Celebrity stylist Alex Longmore's maternity style guide: How to dress during your pregnancy

Alex Longmore, stylist to the stars, gives her top tips to ensure you and your bump are looking your best.

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As a stylist who has dressed many celebrity bumps, I am often asked what suits expectant mums and what they should be wearing when their body begins to change shape.

I urge all those mums out there to banish the word ‘frumpy’ from their vocabulary! This is an exciting time and your beautiful bump should be celebrated, which is why I’ve created the Maternity Style Guide with Persil Non-Bio and Comfort Pure, to ensure you look and feel your best!

Outfits & Shapes

• For relaxed, daytime elegance match a figure hugging dark top with a printed scarf and a pair of maternity jeans. Wear this with your usual staples and you will look every inch a yummy mummy!

• Show a little flesh in the evenings. Skin exposed on décolletage, arms and legs will balance your bump and keep you in proportion. If you feel over-exposed, simply wrap a scarf around you to draw attention away.

• Take a tip from the celebrities – they always mix maternity wear with mainline clothes. Buy a size or two up and mix them with pregnancy items, such as a stretchy wrap top with cool leather jacket or bolero.

• If you’re tall make sure you wear something that shows off your legs, if you’re petite then stick to tight tops and baggy trousers. Remember, it’s a balancing act.

• Often the 3-5 months stage is the most difficult to dress, when you’re not quite big enough for maternity styles! This is the time to wear everything just that bit bigger than you normally would.

• Buying months in advance is a bad idea with maternity wear as you don’t know how you will look as your bump grows, so buy month by month.

• Maternity dressing can be expensive, so if you don’t want to blow the budget, swishing is a great idea. Persil Non-Bio and Comfort Pure are encouraging mums to hold their own Maternity Swishing parties, where you can wash and swap maternity wear and baby clothes.

Colours & Prints

• Stick with block colours. Don’t be tempted by too many patterns and prints as they can be overwhelming. Experiment with bright and bold colours in sections e.g. coloured jeans and a dark fitted top.

• Stripes are fine for early pregnancy, in fact often they are good at disguising the first signs of a mini bump, but try to steer clear in the latter stages.

• Layering looks great on your top half; different coloured vests worn over each other give an interesting flash of colour and size you down instantly.

Fabrics

• Being comfortable is a top priority, so choose lightweight and soft fabrics like cotton.

• Long maxi dresses are a really good summer option, but remember to stick to block colours and make sure you invest in breathable material to avoid overheating.

• Invest in a really good pair of maternity jeans. Make sure they have a bit of stretch in them and always buy them a bit tighter than is comfortable as they will stretch once you have worn them a few times.

Accessorize

• Buy a handbag as big as your bump, it will make you appear smaller and has a dual purpose as it’s great to hide behind when you want to!

• Shoes for the day should consist of flat ballet pumps, converse style trainers or sandals that stop at the ankle – anything that goes up the leg will cut your shape.

• Victoria Beckham wore towering Louboutins for The Royal Wedding when carrying Harper. I’m not suggesting you go to that extreme, but do go for a bit of a heel for an evening out or that special occasion. You can always pop a pair of ballet flats in your oversized handbag for tired feet later on in the evening.

Underwear

• Bras should lift and support and knickers need to be big and smooth enough not to give a ‘VPL’.

• When it comes to bedtime, soft silk and negligee styles with lots of lace work really well and will make you feel your best. For a comfy option, go for a nightdress instead of pyjama bottoms.

Special Occasions

• Weddings and special occasions can be the hardest things to dress for, but this is your chance to shine! Invest in a knee length dress or a fitted wrap dress. Avoid short jackets and wear one that is three quarter length or stops at the knee.

• For special evening events, long empire line dresses that have just a bit of decoration or diamante around the bust area look fantastic. They are best worn in pretty pastel colours with yards of flowing chiffon. If you can get away with it, wear as a strapless gown- the favourite of pregnant glamour pusses on the red carpet.

Download Persil Non-Bio and Comfort Pure’s party pack to hold your own Maternity Swishing party, it’s the perfect excuse for a get together with your friends and to have a big trying on session!

Persil Non-Bio and Comfort Pure have teamed up with Alex Longmore, to inspire women to hold a Maternity Swishing Party to swap maternity and baby clothes no longer needed, and help raise money for premature baby charity, Tommy’s. Visit www.facebook.com/comfortzoneuk for more information.