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Professional Moms-to-Be

The Key to Smart Maternity Dressing

By Belinda Clarke

A working mom with a 3-year-old in preschool, Moore was not keen on spending hours at the mall looking for maternity bargains. Instead, she took to the Internet, where she discovered an online maternity company that fit her needs perfectly due to its diversity and reasonable cost. The company, called babystyle, offers a large selection of practical and fashionable professional maternity clothes.

"I did find less expensive online stores, but this one was a good middle-of-the road solution because the quality is there," says Moore. "I didn't want to spend even a penny on something that would fall apart after just one wash, despite the fact I would only be wearing these clothes for a short time."

Laurie McCartney, CEO and founder of babystyle, says the company was created on the premise that women want to have good clothes to work in – whether they're pregnant or not.

"Our main idea is to start with a few core pieces and then build around those," says McCartney. "For the professional woman, we created a three-piece suit that is made of a year-round wool that is a great staple. Add to that a few dress shirts, nice T-shirts and an overjacket and you've got numerous combinations."

In addition, says McCartney, it helps to invest in clothes that are durable and wrinkle-resistant as well as sophisticated looking. To that end, she recommends both the New York and the Newport Collections from babystyle, both of which feature four items each and cost less than $250. The New York Collection has a slim skirt, long-sleeved top, pants and a tank dress in wrinkle-free, machine-washable black matte jersey. The Newport Collection consists of a modern cotton/Lycra T-shirt, two-way stretch twill slim skirt, bootleg pant, and a stretch poplin shirt in black or a white/khaki combination. Both come in a leather-trimmed tote that doubles as a diaper bag.

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