I had a friend ask me recently about how I stored my maternity clothes. She was struggling with how/where to pack all of those items she didn’t need until her next pregnancy. It got me thinking about my maternity “wardrobe” because it’s pretty small. Most of it fits in half a box under our bed.
As a capsule wardrobe seeker (getting closer every day but not there yet), I found it really difficult to decide what maternity items were worth purchasing, which I needed, and which were just going to take up space or not be worth the money. As I was explaining this to my friend, she said…so what did you actually buy? Good question!
So today I thought I’d share with you ALL of the clothing pieces I purchased for my first pregnancy, what I’m hoping to add this time around, and which I found to be most necessary!
A Few Thoughts On Maternity Clothes
Let me start by saying, you do you girlfriend. These are my thoughts and feelings about maternity clothes but they certainly don’t have to be yours. I just found these points helpful as I was (and still am) navigating the always present I Have Nothing To Wear issue while pregnant. As always, I’d love to hear your thoughts, too!
1. Wear What You Already Own – Swing dresses, longer tunics, flowy tops: these are all items that you can wear the majority of your pregnancy. Joggers and leggings, too! Also utilize anything you own with an empire waist (like grey/black maxi dress below) these are all bump friendly and will last you well into late-second/early-third trimester.
2. Layering Is Your Friend – If you find a particular shirt is becoming too short because of the bump, layer a longer tee underneath to add length. This will help keep you from having to buy too many new items. You can also use button-up shirts or flannels as outer layers, like below:
3. Pull Out All Your Jogger Pants – Joggers are a pregnant-girls best friend and easily worn under a bump. I plan on wearing mine until it’s too hot to wear joggers!
4. Wear Low/Mid-Rise Leggings Under The Bump – You don’t need maternity leggings right away! Wear your leggings under your bump for as long as they’re comfortable.
5. Invest In A Cute Belt – I used a belt to help accentuate the bump when wearing certain dresses or tops. This always helped me not look like a giant blob when wearing something like a swing dress that had little shape to it.
6. Cardigans. All The Cardigans – These are not only super flattering while pregnant but also comfortable. Make sure you pull all of yours out of hiding because you’ll need them (and later for nursing too)!
7. Try Secondhand – There are some great thrifted options for maternity clothes! If you’re not one for bargain hunting, try ThredUP! It’s an online second hand store with some great maternity options!
Pregnancy #1: Maternity Clothes I Purchased
1. Maternity Jeans – I bought two pair of maternity jeans for my first pregnancy. I think this is all that’s really needed although sometimes it’s fun to have a few different styles. I bought my first pair from Stitch Fix and then my second from Target (pictured above). The Stitch Fix pair had a full belly panel, which I loved but I also bought a pair with side panels which I also liked! I suggest trying both.
2. Maternity Leggings – Although I was able to wear some of my regular leggings under the bump, it was so nice to have a pair of maternity leggings that I could literally pull all the way up under my boobs. 😉 The comfort of these Motherhood Maternity leggings were my favorite. They’re light weight, easy to get on, and perfect for layering under tunics or dresses. These however, are not thick enough to wear as pants.
3. Maternity Support Belly Band or Waist Extender – I have both of these bands and they allowed me to wear the majority of my pants through at least 34 weeks! After 34 weeks I pretty much only wore maternity leggings (see #2) or dresses because I was just too huge – but this belly band and this waist extender were life savers and helped me stretch the life of my non-maternity pants further than I thought I could!
4. Cropped Workout Leggings – I was gifted mine from a friend and I wore them all the time! My particular pair is sold out but I’ve linked a few similar below.
5. Long Sleeve Tees – These tees were all gifts but I was glad I had them around for those days I just didn’t want to think too hard about what to put on towards the end of my pregnancy with Macey. I would say 1-2 of these are nice to have!
6. Seamless Everyday Tank – This tank is a lifesaver! I wore this under everything! It’s seamless, stretchy, and is made of a material that doesn’t slip so it stays put while wearing. I might snag a grey or nude one for round two.
7. Chambray Tunic – I splurged and bought this top specifically for maternity photos. I wanted something comfortable and easy to wear/style. Funny enough, I’ve actually worn this top while not pregnant (see second photo below) and it works just fine. 😉 Win/win because it can stay in my everyday wardrobe.
8. Over-sized Sweatshirt – This is non-maternity but I purchased this to wear around the house or with leggings. With Macey I wore my dad’s college sweatshirt which had a similar fit to this. I highly recommend having at least a few of these!
Pregnancy #2: What I’m Shopping For Now
1. A Thicker Pair Of Maternity Leggings – I’d love a pair I can wear as pants with athleisure wear or to workout in. I’m currently looking at Spanx because I love their quality but they’re always on the pricey side. I’m also looking at a few pairs at Old Navy that are much cheaper.
2. Seamless Everyday Tank (Second Color) – As I mentioned earlier, I might snag one more of these tanks in a different color, they’re the best!
3. Maternity Shape Wear Shorts – Since I’m due in early June, I’m looking to add some maternity shape wear shorts that I can wear under my dresses. I think this will help make me more comfortable going into warmer weather and I don’t have to worry about a gust of wind or bending over with a toddler! These shorts both come in two colors on Amazon and have near-perfect reviews! I’m also planning on snagging these Spanx high-waisted shaping shorts for postpartum.
4. ThredUP – I’m also eyeing a few tops on ThredUP that I might try! Right now you can get $10 to try it yourself by clicking here: try ThredUP.
Non-Maternity Clothes I Love That Work With The Bump
At the end of the day, my recommendation when it comes to maternity clothes is to keep it simple! I was very tempted to buy a whole new wardrobe full of maternity-wear but it’s worked out much better for me to stick with the essentials. Wear what you have until you can’t anymore, then start making adjustments! Much of this depends on what season you’re most pregnant in. For example, I’ve never been super pregnant in the winter, so I never needed a maternity winter coat. Things like that will change your wardrobe slightly, but the point is to be comfortable, confident, and save your pennies because that new baby is coming! 🙂 Your local consignment store is also a great place to look for items (like a winter coat) that can be more expensive.
Ashlee says
With Isaiah Due in septEmber, i wore JoCkey slip shorts, in a size up, Under my dresses all summer long.
I can’t believe you can pull off that chambray not pregnant!! I have one simIlar to that and can’t even Wear it pregnant without just looking blobby.
Becca says
Yeaaaas! March-May with Macey I was in dresses with slip shorts under, my fav to wear by far! Haha…and thank you – I love the chambray I got from target. For some reason it’s not too bad without a bump lol!