A couple of decades ago, the phrase, ‘maternity wear’ used to conjure up images of dowdy, oversized shirts and baggy jeans. Thankfully, fashion has long since caught up with the times and most brands pride themselves on a maternity section that takes the very best styles from the current catwalk crop, transforming them into flattering threads for every stage of pregnancy. This year, there’s an abundance of maternity friendly styles out there and one of the most popular is the midi dress. Trendy and easy-on-the-eye, this spring-summer staple is taking the high street by storm.
Midi length revival
Whilst the length might not convince everyone immediately, this year’s key trend for midi skirts comes with numerous ways to wear them and wear them well. Teaming with ankle boots for the daytime and switching to wedges or heels at night, the midi length can take you from work to party with a few simple tweaks, which goes a long way to explaining its popularity with buyers.
With many high street names getting in on the action, you can shop for a range of prints from nautical stripes to hot coral colours and floral motifs. For those who are looking for a bit more zing when it comes to their spring collection, tribal patterns in shades of yellow and turquoise are big, whilst the winter’s Baroque trend continues with many styles of midi dress.
Add to this the celebrity endorsements, with everyone from Jessica Alba to Nicole Scherzinger rocking the mid-calf look and it’s not hard to see what’s making this style a hit at the moment.
Maternity style
So how do you wear this trend when you’re expecting? The good news is, the midi dresses filling the racks of every high street shop have built-in design features that make them perfectly suited to a pregnant figure. Most are what’s known as ‘bodycon’. This is a slimline, curve-hugging cut, usually made of supple and soft fabric to fit a range of figure, shapes and sizes.
Many maternity dresses for spring / summer are emulating the matt colours and geometric design of the Sixties, a great low-key look for the day. Casual jersey dresses in monochrome tones also work well in a maternity wardrobe, with many expectant mothers preferring understated shades of black and grey for workwear.
Tube dresses and sleeveless styles are also ideal for the upcoming warmer months, as well as key items for a holiday in the sun, whilst the ethnic trend translates well to maternity wear, with black and white Aztec prints and tie-dye finishes flattering your bump without overstating it. Even, during pregnancy women likes to prefer maternity swimwear to cover up or accentuate their baby bumps.
With styles this fashion conscious and flattering to choose from, it’s easy to wave goodbye to that frumpy image of pregnancies past. Whether it’s a jersey dress for your mid-week shopping treat or a glamorous bodycon in black for the evening, midi maternity dresses look set to remain for the season.
Sarah Haynes is a freelance fashion writer for several online and print publications, looking at everything from costume jewellery trends to celebrity style picks. Her research into the best maternity dresses for spring / summer have made her a favourite among pregnant pals in recent months.