Formal wear when pregnant?

Hi

Hope this is the correct place to post this. I am currently just over 19 weeks pregnant and have a formal (black tie) dinner to go to on 21st June - so approx 5-6 weeks time. I have quite a few formal dresses but of course NONE of them will fit me at that stage :D

Can anyone give me any suggestions of where I can get a nice formal maternity dress that won't cost the earth. I am looking for something that is full lenght rather than ****tail lenght. Am living on the Northern Beaches but can travel elsewhere if there is a good shop to go to.

Thanks in advance for your suggestions.

Meadsie

I'm not sure where you can buy them, there are several online shops but some of them are a bit expensive. I got a great dress, wore when I was 36wks....bought on ebay - love it. Thought I would never wear it again & what do you know I have a wedding in Oct & Nov.

Only other suggestion is buying a dress in a bigger size, not a maternity one. Like perhaps a Maxi dress if you want something long. I have a beach wedding in Nov & will look into a maxi dress with belt for that one.

I was going to suggest ebay also. If you can get a bargain then even if you don't like it you can always sell it again. My brothers wedding I will be 25weeks and I am going to look on ebay for a maternity formal dress. Good luck finding your dress. Some dresses that are not maternity dresses are loose enough around the middle for your belly if you can find one of those. The only problem with a normal dress is you have to watch the front of the dress is not several inches shorter then the back of the dress.

I think a dress with an empire waist would work well if there is nothing you like in the way of maternity dresses. You could just have it hemmed so it's level all the way around.

Try Pumpkin Patch, they have an online store where they have lots of great specials or even look in one of their stores. My friend picked up a gorgeous formal dress from one of their stores for only $30 :)

I bought a formal dress from ripe maternity wear. It was a little expensive but it was soo gorgeous and I love it. I've worn it a few times since I bought it and it's the kind of dress I can put away for my next bub and could possibly wear even when not pregnant.

Thanks ladies. Will give all these ideas a go and let you know how I get on. Didn't want to leave it too long before I started looking but know that I will pop out quite a bit between now and then.

i went to portmans fact outlet adn got and empre line evning dress for $20 woth a try

Hi Meadsie,

there are some good things on eBay, but it can be a bit tricky buying with out trying I've found as everyone carries a bit differently. There's a store in Sydney which has a good range of brands and styles and I know they have evening/formal things too - they have a store in the Picadilly Centre on Pitt St and one at Killarney Heights.

They're called Just Maternity and you'll find them on the web, but they don't have their range on line.

Hope that helps!

I am going out this weekend to try to find something to wear to a wedding on 6 June 2009 - will be 25 weeks pg when the wedding is on - I am going to try to find something that is relatively fitted around the bust and then just flows cause I am not sure how much I will change in 3 weeks but don't want to leave it too late to get something! We are going to Parramatta Westfields as we will be out that way after attending the Pregnancy, Babies and Children Expo at Rosehill Gardens this weekend

I was in CityChick with my bestie a few weeks ago and they had some lovely evening wear in there that you could use for maternity easily. It is a bit on the exxy side but then you could always sell it on through a place like ebay?!

EziBuy is pretty good for maxi dresses etc and prices are good, just go up a size put a belt under your boobies and your ready to groove..

Oh darn ... i just sold my gorgeous maternity dress i couldn't part with for 3years that i wore when i was 25wks preg for my 40th b'day party ... it was red & had a Marilyn Monroe style to it like when she stood over that famous vent ;)

If you know anyone in Melb the shopping strip for maternity formal dresses is on Glenferrie Rd, Malvern :D

Szabo Maternity often have gorgeous formal style dresses, they have stockists around the country and their catalogue is on their website. Have been eyeing some of their stuff off for awhile, but no reason yet to need to buy a formal dress while pg. Hope I do though cos I would love to wear a gorgeous dress with a big bump! :)

turtlejane ... can't believe it as i was racking my brain trying to remember the label of the maternity dress i mentioned above and it was the label Szabo that you mentioned ;)

Was a gorgeous quality & beautiful classy formal dress, proper sizing (not a tagged L being a S) & i paid only about $120 for it a few years ago :dance:

Thanks Ladies

Looks like great minds think alike - so much for baby brain eh?

