Disclaimer: I know a lot of people will think it's crazy to consider premium maternity denim, but as a denim addict, I really feel compelled to write this post.

Justifying premium maternity denim.
I completely agree that is really hard to justify premium maternity denim. But this post is about how to justify premium denim, assuming it fits your budget. My justification stems from two lessons from Angie:
1. You should consider price per wear vs. absolute cost. If you purchase 1-2 pairs of premium maternity denim and wear them *all the time* what will your price per wear be? With discipline you can avoid spending money on all those less expensive and less well fitting pants you may be tempted to try.
2. Once you've worn premium denim it's hard to go back. It may be worthwhile to have that extra boost of well-being from wearing a killer pair of jeans as your body transforms before your eyes.

Also consider that there's a good chance that you will be able to wear these jeans in the 4th trimester and maybe even beyond. You will be one stylish new mama.

How to purchase premium maternity denim.
If you are building a maternity capsule, you should be able to get away with just 1-2 pairs of premium denim. Two pairs will be necessary if you expect your bottom half to change a lot throughout the pregnancy in which case you may need one pair for trimester 1-2 and one pair for trimester 3. Don't buy the trimester 3 pair until you get uncomfortable in your first pair! You may only need one pair if you live in a warmer climate or run hot in pregnancy as they may just be too hot to wear in summer. Then buy them in the season you plan to wear them in. Another reason to buy 2 pairs is if you want them hemmed different lengths.

I tend to agree that paying full price for premium maternity denim is not a wise choice for my budget so here are some tips on how to buy discounted premium denim (I'd try to go for >40% off).

1. Try on as many brands and styles as you can either in a local boutique or ordered online with the intention of returning. This is to figure out style and size that best suits you. If you're going to pay the money, you want them to be perfect.
--Brands that make maternity-- Citizens of Humanity (good for fuller bottom), Paige Premium, J Brand, James. Based on my experience, the maternity versions of these brands fit similar body types as the regular versions.
--Do the sit test- make sure they are comfortable to sit or even squat in
--Determine if you're an over the belly or under the belly panel kind of person.
--Consider the rise of the denim portion-- I find this very important as my maternity rise (under the belly) is quite short. If the rise of the denim portion is too high it will cut uncomfortably across your belly, particularly when sitting.
--You want the jeans to fit well but you also want a little growing room. This is kind of tricky but basically you want to go for the size that feel comfy but doesn't feel like it's going to fall off

2. Then stalk for the pair you want on ebay, online maternity sites, and coupons. It probably depends on the season but my experience has been that discounted premium denim is readily available if you're patient. Even Nordstrom seems to have pretty good sale rate.

3. Another option is to purchase regular discounted premium denim (or use a pair you already have) and have them altered to have a belly panel. Keep in mind that this may require going up a size or two as your hips and belly grow.

4. This is an investment for your maternity capsule. Take the time to find the right pair because you don't want to spend the money on a pair that doesn't look great or is uncomfortable even if you do find that great deal.