Creating a stylish maternity wardrobe is challenging, but it can totally be done! You don't have to sacrifice your style or your money either. Personally, I didn't want to spend a fortune on things I could only wear a for a few months. I also did not want to have to deprive myself from shopping all my favorite non-maternity stores. I already had so many other things I had to deprive myself of (wine, caffeine, sushi, cookie dough) and I was not about to be forced to only shop at Pea in the Pod for 9 months (nothing against Pea in the Pod though). So, I decided to buy just a few maternity pieces. Everything else I bought was either a stretchy knit, elastic waist, or voluminous-style non-maternity. I wanted to share with you my essentials!! So here's what you should buy if you find yourself preggo!
A good pair of maternity Jeans (or 2). Jeans are essential to any wardrobe! By week 14, you can kiss your regular jeans good-bye. Eventually, even the old elastic tie around the button loop trick won't work anymore. I really love this maternity pair from Asos.com. The fabric is super soft and stretchy. I could sleep in these.
Buy several pairs of leggings! In the end, that's all you'll want to wear. Mix it up with solid neutrals, printed, even leather for when you need to feel a little edgy. Heck, these Forever 21 ones are only $3.80 so you could buy every color! They are so versatile and comfortable, and most importantly: stretchy (just like your tummy)! Wear them under dresses, and tunics and paired with boots or ankle boots.
I own this tunic top in grey. Buy it! So soft, so loose. See how roomy and open it is at the sweep? Perfect for your bump! You get the idea. Just look for wide hem openings and longer tunic top lengths. Be sure the length is at least past crotch point. If it doesn't fully cover your bum, wear a long cardigan or kimono over it.
One of the latest trends just so happens to be great for maternity wear (thank you style gods)! Dressy sweatpants are great! (Please avoid any with words written anywhere on them though!) Look for sweatpants in neutral colors with dressy details such as leather or pleats. The new Lou and Grey collection from Loft has several perfect options such as this pair. It's really all about how you accessorize them. Don't think of them as gym clothes! Try a wedge bootie or even a nice pair of heels like the 3rd option from Asos. Add some sparkly jewelry and a nice T-shirt and you're perfectly acceptable to be seen in public!!
Long Cardigans: These tribal cardigans are super trendy and make perfect maternity wear! Here's why: anything long enough to cover the bum and hips is great. Plus, they're elongating, making you look skinnier! This and this from H&M are great options!
Kimonos!! I threw this little curve ball in here because I just love the kimono trend happening right now. I don't know that I would have embraced them if not for my bump, but I'm so glad I did. It's something I will continue to wear after the baby is born! Like the long cardigan, they also help to cover your bum and hips and elongate you.
Wedge heels: I actually caught a lot of slack for this one. People couldn't believe I was wearing heels throughout my pregnancy! I say, as long as the shoes are comfortable, and as long as you're comfortable, go for it! Getting larger and larger by the day can be a little depressing. Heels make you look skinnier and feel sexier because they change your posture. You might not feel like prancing around in 6" stilettos. That's why I recommend wedges, which are a comfortable solution.
A basic LBD is an essential to any wardrobe. Dress them up with fancy jewelry, tights and heels or dress them down by adding a cardigan and scarf over. There are so many silhouette options. Try a slim, comfortable knit dress like option 1, or a trapeze style with enough swing to fit a belly of quintuplets like option 2! Option 3 took me a while to track down and I must pull the trigger and buy it soon. It's called a cocoon silhouette and it would be just perfect for a baby bump!!
What to avoid. (These may be obvious, but just in case)
-High waist pants or pencil skirts
-Shoes with ankle straps: Don't draw attention to those cankles!
-Crop top. Really, any normal length top will eventually become a "crop" top, so watch out! Look for long tunic length tops!
-Generally, anything woven unless you get it from the maternity section.
-Banded hems/elastic hem tops: These hit you right across your widest part and are really unflattering.
Great stores that have good maternity sections:
Hope you found this helpful! Do you have any wardrobe pieces you just could not live without when you were pregnant? Share in comments below!
cheap maternity dresses online wardrobe is challenging, but it can totally be done! You don't have to sacrifice your style or your money either. Personally, I didn't want to spend a fortune on things I could only wear a for a few months.
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