
I couldn't bear shopping when I was pregnant, so I picked up a pair of black Moto jeans from Topshop and was done with it. It's true what they say about Topshop maternity jeans: they don't stay up - so you're forever hoisting them. On the plus side, though, they were comfy, fairly smart and under £40. This, I think, is what a lot of women end up doing. I asked Beth Graham, an independent fashion designer whose style I admire, and who has recently had a child, what she did about maternity jeans. I was expecting some obscure denim tip off but, no, Graham got a few pairs of Topshop jeans (and some of their chinos which she says earned quite a few compliments). "The jeans did fall down," agrees Graham, "but they were a good price and had some good styles."
Staff are helpful, but the store is tiny and you find you're being followed and/or watched with every item you stop to look at. Thyme Maternity as a whole is not the most fashionable maternity wear. They definitely try, and some items are okay. But the cut of pants and tops tends to be very loose and flared, and so it doesn't necessarily reflect more current styles. Good for some staples, but if you're looking for something more "trendy" try H&M at the Eaton Centre.
During my first trimester, I thought I might get away with continuing to wear my low-slung hipster jeans for the duration. And I probably could have eeked them out for way longer than I did, had I invested in button extenders or a Bump Bandeau (as recommended by JTryner in an earlier thread). But there was always going to come a point when I got a little larger all over (be it from swelling, fat or, y'know, the extra 2 ½ pints of blood that swishes around in women when they're growing a foetus).