15% off Maternity Wear all weekend!

It's a very special weekend this week. We are giving you 15% off all our gorgeous maternity wear, which includes coats, knitwear, party dresses, jeans, and all other day- wear, all weekend 27-29th November, at our Brighton boutique. Think of it as an early Christmas present, from us to you, to help make you feel and look great in time for Christmas! Pop in and see us .... Mamissima, 62 North Road, Brighton, BN1 1YD 01273 626676

Playtime ...

Last week I came into the office to find Susan (one of the owners of Mamissima) walking around pushing a duck on a stick. Today, Kerry (one of the lovely girls that works in our Brighton boutique) has been whizzing a train around in a spinning top, and I have been tickling the ivories on a little piano. So much fun! We are now stocked to the brim with the most wonderful toys and gifts, that you won't find on the high street, that are made to last, and that you and your little ones will love this Christmas. Many are timeless classics, such as spinning tops, but my favourite (because I loved my toy kitchen when I was little) is this adorable Wooden Kitchen. It is double sided - one side is to play cooking, with a hotplate, oven, microwave and cookware, the other side has a sink, washing machine, magnetic board and magnet. Everything you would find in a grown-up kitchen in one neat little stand! It is beautifully made so will last forever and will be something you would be happy to have lying around the house (far better than all that pink plastic). Buy on-line www.mamissima.co.uk or come and pick one up from the Brighton store 82 North Road, Brighton, BN1 1YD 01273 626676

Wrap up

If you are still reading all the fashion glossies, and wishing you could join in, you will know that the 'cardi/coat' is one of this season's key looks. Which is great if you're pregnant because you don't have to be stick thin to pull the look off! Brilliant! Plus, now the days are getting colder and the nights drawing in there's nothing better than getting really cosy in a favourite piece of knitwear. For daytime, the cardi/coat is great as it doubles as a jacket (until it gets really cold and then you really will need to invest in a coat), and for evenings-in it's perfect to cosy up with on the sofa. We have some beautiful knitwear this season and our very own 'cardi/coat' is the Milker Knit Jacket in a lovely deep purple colour. It's a mohair mix, so feels very luxurious but is machine washable (hoorah!). Available at the store, 82 North Road Brighton BN1 1YD or on-line www.mamissima.co.uk

New season maternity dresses

It's that time of year when the weather is getting a bit colder and we're thinking about changing our wardrobe over into winter, which may mean (hopefully)a few little treats (yippee!). Or you and your bump may just be blooming at such a rate you really do need to invest in a couple of new pieces to see you through the last few months. It's easy to get trapped into the leggings and t-shirt comfort zone, and who can blame you, because at the end of the day, it has to be about comfort. However, we have a huge collection of fabulous maternity dresses which will make you feel stylish and comfortable. Our model Laura is not pretending with that bump, she is very pregnant and we have it on very good authority (from her) that all the dresses she modelled for us are super comfy. My favourite is this Pietro Brunelli Cashmere Dress, it looks gorgeous, can be worn smart or casual, on its own or over jeans, and is designed to grow with you and your bump. It will also see you through the months after the birth so a really good investment. And it's exclusive to us in the UK, so you won't see it anywhere else! Go on, have a little treat, you definitely deserve it.

See us at the Southern Baby Event & Family Day

Come along on Sunday 25th October to Fontwell Park Racecourse in Sussex between 10am-4pm, where we will be showcasing our most beautiful and popular products and offering advice on maternity and nursing wear. Admission is completely free and it proves to be a great day for the family and children from 0-5. A must for all new mums across Sussex and Hampshire. For more information, check out the website http://www.southernbabyevent.com/

Little Vintage Treasures ....

This gorgeous, and completely unique, range of vintage dresses for little girls (aged 0-5), comes from Brighton-based illustrator and graphic designer Carol Seatory, under the label Atelier
Bricolage.

Carol had a crate full of vintage fabrics, each piece too small to make something for herself but, when she realised that some of the pieces were big enough to make a child's dress, she began making dresses for her own daughter. These dresses proved to be very versatile: they can
be worn alone on warm days or over vests or tops on cooler days.

As the fabric is in limited supply, each dress is different and the fabric and trimmings have a history. The fabric is either deadstock (vintage but unused) or recycled from another garment. Most fabrics are cotton, cotton-linen mix or mixed fibres, there are no pure synthetics. All buttons and trimmings are carefully chosen and are genuine vintage. If the fabric is deadstock it will be crisp and unwashed (but clean!); if it is recycled it will be throughly cleaned (using environmentally-friendly, non-biological detergent) and pressed before the garment is made. Each dress is carefully hand-made in a smoke-free environment.

A limited-edition range for babies of 3–12 months is available here at Mamissima. Click here to see our current collection. or pop in to our Brighton store 82 North Road Brighton BN1 1YD

Bags of style for new Mums ....

A changing bag is one of those 'necessary accessories' for new Mums (and Dads) and quite often means that it has to double up as a handbag. Our huge collection of changing bags are super stylish (you would never think they were a changing bag), reflect current fashion trends (this leather snakeskin OiOi bag is my favourite), are highly practical (outer pockets, matching padded change mat, insulated bottle holder, zip-top wet/mess bag, plastic wipes case, clip for keys/pacifier, adjustable shoulder strap) and infact are everything you will ever need from a handbag or changing bag. We have so many styles to choose from - luxury leather, fabric, printed, spotted, striped, red, green, orange, yellow - you are spoilt for choice. Click here to see the full collection.