The Best Maternity Dresses in All the Land
In my ongoing search for the best maternity dresses in all the land, one brand has emerged as the clear leader: One Brand to Rule Them All, if you will.
The brand? Isabella Oliver: who sell what I think of as maternity wear for grown ups, really. So there’s no baby-doll dresses, no dungarees, no frumpy prints or silly cut-outs… instead, there’s just a range of clothes which, when I first looked at them, didn’t make me think, “Hmm, those are nice maternity dresses,” but simply, “Those are nice dresses: I wonder if they do a non-maternity version, too, because I think I might just want to wear them forever?”
(SPOILER: Yes, they do… but more on that later.)
There was just one problem with Isabella Oliver, however: they may well sell the best maternity dresses in all the land, but they’re not particularly cheap… which is why I’m so excited to be collaborating with them today. This is their ‘Nia’ ruched dress (which is currently on sale, making it a whole lot more affordable), and it’s everything I love in a dress, basically, from the classic stripe print, to the fitted shape, and comfortable, stretch material. Best of all, when I put this dress on, I felt like myself, but with a bump, as opposed to the strange, almost unrecognisable version of myself I’ve been seeing in the mirror lately, and that made me so happy I could quite easily have bought up the whole website. (Well, I mean, that would actually have been quite difficult, given how much it would’ve cost me, but you get what I mean…)
Thanks to the ruching around the stomach, plus the stretch fabric, quite a few of Isabella Oliver’s maternity dresses can be worn after pregnancy, too: I’m really hoping that’ll be the case for me, because they’re exactly the kind of styles I love wearing anyway, but, just in case I end up stretching them out too much, they also have a sister brand, Baukjen, which sells similar styles, but in non-maternity cuts.
I guess I know where I’ll be shopping next year, then, huh?
WEARING:
‘Nia’ ruched maternity dress c/o Isabella Oliver
H&M denim jacket
Michael Kors wedges*
Phillip Lim 3.1 mini Pashli satchel*
Myra
This is exactly how I felt about the mother of the bride outfits – loved them on other people, but I felt like an alien in them. So I bought a plain suit with complementary top, shoes and a large but plain hat. Then I felt like me.
Love this dress on you
Bianca
A beautiful dress. I wish I had this dress during my pregnancy.
Greets, Bianca
http://ladyandmum.blogspot.de
D
Wow! How happy am I for you??? Ecstatic!!!
Back in the day, this 5’0″ mama to be wore nothing but maternity slacks and tops. Why? I looked like Omar the tent maker had made my dress (just ONE) and I hated it. It felt like every little breeze went up the entire length of that dress and made me feel EXPOSED! (And a little cold, too.)
This dress makes me almost wish I could do it all again…emphasis on ‘almost’.
Happy Infanticipating in style.
Brenda
That is an awesome dress! I wish we had dresses like that back when I was pregnant. Even though it is a bit more pricey, because you are pregnant for a short time (in the grand scheme of things — although I know there are days it feels like FOREVER!!!), I think it is better to find a few expensive things that you feel AMAZING in, rather than a bunch of cheaper things that you don’t feel great in (or don’t last very long)… Even if you wear the heck out of that dress, you will look great and it will have been worth it!
Corina | Now THAT I Can Do, Mama!
You look so cute pregnant, congratulations Amber! By the way, your blogging eBook was a helpful resource for me about a year ago. Thanks for sharing your best tips on it to help other bloggers like myself out. <3
Maria
Completely agree best brand for maternity !! I remember seraphine leggings for living in too even though I’m really not a leggings girl !!! They were the comfiest things ever !!
You look absolutely radiant!!!xx
myTamarin
❤️ Isabella Oliver maternity clothes! So comfortable and very flattering.
Lori L.
Amber, you look exactly like yourself in this outfit. By that I mean, THIS is your style. Lovely.
Porcelina
You look fab and just like you!! I had a peek at their website and their dresseds are just really lovely dresses. Will have to check out the sister brand x
What Lou Wore 365
God I would have loved to wear their stuff when I was pg but it was just so expensive for a few months and I’m an idiot and didn’t think to look on eBay for people selling off their old IO stuff! Agree on grown up maternity wear, you look fab.