RENTING MATERNITY WEAR
I’ve spoken on the blog before about rental clothing — a more sustainable alternative to wearing new season items that also has the advantage of coming without the commitment or environmental implications of purchasing. My approach to dressing in pregnancy has been pretty similar to how I dressed previously — I’ve been wearing items from my pre-pregnancy wardrobe with the addition of my new maternity leggings. This has so far worked brilliantly for my day-to-day life, though there have been occasions (pre-lockdown number 2) where I’ve wanted to wear something a little bit more special. For these occasions rental has offered a plethora of options. I just pick pieces online which are posted to me and then I send them back when I’m done — all in their eco packaging (top tip and my next move — next time you need to stock up on some wrapping tape invest in some paper tape so that can be recycled too!). This keeps the movement of fashion going rather than clogging up my wardrobe with pieces that might not suit me as my shape changes or I might not have need for as the seasons and my schedule evolve.
Re-usable and recycable packaging used to allow these fashion items to be redistributed again and again. Invest in some paper packaging tape!
As talks of lockdown 2.0 were on the horizon, I knew I wasn’t going to be going out and about much in the coming months but I still do lots of presenting online, so I’m sharing some of the platforms that I’ve turned to (in the name of research and for work purposes) and rented from below. The outfits below still feature said maternity leggings as tights (it’s getting cold out there!) and a basic turtle neck from Know the Origin to keep me toasty — this way I can wear items from all seasons, giving me way more scope to be anything but boring! My patent boots that I’ve had for a year or so are from Essen, an eco brand, and are elegant and easy to wear and walk in. They also work for both dress-up and dress-down during the festive season.
Isabella Oliver - Cassidy Maternity Dress
Isabella Oliver was one of the first maternity wear brands I looked at. Not only are they one of the biggest in the UK, but they are committed to environmental, ethical and sustainable style. The brand has a “Rent” section on the site, which offers some core pieces from their current collection for rental — from basics like leggings and denim to pieces which can be dressed up or dressed down like the dress I’m wearing. Most recently, Isabella Oliver launched a “Pre-loved” shop on their site to continue the circularity of their clothing.
I absolutely love HURR and their beyond chic collection of rental items. Whilst not strictly maternity-focused, the rental platform has plenty of pieces suitable for pregnancy. Think smock dresses, oversized numbers and shirring — all on-trend and therefore available to rent! Definitely a good place to look for the party season. A stretch stripe lurex dress caught my eye, as did this blue gingham dress with a zodiac glitter net which, though it gives off a spring/summer kind of look, teams well with the black boots and a big cardi for winter — and its voluminous shape glides smoothly over the bump — a good one too if you haven’t told anyone yet!
Bundle ‘n Joy - Pietro Brunelli Dorothea dress in paprika
Bundle ‘n Joy is a subscription-based maternity wear rental platform where you can choose to purchase monthly subscriptions for 2-4 items. They offer a wide selection of popular maternity wear brands from daywear to evening pieces. I particularly like the occasionwear dropdown section on the website with its floaty floor length maxi dresses, which would be great to rent for weddings — if there was such an occasion in the next few months to wear one!
Onloan is another popular rental site that I’ve used and loved in the past — they recently introduced a “Maternity” filter on the website so you can easily find pieces suitable for whichever stage of pregnancy you are at. The top tip is of course to look at a size larger than your norm to accommodate your changing shape. I called in an Alexa Chung brown polka dot dress in a size 16 with a tie under the bust to fit my shape, which works for all occasions, but I really fell in love with this Maggie Marilyn lime green shirt — which just covered my leggings-clad bump and bum nicely. Check out the black and clear rain mac that I teamed with a Bundle ‘n Joy dress below.
Alongside their offering of babywear for rental, Belles and Babes have a selection of maternity pieces. Following a consultation on your style, the brand delivers a Capsule Wardrobe to your door, and you can swap pieces at any time or add on extras for holidays or special occasions. I tried out some easy wash-n-wear stretchy styles that were as comfy as PJs.
