Can double as maternity

Ugh.

I just want to throw out an idea for clothing manufacturers:

PLEASE DO NOT LABEL PLUS SIZE CLOTHING WITH "CAN DOUBLE AS MATERNITY".

Really, I promise you'll sell more if you don't.

I was shopping yesterday with a friend of mine. I picked up something (a top, maybe..I really don't remember), thought it was cute, liked it, it was something I'd actually wear, then in checking the tag for the price I see "DOUBLES AS MATERNITY". Ugh. Back on the rack it went.

Really, is putting that on the tags absolutely necessary.

Not that there is anything wrong with the pregnant body. In fact, I enjoy seeing pregnant bellies. However, I don't have a pregnant body and don't want to know that the clothing I'm wearing can drape a pregnant body.

I also want to know why things like bras, undies and bathing suits for plus-girls are so blah. (sorry Mel if this sounds like I'm stealing your blog post idea. This frustrates me too).

Bras: I want support and structure. I don't want cone-boobs. And dammit I want cute too.

I want support without having a dozen hooks to contend with.
I want structure to hold the girls in, and hold them up.
I do not want to have pointy boobs that could rival Madonna.
I want pretty colors, cute patterns, and a little lace never hurt anyone.

Why is it so difficult to make that happen?

I'm a D cup and have a heck of a time finding lovely bras.
I have a few LaSenza bras that are pretty colors, which is at least a start. They don't do much for support, but at least they're pretty.

Then I have the white nightmares. The purely functional contraptions that are not at all attractive.

I can find a billion bras in colors and patterns that I love that all come in sizes under a C cup. Anything bigger than that just don't come in the same styles. I don't need 15 bras in beige. I crave red, blue, green....ah the possibilities! Is it really that impossible to translate the smaller ones into big-boob appropriate bras? I find it frustrating at a size D, I can't imagine how my size E-F friend feels.

Same goes for bathing suits. I love the suits that are mostly a solid color with a punch of color with a flower, usually over one boob or the other. I LOVE those. And blast if I can find one in my size. Size, 0-12, no problem. Anything else, forget it. I also don't want to feel like I'm wearing a tent. Do I want to be covered? Yes. Do I want to feel like I'm wearing Barnum & Bailey's Big Top? Nope. I don't want to feel like I'm wearing my grandmother's suit.

Why can't functionality meet attractiveness and spawn a lovely bra/bathing suit to please those of us who need a little more oomph?