Araminta Maternity Dress

The ruched waist panel is doing real work here — it genuinely adjusts as your bump grows rather than being cut for one fixed size, so this dress earns its keep across a wider stretch of pregnancy than most maternity dresses, which tend to be sized more narrowly for a specific trimester. The eco-friendly jersey fabric also has a noticeably better drape and feel than typical maternity basics, which shows when you actually put it on — it photographs well, holds its shape through a full day of wear, and does not look like "maternity wear" in the slightly apologetic sense that phrase sometimes implies.

Against the JoJo Maman Bébé leggings in this category, this is a fundamentally different kind of purchase. The leggings are a repeat-wear everyday basic you can throw in the wash constantly without a second thought; this dress is an investment piece for occasions — work events, dinners, photos — where you want to look put together rather than simply comfortable. Both have their place, and most people end up owning both rather than choosing one over the other, but if you are stocking a maternity wardrobe on a budget, this is not where that budget goes first.

This suits people who want at least one dress that photographs well and dresses up properly for the occasions pregnancy brings — baby showers, work events, anniversary dinners — and who are willing to pay a premium for fabric quality and a flattering, adjustable cut. If your priority is maximising everyday comfort on a budget rather than having an occasion-ready piece, the leggings (or a cheaper maternity basic) are the more sensible first purchase.

The clear limitation is versatility: at £89 it is a genuine investment rather than an everyday basic, and it is simply less practical if what you actually need is something to wear and wash constantly through the working week. Think of it as the one good dress in a maternity wardrobe built mostly around cheaper, more washable staples, rather than a piece you will reach for daily.