Ask Angie: Skirt top length for pregnancy - YouLookFab Forum

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Ask Angie: Skirt top length for pregnancy

Patience

Veteran

I don't have much of a bump yet but I'm wondering what the rule for skirt top length is when you have a baby belly. It seems to me that the shirt needs to cover the belly entirely-- especially since I prefer under belly waistbands for pregnancy. This is longer than the regular rule and I'd love details on how to get the most flattering effect.

Dressing

14 replies

Latest reply was from Patience

Angie

(website)

Fashion Stylist

Cute quezzie, Patience.

I’ve dressed quite a few fabulous bumps over the years and at the end of the day, I like to actually accentuate the bump instead of trying to cover it up with a curtain. It needs to stay covered for sure (no bare midriffs I’m afraid), but different styles work at different bump sizes. On you, I’d keep things as short and as sleek as possible. Don't let excess fabric overwhelm your height and growing width. Does that make sense?

Patience

Veteran

Do you mean I should wear fitted or banded tops that end at the bottom of the belly with skirts?

(Bare midriffs! Gasp! I'm laughing hard at that idea of that one.)

lwc

Patience,

I went for fitted tops during pregnancy. I found that I was able to wear regular tops from ATL during my entire pregnancies. They now offer maternity tops too. The stretchy material gave me a nice fitted look, which I prefer. Plus I had non-maternity tops to wear for the 4th trimester while I shrunk back to my pre-preggo size. Here is a pic of me at 35 weeks in one of the ATL tops I was describing. It's just a regular XS top. Something about the material just worked for me during pregnancy:

http://www.globalmidwifery.org/

For skirts, I just made sure that my entire bump was covered. Also, if I was wearing, say, a maternity pencil skirt (I had one from Gap), I made sure that my tops covered the band. I would imagine that a banded top would work for pregnancy, plus you could scrunch and adjust the length(?). And if your baby gives you an "outie" like mine did, then the drapiness of the banded top may camoflage this. Try and see.

I found that for pregnancy #2, I relied on faux wrap jersey dresses and didn't bother with skirts. Just seemed easier, I guess.

HTH...and hope you're feeling better!

Patience

Veteran

Thanks, Lesley. Beautiful picture! I am definitely trying to find regular tops that cover the bump-- it's much nicer. With my 2nd, I was really frustrated that tops-- even maternity ones-- were never long enough by the end of the pregnancy. It's not a problem to find the proper girth but apparently the designers at the time thought maternity tops needed only to be as long regular tops. This time around the variety of tops has grown greatly and lengths seem much better so I'm more hopeful.

I've been wearing a lot of dresses recently because it is definitely comfortable. This raises another question for Angie about the proper dress silhouette for pregnancy. (What you said about how flattering silhouettes change for growing bumps makes a lot of sense.) Right now, the empire waist fit and flare and non fitted sheaths work well. But for the larger bump, I feel like the the empire waist is too much like a curtain and the sack will probably no longer fit. Am I right? I did order a stretchy fitted/ruched sheath that will hug every curve but I'm a bit concerned it will be too fitted for work.

merry77

I've never been pregnant so have no practical experience. Do you follow the Academichic ladies? One of them is 7 1/2 months pregnant. I haven't loved all her looks, but she has attempted lots of different styles recently so perhaps looking at her pics will give you some ideas.

HannahC

Patience, I am afraid Angie will not agree, but during my pregnancies I felt that I looked better in longer dresses and skirts with straight silhouette (somewhere between calf length and maxi). Something about balancing the bump I guess? I had a very fab stretchy velvet black sleeveless maxi dress (purchased in France!) that I wore all the time (in winter, I wore a thin long-sleeved t-shirt underneath). It started as a loose column-like dress, and was more bump-hugging towards the end, but not too fitted. I gave it to my sister afterward, and she wore it all the time too during her pregnancy. Also, having something constricting on my belly really irritated me, so the column silhouette was ideal in this sense.

HannahC

Aha, I just saw Angie's response on the academicchic girls ... Yep, she will definitely disagree with me. I am still saying that a column silhouette might be nice, though, and it can be knee-length as well. Empire waist indeed felt too much like a curtain.

