Mamma-To-Be’s Style Guide to Dressing While Pregnant
Pregnancy can be an exciting, yet trying, time. Mamas-to-be must balance everyday activities with morning sickness and growing body parts. The pregnant body is beautiful and doesn’t necessarily have to stay hidden away. Today we have more choice than ever, and maternity clothes have never looked so stylish!
While looking fashionable remains a priority for many pregnant women, the cost to do so can be prohibitive. According to a BabyCenter poll of more than 15,000 women, 30% spent $200 to $500 just on maternity clothes. Another 24% spent anywhere from $100 to $200. That is a lot of money for clothes that only last a few months! This guide to stylish maternity clothes is here to help mothers-to-be get on the maternity fashion train with ease.
Introduction: Maternity Fashion Style Guide 2015
To help those new to the maternity fashion world, this guide will begin with a simple list of dos and don’ts for maternity clothing. Next, a list of 18 tips will help orient women toward the right pieces for their new maternity wardrobe. Finally, the buying section of this guide will provide helpful hints for saving money in what amounts to a completely new wardrobe. This will include a discussion of the great deals and websites that mothers can use to buy stylish maternity clothes.
Related: 15 WOW Maternity Clothing Styles For Pregnant Fashionistas
My morning ritual of styling and smartening, once a source of proud accomplishment became a riot of stomping, tears, and strewn clothing. For the sake of my marriage and my own mental health, at four months pregnant I resolved to take control of the situation. With no love lost for the challenge of maternity dressing, I formulated a list of sartorial standards to guide you through the next few months.
18 Bump-Friendly Maternity Style tips:
1. If you can help it, devise to be pregnant in winter
Admittedly, I’ve only ever known a cold-weather pregnancy. That said, the polar vortex and I were fast friends. During the first few months of my pregnancy, my favorite Acne jeans and The Row sweaters protected me from frigid cold and knowing glances. As the months wear on and my belly blocks the view to my legs, elastic-waist skirts, tights and booties are my weather-appropriate maternity weapons.
Related Post: Top 16 Tips To Feel Sexy While You Are Pregnant
2. Slip into something more comfortable
My first trip to the intimates department, like a multitude of pregnancy firsts, resulted in tears, disgust, and ultimately, denial. Three bra sizes in as many months was more than my hormones could handle. Once I had regained my cool, and with some gentle force from my mother, I placed an online order to try in the comfort of my own home. Along with folic acid and regular exercise, finding the right bra is the best thing you can do for your baby: The increased confidence and discomfort relief will do wonders for your mood. Added bonus: They tell me good support will decrease the likelihood of stretch marks later on.
3. Maternity jeans are what’s hot in denim
Even if, like me, you abhor ruched seams and empire waists, allow yourself to explore maternity denim. Available in a buffet of washes and fits, you should be able to approximate your favorite pair of non-maternity jeans. A slim-fit style will accentuate your (almost) untouched thighs and the elastic inserts mean comfort from breakfast through dinner. Coming around to this concept will be nothing next to letting it go.
4. V-neck sweaters are for preppy men and pregnant chicks
Once fervently devoted to the classic crew, my burgeoning boobs have forced me to reconsider my favorite neckline. While a high neck draws attention up, up and into your chest, a modest v-neck creates the illusion of a flatter bosom. I pair mine with a long-sleeve tee or chic dickey for added interest, but those more daring might opt to go bare up there. Reward yourself with a new statement necklace to finish the look.
Related: 3 Things You Need To Know For A Happy Pregnancy!
5. Everyone can benefit from another couple of inches
Save the sensible flats for late pregnancy and trips to the park. A low pair of classic heels are the best investment you can make in your pregnancy wardrobe. The added height will offset your increasing width and an elegant shoe will dress up your new maternity jeans for work and play.
Note: Size up a half size to accommodate your growing tootsies. After baby comes, stash them away for next time or thank them very much and pay it forward to the next lucky lady.
6. More is less
My very first maternal instinct was to head straight to my husband’s closet, an impulse I quickly discovered was ill-advised. His generous button-down shirts pitched like pup tents over my upper body and his cozy sweaters added bulk to my still-slender shoulders and arms. What I gained in comfort, I gave up in style. Moral of the story: the more fabric, the less flattering where maternity is concerned.
7. Show Some Skin
If you’re normally small-chested, pregnancy offers the best chance you’ll ever have to forego the padded bras and flaunt cleavage, so take advantage of this fortuitous occasion and wear scoop-neck T-shirts or sweaters.
