I have had a good moan on the blog about the lack of maternity wear available on the high street, resulting in most of my pregnancy shopping being conducted online. There are definitely more great quality maternity clothes available online now than three years ago when I had Little E, ranging from high street chains offering a maternity selection to dedicated brands designing exclusively for mums-to-be. And now there is even more choice as popular French maternity wear brand Envie de Fraises launch in the UK.
I was lucky enough to be invited to browse their website and choose three pieces of maternity fashion to review on my blog. I immediately noticed the website had a really wide choice of clothes, the majority being comfortable, stylish daywear and staple wardrobe basics. Most of the clothes are block colour which makes it easy to accessorise and dress up (or down) outfits. It is also reasonably priced so a new wardrobe won't break the bank.
As I am at the end of my pregnancy I decided to choose clothes from the nursing section so I could get the maximum benefit from them after Bump is born. My first item is the Kit Homewear maternity and nursing 3 essentials set in blue at £57.49
The set comprises of a sleeveless vest style top, overbelly yoga style trousers and a cardigan. All in a silky smooth fabric with a bit if stretch to keep it in place. The top has a clever wrap front design which allows you to breastfeed discreetly. This is really comfortable and has gone straight in my hospital bag as it will be perfect to wear during the first few days when I'm really uncomfortable but want to look nice when people are visiting.
The second item is the pregnancy and nursing wrap top in black at £28.74
This is a great basic wardrobe item which will go with everything. It has the same cross front nursing feature as the Kit Homewear top so perfect for feeding when out and about. I have a feeling I'll be purchasing this in multiple colours (there is a short sleeve version too).
The final item I selected is the Divine maternity wrap dress, pictured here in blue but I chose a peacock green at £45.99
This dress allows you to wrap and tie the top half yourself so you can alter the shape and wrap it to fit your body perfectly - great for the changes to your boobs during pregnancy and breastfeeding. And yes, you guessed it, the front of the dress easily peels open so you can feed baby without exposing too much flesh. I wore this dress for Husband's surprise 30th birthday party and received lots of compliments. It was comfortable to wear and I can see how it is designed to grow with your bump over the months. My only criticism is that it isn't lined so does show up lumps and bumps. Tights underneath to smooth the silhouette are a must (unless you have perfect thighs!)
All the clothes have washed well and keep their shape and colour. I would definitely recommend for some nice quality, maternity wardrobe basics at a reasonable cost. The site offers free delivery and returns so you can order a couple of sizes and try on at home. You can find the full clothing range online at www.enviedefraises.co.uk
I was sent these clothes free of charge for review purposes but all views and opinions are my own.
