Maternity fashion trend: Polka dots and spots as seen on pregnant Kate Middleton

Kate Middleton showed off her growing baby bump late last week in a gorgeous polka dot maternity dress from Topshop.

The Duchess who was touring the Warner Brother studio teamed up the £38 dress with a black Ralph Lauren blazer and simple black heels.

The dress, which we featured a few months back, sold out within hours of the Duchess showing it off. However, we think she's set a polka dot trend for the maternity world and predict big things for this print.

We've picked out some of our fave bits in preparation for the big trend. Get them now to make sure your up-to-date with future fashion.

Spot Navy Changing Bag, Cath Kidston, £75

Polka Dot Tights, £9.00, Mamas and Papas

Maternity Black Polka Dot Ribbon Bow Tie Dress, New Look, £7

Non-maternity but a great way to show off your bump. Motel Zena Midi Dress In Polka Dot, £35, Asos

Navy Polka Dot Maternity Swimsuit, Jojo Maman Bebe, £25

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

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.

Lara Stone announces she's pregnant and we pick some key pieces for her tall and stylish maternity wardrobe.

We were thrilled when David Walliams announced that his supermodel wife Lara Stone was pregnant.

Taking to Twitter last week, the Little Britain star and Britian's got Talent judge, told his followers: "Some wonderful news. My beautiful wife Lara is pregnant.

"We are having a baby! It is due next year and we both couldn't be happier."

The couple later on released a statement claiming they were "very excited" to be expecting their first child.

We've always loved Lara's laid back, yet fierce style and we can't wait to see what her maternity wardrobe will be like.

However, until then we've decided to put together a little fantasy maternity wardrobe for the model.

For practicality,  5'10 Lara should look at styles that will show off her tall figure as well as fit her bump. A wrap shirt or empire line top will elongate taller shapes, while longer style cardigans or longer knitted maternity jumpers, will also ensure Lara's bump remains covered while she stays stylish.

Style wise, Lara has a mix of looks that suit her, going from elegant black frocks on a night out, to a love of leather, jeans and long tops for less smart occasions.

We've mixed her style and added our tall tips to pick out some key items we think she may like. See the gallery below for our tops picks.

We think this simple, yet striking Draped Cocoon Maternity Dress, £120, Rock a Bye Rosie,  suits Lara's style perfectly.

Lara should opt for a longer wrap style cardigan, such as this one from Jojo Maman Bebe, £39, which will flatter her taller figure and keep her stylishly warn.

Longer length maternity jeans are must-haves for taller women. We heart this 36' leg pair from Yummy Mummy Maternity.

Channel Lara's love of long black dresses with a maternity version like this embellished number, £22, from Matalan

Lara's love of leather needn't be brushed aside with these amaze faux leather panel maternity leggings, £45, Seraphine

A long empire line tunic top is perfect for taller figures, elongating the torso and ensuring your bump stays covered. We love this one from MAMA at H&M, £24.99

Bargain bump: Maternitywear for £10 and under

We all love a little bit of luxurious fashion, but when you're pregnant, sometimes you just don't want to spend those precious pennies on that expensive item.

While we've covered lots of maternity lovelies over the past few weeks, today we thought we'd give you a little bargain treat, looking at what you can buy for £10 and under.

If you take advantage of sales, which can be found at almost anytime on the virtual highstreet, as well as delve into the world of supermarket stores, you can pick up an essential part of your maternity wardrobe for the fraction of the price.

Team up your bargain find with a higher end number, such as a pair of jeans or maternity coat and add some accessories.

We guarantee no one will ever guess you're wearing a bargain bump find.

See the gallery below for our best "under £10" picks.

This Collar Blouse Top, is perfect for a day in the office. Team up with a skirt or trousers for that ultimate working gal look. £8.50, Asda.

This casual top from H&M is a steal for £7.99

We heart this slinky dress, which is perfect for a night out with the girls. It's been reduced to £10 so get it now from Topshop

Dress this zip back top up or down. Now £6 from Matalan

Give a nod to the coloured jeans trend with these jeggings from Matalan. A bargain at £10.

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

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

Top five highstreet maternity jumpers for winter

A winter jumper is essential. Not only will it keep you and your growing bump warm, but chosen properly, will form a staple part to your maternity wardrobe and ensure you don't spend hundreds on a collection you won't be wearing for too long.

Thankfully the highstreet has a range of maternity jumpers available to suit every need and trend.

Go for a Breton stripe number, like this one from Asos, which is perfect for wearing under a blazer for work or with a pair of jeans for a casual weekend look, while Topshop's stud grunge jumper is great for ladies who want to stay on-trend and perfect teamed up with a pair of maternity skinnies and heels for a night out.

If you're looking for a jumper for the office then this lace knit navy blue one from Next is great teamed up with trousers or a skirt, while Mothercare's simple black knitwear is perfect for any occasion.

See the gallery below for our top five highstreet picks.

Mothercare

Asos

Topshop

Dorothy Perkins

Next

Dressing your bump without the frump

Being pregnant has never been so fashionable, with a huge range of celebrities embarking on the road to becoming yummy mummies.

However, unlike the days of yore, you no longer have to be an A-lister to dress your bump in style thanks to the huge range of maternity clothing on the highstreet and web.

Maternity jeans with enough give to last you for a good few months- and great for those post pregnancy weeks- are readily available from the likes of  Topshop and New Look , while those looking for smarter attire can pick from a great range on the web.

I'll be bringing you all the latest fashion news, products and styles from the maternity world to ensure you dress your bump without the frump.