My first actual "maternity" clothing ootd

If maternity wear has ever been a genre of clothing relevant to your sartorial interests, you already know it can be pretty atrocious. Polyester reigns supreme, even within a few of the more "upscale" lines (Hatch Collection, I'm looking at you!). Garish prints are metered out often, perhaps to distract and disorient the pregnant body's onlookers. Outside of fast fashion retailers, prices tend to reflect manufacturers' awareness of the realities of a very limited marketplace and increasing consumer necessity. As your body grows, your options for "regular" people clothing narrow. Every day it feels like I try on a dozen things that used to fit (generously!). And each day as my choices diminish in inverse proportion to my waistline, I become increasingly desperate for comfortable but decent looking options.

I have had some luck with seasonal, summery, "regular people" pieces because of the ubiquity of stretchy cotton fabrics and maxi lengths. Earlier into things, I bought a few dresses that were sized up from my pre-pregnancy needs to help me get through the in-between. But I know I won't be able to do that forever. I didn't start off tiny and I doubt that my pregnancy will be one where I can wear "regular" clothes on a body that is adorably "all belly." I envy those women who start at a physical space and carry their pregnancies in ways that enable them to wear regular clothing through the third trimester. But I don't anticipate that I will be among them.

So I find myself browsing for research and my own impending sartorial needs. Overall, I feel really underwhelmed by the maternity clothing I've encountered online and in person. Granted, I have decided that temporary clothing is not where I prefer to invest my wardrobe budget, so I haven't seriously pursued the fanciest lines. I did buy the above dress in two colorways from ASOS*.

When I wear it I still feel like me. It has room to grow but doesn't scream "maternity." And I welcome more recommendations from the been-there-done-that and/or currently-there-currently-doing-that crowd!

Details:
ASOS maternity striped knit dress (in the other colorway here and here)
Chloé flats (current season double strap offerings here)
Alviero Martini bag (mine is vintage)

*a lot of the summer clothing (regular, plus, maternity, etc.) is on sale at ASOS and with code 10SALE you can get another 10% off (sale on sale!).

P.S. don't forget to enter the Apothica/SkincareRX/Skinbotanica giveaway! There are only a few entries and only a few days left to win!

P.P.S. you can follow my pregnancy musings by going here.