What's the most you would spend/have spent on a maternity item?

[LarsMal]

My friend and I went maternity shopping on Saturday. She found a mall that had Gap Maternity so she drove over an hour and I drove 2 hours just to check it out!!! I actually found some incredible deals- got 2 pair of pants and 2 shirts for only $40!!

While we were there she was telling me her friend sent her a few things to borrow. Four shirts- that cost about $150 EACH!!!! I was shocked!! Of course, they are super cute, but even if I wanted to or could, I don't think I would ever spend that much money on a piece of maternity clothing- unless I needed it for a really special occassion, but still- That's A LOT of money!

I think the most I've ever spent on something is about $60 and it was a top I bought for one of DH's work functions.

Have you/would you spend $150 on one maternity shirt, let alone four!?!

[KBecks]

my limit is around 70-80 and that is only for perfect jeans.

[SnuggleBuggles]

I don't think Target sells anything that expensive. ;)

I think that $40 for jeans was the most I spent. I just couldn't see any reason to spend money on maternity clothes. I'm all about Target and Old Navy.

If I had had a special occasion to go to I would have been willing to shell out $70 or less though.

ETA- I'm really glad I didn't spend more b/c with my boy's age gap the stuff from ds1 was so dated that I couldn't bring myself to rewear it with ds2. I needed a whole new wardrobe.


Beth

[MontrealMum]

I spent around $75 on a dress because I had a specific function to wear it to, and I had to look dressy. I'd never spend $150 on any type of shirt, maternity or otherwise - that's insane. I might consider it for mat. jeans if they were fab. - but never a shirt. Of course, I made do with larger, regular shirts most of the time.

[KHF]

I'm lucky enough to live near a Gap Clearance Center. I get all of my maternity clothes there or online from Gap/Old Navy Clearance. The most I've spent on a single item was $9.99 for a sweater. Bought that at the Clearance Center on Friday. I got the sweater, a long sleeved shirt and 2 pairs of pants for $30.

I'm not sure if I've spent $150 on my entire maternity wardrobe! Most everything in the Clearance Center is $5 per piece in maternity.

[JTsMom]

I wouldn't spend that much on a regular top, let alone a maternity one. I'm all about the deals- your 4/$40 is much more my speed! Great find btw. Gap Maternity is the best- it holds up really well ime.

I'm with everyone else- I can see spending a decent amount on an awesome pair of jeans, or something for a really special event, but that's about it. Anything else has got to be in $30 and under range for me, tops.

I had to attend my grandmas funeral (and related dressy events) when I was pg with Jason. I think that stuff was probably the priciest, b/c I didn't have time to bargain hunt, but even then, it was relatively cheap.

[elliput]

$150 - nope. I would not spend that much for one shirt.

I probably spent close to $400 on my maternity clothes this time- 4 pairs of pants/shorts, 8 tops, 2 sundresses, swim suit and cover up.

[WatchingThemGrow]

$88 for a dress from Mimi 2nd pg - got sick of not having one nice one that I *liked*

$88 with some gift card money for cool jeans from Mimi. Sadly, they only fit through the 2nd trimester.

I asked for a $55 Japanese Weekend nursing gown that I've LOVED through 2 DC and it will STILL be my favorite this time around.

A lot of the Gap/ON stuff I have had little flaws that kept me from loving them- like the Gap shirts were too short, the ON pants never stay up, etc.

I *want* to buy a really nice piece or two this time and wear the heck out of it. Ebay has some fierce bidding on the high-end stuff. I like the idea of the JW before/after tops and the 6-in-1 dresses, but I don't have the guts to order one.

[maylips]

Okay, I'll bite. Flame me, but I bought a pair of Citizen maternity jeans that were over $100.

But wearing them was about the only time in my pregnancy I didn't feel like a huge cow. (although they still fell down as much as any other pair of pants I had)

[LarsMal]

Okay, I'll bite. Flame me, but I bought a pair of Citizen maternity jeans that were over $100.

But wearing them was about the only time in my pregnancy I didn't feel like a huge cow. (although they still fell down as much as any other pair of pants I had)

If I *was* going to spend that much on a maternity item, it would be jeans. I wear jeans almost every day, so I know I would get my money's worth!

[brittone2]

For great jeans or a dress for an important event/function...I might potentially go to 75-100 if I were pg again. Highly unlikely, but I'd consider spending that much if I loved the items.

Most of the maternity stuff I've purchased in the past hasn't been great quality overall. There are a few brands, etc. that are better but I found most stuff was not meant to hold up long term.

When I was pg with DS I hit a Motherhood outlet and got a ton of stuff for $10 or so per item, and I still wore quite a bit of that while pg with DD. Not great quality but the price was right ;)

[BeachBum]

I paid about $200 for a dress. I had 2 weddings that summer and my high school reunion. I also wore it to my shower.
I felt silly paying that much, but I really wanted to look the best I could for those special events. I was about 8 months so I was huge!

[KpbS]

I don't think Target sells anything that expensive. ;)
... I just couldn't see any reason to spend money on maternity clothes. I'm all about Target and Old Navy.
Beth

:yeahthat:

[mommylamb]

Maternity clothes are so expensive. I totally hated the whole buy a new wardrobe for such a short period of time expense.

I really struggled with this because I worked up until the day before I delivered and I work in an office where I often have to wear suits. That said, I begged and borrowed from friends for much of my maternity wardrobe. I did by two nursing tops that were north of $80 each, but much of my other stuff was from Target or Gap. Now Ann Taylor Loft has maternity, and I'm sure if they had had that when I was preggo I would have spent a lot more!! Mimi and Pea in the Pod are totally over the top though.

