Why I Love the Old Navy Maternity Line

Old Navy is a popular clothing store chain that provides fashionable yet affordable attire for the whole family. I've been shopping at this store since it first opened its doors in 1994. Like many other shoppers, I was completely unaware that Old Navy also carried a full line of clothing for pregnant women. It wasn't until 2000, when I became pregnant with my first child, that I was introduced to the Old Navy maternity line.

Whenever I buy clothing I always measure it against three criteria: looks, comfort, and affordability. This applies to any type of clothes I purchase, whether it is shoes, shirts, jeans, dresses, or undergarments.

Factor in the pregnancy issue and the desire for looks, comfort, and affordability becomes even more difficult to please. Many maternity clothes that are available to women either resemble your grandmother's floral house dress or cost almost as much as the adorable jungle-themed baby swing you've been eying. Take my word for it; spend the extra money on the swing. It'll get a lot more use and will give you and your baby much more pleasure than the high-priced maternity clothes!

Thanks to Old Navy, pregnancy doesn't have to mean sacrificing your fashion-sense or avoiding being seen in public places for the next nine months. The clothing in the Old Navy maternity line does well to meet the diverse needs of pregnant women. Old Navy offers t-shirts, blouses, sweaters, outerwear, active wear, jeans, slacks, cargo pants, skirts, dresses, shorts, swimwear, and intimates for pregnant women. The same fashions that Old Navy offers to "pregnant-free" women are also available to its pregnant customers. Old Navy's maternity clothing is available in sizes XS up to XXL. In my experience with Old Navy, the clothes do run true to size...if you wore a medium before pregnancy, you will most likely still wear one with this maternity line.

Comfort, the second criterion I mentioned earlier, is actually probably the most important factor to consider when buying maternity clothes. I'm confident that any woman who is or ever has been pregnant will agree. The clothing offered in Old Navy's maternity line is extremely comfortable. In fact, my favorite outfit throughout my pregnancy consisted of khaki cargo pants, a rib-knit tank, a white gauze blouse, and a pair of flip-flops...all of which were bought at Old Navy. I looked and felt great whenever I wore this ensemble.

Old Navy provides maternity clothes in several styles to meet the varied preferences and comfort needs of its customers. For instance, jeans and pants can be purchased with a real waist (they look like regular jeans with a zipper and snap but stretch for a growing waist), low-rise waist, roll-panel waist, or full-panel waist. Many varieties are available in other genres of maternity clothing as well.

Purchasing Old Navy maternity clothes also won't require you to dip into your unborn child's college fund to pay for your maternity wardrobe. When I priced maternity clothes a few years ago, I was shocked to see how much companies expected women to pay for clothes that were only intended to be worn for a few months. I remember seeing a pair of jeans for $100...one pair of plain-old maternity jeans! Needless to say, I was out of that store in record speed for a lady with a protruding belly.

The affordable prices at Old Navy make it possible for women to build an entire maternity wardrobe for just a few hundred dollars. Jeans, pants, and skirts all cost $16.50-$36.50. Prices for blouses, t-shirts, hooded sweatshirts, yoga pants, and pajamas are $8.50-$30.00. Visiting the store sales racks or shopping online can help save even more money on Old Navy maternity clothes. At the Old Navy website, many of the maternity items are offered at reduced prices. As an added benefit, Old Navy charges only a set $5 shipping charge regardless of the quantity of items purchased. So, shop up and prepare yourself for an affordable, comfortable, and stylish pregnancy...at least until the baby comes!