Building Your Pregnancy Wardrobe Without Buying “Maternity”

Pieces that transition through (almost) your entire pregnancy.

Next to swim suites, maternity clothes have got to be the worst shopping experience of my life! I am currently on baby number three and it’s still a struggle. However, I have found a few ways to help make that bump look GREAT without sacrificing hours of turmoil in the maternity department changing rooms.

First things first, if you are pregnant with your first kiddo and have zero experience with the madness of maternity shopping, the most important thing for you to know is that most maternity clothes are not essential until the last month or two of your pregnancy.

When I was pregnant with my first son, I was a recently married senior in college. Describing our budget as tight would have been an extreme understatement. We were poooooooor. But you better believe that I shopped around for maternity clothes thinking that at any moment I would burst out of my current wardrobe without warning.

I shopped around a few maternity departments, and quickly realized I’d be lucky to afford a pair of socks. Maternity clothes aren’t cheap, and rarely go on sale.

What’s a girl to do?

Raid the clearance section for leftover castoffs that society had deemed unworthy for public use.

And then I waited…and waited…and waited. Those castoffs I spent hours sifting through and deciding on didn’t see a lick of action for several months. Periodically I would try them on and measure my growth progress by how much the sagging fabric had decreased.

However, that doesn’t mean I wore my normal clothes the entire pregnancy. Oh no, I outgrew those faster than I’d like to admit. But finding clothes for that transitional period is what makes maternity shopping so tricky. Either you have an exposed beer belly or giant baggy parachute outfits that would qualify you to host the next circus performance in your area.

Here are a few ways I have found to help transition regular wardrobe pieces into maternity outfits that keep you comfortable, maintain your stellar style, and save a little on maternity expenses.

1. Find a Good Pair of Leggings

This is hit or miss because some people  would be fine wearing leggings everyday. Others, prefer not to draw attention to that area of themselves. I fall somewhere in between. I love a good pair of leggings but, the tush has got to be covered or I feel too exposed. Wherever you fall on this spectrum, I would still suggest at least one good pair.

I’ve invested in a couple pairs of high wasted skinny yoga pants that I pair with a long tunic or dress (that isn’t quite long enough on it’s own after the bump develops), and they are amazing for support and comfort. I prefer the added thickness of yoga pants over typical leggings, but that’s only a personal preference.

1.5 Elastic Waists

Closely related to number one (hence the .5), any bottom with an elastic waist is a win. I’m not talking about frumpy skirts or nasty sweats (unless you’re like me and love a cozy sweat pant every now and then). There are a surprising amount of elastic waist dress pants and the like available, and I guarantee they’ll look better than some of the super baggy mega belly panel bottoms out there. (You know, the ones that make you look like your testing out diaper brands on yourself before baby arrives.

Especially for my second and now third pregnancy, I wasn’t able to wear anything tight around my waist. So, I found some awesome cotton blend shorts that worked great for me and were super cute (even with their elastic waist bands lol).

2. Stretchy or Flowy Tops

Now, after my rant about baggy circus top outfits, I understand how this might sound contradictory. Here’s the difference, you want to look for something that is loose but still lays a little clingy. This is for all you spandex lovers out there. You want something that’s got a little stretch to it that will bounce back without getting misshaped or droopy.

3. Go for the Tall/Tunic Sizes

Normally, my 5’5″ self has no business shopping in the tall department. But as part of my personal style, I tend to lean toward longer tops that cover my aforementioned tush. As it happens, it is also great for maternity purposes! In fact, a large amount of maternity brands get away with charging outlandish prices for only an extra inch or two in length. If you can find a nice tunic or tall size on sale or, even better, in the clearance section, you’ll save quite a few pennies in the process.

The one tunic item I highly suggest picking up is an undershirt or tank top tunic. I have a couple and use them constantly to help hold everything in place. They are great for helping keep up leggings and keeping down shirts, both of which love to creep away from each other once the bump starts to grow.

4. Maxi, Maxi, Maxi

I can’t say enough about how great these are as a maternity option. Skirts or dresses, it makes no difference, they are AMAZING. They are loose and breathable, both essential for growing bellies, and do a great job of accentuating cute bumps while also flattering everything else. The only word of caution I would say is to make sure any elastic bands on a dress hit at the ribs rather than the waist (for obvious reasons lol).

5. Layers (Like an Onion)

This isn’t a specific clothing piece like all the others, but it is essential for making the previous four points work seasonally. Especially for anyone planning to have multiple pregnancies, there is nothing worse than spending a fortune on a summer maternity wardrobe and then having to buy a whole new winter maternity wardrobe for your next pregnancy.

A chambray button down open over a loose tank top or a cardigan over a maxi dress. Layers are a maternity must that enhance any look and allow the same pieces to transition through your nine month expansion!

Added Bonus

Any of the pieces described above will also be extremely useful post pregnancy as well. In case no one has mentioned it to you yet; if it took nine months to grow, it doesn’t go away over night. Some women bounce back a little faster than others (I’m still working on my bounce). But, no matter who you are, there is always a bounce period afterward.

A Point of Clarification

In no way am I saying that if you find a cute piece in the maternity department (maybe even at a great price!) you shouldn’t pick it up. If you love it, get it! You will probably need a few once you reach the final stretch of your pregnancy. The list above is to help get you from start to finish with as little anxiety and expense as possible.

I absolutely LOVE the maternity tops with elastic scrunches on the side seams. They are super comfy and the elastic helps keep the shirt from riding up that eighth month almost to the finish line bump! And maternity dresses are made a smidge longer which is great when its too hot for leggings or floor length maxi’s.

Well, that’s all the wisdom this mommy has for today. Hopefully, hope has been restored about the ability to style the bump without breaking the bank.

Here are some other outfit posts you might like too!

• Fall Outfits
• How to Wear a Cardigan

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