More of Me Maternity Design

Here at P&N we see many a maternity style pass our desks. Since being in the market for a pregnancy wardrobe myself, I’ve had a more critical eye when it comes to what I would spend my money on and choose to add to my closet. Maternity wear is tricky—you want to look good, but you don’t want to overbuy or underbuy or buy the wrong things that you’ll just end up tugging at and feeling grumpy about after the second wear. Done right, maternity clothes should be good quality garments that you can get a lot of use out of by accessorizing and coordinating. And I’ll be the first to admit that I’m a saver instead of a spender when it comes to shopping (consignment stores are my BFFs), but my exception to that is during pregnancy. Like the clothes of a 6-year-old boy, maternity clothes tend to be worn hard before being consigned or donated, and finding anything worthwhile is tricky. Your best bet is to shop quality and wear the heck out of what you get.
And so with that long preamble, let me introduce you to a gorgeous line of clothing that thinks outside the bump when it comes to fashion: More of Me Maternity Design. Specializing in clothes you can wear during and after pregnancy (really!), their collection has something for everyone. Here are a few of the pieces I tried out.
Paige Wrap Dress
For a great piece you can dress up or down, the Paige Wrap Dress is a smart choice. Wrap dresses are a stellar option for crossover wear—Iplan to wear this dress postbaby, for sure. The material is forgiving and flattering, and best of all, doesn’t wrinkle easily. (Ironing is waaaaay down my priority list right now.) The dress comes in two print options, Red Nautical Heart print and Bouquet print. As you can see in the images to the left, you can go several directions when it comes to accessories—bangles, hats, heels or wedges (or in my case, flat sandals). Ifound myself reaching for this dress even on days when my most ambitious goal for the day was leaving the house to run to the grocery store. It’s an easy pick you’ll find yourself utilizing again and again. Price:$170

Penelope Bib Dress
Reminiscent of the styles of the 50s (think long eyelashes and high ponytails), the Penelope Bib Dress is probably the piece in which I received the most compliments. Patterned with bright, poppy flowers, the colors would flatter any complexion. A lot of my wardrobe both prepregnancy and now consists of grey and black, and this dress was like a breath fresh air. It hugs your curves just enough without being snug, and is a fabulous addition to your closet when it’s hot and muggy outside. As you can see on the model, it can be extremely short if you have long legs (which was not a problem for me—I’m only 5’3″). Even on colder Spring days,I could wear this dress with a cardigan, which dressed it down a notch and made it perfect office wear. I also wore this dress to church on Easter, and looked better than I have in previous non-pregnant years! I can imagine this dress would work great after pregnancy as well, during the postpartum months. It will definitely be getting use from me this summer. Price:$170
Avery Maxi Dress
If I were (extremely)hard pressed to choose a favorite of the four dresses I sampled, the Avery Maxi Dress would likely get my vote. I am a huge fan of maxi dresses in general, but when you’re toting a bump, they can’t be beat. Flattering, loose around the belly, elongating—they have it all. This dress is fabulous—the material, like all the MOM dresses, is resistant to wrinkling, it’s a gorgeous navy color, making it versatile for fancying up or flip-flopping down, and it has a sweet ruffle detail on the front and back neckline that makes the cut feminine. Just a heads up—it is plenty long enough for the tall ladies, which I mentioned before is not me. So it tends to drag a bit, but I like that in a maxi. If you’re vertically challenged, you may want to consider hemming. I wore this dress out on a fancy date with my husband, and have worn it with a jean jacket and sandals to work—it’s the ultimate maternity wardrobe booster. This dress will definitely be sticking around after delivery day. Highly recommended! Price: $180

Serena Dress
There have not been many times in my life I’ve used the word “sexy” when referring to myself, and pregnancy seems like a strange time to start, but lady friends, the Serena Dress will make you look sexy. It hugs you in all the right places with ruched sides and a hemline that hits your legs in just the right place. The cap sleeves are a cut that look good on almost anyone, and the black?Well, everyone knows you need a good LBD in your closet—even when you’re expecting. Am I right? Another great piece that can be radically transformed with the right additions, I wore this with a jacket to work and without to hit the town. Well made, wrinkle-free, fully lined, this dress has it all. Price:$170
Check out More of Me Maternity’s full line at moreofmematernity.com.