[jk3]

The most I've spent is around $70 for a pair of jeans but that was for my first pregnancy. At this point, I would not spend over $40ish on an item. I have accumulated lots of maternity clothing and while I'm not at my most stylish I'm okay with it. I tend to save up for post-maternity wear as a weight loss incentive!

[american_mama]

My sister was about 6 months pregnant and showing a lot when I got married. She was my maid of honor, but I had everyone choose their own clothing, in part due to my sister being preggers. Anyway, she found a nice formal dress for $60 at a Motherhood store. Her husband, who is really cheap, said, "Wow, SIXTY DOLLARS? This is getting expensive."

The line has become famous in my family. DH LOVES to say it when he is deliberately overreacting to something. DH relayed the story to several male friends and they all reacted the same: $60 for a maternity bridesmaid dress? Not bad.

You just have to say "SIXTY DOLLARS?!?!" to get a chuckle out of DH, or at least a smile out of me.

To more directly answer the original questions, DH bought me a maternity shirt for $45 or more dollars while he was overseas for work. That's the most expensive single item I've had, I think. I liked the shirt, even though it was too bold for my taste, but I was 7 months pregnant at that point, I thought it was overrpriced even if I'd had the whole pregnancy to wear it, and it turned out that it faded quickly. But I still find it endearing that he sought out a maternity store for me while he was in another country.

[elektra]

I was SO budget the first time around. I borrowed 75% of my maternity clothes from SIL and never spent more than about $60 on any one item. I kind of regret not having a little more fun with it actually.
And the 2 shirts I got for $60 were from Motherhood and were pretty poor quality IMO, but they were cute and for my showers.
I think I am going to splurge a bit more this time around. Like get that 1 pair of designer jeans and some nicer tops. I didn't like my (cheap) ON maternity jeans, they just fell off my butt and I had to hike them up all day long.
Last time around though I barely showed until the very end. All the non-maternity empire waist dresses and shirts worked for a long time for me.

[ilfaith]

The most I spent was $90 on an adorable Olian dress that I wore to every dressy event between my fourth and eighth month of pregnancy with DS2. I'd planned to wear it to a wedding a few weeks before I was due (which turned out to be the weekend before I actually delivered) but by that time it was no longer flattering and I had to go with the $19 Old Navy dress I'd had from my first pregnancy.

This pregnancy, i would like to get one pair of really flattering jeans. And since I feel like I'm going to start showing earlier (heck, at 6 1/2 weeks I swear I'm already getting thickerer), I think I'll probably need a few more wintery things.

[irie i]

I am having hard time buying anything maternity. Although my regular size still fits me at 6 months pregnant I did buy ONE pair of maternity jeans ONLY because they were only $13 at Kohl's!! I bought a few "maternity" tees but ONLY because they were also inexpensive and I can continue to wear them later. I would prefer to spend my money on something that is going to last and on all of the things I need for baby. If I had TONS of money to WASTE I might buy a few cute screen tees that refer to my pregnancy but I plan on buying just ONE and ONLY if I have a baby shower. :)

[ILoveLucy]

I had a $200 dress that I loved and wore several times. I probably wouldn't have paid that much money myself, but my sweet stepdaughter saw me admiring it and secretly talked DH into ordering it for me as a surprise, the little sneak. :) I limited myself to around $150 for an outfit, be it a dress or top and pants, and I didn't buy a ton of stuff. I feel like I got my money's worth of it all, even the dress.

[mecawa]

The most I think I have ever spent on a maternity item was about 80-90 dollars.

[Snow mom]

I've taken the cheap route but I'm not famous for spending a lot on non-maternity clothes either. I could wear my normal clothes until 5-6 months and at that point it didn't seem worth spending a lot on clothes that I'd only wear for a few months (especially when there is so much cute baby stuff to buy.) The most expensive item I bought was $48 for a maternity/ nursing camisole (and I have to admit, it seemed outrageous to me when I did it.) Shelf bras have never been my friend and this has an actual sized bra so it seemed worth it for summer in TX and potential later use while nursing. I'd probably be willing to spend more on a pair of pants that fit me well, but I have yet to run into any that even come close :nodno:


~Lisa

[Neatfreak]

I had one $90 shirt with my first pregnancy. It was something nicer for work. With my last one, I wasn't working, so I lived in under-$30 shorts and tees.

[kijip]

About a $80-100 each on a coat and a dress suit.

No more than $20 for a regular maternity top. Up to $40 for a workhorse white button down for work.

[ThreeofUs]

Phew! $150! Wow!

Not this bargain hunter, or at least not on maternity-specific clothing. The most I spent was on a 3-season coat, bought in Europe while 4 mos pg with DS1. But that coat was meant to be worn forever - and I am wearing it every chance I get. And I spend 80 euros in 2004, so maybe $170.

All my maternity clothes, career and otherwise, I bought on clearance. Most were from Lands' End overstocks page, when LE was divesting of maternity wear. Even my majamas, which I adore, were 30% off.

[jgenie]

The most I spent was $25 for my Thanksgiving / Christmas top. I lucked out with a whole box of petite maternity clothes from freecycle - what are the odds?!!!

I found my favorite tops at Kohl's - small selection. but I really got a lot of use out of the few tops I bought there. Destination Maternity tops did not hold up well at all - won't be buying anything there next time.

[carolinamama]

I spent $85 on a shirt during my first pregnancy. I thought it was crazy, but I got my $$ out of that one and then some. If you love an item, you will wear it lots. But I wouldn't spend $150 unless it was jeans or something I would wear alot. I work in scrubs though so I don't need a work wordrobe and I am pretty casual around the house.

[Asianmommy]

I spent $170 on a bridesmaid's dress for my friend's wedding.
For a shirt? I'd probably not spend more than $30.

[Neatfreak]

I did buy a pair of Birkenstocks while I was pregnant. If that counts, my max amount will be going up ...