Who says pregnant women can’t dress for the occasion, save money for that super luxurious baby stroller, and look fabulous at the same time.
(Yes, dammit, we can have it all.)
The holiday season is upon us and soon we will start getting the invites to the company holiday party, the neighborhood cocktail party, the New Year’s Eve party, the Pet Parade Party, and the I-Have-So-Many-Parties-I Can’t-Remember-Them-All Party. As women, the dreaded question is “What to wear,” but if you are pregnant, you don’t want to think about that at all. (And just want to lock yourself in the bathroom until you can wear your old clothes again.)
Finding and buying nice evening wear takes on a whole new meaning when you are expecting. What makes it hard is that you can’t easily justify the price tag of, say, a beautiful black cocktail dress since (let’s be real), you are not going to be wearing it next year. Nor is it a classic that will be a signature piece you can wear again and again in the years ahead (unless you are Michelle Dugger from TLC’s 19 Kids & Counting).
Then of course, you have to deal with everyday wear too. If you are reading this post and you are pregnant for the first time, you are going to have the desire to run out to the nearest Maternity store and buy some pregnancy jeans and tops – until you see the price tag! When you see the price, you will put some of the items back and walk out with only a couple of tops and one pair of jeans. Then you will hit your second or third trimester and none of the clothes you bought will fit anymore, or you will so sick of wearing them over and over. (Whichever comes first.)
There are not many places to find maternity wear either. Most of us have just a handful of boutiques and one chain store from which to choose our cheap pregnancy sweaters that cost a fortune. Or if we are lucky, maybe something found (only because someone just returned it) at Target. So a variety (and findability) is usually non-existant and we are all running around with huge bellies and wearing the same shirt. (Classic.)
You may think, well, I can wear it again in my next pregnancy! My response to that is: you can only hope you are pregnant again in the same season, because those jeans and sweaters you bought in your first trimester in the fall of 2011 for baby number one are not going to work in your third trimester for baby number two in the summer of 2013. Frankly, you have a better chance of winning the lottery.
But guess what? How about winning the jackpot with a online company called, “Mine for Nine”. (It’s a pregnancy miracle!) It is a website that enables you to search, select and borrow maternity clothes. Yes, you read that right – borrow fabulous designer pregnancy clothing.
Featured in Cool Mom Picks, Baby Center, Babble, iVillage (and more), Mine For Nine has great pieces for evening wear, office wear, resort wear…you name it. This is good stuff too: clothing from top designers with pieces that you can use for a short period of time and then send it back. (Rinse and repeat.)
Search for size, color, price, designer, type of clothing to see what you can find for your lifestyle or occasion needs. Once you find a great dress, suit, top, coat, or pair of pants (with more categories being added in the future), you sign up to borrow the garment for one month (up to a maximum of three months). Evening wear or special occasion pieces can be rented from two, four or six weeks to get you through that wedding or party season with flair. (They even have resort wear for that babymoon! Or get you through swimming lessons with your existing toddler.)
Worried that the item won’t fit? Each item has measurement to better ensure the special dress you got for your brother’s wedding this weekend will fit and look good. For some reason if it does not, Mine For Nine is happy to exchange it for a different size.
Shipping is $12.95 for your order $75 or less and it is free for orders over $75. It includes a free return shipping label as well. Rental period starts when you receive the item. Overnight or expedited service is available for an additional cost if you need something super fast.
With reminder emails sent a week before your rental period concludes (hello, preggo brain), there is no excuse to forget, but if you don’t return it by the time the rental period concludes, you will be charged a pro-rata rental rate. In other words, if it costs $20 to rent for the month, and you are one week late, you will be charged an additional $5. (Not bad, really.) And put your worries aside, all pieces are drycleaned and inspected in between uses. Mine For Nine has super high standards.
To blow those socks baby booties off, how about getting a handmade knit baby hat to keep in your first order? Isn’t that the sweetest and most amazing personal touch?
So if you are pregnant and wondering what to wear for your partner’s office party next month, for your big presentation next week, an impromptu babymoon, or just everyday items to add some pregnancy pizzazz to perk you up, check out MineForNine.com. Like, now.
Wow, this is awesome! When I was pregnant, it was really hard looking for clothes that will fit in every occasion that you have to attend to. And you were right about the price tag. You will think twice whether to buy one or not since you can only use it for a short period of time. So, a maternity dress you can borrow is something new. This will be helpful and convenient for pregnant women out there.