Six Maternity Clothes Fashion Tips

1. Choose stretchy fabric. Buy clothing with a lot of stretch but that fits snuggly around the belly and your curves. Wearing bigger clothes may sound comfortable and practical, but clothes that do not hug your figure will actually make you look bigger than you are and you may be mistaken for overweight rather than pregnant. Choose clothing that emphasizes the parts of your that are not expanding - such as ruched sleeves to show off your arms, cropped pants or skinny jeans if you have trim legs.

2. Buy tops with ruching designs. Ruching is when the fabric is gathered on the sides with elastic in a stylish way to fit snuggly and stretch with your body as it expands. This type of styling is perfect for maternity because it actually trims down your silhouette and allows you to look pregnant and sexy at the same time. Ruching at the sides allows a snug fit over the belly and ruching at the bust also allows for an attractive fitted look with room for expansion.

3. Try leggings. Leggings which used to be so taboo after the 80s are back in style and so much better than they ever were. Today's leggings come in all colors, lengths and fabrics for any season- there are cropped leggings with lace, leggings with ruching detail below the knee and leggings that hit ankle length for the colder months. Today's leggings come in all different colors and styles, so choose a good weight legging for the weather with a lot of stretch and pair with a tunic, longer maternity top or sweater. Best of all leggings are super comfortable for maternity and can fit either below, across or over the belly depending on the style you choose.

4. Show some skin. By showing a little skin, you can show you are still sexy when you are pregnant. Pregnancy is not a time to hide behind your clothes and cover up your whole body in shame. Be proud and show off your new curves. For many women this is the first time they can experience some cleavage, so take advantage of this life changing event and try out some new necklines. Scoop necks, cross over style V necks and sexy maternity tanks and tubes are all popular styles in maternity today, so now is the time to try out some new looks with your new enhancements!

5. Dress with color. Although everyone likes black and denim, don't get stuck in rut with all neutrals for 9 months or you will tire of your maternity clothes very quickly. Instead, mix it up a bit with some pastels and bright tees and tanks for summer and a colorful sweater or two for Fall and Winter. After all, if you already have a lot of neutrals, chances are your colorful items will mix and match very well with your existing wardrobe.

6. Be Decorative. Every wardrobe needs a few decorative accents to keep it interesting. It's important to invest in a few fashion items with color so you can keep your maternity wardrobe interesting. Try some ruffled trims or embroidered tops and tunics to mix up the fabric a bit. Beaded accents on a halter top can make an otherwise ordinary looking top take on new life. Pick some items with some decorative detail you really like and you will find yourself reaching for them in your closet when you want jazz it up a bit. Small details such as fashion pieces with a styling detail can make pregnancy an even more enjoyable time.

Amy Jarman is owner of TummyStyle.com, a leading online retailer of maternity clothes and nursing clothes. TummyStyle.com sells major maternity brands such as Japanese Weekend, Majamas, Maternal America, Olian, Bravado, 1 in the Oven and more!

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