Maternity fashion tips: Tall, petite or plus size maternity styles and how to wear them

Finding styles that suit our shapes can be difficult at the best of times, especially if you're tall, petite or plus-size. 

Just as we've found those perfect staple pieces, that positive blue line comes along and challenges us all over again, especially once that precious bump begins to grow.

We decided to wave our magic wand to give you some maternity fashion advice on how to dress your body type.

Tall maternity fashion
Thankfully a range of designers and high street stores are waking up to the fact that tall women don't want to be left with chilly ankles when they pull their jean bump band up to where it should be, with Dorothy Perkins and Jojo Maman Bebe just some offering maternity jeans with 34" and 36" legs.
Team up with wrap shirts or empire line tops that will elongate your figure and show off your bump. Longer style cardigans or knitted maternity jumpers also ensure your bump remains covered.

Plus size maternity fashion
According to Baukjen de Swaan Arons, the Founder of Isabella Oliver, going up a few sizes to fit your bump will swamp other parts of your body, creating an unflattering look.

A ruched design, like this from Isabella Oliver, will create soft fitted pleats across your bump with extra fabric that can be adjusted as your body changes shape.

Wrap tops and dresses, clinched at the waist, will let you show off that new cleavage as well as allowing the rest of the fabric to drape effortlessly over your curves.

Petite maternity fashion advice

Tiffany Rose, a designer of evening and daytime maternity wear advises keeping it simple.

"Choose form-fitting styles with a smooth silhouette and choose fabrics with some stretch to give you the best fit.  Knee length is great for petite figures.  Avoid large or busy prints and opt for tonal colours, blocking or stretch lace," she said

"Emphasise the narrowest part of your body - your empire waist - by adding a contrasting sash.  Open necklines such as scooped and cross-over will flatter your décolletage.  Draw the eye up with a beautiful necklace," she added.

Also take advantage of the 60s turn up trend, opting for standard length jeans, which can be turned up to channel this, while maternity tops, made for "average" sized ladies, can also be worn as dresses.

Halloween maternity fashion and make-up ideas: The Devil

Halloween is almost upon us and we're gearing up for an evening of fun and fashion.

Last week we bought you a range of ideas on how to dress your bump for this scary event and today we thought we'd continue the theme with a few tips on how to get that perfect maternity devil look.

As we've said before, Halloween outfits have moved on from the traditional full fancy dress, making it easier to channel the scary look when you're pregnant, and the virtual highstreet is brimming with key pieces to help you get that perfect fancy dress look at a budget.

A bargain pair of horns are a great way to kickstart this look, while a red dress, which elegantly covers your bump is perfect for adding to this theme.

However, the key part of this look all rests on the make up, which has again moved on from the traditional painted red demoness face, and into something alot more sultry. 

Get to work on creating a smokey eye look, starting with a dark grey or black eyeshadow, coating your upper lid and taking the colour right up to the brow.

Add a thick coating of gel eyeliner round the frame of your eyes and lashings of mascara and complete the look with some bright red lipstick.

See the gallery below for our top fashion and make up looks to help you channel the devil trend this Halloween.

Take a bargain pair of horns, like these from Poundland

Add to an on-trend red maternity dress, which can be worn again over the Christmas party season. We heart this one from Asos, £55

Go for a sultry devil make-up look

Coat eyelids in a grey shadow like this one from Steenbergs

Finish off eyes with a thick coating of liquid eyeliner like this one from Bobbi Brown

Complete the look with red lippy like this one from Topshop

AW 2012 trends: The Polo neck - we pick the best styles for your bump

Christopher Kane AW 2012

Roll necks made a huge statement on the AW 2012 catwalks with the likes of Pringle, Christopher Kane and Erdem giving a huge nod to this trend.

Appearing in chunky knits, dresses and moulded into thin jersey fabrics, this classic trend was transformed into the styling tip du jour.

And the trend has filtered into the maternity style world this season, with a range of cute roll necks available for your bump. Choose from a playful striped number, teamed up with a maternity skirt or jeans for a casual look, layer a jersey number under a maternity shirt for a smart work look or opt for a block colour, to really make a statement.

See our faves from the (virtual) highstreet, below..

Black Turtle Neck Isabella Oliver £55

Stripe chunky knit, Jojo Maman Bebe, £29

Loose jersey grey polo neck nursing top, Mothercare

Grey polo neck £18, Next