Size Up Rule

When I was early in my pregnancy, about three or four months along, I ventured out to a cute maternity boutique.  I was just starting to show and reveling in my license to buy some new clothes.  I tried on the perfect pair of stretch skinny jeans by Maternal America when the shop gal shocked me out of my dreamy, pregnancy-is-wonderful state when she took one look and advised me to go one size up.  

With a sarcastic tone, I asked, "What, is my rear going to get large?"  "Yes," she said.  "Oh," I said.  After a pregnant pause, I stammered, "I assumed most of my weight would go to my belly - i.e. the baby, you know the growing baby in my belly??"  But her unsolicited and unwelcome advice was sinking in.  I may not plan on acquiring extra junk in my trunk, but what if I did??  I mean, wouldn't the shop gal, who sees this every day, know more about that than me?

The fact is that you don't know how your body will respond to your first pregnancy - or even your second or third - because each seems to be a crap shoot.  So, how exactly do you get nine months of wear out of your maternity wardrobe, despite a major shift in body shape and a marginal ability to predict how your body will respond?  It helps if you keep two things in mind.

First, I think you can expect to gain weight in the areas you typically would gain, sans pregnancy.  If you gain in your belly and thighs, that is what you can expect to find when you move through the weeks leading up to delivery.  Second, it is relatively safe to buy at least one size up from your ordinary size, as long as the piece still flatters while giving you some visible wiggle room for the later months.  So, if you are normally a size small, then go with a medium as long as it isn't a significant jump.  

Keep in mind that I am a lawyer by day, so I can't resist adding some asterisks.  Here they are.  Many maternity brands tell you that you that their sizing accommodates growth and you should order your regular size.  Do not listen to them.  Period.  

The other thing to consider is that the one size up rule applies if it appears you are going to gain the recommended 25-35 pounds.  Obviously, if you are on track for more, then you should jump more than one dress size.  

And spare me the complaints about the shock of the size number itself.  As a stylist, I am a stickler for the perfect fit (notice I didn't say number).  A number is just a number, and that is a reality we face in the non-maternity world.  High fashion designers like Missoni at Neiman Marcus are going to run smaller than Mossimo at Target.  It is more important that you don't end up with size trash bags full of clothes.  

Jenny