net-a-porter

The mother of all online shopping sites. Obviously not for everyone's budget but it's full to the brim with clothes that would cause serious fashion envy at the school gates.

www.net-a-porter.com

White Stuff

A little too outdoorsy for me but I imagine White Stuff appeals to the rural mum who does the school run in a mud splattered 4X4 stuffed with wellies and dogs. Come to think of it, there's plenty of those in West London...

www.whitestuff.com

Toast

Expensive and a lot of their clothes look a bit... costume-y. I often wonder who their target market is - from the catalogue it looks like Eastern European women living in huts. But unrivaled for comfy, classy nightwear.

www.toast.co.uk

Peacocks

Peacocks wins the prize for the tackiest underwear around but don't let that put you off the very cheap, perfectly respectable maternity wear. There are also some really cute knits but they're all 100% acrylic *sigh*.

www.peacocks.co.uk

Fat Face

I've never shopped from Fat Face (perhaps it's the name that puts me off?) but they have some totally wearable clothes that look both attractive and comfortable. Ideal for romping around your local soft play area where your child invariably loses a sock in the ball pit.

www.fatface.com

New Look

New Look's "Gold by Giles" collection is probably the only way that most of us can ever get to wear Giles Deacon. Other than that New Look is good for cheap chic and some reasonable maternity wear.

www.newlook.co.uk

Monsoon

Well, you either like Monsoon or you really, really hate it. Depends how you feel about bold details, big prints and satin. You can easily end up looking a little bit... garish. But great if you fancy something decidedly feminine.

www.monsoon.co.uk

John Lewis

Recently revamped womenswear collection from J.Lewis has some wearable stuff but the site is sadly lacking in details - such as what the clothes are actually made of.

www.johnlewis.com

Uniqlo

Cheap merino wool cardies and jumpers in some lovely and some dubious colours. Well worth a look if you're after some basics.

www.uniqlo.co.uk

Clothkits

They're back! The 70's favourite minus the flares and the corduroy but with some quirky prints and the option to buy in either kit form (for those crafty types) or ready made up (for the rest of us).

www.clothkits.co.uk

Howies

Perfect for those surfer style mums, or those who holiday in Cornwall. Be warned, their jeans are cut low - threatening to reveal your buttocks to the dishy stay-at-home dad who's standing nearby when you're wrestling your toddler into the Maclaren.

www.howies.co.uk

Browns

So, so expensive and features some hilarious sequined leggings and other fashion shockers. Great for super overpriced denim.

www.brownsfashion.com

Oasis

Very frou-frou, so possibly not what you want for the school gates, but great for those days when you don't want to feel like a downtrodden mother-of-three. Or for when you want to make your teenage daughter roll her eyes at you for being inappropriately attired. The site currently has a huge selection of scarves for some reason.

www.oasis-stores.com

Warehouse

Reasonably priced but rather uninspiring... it's Warehouse.

www.warehouse.co.uk

Top Shop

Top Shop, the perennial favourite - although, apparently, not the most ethically sourced (unless you buy from their measly fairtrade line). Still, they do a fine maternity range which, unlike H&M, is available online.

www.topshop.com

American Apparel

If you can forgive their porno styling then American Apparel has the best jersey pieces around. Quite a lot of it is pretty unforgiving but the deep v t-shirts are ideal for breastfeeding and the stretchy high-waisted skirts with wide waistbands are lovely for both pregnancy and post-birth.

store.americanapparel.co.uk

Wallis

There are some truly hideous clothes on this site but the occasional gem does turn up. Their target seems to be 40 plus age group but some grown up fashion isn't necessarily a bad thing - non?

www.wallis-fashion.com

Marks and Spencer

Ah! Good ol' M&S. Not the most exciting site around but can't be beaten on undies (apart from the pathetic selection of nursing bras). Am not a big fan of their maternity range but must admit that much of it looks very comfy, if not very flattering.

www.marksandspencer.com

Ascension

Ethical fashion site. Pretty pricey. They have some great labels such as Terra Plana who make the most fabulous heels - great, that is, if you're the sort of mum who wears heels.

www.ascensiononline.com