6 Secrets to Finding the Best Cute Maternity Clothes
A Decision
When I got pregnant with my second daughter, I decided I didn’t want to feel frumpy again. So in my first trimester, I watched other pregnant women. At the grocery store. At the bank. At drop-off and pick-up at my eldest daughter’s school. When I saw a pregnant lady who looked sharp and put together, I took mental notes on what she wore and how she wore it. (Actually, if I’m being completely truthful with you, you should know that most of the time, I took actual written notes in the Evernote app on my phone.) Nowadays, you can just search Instagram for #StyleTheBump, but back then I became a devoted – albeit creepy – student of maternity fashion. And then I had an epiphany.Here’s the Thing, My Pregnant Friend
You are working hard, mama. All day, your body is splitting cells. Growing an actual HUMAN. I don’t care if you started your pregnancy 5 pounds over your target weight or 30. Pregnancy is a whole other ball game. The shame you felt about your belly pooch, the loathing of your thighs. Let it all go. Because now your body is serving a greater purpose. And that is just plain beautiful. Own it. Be proud of your belly and everything it means.6 Tips for Cute Maternity Clothes That Won’t Cost a Fortune
Part of being proud of your belly is being happy with how you dress. Borrowing your husband’s XL t-shirt to cover your belly won’t make you feel better about yourself, I promise. And I can tell you that nine months of feeling frumpy is no fun. Especially when you tack on the months of wearing postpartum clothes while your body is working its way back to a new normal. You are a badass, and you deserve to walk with your head held high and flaunt your pregnant badassness to the world. Here are the best tips and tricks I learned for cute maternity clothes. Don’t worry – I’m not going to suggest that you borrow against your baby’s college fund to fund an entirely new wardrobe. Following these tips will help you spend money wisely to build a stylish but inexpensive wardrobe for your pregnancy.1. Don’t Go Big
2. Raid Your Closet
- Any tops that have always felt like they were a little too long for you. They’ll be perfect to cover up your belly.
- Any tops containing Spandex or Lycra. They’ll stretch to accommodate your belly.
- Bottoms with a stretchy waistband that you can pair with cute tops. Skirts, yoga pants, and leggings will all work here. Especially if they have a low-rise waist.
- Cardigans, jackets, blazers, and vests. Grab them all for now.
3. Splurge on Jeans
When you grow out of the hair-tie-through-your-buttonhole trick with a belly band, you’re going to need some maternity jeans. But maternity jeans are so difficult to get right. Some fit great at first but after an hour or two, the crotch feels like it’s sagging down to your knees. You can get under-belly jeans or full belly panel jeans, or an awkward in between version that’s never fit right on me. It’s a matter of personal preference, but I happen to prefer the full belly panel jeans. They stay up better for me. Some women prefer under-belly. But remember how I said I’m not going to suggest you spend a fortune? And how I said to raid your closet? Well, the truth is you raided your closet to finance this one single purchase. Because awesome maternity jeans will make you look and feel divine. But mediocre maternity jeans will have you feeling like a hippopotamus that’s evolved to walk upright.- For my last pregnancy, I bought one awesome pair for $175 and wore them constantly. I just matched them with different tops every day, and no one was the wiser. In fact, I wore them so often they got a whole in the butt in my last week of pregnancy!
- For my current pregnancy, I bought another just like my previous pair. And even though I don’t have a day job and we’re cutting our spending left and right to make up for it, I have absolutely zero regrets.
4. Find Your Staples
I’m not going to recommend you buy a lot of maternity tops. For each of my last two pregnancies, I’ve gone to A Pea in the Pod and Motherhood Maternity and tried on every halfway decent-looking top – and walked out empty-handed. Maternity blouses tend to have a hint of a muumuu about them. I think they’re designed by people who think women should be shameful of their growing bellies, like we’ve been groomed to believe our whole lives. But now that you and I know they’re flat-out wrong, we don’t have to waste our time on those silly-looking tops.- A few t-shirts and tanks in different colors, maybe with ruching on the sides. I have two black t-shirts (one scoop neck, one v-neck), one black tank, one red t-shirt, and one white t-shirt. (If you’re pregnant in the winter, you can also look for some stretchy turtlenecks.)
- A simple black knee-length maternity skirt. If you’re big into skirts, go ahead and get a couple more skirts or a dress or two. I also own a gray maxi maternity skirt.
5. Make a Statement
Now you have your mix and match staples, plus one super amazingly gorgeous pair of maternity jeans. It’s time to add some pizzazz to your pregnancy wardrobe. Put on a simple black t-shirt and your new jeans, and start trying on all those cardigans, jackets, blazers, and vests you set aside from your existing wardrobe. These pieces will add color and pattern to your look. This is the secret of saving money on your pregnancy clothes, right here. Instead of getting 10-12 different maternity tops, you’re using a few basic staples and adding color and style with layers from your existing pre-pregnancy wardrobe. Let’s compare:- 10-12 maternity tops at $30-60 a pop = $300-720
- 4-5 maternity staples at $20-30 each = $80-150
6. Add a Little Bling
It’s a fact: When you accessorize, you look approximately 500% more put together. Even if you don’t normally wear jewelry, now’s a great time to start. I find that when I add even the simplest necklace to my maternity look, my confidence shoots up, and I feel much more at ease flaunting my badass pregnant self. Bust out those leopard-print flats from the back of your closet, or that hot pink handbag. Have fun going a littleBefore you go, get my FREE cheat sheet: 75 Positive Phrases Every Child Needs to Hear
Want More?
Don’t forget to have some clothes on hand for after baby’s born! Check out 7 Tips for Postpartum Clothes That Won’t Make You Look Pregnant.
Your Turn
What’s your favorite pregnancy look? Share in a comment below!
Wonderful post and some great tips! I did the first thing you did the first time around and hid in over-sized clothing. I want to be the cute Pinterest mom who looks put together all the time and I think you did an excellent job on telling others how to get there! Great post!
Thanks for sharing an article….
Great share!!