Stuff to Buy: Chic Finds for Moms-to-Be and Babies

I did an epic eye-roll when a maternity clothing shop opened across from my NYC apartment years ago. This was way before I had kids, way before I could even fathom the thought. But watching that maternity shop open up right in between a cool Brazilian cafe, a swimsuit boutique, and an atmospheric old Little Italy butcher shop, all I could think was, "There goes the neighborhood."

What a difference a few years can make. Walking near my old Nolita block earlier this week, I came across a beautiful maternity clothes boutique called Hatch, and this time my first thought was, "Why didn't I know about this when I was pregnant?!" Turns out Hatch has a pretty big following, but I missed that boat. Anyway, here are tips on what to shop for there, online or in brick-and-mortar (hint: hospital "bundles" that include non-frumpy gowns and socks you won't ever want to take off), plus a couple of other pregnancy and baby clothing finds in case you're holiday shopping or stocking up for yourself:

Hatch

The little shop at 17 Bleecker Street in Manhattan's Nolita neighborhood is set, incidentally, catty-corner from the Planned Parenthood headquarters. Find flatteringly cut, chic sweaters, pants, skirts (pictured above) and everything you need as your bump grows. For yourself or a gift for a pregnant friend, check out the Bundles of newborn clothes and heading-to-the-hospital-to-have-a-baby outfits, which take the guesswork out of what to pack and also let you inject an unlikely ounce of style into the whole experience. 

Photo courtesy of Hatch.

Moonlight Bundles

From rainbow sweatshirts that say "my parents grew up in the '80s", to unicorn fringe sweaters that we would've killed for in elementary school, to timelessly cool animal-print kid clothes (and even some solid prints, if you can imagine that), Moonlight Bundles is one of the more original, awesome-looking collections of kids' clothes out there right now.

Photo courtesy of Moonlight Bundles.

Kalilawear

It's tough to find running gear and workout wear that supports you in all the right places, even well into your third trimester. Not to mention gear that you can also comfortably wear if you're not working out at all, and not even thinking about it (ahem, sounds familiar). Kalilawear's cleverly designed, exercise-friendly maternity line does all of the above, plus five percent of the proceeds go to benefit the Kalila Foundation, funding women's health initiatives. Hat-tip to Shireen for turning us onto this collection. The Milan-based company will ship to the U.S. too.

Photo courtesy of Kalilawear.