8. Choose Snug over Bulky
Reaching for bigger clothes to hide your size sounds like a good idea, but it only contributes to a bulky look. Instead, slim down your silhouette and emphasize the features that aren’t expanding with snug-sleeved tops, skinnier pants, and button-down shirts or blazers (from your prepregnancy wardrobe) left unbuttoned. Try knits that stretch to fit your form — they’re sexy and feminine. If all else fails, break out a crisp men’s dress shirt and pair it with leggings or jeans and a fitted T-shirt or tank underneath. This look is the perfect mix of sexy, modern, and classic style.
9. Go Skinny
If you enjoyed wearing skinny jeans before you were an expecting mama, don’t be afraid to don tight-fitting pants now just because you’re pregnant. Many maternity lines are now making stretchy, super-comfy (and chic!) skinny jeans and leather leggings that will fit and flaunt your new curves.
10. Try Some Trimmings
One of the easiest ways to add dimension and flare to an otherwise simple ensemble is to put on your favorite accessories and jewelry. Try long, dangling earrings and lariat necklaces to de-emphasize fullness in your face. Wear a patterned scarf in your hair, put a jeweled cuff on your wrist, or carry a chic handbag. Better yet, if you’re not going to be on your feet all day, throw on some fun open-toe sandals or sling-backs. Sexy shoes can instantly perk up practically any outfit.
Related: Must-Haves Maternity Dresses Guide For Mom’s To Be in 2015
11. Shake what your baby gave you
My shrinking wardrobe aside, pregnancy has given me a newfound appreciation for my womanly curves. Where I used to yearn for Kate Moss’s boyish hips and flat chest, I now see my changing body as nothing short of the miracle of life. At three to four months, it’s a thin line between a big meal and a small fetus. But as your tummy begins to grow, embrace your new shape. Choose form-fitting silhouettes in dark colors that hug your curves and show off your shoulders or legs. Make your maternity work for you. Then sit back, and bask in the glow, baby.
12. Embrace Loyalty Among the Racks
If you already know of and trust a plus-size store, ask if they have a maternity line. Even if they don’t in their stores, they may have catalogue or online maternity options (often with free return shipping, so you can swap sizes easily).
Otherwise, select a plus-size store with a maternity line that offers clothing options you can afford and can feel both beautiful and comfortable in. (See “Where to Shop” on the next page for ideas.) Finding a brand that fits you in all the right places can be the hardest part, and there’s no shame in sticking to one brand and purchasing all of your maternity essentials there. Don’t hesitate to get fitted, because many plus-size brands have unique sizing. Also, buy maternity clothes in your pre-baby size: “Talk to [a salesperson] who knows the line. Start at lingerie, go into denim, and work your way up into stuff that you wear every day,”.
13. A Little Give and Take
Waist gain during pregnancy can range from 9 to 15 inches on average. To be comfortable, choose clothes in fabrics that offer a little give. “Choose knits or woven fabrics with Lycra. Knits are great with a body size that is slightly larger to begin with and is growing,”. However, don’t shy away from other fabrics completely, because a well-structured outfit gives shape and definition. “Anything that’s sort of obviously clingy doesn’t work if it clings to all the wrong places,”.
14. It’s All About Proportion
“Accessories should be larger or they get lost,”. Choosing dramatic jewelry, scarves, and even handbags can balance out the appearance of a woman’s body and create a beautiful silhouette. Wear bright-colored lipstick or earrings to bring attention to your face, or don a pair of vibrant shoes to show off your fantastic legs.
“Like your accessories, prints need to be proportional,”. Women who are plus-size and pregnant should not be discouraged from wearing prints,but should wear larger prints as opposed to small patterns, which may emphasize a figure. Toile and floral patterns, when worn with other simple items, act as a decoration, not a distraction.
15. Don’t Plan Too Far Ahead in the Pregnancy
Another mistake that many first-time mothers make is planning too far ahead in their pregnancy and attempting to buy all the maternity clothing they will need in just one trip. However, every body and every baby is different. Therefore, try to only plan for one trimester at a time when purchasing maternity clothes. There is no telling how rapidly you will gain weight in each pregnancy as many different factors, both medical and physical, can contribute to that gain. It’s a shame to spend money on clothing that will end up being too big or too small in the end.
16. Don’t Buy Only New
One final, and important, don’t is not to assume that all maternity clothing must be purchased new. Clearly, if there is a special occasion such as a wedding or a work function where the mother-to-be needs to look her best, purchasing a special maternity outfit that is trendy is important. However, maternity clothing, like baby clothing, is good to buy used since whoever wore it previously would not have worn it for long. Like the short periods of infancy, pregnancy lasts such a small portion of our lives that purchasing all new clothes to wear for only a few months is a bit ridiculous. Instead, search yard sales, flea markets, and websites like eBay .
