About four weeks into pregnancy I found my boobs were actually swelling with lushness. Finally that right of passage was here! 33 years old and my mom could take me shopping for a bra! I have always been flat chested.
I appreciate breasts immensely. I mean I love curves on other women, but I honestly have never really wanted a more ample bossom myself. More over, I never wanted to have an “over the should boulder holder”, as Bette Midler crooned about in Beaches. Cheryl has gorgeous breasts that I adore, but when I see her take off her bra sometimes with marks on her skin it makes me wince. I couldn’t do the underwire, cup thing so I set out for some bando type diddies for me titties and felt it actually extremely comforting to hold my growing chest in close.
On our journey I checked out some maternity stores. Evymama on the Danforth, B to B Maternity on Bayview and Belly on Mt.Pleasant.
We walked into Belly, where the waif like blonde woman, no thicker than my thigh, and she was helping other waif-like, apparently pregnant women out. My mother and I immediately gave each other the “wtf” glance. The woman seemed to look at me in my layered rag look the same way. But I tucked some of my judgement away and went over to the racks of expensive and monochromatically laid out boring clothes. Shades of gray and black, t-shirts for 90$ and skinny maternity waist jeans for $250. I tried on a black size large cotton t-shirt and could barely fit it over my head, it was so tight on my arms I had to get my mom to pull it off me. This was obviously not for me, I could barely fit into a large and I wasn’t even showing yet!
Next we headed to B and B Maternity on Bayview, which is a consignment store, so I thought could be a bit more variety in style and price but again it was pretty slim pickings, nothing too fun and bold or alternative. It was discouraging.
Then we passed by Tzatz a “designer boutique for boomer women”. My mom saw a purple moo moo like dress in the window and we thought why not. Immediately I found a couple larger sized fitted and diaphanous type sweaters in unique materials and colours that fit and had room to grow and made me feel like a natural woman. Also the sales people were hilarious, these two coiffed and manicured older European woman immediately came to our assistance and not in the annoyingly aggressive way, and were all, “Dahling, would you like something like thees?” I felt like Pretty Woman. The prices were not cheap but I got a couple key items to grow with that felt fashionable and fresh, it was well worth it. Fuck maternity shopping I decided, those stores are for Posh preggos, something I am not.
Now I don’t mean to offend, we are all individuals and perhaps these stores work for you….but if they don’t here are some of my tips.
H n M- Back to Basics– I found amazing selection here of leggings that had a loose fitting waist that is completely comfortable and can be worn with long tops and dresses, Simple straight cut skirts- I found a couple long skirts not too tight but pencil style so it gives a slimming feel and the waist band can be worn over the belly and look great!
Cardigans without bottons- I few cardigans that do not need to be done up and can still provide warmth
Long Tank tops and tops- I love layering a long tight tank top and then adding a shirt overtop
Joe Fresh– Large and Extra Large- Long sleeve tops and t-shirts
Now, the one maternity thing I did purchase at Evymama which has been fabulous so far was the Bellaband- I think it was around 30$ and allows me to wear my jeans unbuttoned which is still comfortable at 7 months baked.
with womb to grow 