From surviving the rigours of labour to how to rid your mind of that horrific birth story your friend told you, to whether you and your partner will ever agree on a name, to what happens after you give birth. Being pregnant provides one with more than enough scenarios to fret about. Wardrobe worries might seem superficial compared to the massive changes you’re going through but look a little closer and they’re very much intertwined.
The past year has seen celebrities making fashion statements of their baby bumps, while brands like Nike and SKIMS launched dedicated maternity ranges. Is it finally possible to dress well while expecting? Obviously we think so!
For the longest time, maternity wear had been relegated to the back of brands minds, and expectant mothers had little choice when dressing their ever changing bodies. This is a big reason we started Lilou, as we felt there was a real lack in options when it came to Maternity clothes, especially neutral colours and dresses you could wear not just when pregnant or breastfeeding but long after.
We believe from a financial and sustainability point of view, it makes sense to work with what you have and buy only what you’ll want to keep in your wardrobe for longer than six/twelve months. That is why we design our dresses so that they are also super flattering without a bump, ensuring you get longevity out of them.
"Sustainability should be a key consideration for any brand developing maternity wear," says Jade (Founder of Lilou) "The window of use is so short compared with the length we should be aiming for the lifespan of any product." She believes that adaptable products which can be worn and modified through pregnancy and beyond, with consideration for breastfeeding, post-operation comfort and washable materials are essential.
What you wear can have a huge impact on how you feel and after your body has and is continuing to change throughout pregnancy and breastfeeding, it’s so important to feel your best in a good quality piece of clothing. When we started Lilou we knew there was a big hole for well made, elegant and sustainably and ethically made maternity clothes. We hope we can help fill a little part of that with our clothing!