17. Consider Your “Old Size” When Looking for Maternity Clothes
Though a pregnant woman’s body is rapidly changing, she is still an individual and subject to the individual traits of her body type and figure. People who are used to simply picking up a size 12 pair of jeans, however, can no longer count on “old reliable” sizes when it comes to maternity clothes. In general, maternity sizes are simply designated by letters (XS-3XL) rather than numbers to accommodate a range of sizes and different rates of growth.
18. “Highlight That “ Which Does Not Change
Every woman will gain weight at a different pace and in different areas. Some will show weight in their face, others will gain it all in their midsection, still others will end up with swollen ankles and legs. It’s genetics and there is little anyone can do to change it. However, there are also areas on a woman’s body that will not change, or that will change for the better, during pregnancy. This includes the bust, which will get larger as baby’s milk comes in, as well as the neckline. Look for flattering V-necks and boat necks and compliment any outfit with great jewelry that can be worn even after baby is born.
Buying Stylish Maternity Clothes
The final step in the journey to buying stylish maternity clothes is the actual purchase of the clothes themselves. Because of the proliferation of maternity-specific clothing lines and retailers in the past few years there are many more options than there once were. Every major department store has a maternity section and there are several boutique clothing shops that may specialize in popular lines of clothing, such as Motherhood Maternity & Mommylicious Maternity.
Pregnancy can feel like a series of minor but never-ending identity crises. Your body swells, your diet shrinks, and you find yourself uttering foreign phrases like, “I’ll have a virgin margarita, please.” The current state of maternity shopping doesn’t help, especially if you’re someone with a strong sense of personal style. It’s hard to feel like yourself when your options consist of a) that dress you’d never wear, b) that other dress you’d never wear, or c) pajama pants.
Those looking to save money or those looking to make their dollar stretch even further can also take advantage of used maternity clothes. There are several ways to acquire used maternity clothing which includes hand-me-downs from friends, neighbors, or family members or shopping at typical used clothing locations such as consignment shops, yard sales, and flea markets. However, a great in between option for mothers-to-be is shopping online with eBay where sellers offer both new and used maternity clothes at great prices.
Luckily, some retailers are finally realizing that not all pregnant ladies want to dress the same. Below, we’ve listed seven places to find cool, bump-accommodating maternity clothes.Whether you shop online, in a store, or via catalog, it is helpful to know sizing ranges before you get started:
1. Gap Maternity: For basics
If you had to, you could probably make it through an entire pregnancy without shopping anywhere but Gap. This site is your best bet for simple solid tees, work-friendly dresses, basic denim, and even gym clothes. None of it is going to make you feel like Rooney Mara on the red carpet, but none of it is particularly dorky, either.
2. Topshop: For feeling like you haven’t lost your youth entirely
Some maternity clothes seem like the training-bra version of mom clothes: Get used to those boot-cut belly-panel jeans, and the next thing you know, you’re wearing chambray capris with an elastic waist. Topshop’s maternity selection does not have that problem. For better or for worse, the clothes are practically indistinguishable from Topshop’s regular offerings. We’d suggest shopping there in the early months and then moving on, as the pieces tend to run small.
3. Mommylicious Maternity: For affordable takes on the trends
Another great option for fashion-forward pregnant women, Mommylicious Maternity also stocks plus sized maternity clothes alongside the more standard maxi dresses and loose tops. The quality can be hit or miss, but the pricing is accommodating to anyone who’s suddenly found herself saving up for a crib and/or a college education.
4. Boden: For preppy comfort
Until J.Crew starts making maternity clothes, this is probably your best bet for nautical stripes and simple jersey dresses. The fabrics also tend to be super soft, which makes a huge difference when you’re hungry and tired and your feet hurt and there’s a small child wedged in your abdomen.
5. Hatch: For chic splurges
Hatch is the very opposite of fast fashion: The clothes are made to be worn before, during, and after pregnancy. Obviously, that means they run loose and large, although the site does have a petite option. All that goddess-y stuff that Jemima Kirke has been wearing on Girls to hide her pregnancy? That’s what you’ll find here, with pricing running about $200-$300 for a dress.
6. Rosie Pope: For pulled-together style
New York maternity doyenne Rosie Pope might have come off as slightly unhinged on her Bravo reality show, Pregnant in Heels, but that shouldn’t make anyone discount her site’s collection of tailored shirt-dresses and cute separates. Recognizing the wide range in pregnant bodies, she also lets you search by best assets, meaning you can call up clothes that flatter your legs, your shoulders, or your brand-new power cleavage.
7. Shopbop: For not-quite-maternity
Shopbop has wisely gathered up all of its loose tops and stuck them in a section for expectant mothers, where they sit alongside dresses from Hatch and maternity jeans. If you’re looking for a way to shop lady-with-a-baby clothes and still find Alexander Wang, this is the destination for you.