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Decadent Monday: Prelegant Brings European Maternity Fashion Stateside*

March 26, 2012

Here at PF, we spend a good bit of time lamenting the unavailability of chic, European maternity clothing lines in the United States. I like Target and The Gap as much as the next pregnant woman, but when it comes time to make an investment in one’s maternity wardrobe, it’s nice to have options beyond the mass-market retailers…and even nicer when you can buy something completely unique and well, European.

Such was exactly the thought of Raphy Tolub and Yohann Cherbit, who recently founded Prelegant.com, an online maternity boutique devoted to bringing luxury European maternity lines to the American marketplace. Slacks & Co. from London, l’avenue des Bebes and Pomkin, both out of France–until now, it has been almost impossible for pregnant American woman to purchase these impossibly chic maternity lines without shopping internationally. Prelegant.com is seeking to change that and is offering a small, but well-chosen selection of occasion dresses and business wear in its new online boutique. Prelegant is carrying Slacks & Co.’s new Stockholm Suit Jacket, which pairs easily with the line’s extensive selection of maternity trousers. Once I spotted this blazer, I realized I have an answer to all of those emails I receive from pregnant women desperate to find an attractive, designer-quality suit for the office.

Pomkin’s caramel-colored Cristina Dress looks exactly like what a fabulous French pregnant woman might wear to the office. Pomkin’s tiered black Charleston Cocktail Dress looks exactly like what that same fabulous French pregnant woman might wear later that evening to a cocktail party.

Prelegant.com is offering PF readers an exclusive 15% discount sitewide for this week only with promotional code “FASHIONISTA.” Prelegant is exactly the sort of business we pregnant fashionistas need to be supporting and I know of what I write here. I’ve seen too many aspiring maternity designers or retailers abandon the market because they claim pregnant women simply aren’t willing to invest in their maternity wardrobes and would ultimately rather stock up at Target. High-end maternity doesn’t sell, they tell me. I sincerely beg to differ…but I will admit, it does help when that high-end maternity is 15% off.

*This posting was sponsored by Prelegant.com

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Why Buy When You Can Rent?*

February 8, 2012

9Fashion’s “Tessa” Stretch Tulle Dress – Rents for $69

Here at PF, one of our most common questions from readers is, “Where can I find a special occasion maternity dress that won’t cost me a lot of money?” There aren’t a lot of good answers to that question. In exchange for a flattering designer maternity dress that you actually like and want to wear to a wedding or cocktail party or your baby shower, you usually need to invest a substantial amount of cash. And then, it hangs in your closet for the remainder of your pregnancy. And though you will plan on wearing it again after your pregnancy…you won’t.

More of Me Maternity’s “Tres Jolie LBMD” - Rents for $59

Enter Marcelle Costello, a mom to young twins, a former Conde Naster, and the founder of RentMaternityWear.com. Marcelle’s online maternity boutique offers special occasion maternity dresses from some of your favorite designers, including Nicol Caramel, Olian, More of Me, and Maternal America. The dresses are, however, not for sale, they can only be rented. RentMaternityWear.com’s business model is unique among online clothing rental outlets and it’s obviously working, as the company has shipped more than 2,000 dresses to pregnant fashionistas since launching in June 2009. The dresses are purchased brand new, and then rented to customers for a limited period of seven days, with the specific intention that they are only worn once for the special occasion. RentMaternityWear intentionally limits the rental period in order to keep its dresses in pristine condition. When you place your order, it includes two sizes of the same dress to ensure you end up with the proper size. After the seven-day rental period, your dresses ship back for free, no need to dry clean. Rental charges range from $35 to $69, with the majority of rentals coming in at less than $49.

Small spills are also considered typical wear and tear. Believe it or not, you won’t be charged for them.

