t merit the price tags hanging from them, at least not for items that I would only be able to wear a few times at best. Fortunately, I found a moderately priced dress that would work perfect for weddings, so that mission was complete.
Next we checked out the go-to maternity store located outdoors. It took a while to find it, but when we did, were we excited! We hoped a store devoted solely to mamas-to-be would be a step up and provide plenty of options. At this point, it should come as no surprise that we set ourselves up for disappointment. The clothing selection was much the same as it was at the department store, only much more tightly packed and displayed much more sadly. As an avid lover of pajamas, my spirits lifted momentarily when I spied a sales rack filled with them. But even on sale, they were  $60, and I wouldn’t spend that much money on full-priced ones.
Perhaps my standards are too high and my wallet too thin. Luckily, I’ve already discovered a place that caters to my needs! When Mom and I left the mall, we headed straight to Target, where my faith in maternity clothes was restored. Our outing confirmed if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it; and nothing brightens a dull shopping selection like quality time with Mom.