Picked up a gorgous Szabo maternity dress at the weekend in Maternity Shop in Warringah Mall (Bella Maternity) Beautiful cut and really flattering - think it will get even better as I get bigger :rolleyes: Also proper sizing like Smile4U said. $200 and won't need to get thing done to it - being a short arse at only 5ft I normally have to get dresses taken up.

Thanks for everyones tips and suggestions.

That's great Meadsie! And I bet you look gorgeous in it too! :)

Whoo hoo - another very happy Szabo dress owner here! Got my dress yesterday... it is so flattering and can be worn when not preg as well... fabulous! Will post a link to a piccie over the next few days

FWIW I've not bought ONE single 'maternity' item of clothing for either of my pregnancies, and I have ended up carrying HUGE out front. I find anything labelled 'maternity' is like anything labelled 'wedding' - automatically costs more just because it's something you buy because you feel you have to, kwim??

I hate buying clothes online as I'm not a 'standard' shape (ie my bust/waist/hip ratio is not the 'normal' ratio, I have big boobs and tiny hips) so I try to avoid that at all costs as I've always been dissatisfied with the fit of clothes from unfamiliar labels (eg I have no problems ordering online from, say, Supre, because I shop instore there a lot and know exactly what size is perfect for me).

You could always just go around to the regular formal outlets in your area and find a dress that falls from the bust (empire-waist, I think they call it?) - a baby-doll sort of style that has plenty of room for an expanding belly, but without the 'maternity' price tag, and you can wear it when you're not pg because it's not cut specifically for a big belly, kwim? I bought my wedding dress from a regular boutique and I still wear it pretty often for special occasions - it was very cheap and cut beautifully to accommodate my growing belly (I was 5 months along when DH and I tied the knot) but still looks great when I'm not carting around a bub :)

I know how hard it is to find formal wear when pregnant...I am getting married on May 30 and being nearly 18 weeks pregnant with my second child it was hard to find something to wear! As it's a small service we're having at home I didn't worry about a wedding gown, or even wearing white! After weeks of searching and worrying I wouldn't find anything to fit, I was fortunate enough to find a beautiful blue evening dress at City Chic on the weekend! Now here's hoping the wedding goes off without a hitch...!!

Oh Nayc01 best of luck for the 30th :loveshower: hope you have a fantastic day and I am sure you will look wonderful.

Meadsie

Thanks so much!

Here is a pic of me in the Szabo dress I am wearing to DPs cousin's wedding today Link to Dress

Same as GothMum, I never bought any maternity dresses. Just got baby doll ones (ones that come below the breast) so theres lots of room for the belly.

Hi TK1999

Dress looks lovely. Fairly similar to mine only mines black and floor lenght. Also doesn't have the same bank that your does. IF i can figure out how to post piccies will post one after the ball. Is on the weekend after next :D Hope you had a good day.

Cheers Meadsie

Wow the dress looke great TK! :)

I'm trying to track down a skirt that Szabo makes - have only seen in on an online store in ACT so far, so I emailed them to ask if anyone if Sydney stocked it, and told them how there was some great feedback here about their clothes :) anyhoo they are trying to locate the skirt for me but asked if they could use the lovely comments for a new Testimonials page to go on their website! If you ladies are happy with that, I will pass the comments on to them! I love to promote Aussie brands and they have beautiful clothes hey. :)

Thanks for the compliments ladies - I had such a good night and so many people said how flattering the dress is

More than happy for our comments to be included as testimonials.

Hey TurtleJane

More then happy for comments to be included in testimonals. Best of luck with your search.

Cheers