Avoid very stiff fabrics like linen and cotton poplin

Tag : Chiffon Fabric
While there are certainly some compromises to be made, it canalso be a fun time to experiment with some new shapes, styles andcolours.
I think that if you follow these basic guidelines, and invest inthe highest quality style basics, you will be able to sail throughyour pregnancy with your style status intact.
Fabric, fabric, fabric
The first law of dressing the bump, is to get your fabric choicesright. Fabrics that crease easily are hard and stick out at weirdangles over your curves.
Fabrics that drape and are fluid, however, skim over your curvesproviding gentle accentuation and coverage where you need each ofthem most.
When you are looking at maternity clothing, always check that thefabric doesn't crease  if it does it is simply not going toflatter the bump.
Fabrics that are a total windfall for maternity wear include:jersey cotton, knits, silk, chiffon and viscose.
Avoid very stiff fabrics like linen and cotton poplin. And alwaysgo for natural fabrics as your internal thermostat is going to beset higher and your clothes need to breathe and keep you cool. Itmust be said that a bit of spandex really does help with the everincreasing belly  but make sure you keep it to around five percentof the fabric content of your clothes to ensure that you maintainthe benefits of the natural fabrics.
Lines and layers
To ensure a fuss-free maternity wardrobe, make sure that you keepyour style relatively simple, relying on accessories to jazz up theensemble rather than complicated garments.
Clean lines are going to be the most flattering for you, so work inclassic pieces for your core wardrobe. This has the doubleadvantage of lasting throughout your pregnancy (and beyond) as wellas ensuring that you are as stylish as you ever were.
Learning to layer is the most important lesson to take on board and it is going to come in handy after the baby is born astrans-seasonality has become the latest trend in internationalfashion, relying heavily on layering.
Make sure you have plenty of basic jersey or wool thin knits thatyou can wear underneath your summer blouses and frocks as theweather turns cooler. You will be pregnant through three fullseasons, so it is an excellent idea to get to grips with this oneearly on.
Shape and silhouette
This is the time of your life that it is absolutely essential foryou to maximise your assets. You are probably going to have thebest bust line you will ever have, so subtly show it off  whilstretaining your dignity.
A nice v-neck or scoop neck is the best way to do this. Your skin,hair and nails will also be at their peak, so make sure you makethe most of these assets as well.
Your silhouette will change throughout your pregnancy, but fightthe urge to just hide it all under a great big tent, or let it allhang out for everyone to see.
Neither of these options is ideal. By wearing enormous clothes, youwill simply look more enormous, so keep your silhouette slim and asfitted as you usually dress, without being too clingy.
A top riding up over the bump, coupled with a dinky skirt or pairof shorts that obviously no longer fits you is all a bit unseemlyand common. So if you don't usually wear clothes that are too smallfor you  now is not the time to start.
Items that fit you well are always going to be stylish and show youto your best advantage, don't let this change with pregnancy.
Items with a bit of stretch will also fit better and make you feelmore comfortable. The added advantage is that they will alsoincrease the longevity of the clothes which is important if youcan't afford to buy a lot of new pieces.
Colour conscious
Black is always the most versatile and flattering colour to wearwhen you are working with a capsule wardrobe. But make sure thatyou make your outfit come alive by using pops of colour in youraccessories, or by coupling a bright cardigan with your black wrapdress. You will be able to get some wear out of your pre-pregnancyclothes by leaving a coloured top layer, like a cardigan or jacket,open over your outfit.
Monochrome  wearing the same colour and tone in all your pieces creates a very slimming look and provides more polish when you arefeeling a bit all over the place. It also builds in a lot moreversatility in your wardrobe by ensuring that all your individualpieces work with each other.
Just a note on decorations and decals. Just because you arepregnant does not mean you have to go all cutesy. Slogans like'yummy mummy in waiting' and other pictures on your tops are nomore appropriate now than it has ever been. I think that theyshould be avoided along with decorations on your jeans.
Size matters
There is such confusion over sizes with maternity clothes, whenactually it is really simple.
There are two options. Look at non-maternity items in flatteringshapes, like an empire-line dress or top, and go a size up to makesure it fits your growing bump.
However, if you are buying maternity clothing, stick to your normalsize. The manufacturers have already factored in all the usual bodychanges and expansion to your standard sizing and so there is noneed to go larger on the size.
So apply this idea to your existing wardrobe. Before you rush outand buy a whole new maternity selection, go through all yourcurrent clothes and pull out any jersey or stretch, any empirelines, and any loose-fitting blazers. Almost all of these will seeyou through the first two trimesters of your pregnancy, simplypaired with some maternity trousers or jeans.
Stylish quality staples
Quality is the key watch word in a capsule wardrobe, such as youneed for your maternity period. Make sure you buy the best-qualityitems that you can afford, as you will make them work really hardfor those six months that you need them. This way you will getgenuine value for money from these items.
The 10 basics that every maternity wardrobe needs are: Boot cut maternity jeans in dark denim
Boot-cut or wide-leg maternity black trousers
An empire line dress  preferably in colour
A black wrap dress
Good support underwear
Longer length t-shirts and vests in a variety of colours and shapes
A jacket, lightweight coat or longer cardigan  with a tie belt
Some stretch/knit longer length tops, preferably with an empireline and scoop neck
Chiffon or viscose tunic to wear over your trousers and jeans
Maxi dress or wrap skirt as a fun piece for the summer (channelAngelina Jolie or Gwen Stefani)
Make sure everything that you buy when you are pregnant would besomething that you would have considered buying before this. You donot throw away your own personal style just because you are goingto have a baby  a lesson well worth remembering when you come upfor air after the baby is born!
For more information on Robyn and her personal styling services, goto: www.robyncooke-styleguide.co.za