Pregnancy Style Tips
The overalls look doesn’t really work for me in non-pregnant life. I’m busty and haven’t yet found a pair that’s flattering. I love this pair though! I think overalls on pregnant women are so cute. Plus, they’re comfortable which is key.
When I found out I was pregnant, one of the first things I did was hit the Google and read various pregnancy style advice articles. It was a lot of “don’t wear prints” or “flowy dresses make you look bigger” type of rules. Looking back, I don’t know how helpful much of that advice was for me. In fact, one of my most flattering tops had no shape at all (see: the white sweater in the picture below). Accordingly, the way I’m approaching this post is less of a “wear this, not that” list of rules and is instead more general advice to keep in mind when dressing your bump. I also think my advice will help you avoid wasting money!
Before we dive in, however, I want to start by being honest up front. Shopping and getting dressed throughout this pregnancy has NOT been fun for me. I found it to be a chore. I did not embrace my bump or my curves. I hated gaining weight and getting larger every week and just generally found the whole process very annoying. Sorry to be “negative”, but that’s been my experience. I don’t want to pretend I enjoyed it and risk being phony with you guys. Plus, I can’t be the only one who feels this way, so maybe in reading this you’ll find some solace knowing you aren’t alone!
This sweater is the “shapeless” top I mentioned in the first paragraph. A lot of advice I read said to stay away from pieces without shape, but I don’t think that rule is universally true. I always got compliments when I wore this sweater, and I ended up buying it in multiple colors. AND - it’s not even maternity. In the winter months, the oversized sweater + leggings combo was my go to look. I liked these leggings from Spanx.
On the few occasions I was honest about how I hated watching my body change throughout pregnancy, most people retorted with something like “But it’s such a miracle!” or “You’re growing a human! Be kind to yourself!” That kind of commentary. Obviously everyone meant well, but responses like that got old after a while. I found it annoying because I was being kind to myself! I knew that internally, despite my occasional complaining, I had an extremely positive mentality and had very much accepted that this was my reality for 9 months. But that doesn’t mean I have to like it!
Anyway, to wrap up this little soapbox moment, I much preferred the real talk I got from a few friends who were like “Girl yes. It sucks.” So, in case you need to hear it…. YES GIRL. Watching yourself get uncontrollably larger every day SUCKS! And please remember: don’t let anyone make you feel like having this perspective will somehow make you a bad mom. You don’t have to like all aspects of pregnancy! You actually don’t have to like it at all. And it’s completely unrelated to how GREAT a mother you’re going to be to your little one.
If you’re pregnant when the temperatures are warm, stretchy dresses are a major maternity closet staple. Find a silhouette you like (which took me a few tries), and buy it in every color. The one I’m wearing here is from Rent the Runway, but this dress from Pea in the Pod is the bomb. I own both colors and wore it all the time.
Here’s another thing I want to say about maternity clothes before I delve into my list of tips. Some of the trendiest and most popular maternity clothing websites I had heard bloggers talk about or seen advertisements for on Instagram, just plain didn’t work for me. But not like a little didn’t work. Like a LOT didn’t work. As in I tried on probably a dozen different styles (shorts, jeans, overalls, tops, tees, and even basic leggings) and nothing worked. The fit was just SO off! That was a bummer for me because I was determined to have that “cool girl pregnancy style” they advertised. My take away from these websites is that the clothes only work for tall, naturally thin body types, but not for the rest of us. By the way, I’m mainly talking about Hatch.
Turns out Pea in the Pod was my jam! I promise they really do have some great stuff.
Maternity jeans are TOUGH! I personally found the over-the-bump varieties to be more comfortable and flattering. I bought a few different pairs, but only ended up wearing this style from Madewell.
Alright. All that being said… here are my pregnancy shopping/style tips:
Buy as little as possible in the beginning and wear what you already own for as long as you can. Then, buy things slowly over time. // I definitely made this mistake! I bought a bunch of stuff in my first trimester that I just assumed would work once I had an actual bump (big waste of $$$). Come to find out maternity clothes are a little more complicated than that! So, resist the urge to stock up in the beginning. Pretty much all you need in the first trimester is a maternity band (I used bands until 18 weeks, which means I made it almost halfway through my pregnancy before I needed maternity jeans). Until you’ve got an actual bump, just shop your own closet. I was surprised how many of my existing clothes I could wear well into my pregnancy. And, trust me… by the end of this pregnancy you’ll SO be looking forward to getting back into your regular clothes. Enjoy them for as long as it’s physically comfortable for you to do so!
Stay true to your personal style. // This might seem obvious, but a few times I found myself trying something on in a dressing room that non-pregnant Liz never would have considered wearing (if you’re curious, it was these overalls, way too many holes for me!) Even though I know my style pretty well, there came a point where I was just trying to find something flattering! Keep in mind that if you buy something outside of your usual aesthetic, you probably won’t wear it. I ended up returning those overalls!
Don’t be afraid to repeat looks. // I’ll be the first to admit it. I own way to many clothes, and in my non-pregnant life I don’t repeat outfits very often. This definitely changed when I was pregnant. I decided I’d rather wear a dress I loved two or three times a week rather than cycle in something I didn’t like as much just for the sake of not repeating a look. Just change your shoes or throw on a jacket to mix up the look a bit. Think of these months as an experiment in the whole capsule wardrobe thing! Finally, here’s a pro-tip. In your 3rd trimester, make yourself a section in your closet that’s ONLY clothes you know will fit you and get dressed from that rack. It makes getting dressed for the day much less frustrating.
If you find something you love, buy it in every color. // Self explanatory and similar to the tip above.
Do YOU. // Don’t let anyone tell you “pregnant women should never wear [insert item of clothing here]”. Prints, stripes, and heels are all popular no-nos you hear about. Obviously, not all heels are advised (and you’ll hit a point where you won’t want to wear them) but on the couple occasions earlier in my pregnancy when I wore a low, chunky heel or this really cute paid of heeled, knee-high boots I own, I got lectured on safety! When you’re pregnant, people feel like they can do this. EYE ROLL. I didn’t let it stop me, and you shouldn’t either! Regarding the “rules” re: prints and stripes, I just don’t think they’re universally true for every body type or item of clothing. Keep an open mind is all I’m saying. Don’t get lost in the “dress for your belly” hype, and just do you!
Try renting. // I had a couple formal events in my 2nd trimester and used Rent the Runway. I LOVED it. So much so that once I hit the 7 month mark I decided to join their Unlimited Program so I could rent some casual, bump-friendly clothing items. I had a lot of luck with it. They’ve got some great stuff. My only complaint is sometimes the size availability for bump-friendly styles is low, but I always found a different option if my first choice wasn’t available.
That’s all I’ve got! If you’re expecting, I hope you find at least one of these tips helpful. Below I’ve linked most of the items you see in the pictures above + some of my staple maternity items. Best of luck out there!
PRODUCT LINKS