I do love a good
shopping spree. I’m as guilty as the next person when it comes to using online
a lot for the convenience, but whenever I plan a day out to pop to the shops, I
always get excited and love planning what I need to get whilst wondering what
gems I might find. Nothing quite beats walking into a store and not quite
knowing what things you may come away with.
We live in Birmingham and it tends to be the main place we go to for a shopping trip, but there is somewhere which has all of my favourite shops under one (massive) roof... intu Merry Hill. They’ve got everything from clothes stores to toy shops, homeware to shoes, accessories and stationery.
Now, I get lost
every time I visit and this week was no different! intu Merry Hill had set me a
challenge - to pick out my perfect autumn / winter maternity outfit. Autumn is
my favourite season for many reasons, including the fashion as I love dressing
in layers. Maternity fashion can be more limiting, as many retailers that offer
a maternity line only do so online - which is frustrating as being pregnant is
one of the key times where you want to try something on before buying, to make
sure it’s comfortable - so I was keen to see what new pieces I could pick up at
intu that would be versatile enough for a bumpy lady like me.
I couldn’t wait to
have a shopping spree, with time to myself to look around all my favourite
shops and not be in a rush. I looked around Next, New Look and River Island,
but then headed to Primark as I know they really stay close to the trends and
true to form, I found plenty of styles that I had seen in other stores, but in
a range of options and for a fraction of the price.
The intu Merry Hill Primark
store has to be one of the best I’ve been to. Honestly. It’s on one floor but
very vast, with a good deal for all the family and the home too, so a great one
stop shop. AND - it’s getting even bigger as we speak, in time for Christmas! I can’t believe that they’ll have even more to offer soon; I spent well over an hour enjoying myself, looking around at what was new, and was so impressed with the choice. Not only did I find a perfect autumn / winter look that would suit my bump, I actually found several outfit options, which I’m going to share with you below.
The key thing I
had in mind was to find some new wardrobe pieces that would accommodate my bump
but be versatile enough to have a life in my wardrobe, long after this baby is
born; after all, I am 35 weeks pregnant!
Here’s my autumn /
winter intu Merry Hill maternity style haul:
Look 1: the oversized jumper
Layers are your
friend in autumn / winter, to help when you go through the cold of outside to
the warmth of inside, especially when you are pregnant as I have found my
internal temperature can really fluctuate with this bun in my oven! I love a
big cosy jumper at this time of year and the slouchy style is very much in this
season, which is good news if you are curvy or if you have a bump on board.
River Island has
some fabulous chunky styles in right now, but for trend-led looks at a fraction
of the price, you really can’t beat Primark. When you’re expecting, you don’t
want to have to fork out for a whole new wardrobe just for a few months, so
finding styles that work before and after bump can make a real difference.
I bagged three slouchy
jumpers and one oversize cardigan, all £10 or £13 each, and could have walked
away with more, such was the choice at the intu Merry Hill store, in terms of
colour and design.
Leopard print is
‘in’ – although many of us might argue, when is it ever out of style?! – so I
was really pleased to scoop this beautiful bold red print jumper, and this
cream, purple and acid yellow number too – not for the faint hearted! I love
the personality they offer and they work perfectly with some comfy maternity
jeans, or maybe even leather-look leggings for an edge. They also go perfectly
with the following look too, as a way to dress down or warm up an otherwise
dressier look…
Look 2: the stretchy skirt
I’ve shied away
from skirts through my pregnancy, simple because I thought that waistbands
would be uncomfortable – I’ve been living in leggings most of the time! But
there’s so many great midi skirts out there right now, and we are getting
closer to the party season, so I thought I’d check this trend out.
I sized up a
couple of times and selected skirt styles with a stretchy waistband, so that
that could slip over my bump to sit higher on my waist, then once baby is here
and my tummy (hopefully) flattens down, they can be wriggled down.
I fell in love
with this rainbow striped glittery skirt – perhaps a Marmite choice, but I
thought this would be great for Christmas and think teamed with a slouchy tee
or jumper, it makes the look wearable from day to night.
I also spotted
this rich green pleated number, with leopard print (can you really have too
much?), which looks far more expensive than its £13 label would suggest.
I love how you can
pair this with heels for a dressier look, but also with biker boots for an edge
(my personal favourite and staple at this time of year) or pumps or even
trainers, which could see you take this look through to spring.
I picked up a Cath
Kidston X Fearne Cotton messenger bag and matching purse – a new launch, with a rainbow stripe
strap – as a perfect accessory (when baby is here, I still want to have my own
handbag within easy reach, not just rely on a changing bag), and some bold
earrings. Earrings are fab right now, but some can be a bit too over the top,
or heavy, in my opinion, so these are great for day time wear and adding a
finishing touch to keep your look polished.
Look 3: the long-line shirt
A staple for work
wardrobes and a great option to take you from bump to baby and beyond, a
long-line shirt gives you room to wriggle and grow, but keeps a smart edge.
This one I picked up in Primark, just £10, and I love the colours and paint
style print; it also has roll up sleeves, so could work for every season. Great
over leggings or jeans, it can be worn for a smart look or for every day, and
add a cardi and scarf and you’ll be super warm.
So, what do you
think? I am so pleased with what I picked up, how different items can be mixed
and matched, and how comfortable all the outfits are, despite my current size!
My top tips for
maternity wardrobe shopping are:
- invest in pregnancy
leggings, trousers and jeans, as waistbands can be really uncomfortable as
your bump starts to emerge (and you can still get some wear out of them
afterwards too whilst your body adjusts)
- For everything
else, size up. T-shirts, blouses, jumpers... just go for styles that are
looser or longer, or opt for a size or two bigger than normal
- Look for styles
that will work when you no longer have such a big bump to contend with - a
loose fit shirt now can be cinched in with a belt later when you are
rocking your post-party style
- Stretchy waistband
midi skirts are a brilliant choice as you can wear them high on your
waist, and have material for them to be shorter in length as a result, and
then after baby arrives, you can shimmy them down
- Stay true to your
own style- just because you are having a baby doesn’t mean you have to
stop dressing a certain way. Pick things that make you happy and even if
you do swap your heels for flat boots and pumps, for comfort, you can
still add personality by choosing footwear in bright colours, patterns or
with striking details
I picked up a
great tribal / Aztec influenced wrap-cardigan in H&M, some beautiful
accessories from the new Fearne Cotton collections at Cath Kidston and a few
essential items I needed to get me ready for having this baby - including big
pants (!) and nighties. I went to Boots for some new season make-up and to look
at their Christmas gift offers, popped to the Disney store and even managed to
do some food shopping as there’s an Asda on site, so it was a really productive
day all round!
With tons of places to eat and all the shops you’d expect,
including larger versions, I’d thoroughly recommend a day out at intu Merry
Hill. As with anywhere, I’d recommend getting on early so you have more time to
look around at your pace. There’s so much under one roof, you’ll definitely
find what you’re looking for, this season or next.
*I was invited to enjoy a shopping spree at intu Merry Hill, but all choices and content are my own
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