Fruitful Shopping
Thursday 3rd April 2008 by Dulwich Mum
 Bea Parry-Jones is a late thirty something mother of two. She’s author of hugely successful blog Dulwichmum  , in which she documents her efforts to avoid absolute lunacy and remain on the right side of conscientious parenting. She and her husband spend a small fortune on private education, Baby Boden, Babybels and the au pairs gym membership.
Bea’s first novel “Sex Lies and Sellotape – confessions of a Dulwich mum” will be published in 2008.
Shopping online is, in my opinion, the only way to ponder over any purchase whilst gravid. Tottering about from boutique to tea shop, balanced precariously on high heels, a tote on ones shoulder the weight of a young teenager, may well result in swollen legs, bloated feet, tumescent toes and varicose veins!
The excessive stress and strain on a girl’s blossoming form can too lead to irrational and embarrassing impulse purchases. Once when seven months pregnant, I became so emotionally not to mention physically drained on Bond Street that I actually bought myself a pair of Birkenstocks!!! (OHMYGOD, have I over shared?)
 With one of my darlings born in October and the other in March, only eighteen months apart (feeling exhausted just thinking about it), I was at different stages of pregnancy during entirely different seasons for both. I spent an absolute fortune in maternity boutiques and had to purchase completely new wardrobes – twice. James was livid...
I spent a small fortune on outfits for Ascot, Glorious Goodwood and The Opening of the Cresta Run that were all only worn once (gasp). It was just a few years ago, but in fashion terms - an entirely different age. The maternity clothes that were available could never be recycled let alone worn again; not one garment would have been termed an investment piece.
 The forgiving shapes, styles and fabrics currently en vogue can certainly be worn long after the birth of your munchkin is announced in The Times; today there’s a selection of online maternity boutiques that make me positively broody...
HomeBody (pictured above left) for one has the most easy to wear and effortlessly stylish pieces and I adore absolutely everything at Isabella Oliver (pictured right). Yes these are clothes that could actually encourage women to consider pregnancy a good look! See what I mean by broody?
But it’s new boutique Mama-la-mode (pictured below left) that has the most useful designer pieces; perfect clothes that can be worn before, during and long after pregnancy. Many garments aren’t maternity wear at all, simply current designer collection items that their buyers have picked because they’ll work on the pregnant form! How incredibly inspired.
 So you see there really is no longer any excuse to dress like Hattie Jacques and no need to plod the length and breadth of the country huffing and puffing like a steam engine, cheeks the colour of beet root, varicose veins like the clinging vines of an equatorial rain forest, in search of appropriate attire for that special occasion. Life is too short and pregnancy far too long!
I hear that if one goes into labour whilst shopping at Waitrose, they award a gift of free groceries for a year, but until they come up with the same deal at Harvey Nichol’s, it simply is not worth it. There is only so far I’m prepared to go for free organic poultry and a selection of Duchy Original liquid soaps. I could shop whilst in labour, but not even this shopaholic could manage it in person. Smart girls buy online!
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