Best maternity dresses for New Year's Eve

Christmas is almost upon us, and many of us will have already attended those festive work parties.

However, that doesn't mean the celebratory season has ended, with New Year's Eve on the not so distant horizon.

This year there's a great selection of maternity dresses fit for those New Year's Eve parties.

A sequined number, is perfect for a night on the tiles, while embellished maxis or just above the knee frocks are great for a sophisticated dinner or house party.

We've picked out our faves in the gallery below.

Stand out in this gorge red sequined frock from Asos, £41

We heart this kooky dress from Rock-A-Bye-Rosie, which has also been reduced to £120. Get it now before it goes.

Show off that bump with this empire line embellished dress, £160, Crave at Next

Maisy Sequin Maternity Dress £199, Isabella Oliver

Black embellished maxi dress, £20, Matalan

Maternity Knot Front Dress £15, Topshop

Maternity slashed neck flared hem dress, £45, Marks and Spencer

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.

Top five maternity leather jackets to channel the AW 2012 trend

The Autumn/Winter catwalks were awash with leather lovelies with designers such as Valentino and Calvin Klein using this fabric to channel gothic, vixen trends.

We understand that dressing in full on leather pants and dresses may be that little bit too much when you've got a bump, but that doesn't mean you can't give a nod to this luscious look.

Leather jackets are a great way to do this and jazz up an outfit. And the best thing about them is that they never really go out of fashion, meaning you can store your purchase away for more pregnancies to come.

Go for a cropped number to style up that evening outfit or pick a biker jacket that will look great as an everyday number. Layer over a chunky knit or sweater to get that perfect AW 2012 look.

We've picked out some of our faves from the virtual highstreet in the gallery below. 

Blow the budget with this, Lucy Leather Jacket
£379, from Isabella Oliver. 

 

 

                                                  

Keep it simple with this timeless faux leather jacket from Mamalicious, £54.99, New Look

Go for an alternative to traditional black with this jacket from MOM2MOM, £49.95, Nelly

We heart this faux fur leather number, £76 from Topshop, via Nordstrom

Go for a different take on the leather jacket with this velvet faux leather number from Blossom Mother and Child. Buy it now for a special price of £101.50.

Get 25 percent off Isabella Oliver maternity coats

Christmas is not so quietly creeping up on us and a range of stores are getting into the festive spirit offering various money off vouchers.

One offer we're particularly excited about is from Isabella Oliver, which is running a short promotion on a selection of maternity coats to will ensure you and your bump stay stylishly warm and cosy in this cold weather.

Up until Midnight on Sunday 2nd December, customers can save 25 percent off a selected range of coats, all you need to do is enter the code WRAPUP25 at IsabellaOliver.com.

Don't say we don't spoil you.

Top five Oriental inspired pieces for your maternity AW 2012 wardrobe

The Far East made an appearance on a range on AW 2012 catwalks, with intricate floral prints, kimono styles and silks all giving a nod to the Oriental trend.

And this look, showcased by the likes of Balmain, Zac Posen and Dries Van Noten, lends itself perfectly to the maternity world thanks to the silhouettes it channels.

Wrap style kimonos, billowing sleeves and loose silk numbers are perfect for dressing that bump.

And you can be as creative as you like here. Keep it simple with a printed tee teamed with jeans or vamp it up on a night out with a silk maxi number, which will give a subtle nod to the trend.

See the gallery below for some of our virtual highstreet takes of this trend.

The AW 2012 catwalks were awash with nods to the Oriental trend

Maternity Hyacinth Tee,  £36.00, Topshop

Tree of Life dress by Paulina, Blossom Mother and Child.

Print silk maxi dress, Print Silk Maxi Dress, £254.15, Isabella Oliver

Think out of the Oriental box with this Navy Kimono Labour Wrap, which can also be worn as nightwear. Jojo Maman Bebe, £35

Black flower print maxi dress, £37, Dorothy Perkins

Shirts and blouses for your maternity work wardrobe

A shirt or blouse is an essential part of any expectant mums work wardrobe, especially as you move into the second stage of your pregnancy.

Bumps are beginning to show, while you may also find have a new cleavage that prevents those last few buttons on your normal shirt doing up.

Thankfully there are are a great range of maternity shirts and blouse on the virtual highstreet with styles to suit every shape. A wrap shirt is perfect for the more curvy mum-to-be, while ruched detailing in the bra area is great for showing off that new cleavage - appropriately. 

Teamed with a simple pencil skirt, trousers or under a tunic, this item is a must for any working mums' capsule work wardrobe.

See below for some of our faves.

Maternity Classic Shirt £18, ASOS

Sleeveless stripe blouse, £20, Topshop

Stripe shirt, Marks and Spencer

Tie Front Blouse, £75, Isabella Oliver

Wrap Maternity Shirt £29, Jojo Maman Bebe

Blossom cotton fitted maternity shirt Sabrina
£135, Blossom Mother and Child

Maternity fashion tips for plus-size and curvy women - Isabella Oliver tells us how to stay stylish and comfortable

Although we're still in our new born stages, we've had a great amount of support from mums-to-be, with many asking us for specific advice when it comes to their maternity style.

Some of the most common questions we've had are from plus-size women who are afraid that some outfits aimed at showing off their bump will also show off their curves. However, they don't want to be left with a choice of tent-like creations either.  

