A maternity dress has to be a must-buy for every pregnant woman. Even if dresses are something you would normally only wear for special occasions, you will soon appreciate their versatility and the comfort - not to mention the style!

It's a fact of life that as soon as you announce that you're pregnant, then the invites for parties, weddings and formal dinners seem to flood in! On these occasions you'd normally be wearing a new party outfit, but it seems ridiculous to spend money on clothing that you'll only wear during the next nine months.

Well, the key here is to buy a dress you love, but one that is versatile enough to wear at lots of different events. Perhaps a flexible style which can be altered to look differently, like the amazing "six way dress", or one that can be dressed up or down with clever maternity accessories.

In terms of fashion and style, the familiar "smock" is completely out of maternity fashion! At the moment, pregnant women have the pick of fabulous styles - halter-necks, bold fabrics and bright colours are all commonplace. You can choose black if you wish, but in these times, many women opt to flaunt their bumps in scarlets, fuchsias and bold patterns.

Often pregnant women actually find that dresses are easier to wear when they're expecting than tops and trousers too. This is because they are cut for comfort and without an uncomfortable waistband to dig in.

But the finest thing about this clothing style has to be the adaptability. No-one considers a pregnant woman is overdressed if she's wearing a maternity dress, so you can wear one each day without raising eyebrows, One with a jacket is perfect for work. Going out? Then experiment with different coloured wraps or pashminas. For casualwear, just throw on a simple cardigan and you're good to go!