Soon Maternity.

From Miu Miu, Vivienne Westwood, Alexander McQueen and Valentino to...

Well, not the aforementioned designers. Or anything remotely approaching them, frankly. Maternity wear has, admittedly, come a very long way since the floral tents with gigantic collars sported by HRH Princess Diana when she was pregnant with future King William. But not that far.

Maternity wear remains, for the most part, unglamorous, anti-fashionable and badly constructed from poor quality materials. And expensive. I picked up a few things while I was in the US but given the seasonality, they are clothes to be layered. With cardigans. And - in Sydney weather of the moment - fleece lined tights.

But rest assured, my constant searching has pulled up a few gems among the dross and disappointment. Chief among them are the garments designed by Soon Maternity.

My chief requirement (other than comfort, of course) when buying clothing for my pregnancy is that they would be in the style I would wear when not pregnant. By that, I mean they are my style. Soon Maternity has me covered on that front. Their designs are on-trend, well made and frankly, clothes I would wear while not pregnant.

Case in point: the Sienna dress. I saw this on their website and slightly skeptical about the fit and quality, I sought out a retailer to see for myself what the clothes looked like. And I wasn't disappointed. It's made of thick jersey that is warm but breathable. The scooped neck is very flattering. The gathering on the sides is bump friendly. But most importantly, it's a dress I would have bought when I wasn't pregnant. And at $129.95, reasonably well priced given its versatility. I have had it two weeks and have already worn it five times.

Their other items look to be of similar quality and practicality. The Flora Fold pants look very comfy yet still chic and basics like the Soon Basic Long Sleeve Scoop Tee look very practical and economical. The Georgie Wrap Jacket is definitely on my must have list.

I know there are other labels out there who make good maternity garments (Pea in a Pod, for example). But for my money you have a long way to go to beat the combination of quality, great material and style that Soon provides. Soon Maternity make great clothes that are not only good basics but also separates and garments that are fantastic for work and, dressed up with the right accessories, perfect for a night out. I'll definitely be lining up for more of this!

Kitty