*This is a sponsored blog posting from RentMaternityWear.com

Tagged as: Dresses

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Still Nothing To Wear to The Office? “Suits Your Belly” Is Poised To Change That**

January 9, 2012

PF Readers Receive An Exclusive 30% Off With Promo Code prgnsta 30

It’s not often that a truly clever new idea comes along in the maternity fashion market. Sadly, items like the rather useless Limited Edition Kourtney Kardashian Black Lace Belly Cincher receives gobs of attention when they enter the marketplace. While Kourtney’s been busy hocking a strangely suggestive lace postpartum girdle for $69, Jennifer Skanron’s been plugging along in Wisconsin with what might be one of the most useful creations to hit the market in a good long while.

Jennifer’s company, Suits Your Belly, designs maternity business wear for working women who may still need to maintain a professional look at work. I’ve been openly skeptical here at PF about maternity businesswear, but I don’t need to wear it and a lot of women do, so I welcome any designer who chooses to tackle this difficult maternity wear dilemma. Though she’s new to the maternity fashion industry, Jennifer’s businesswear is among the most thoughtfully conceived I’ve seen in the market thus far.

It’s Jennifer’s own homegrown creation, the Zip-In Panel, that has me particularly impressed. Jennifer has figured out a way to turn a first trimester, under-the-bump trouser into a 39-week, over-the-bump trouser with a patent-pending cotton/spandex elastic panel that zips in and out of the waistband of her trousers. So many maternity designers advertise their items as appropriate for wear from the “beginning to end” of your pregnancy, but that is very often pure talk. Suits Your Belly is selling the real thing, i.e., a pair of maternity trousers you will not outgrow or have to abandon because they just don’t stay up anymore. Jennifer’s offerings are simple. Suits Your Belly’s trousers come in a single, basic wide-leg style offered in five different office-appropriate colors–black, chocolate brown, navy, grey, and beige. The quality is high and the trouser’s natural waistband includes buttons for adjusting as you expand and/or shrink down. You may add the Zip-In Panel whenever you decide you need it (Click here to watch a video detailing how it works). The natural waistband remains, but when you decide you need it, you suddenly have much-needed assistance in keeping it where it needs to be. And once you’ve given birth, and begin the process of “downsizing,” you can remove the Zip-In Panel and continue to wear the trousers without it.

Suits Your Belly also designs a lovely wool cashmere two-piece suit with matching trousers that also feature the same Zip-In Panel. Again, the style is basic, but the suit is available in four different colors. Work-appropriate blouses are also available in subtle shades of white, blue, pink, and lavender.

Jennifer is a small entrepreneur and a mom, two very valid reasons for giving her nascent line a try. And, starting today, she is offering PF readers an exclusive 30% off all purchases in Suits Your Belly’s online boutique with promotional code “prgnsta 30.” All purchases from Suits Your Belly are returnable within 14 days of receipt and Jennifer offers $5 flat-rate shipping.

Jennifer’s idea may very well be the next big thing in maternity wear. I am hoping it is just a matter of time before she attaches that Zip-In Panel to something made of leather.

**This is a sponsored blog posting, paid for by Suits Your Belly.

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Hollywood’s Pregnant Starlets Love Seraphine Maternity*

September 8, 2011

Courtesy: X17

Hollywood starlet Jessica Alba just gave birth to her second baby, and we are all rightly mourning the end of an uber-stylish pregnancy during which Jessica flaunted her bump on the red carpet, on magazine covers, by the beach, and even while she was out getting coffee.

Seraphine Maternity figured prominently in Jessica’s maternity wardrobe and rightly so. Just days before giving birth, gorgeous Jessica grabbed one last latte while wearing her Seraphine Maxi Dress. With on-trend pieces that kept Jessica and fellow starlets Kate Hudson and January Jones outfitted throughout their pregnancies, the London-based maternity line is already a stateside favorite among celebrity moms-to-be. And, despite the line’s superior eye for current trends and high-quality fabrics, you do not have to be a movie star to afford Seraphine’s pieces. The new Fall 2011 line is just in and prices range from $35 for a must-have purple leather Obi Belt to $149 for the line’s gorgeous winter wool Knitted Cape.

Seraphine’s entire line is available to American shoppers in the line’s easy-to-navigate U.S.-based online boutique, rendering Jessica’s chic, effortless pregnancy style just a few clicks away.

*This is a sponsored blog posting, paid for by Seraphine Maternity.

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