Hi Sal

I used a belly belt throughout my pregnancy...but never with the cloth bit.

Basically I just used the belt to hold together my pants (as I couldn't do them up normally)...and then I would either wear a long shirt or skirt over my pants so you couldn't see the gaping hole of my fly being undone.

I think the cloth bit is supposed to cover up the gaping hole, but like you, I thought it looked a bit silly!

Anyway...the belt worked for me...I wore my normal jeans and pants right through to when my DS was born...