Forever 21 shows mommies-to-be some love with Love 21 maternity line

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JULY 28, 2010

When it comes to clothes, pregnant women can really get the short end of the stick.

I’ve heard my mother-to-be friends talk about how difficult it is to find maternity styles that are both cute and affordable. I mean, a girl needs her jeans, but who wants to spend gobs of money on a pair that you only get to wear for a few months?

So kudos to Forever 21 for its newly debuted Love 21 maternity line. The options don’t exactly abound yet, but there is a worthy selection of stylish jersey knit dresses, jeans, tanks and tunics. I love this flowing cardigan (though, I wonder, do you really need a maternity cardigan?) And, shoot, I’d wear this drapey silk-chiffon foliage top even though I’m not pregnant.

All the items are available online. Only lucky shoppers in Alaska, Arizona, California, Texas and Utah will see Love 21 in their Forever 21 stores right now. The chain took some heat this month after bloggers noted the high teen pregnancy rates in several of those states, but Forever 21 officials said going after pregnant young-ins wasn’t part of its marketing strategy.

I say people need to calm down, stop looking for conspiracy theories and rejoice that our friends with pregnant bellies can now buy decent jeans for under $30!

Deal Diva Colleen

(Photo: Silk-chiffon foliage maternity top, $27.80 at Forever 21)

Posted by Colleen Jenkins at 7:09:15 am on July 28, 2010 in

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THE AUTHORS

Stephanie Hayes came out of the womb wearing high heels. While other kids were reciting multiplication tables, she was learning to calculate an extra third off the half-price discount during buy-one-get-one week. She loves animal prints, black mascara and anything that sparkles. She objects to visible panty lines, Crocs and anything that costs more than a car payment. And she doesn't drive a nice car. She can be reached at (727) 893-8857 or shayes@tampabay.com.

As a sullen teenager, Emily Nipps refused to wear anything but black, olive green or burgundy, preferably ripped. She has since added color to her life but still experiments with her dark streak. A product junkie, she has tried tons of overpriced face creams and hair products but loves drugstore brands that work the same. She's an Aries and a bassist in a punk band. She has a pet pig, seven chickens, three cats and a rabbit. And just as many lip glosses. She can be reached at (727) 893-8452 or nipps@tampabay.com.

Kameel Stanley has never encountered a thrift store she didn’t like. Her mother taught her that the true value of clothes isn’t how much they cost, but how many outfits one can create from them. Having grown up in Michigan, she was delighted to learn upon moving to Florida that she almost never needed to wear socks or boots again. There’s a lot of turnover in her closet, and she’s obsessed with dresses, necklaces and wedge heels. She can be reached at (727) 893-8643 or kstanley@tampabay.com.

A disciple of the little black dress classics school, Letitia Stein stretches her budget by looking for styles with staying power. She lives for 80 percent off shoes at DSW, floral sundresses and bohemian chic tops. She confesses to being a bit of a snob when it comes to handbags and jewelry. She can be reached at (813) 226-3400 or lstein@tampabay.com.

Coming from a long line of fashionable women, Kim Wilmath considers herself lucky to fit into their hand-me-downs. Her wardrobe staples include her grandma's vintage blouses and her mom's funky jewelry. When she's in the market for "new" items, Kim hits her favorite thrift stores -- a habit she also picked up from mom. But when circumstances require a visit to the shiny stores in the mall, you'll find Kim at the sale rack like a good little diva. She can be reached at (813) 661-2442 or kwilmath@tampabay.com.

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