We like to help our readers as much as we can so we got in touch with Baukjen de Swaan Arons, the Founder of Isabella Oliver, who was perfectly placed to give advice on this topic.

"It is completely natural to gain a little weight during pregnancy and we have designed our clothes to allow for that," she told us.

"It can be tempting to go up a few sizes, but although the extra fabric will fit over your bump, it will also swamp the other parts of your body and create an unflattering look.

"Isabella Oliver uses special design techniques to create flattering pieces that celebrate your bump whilst offering coverage where you need it."

Baukjen pointed out that going for a ruched design would create soft pleats across your bump resulting in a fitted look with extra fabric that can be adjusted as your body changes shape.

Wrap tops and wrap dresses can also be adjusted with as much or as little fabric as your bump needs.

"Cinch these styles at the waist, accent your cleavage and allow the rest of the fabric to drape effortlessly over your curves," Baukjen advises.

 When it comes to cuts, Baukjen recommends picking maternity clothes that make the most of your best features, show off your neckline, shoulders and décolletage.

The company's wrap designs are particularly great for this as they flatter your curves.

"Finally, go for pieces with special design features that draw attention to the areas of your body you feel more confident about," Baukjen advises.

The company has a gorgeous range of wrap and ruched pieces to choose from.

And if you order a jersey dress before midnight you'll also receive 30 percent off in the company's flash sale.

Just enter the code FLASH at the checkout online.

AW 2012 Trends: Military inspired maternity wear

Military influences were in full force on the London Fashion Week AW 2012 catwalks.

Big brassy buttons appeared on double breasted tailored coats, while structured, wrap dresses and jackets gave a more subtle nod to the trend.

Traditional khakis and blacks were joined by bright neon colours, thanks to bold moves by Prada, while studs shown by the likes of Burberry and Alexander McQueen, were added to bring the trend into this season.

Of course the maternity fashion world has taken note of this hot trend, with a range of stores introducing a range of military inspired blouses and coats.

However, the great thing here is that you don't have to stick to maternity wear. Give a nod to the look with a military style cap, or pick a pair of military inspired flat boots, which will last you throughout your pregnancy and into next winter too.

See the gallery below for some of our military inspired maternity faves.

Military Cap, £20,  Next

Refer Military Coat, £65, Asos Maternity

Belted Wrap Jacket, £125, Isabella Oliver

Spica boot,  £159, Bertie

Maternity Stud Military Shirt, £40, Topshop

Maternity Military Blouse, £35, Asos

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

Autumn/Winter 2012 trends: Lace - we pick the best dresses for your bump

Lace is a hot trend this season.

Appearing on the Autumn/Winter 2012 catwalks of Jason Wu and Erdem, to name a few, this trend has been given a dramatic darker and moodier make over from the soft pastel forms of last season, with blacks, deep blues and berry colours forming the main colour palate.

The best thing about this season's look is that it can be worn subtlety thanks to the number of designers choosing a delicate lace applique on blouses, dresses and trousers,  or very obviously as an all over fabric for dresses and add on sleeve- a style that's fast becoming a trademark look for Kate Middleton.

And the trend hasn't forgotten the maternity world with a range of designs filtering down into cute dresses and tops.

Today we're focusing on the statement black dress, which is perfect for an upcoming special event or Christmas party season. Choose from a slinky sleeved number that will show off your bump, or go for a 50s style tunic frock, which can be worn with a pair of ballet pumps for a more casual look.

Below is our pick of the top lace black dresses available online and on the highstreet.

Lace Katie dress, £40,  New Look

Black Lulu lace dress, £139, Isabella Oliver

Slinky lace dress, £40, Asos 

Mid-length belted dress, £169, Tiffany Rose

Tunic dress, £40, Topshop

Sites we love: Isabella Oliver World maternity fashion

We all know that maternity fashion can be hard to get right.


You've gone from having your pick of the highstreet rails, to having to find that look that suits you and your growing bump.

Not only is this why we've launched, but also something fashion brand Isabella Oliver has been working on. 

The maternity arm of the company, which is a fave for pregnant celebs,  earlier this year launched Isabella Oliver World, an online ‘destination’ where women can live and breathe style during pregnancy.

Coming from a designer point of view the site gives pregnant women all over the world a chance to learn about the Art of Pregnancy style.

Baukjen de Swaan Arons, Founder and Creative Director at Isabella Oliver said earlier this year: “After eight years of dressing pregnant women, we wanted to share everything that we have learnt and provide support to women in one of the most beautiful times in their lives.

"Isabella Oliver World was conceived as an idea over a year ago and I am so excited to see it become available for women to enjoy.”

With Isabella Oliver World and Does My Bump Look Good in This, you're sure to be the belle of any bump ball.

Yes, we know, we do spoil you.

Get the look: Fearne Cotton's maternity tunic dress

We were super excited when we found out Fearne Cotton was pregnant as we knew she'd be channelling her eclectic and unique style into her maternity wear.

And we weren't wrong.

Last month the TV and radio presenter was spotted in a simple black tunic, which she made her own by adding patterned tights and ankle boots.

Sunglasses and a simple bag added to the look.

If you want to channel Fearne's look then buy the tunic dress now from IsabellaOliver.com for £125.

Keep it simple like the TV starlet by sticking with black accessories or make it your own and be a little bit more daring with a pair of coloured tights or bold accessories.

Teaming this versatile frock with a pair of on-trend red heels for a night out is also guaranteed to make you feel the belle of the bump ball.