During pregnancy, I wanted to be comfortable AND look put together. And I didn’t want to wear leggings every day! But being comfortable everyday gets challenging, especially as your bump grows and especially if you’re pregnant in the heat of the summer like I was. My ankles got SO swollen, and I was so so so hot. But, I still managed to feel cute and feel good. Most days anyway! (Working out my whole pregnancy helped!)
There are certainly some some perks to a spring and summer pregnancy in the wardrobe department, though. Namely, dresses. Dresses are so much more comfortable than maternity jeans! Even maternity shorts are more comfortable than maternity jeans.
And even though I work from home, I still get ready every single day. I wear athleisure on the weekends, but during the week, it’s real clothes. And that applied while pregnant too! So today, I’m sharing my pregnancy wardrobe must haves that helped me feel put together all 41+ weeks! If you’re pregnant or hoping to be soon, I hope these items help you too!
You can find the rest of my Build a Better Wardrobe series posts here: Dresses & Shoes
Pregnancy Wardrobe Must Haves
Dresses
Dress (sold out, but worth look for on Poshmark!) Shoes (simliar)
Solid colors, patterns, anything you can find. I always had a hard time justifying spending a lot on maternity clothes since I knew I wouldn’t wear them for long, so Amazon was my go-to. Some of the dresses aren’t even maternity specific, but they still worked GREAT. I found that fitted dresses were great for a growing bump since they’re stretchy and could be worn even as my belly got bigger!
A MUST HAVE for wearing dresses, especially in the summer, is pregnancy underwear. The inner thigh chafing was real and those fitted shorts saved me!
A few of my favorites dresses
Bigger bras
I bought my usual Third Love bras (wardrobe staples) in larger sizes and waited to buy maternity nursing bras until Thomas arrived.
A few of my favorite regular bras
A few of my favorite nursing bras
Jeans & Shorts
Top (similar) | Jeans | Sandals
You need a few good pairs of maternity jeans in each category. I liked side-panel maternity jeans early on and then as I got bigger, I like the over-the-belly maternity jeans style better. Over the belly pants are just like they sound: they have a panel that goes up and over the belly. But side panel jeans have extra stretchy panels built into the side and the waist band goes under the belly. If you’re pregnant over the summer, the over the belly pants can get a little warm, so I liked the side panel for hot days. Plus, before my belly was big enough, I had to fold the over-the-belly panel down and that was doubly hot!
My top pick were these black Madewell jeans. Many of my pre-pregnancy jeans were baby bump friendly for a while in my first trimester, and into my second and third when I used a belly band. (A rubber band works well too! Just loop it over the button and through the button hole to create a little loop for extra stretch and space!)
A few of my favorite side-panel jeans
A few of my favorite over-the-belly jeans
Leggings
I never invested in maternity leggings, but instead wore my go-to Lululemon Align leggings my entire pregnancy. I had one pair in my usual size 2 and then bought another pair in a size 4 once I got into my third trimester. Both pairs still work great now that I’m no longer pregnant!
leggings | Jacket | Top | Shoes
Comfy shoes
My go-to shoes were:
- a comfy pair of cute sneakers that paired well with jeans, shorts and dresses
- loafers for when I wanted to feel a little more polished
- block heeled sandals for dressier days (the block heel is more flattering as ankles swelled and easier to walk in!)
Pregnancy Wardrobe Must Haves
Black Dress | Glasses | Heels (simliar)
Maternity Top (currently out of stock) | Shorts | Shoes
I wore my Sam Edelman loafers throughout my entire pregnancy and probably wore them more than any other pairs of shoes. Well, maybe tied with my pregnancy running shoes! Loafers go well with jeans and dresses, they’re really comfortable and they look great. I have the cognac color which it goes with every outfit.
I also ventured into the white sneaker trend last summer while pregnant. And I got a pair of Vejas and loved them. They sell out every time they’re re-stocked, so hopefully when you’re reading this you can snag a pair here.
A few of my favorite shoes for pregnancy
T-shirts
Top | Jeans | Shoes | Bag (Bag review)
I found that my JCrew Factory V-neck shirts worked as maternity wear my entire pregnancy and were more flattering than maternity style tops! They are more affordable and easier to find too. If you need blouses for work, LOFT and ASOS had the best options.
A few of my favorite tops for a bump
A gorgeous dress
Get something you feel gorgeous in for maternity photos, even if you wear it just once. I know I said I had a hard time justifying letting myself spend a lot of money to buy maternity clothes, but this cream colored dress was my exception.
I got the most beautiful dress ever for our maternity photos and I loved it so much. It was around $200, so that felt like a lot to spend on a dress for a photoshoot, but I felt so special in it, and I LOVE how our maternity photos turned out. You can always wear it for a future pregnancy or sell it on a site like Poshmark after you’re done with it.
Or, you can use a service like Rent The Runway to get something really special for your photos or baby shower.
Dress (sold out, but you could search Poshmark!)
Pregnancy Wardrobe Must Haves
Where to Shop for Maternity Clothes
I found lots of cute maternity clothes at Gap, Loft, ASOS, and Amazon. I recommend buying things you can transition into postpartum so that you get the most bang for your buck! Keep the material in mind as you’re shopping too. You’ll want cotton, or something with a little stretch, so you can stay comfortable. Don’t forget that comfortable pregnancy workout clothes are a must too!
You see and shop all of my outfits during pregnancy on LiketoKnow.it here–– I posted almost everyday, so just scroll back to see some of those looks.
Did you have staple items in your wardrobe while you were pregnant? If you did, please leave them in the comments so that expecting mothers can reference them!
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1 Comment
Kara Elam
atI just love your health conscious outlook and all the great looks you provide for inspiration! Something to consider that is important for the health of the planet and those workers, including children, in textile factories, is the negative impact of fast fashion. It would be great to see more visibility about sustainable and fair trade fashion on your blog.
Thanks again for the great content!