1. Buy maternity pants early in your pregnancy! Truth is you'll eventually outgrow your usual size pants. Don't waste money on those belly-bands or other workarounds that will leave you constantly adjusting and pulling up your pants. Be wise and buy early. Every woman's body is different so buy when your pants are fitting just the slightest bit tighter then usual. The longer you can wear those maternity pants throughout your pregnancy AND post-pregnancy months, the more return you get on the investment. I suggest buying styles that have the secret fit full belly so they stay up and look smooth under your tops. You'll feel more comfortable and your body will thank you.
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| jeans, gray straight cut, chambray, pink |
2. The opposite of pants, you don't have to buy maternity-specific dresses. Regularly sized maxi dresses that have an empire waist style and wrap style dresses in stretch knit fabrics often have enough stretch or material to cover your growing bump. I've even bought regular t-shirt style dresses that are one size up from my usual size and worn them comfortably during my pregnancies. My favorite materials in dresses are chiffon and knits with some rayon in them. They flow beautifully and are comfortable next to the skin.
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| white embroidered, pink, navy stripes, tropical print, small floral |
3. Buy yourself a cute pair of flats or lower heeled pumps. I don't know of any pregnant woman who's feet didn't swell up during pregnancy. The swelling and the weight of your growing body makes it impossible to feel comfortable in higher heels and sometimes your usual size flats will not fit either. Plus, I believe that the right pair of shoes can elevate any outfit. So buy a pair that fits right and looks good. When you have special occasions or places to go where sandals or sneakers won't do, you'll have something comfortable and beautiful to complete your outfit.
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| black slingback, pink rhinestone bow, floral, blue velvet, black captoe, blush ankle strap |
4. Go for tops that have a ruched side or are closely fitted above the rib cage. The last thing you need is to feel like you're wearing a tent. I used to be very self conscious when it came to tighter fitting clothes when I was pregnant but that resulted in me swimming in large t-shirts and I was never confident or comfortable during my first couple of pregnancies. In my later pregnancies, I found some tops that had ruched sides which were much more flattering for a growing belly and they became my staples during pregnancy and postpartum months.
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| white sleeveless, smocked floral, white polka dot, blue floral, sage, black embroidered |
5. If you prefer loosely fitted tops, wear a skinny belt or tie a ribbon around your waist when you're wearing loosely fitted tops, dresses or cardigans. This addition will accentuate your curves and pull any outfit together. I always had a few skinny belts that I would put on to complete loosely or awkwardly fitted tops.
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| leopard, blue, black |
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| marled, pink, piped, striped, white |
I hope these tips help you make the most of your maternity wardrobe. Comment and let me know what worked for you too. Cherish those little kicks from within and enjoy your little ones!