Angie

(website)

Fashion Stylist

(*chuckle*). You're right HannaC - my thoughts on casual maxi dresses remains unchanged. I know that they are popular in Israel though :0)

I love that we have a pukka fashion model on our forum! So fab! Lesley, you look beautiful in that picture.

Patience, I have never had a big pregnant belly (have been pregnant 5 times though but never made it past 12 weeks), so my wisdom comes from buying in maternity wear as a fashion buyer at some point, and physically dressing maternity clients. I therefore have a good understanding of the actual products and how they can look best draped over a bulging body. That being said, take my suggestions for what they are worth. I am in total agreement with Leslie. Cuts look best when you accentuate the entire bump. Sometimes it’s with a band, and sometimes it’s an UN-gathered empire cut. I also think it’s imperative to show leg. Contrary to what HannaC sees, I see a balanced silhouette with a short skirt. My fav maternity pieces are by British designer Isabella Oliver. You should peruse through her site. If I were pregnant, this is what I would wear:

http://www.isabellaoliver.com/.....20/I/DR051

http://www.isabellaoliver.com/.....20/I/DR064

http://www.isabellaoliver.com/.....10/I/TP020

http://www.isabellaoliver.com/.....10/I/TP045

It’s so gorgeous I can barely stand it.

shana

Veteran

Oh, I adore those Isabella Oliver dresses - I loved her ruffle wrap dress (which BR copied last fall) that was out a few years ago. I can definitely picture you in these Patience!

I preferred a more fitted look during pregnancy as well. I think especially when you are short, a maxi dress or more poufy fit & flare can make you look enormous. In my most recent pregnancy, I wore lots of dresses! I had a great knit cotton AT Loft dress (regular not maternity) that was kind of a tube sheath and I wore it to death over the summer. I also had a great Japanese Weekend dress - sort of like this one:

http://www.japaneseweekend.com.....082blk.htm

as well as a few more (one was a cute faux wrap with ruching and a fitted bottom). As you can tell, I really loved my maternity dresses! I guess it's because for once in my life, my body shape (big boobs, undefined waist) was normal!! While I usually aim for knee length with my regular dresses, I found a slightly longer length - so an inch or two below knee length slightly more balanced & flattering with the bump.

Angie, I want to reach out and give you a big hug. (((HUG))) I suffered a miscarriage myself and it was harrowing. I can only imagine how difficult it must have been for you.

Christie

Oh, sweet Angie ... ((((hugs))))

anne

Veteran

Angie, you poor dear thing! I know you have mentioned not being able to have children, but not that you find it out that way.

On the fitted top thing - I agree that fitted looks best, but not until about 5 months. Before that one's tum tends to be sort of lumpy because the bump pushes out any little bulges. Later it gets taut and fitted looks better

Ana

(website)

Veteran

Ha! I think Patience beat you to Isabelle Oliver, Angie. She e-mailed Sarah and I a couple of days ago, and I think she bought that first dress! I'm excited to see her in it.

bella

(website)

Veteran

I am sorry for your loss Angie. Big hugs!!!

How gorgeous are those Isabelle Oliver outfits!!!

A little OT but I think Target has great maternity clothes. I can't tell you how many times I grabbed a piece of clothing because I liked the color, pattern, cut, etc and had it put it right back when I realized it was from the maternity line.

Patience

Veteran

Now I'm jumping up and down because that first IO dress is exactly the one I ordered last week. I can't wait till it gets here and I'm really hoping it works. I also really like the style of the last shirt but I'm wondering if I can wear those sleeves with my shoulders?

I'm with Angie on the maxi dresses, especially because I'm on the shorter side. I was following the academichic blog, but somehow it got connected with my nausea and I can't look at it anymore. When I'm done with the nausea I may go back and browse the site, but I found that while I admire her look it isn't really akin to my own style.

Another BIG HUG from me to you, Angie too. I can't imagine what you have gone through, but the thought of it really pangs my heart to the greatest degree. And I will always take to heart any maternity fashion advice you have to give.

PS. The good news is that I have found a new photographer-- my 5 yr old daughter so whenever I have enough energy in the evenings I will hopefully have a whole slew of outfits to upload.