The Best Maternity Plus-Sized Dresses To Make You Feel Like A Glowing Goddess

I recently tried to find the best maternity plus-size dresses to wear to some parties I had coming up and unwittingly – and I’m trying really hard not to be overdramatic here – plunged myself into hell. I live in London but could find almost no brands with a decent in-store presence, so instead, I spent two weeks ordering maternity clothes online and dealing with an endless carousel of couriers, crushing disappointment and returns because nothing was even approaching 'right'.

I thought it was common knowledge that when you’re pregnant, your boobs get bigger. If I had a fiver for every time I’d watched someone on screen complain about their boobs before realising they are pregnant, I’d have enough to buy a house, or at least a decent bra to contain my suddenly-enormous norks. Can someone tell maternity clothing retailers this?

Many of the dresses I tried looked delightful on the slender models with perfect handfuls of boob (think tight-fitting cocktail dresses) but positively pornographic on me. If I was starring in my own pregnancy-themed strip show, then they might have been okay, but if I wanted to go to a wedding and not have two-thirds of each tit on full display, they were utterly unusable. And that’s when I could even get the dresses on.

During pregnancy, a person’s body changes in myriad ways, but it seems that maternity clothing retailers mostly think pregnant people are straight up and down with a beachball glued to their belly button. It's tough to try and find the best maternity dresses on the market, it seems, but there are some gems out there and luckily for you, we've found them.

Here's our edit of the best maternity dresses to shop right now - just in time for spring/summer.

SHOP: The Best Maternity Plus-Size Dresses To Buy Right Now

What Size Maternity Dresses Should I Buy?

I should say at this point that I’m aware I will find maternity dressing more difficult than most. I’m a size 16-20, depending on the cut of a piece of clothing, and finding stylish maternity clothes above a size 14 is hard, especially if you don’t have a lot of money to spend. In most places, a generous limit was a size 18. As that’s my usual size in dresses and all the websites encourage you to “order in your pre-pregnancy size”, I thought I’d be okay, but… no.

Deflated, I asked the brands I contacted for their advice. Séraphine, one of the few maternity brands to cater to sizes over a 16 in wedding/bridesmaid dresses, says that 24% of the Clarice dresses were sold in a 16 or 18 and for me, they’d recommend I try a wrap dress. They sent me their “highly requested” Red Floral Bessie dress, worn by Myleene Klass, and when I tried it on, it fit perfectly, with plenty of room for both my hips and my boobs.

New Look, which goes up to a size 20, suggested I try some of their dresses. I’ve been able to get excellent jeans and daywear from New Look (I’ve spent the last few months basically living in their denim maxi dresses, and I’m always complimented on it) and there's currently a range of casual and more formal dresses.

The truth is, you probably won't know what size to buy until you're in the second trimester, but if you're unsure, you can always try sizing up or ordering a couple of sizes to find out which fits you best.

What Should I Consider When Shopping For Maternity Dresses?

What to look for depends on when you'll be pregnant and, therefore, what type of weather you're dealing with, but the main considerations are the fabric, style, and versatility. Opt for breathable, stretchy fabrics like cotton or jersey in the summer to accommodate your changing body comfortably, and that you can layer over tights or under jumpers in the colder months.

Look for styles that offer room to grow, such as ruched panels, shirred tops or wrap dresses, which can adapt as your belly expands. Versatile designs that can be dressed up or down, or used during nursing will maximise wear throughout your pregnancy and beyond, too.