Maternity Fashion Q&A with Mothers En Vogue Founder – Sharon Ho-Norton
1. What're the common fashion faux pas for pregnant women, especially
the ones who're in their 2nd 3rd trimester?
By the time women are visibly pregnant with a bump, they are suddenly thrown out of sync with their usual body shape. Areas that see the biggest changes, apart from the belly, are usually the breasts and hips; and not surprisingly, women feel unsure and unconfident about how they should dress up their new shape!
One of the commonest fashion faux pas is to “break-up” the pregnant figure with too many different contrasting colours, especially when it’s stark contrasting tops and bottoms. Dressing up in, say, a white top and a navy or black pants will have the visual impact of “breaking” the silhouette of your body, making a pregnant figure look even more rotund, wider (especially if a top falls at hip length) and shorter.
The overall challenge and shopping strategy for most Asian built women is to look for pieces that elongate your whole frame.
1) When it comes to colours, pick single or monochromatic tones so it creates continuity in the look, making you look longer and leaner.
2) When you are expecting, most women tend to grow 2-3 times their usual bust size! When you’re top heavy for this body type, V-neck tops are most flattering. V necklines have vertical lines which draw the eye up. That makes your torso look longer and leaner. Do not go for fancy details and ruffles at the neckline, they only add bulk!
3) Pick clothes with clean lines and slim cuts. These will compliment your rounded figure far better than loose fitting, full cut tops and dresses. Also, avoid any tops that are too fussy (think gathers aplenty, bows and ribbons, too many buttons, too many colours etc) – they just add “bulk” and “noise” to your bump. For pants, bootleg cuts are very flattering – a slim-fitting style with a slight flare at the bottom to balance out the width of your belly and hips.
4) Pick garments by their fit and not size. Buy clothing that actually fits your body; the fabric of your clothes should skim your curves. Anything too big / baggy or too small (such as stretching your pre-pregnancy tank) will make you look larger than you are.
5) Don’t forget your shoes! Colour co-ordinate them to your outfit so that it helps with the length illusion.
2. What to you is a chic mum?
A chic mum is a woman who wears things that look good on her; more importantly she co-ordinates her attire to reflect her personality and doesn’t blindly follow the trends. Instead of chasing the trends, she selectively picks out a few pieces to incorporate into her wardrobe – injecting an up-to-date feel. A chic mum also makes sure her hair, make-up, clothes and shoes look “pulled together”!
3. What are the essentials that mums-to-be need in their closet?
Regardless of the lifestyle you lead, here’s what each mom should have at the very least:-
o A selection of comfy cotton/spandex stretch maternity tanks, tees or tops - your staples for casual wear and the weekends .
o One slim-fitting bootleg crop capris – your basic trendy bottom for matching with casual tanks and tees
o One bootleg cut jeans – this is what every contemporary Mom who loves to look trendy should have! Makes sure you select a lightweight cotton jean. Denims go with almost any top!
o The essential black dress in stretch knit fabrication. A dress that you can dress up for more formal occassions or dressed down for casual get-togethers.
o Last but not least, if you intend to breastfeed, have at hand at least one nursing top (especially before you get into delivery)!