You know that feeling—the one coming from the waistband digging into your stomach? Standing’s okay, sitting requires an undone button? Bending over might rip the butt seam of your pants? Are your boobs turning all shirts into crop tops? Do you know what this means?
It’s time to start wearing maternity clothes.
What is it about maternity clothes that makes the weight gain feel “official”? Ladies, don’t deny yourself comfort. No, your skinny jeans don’t fit anymore. Let it go. What’s that? You can still squeeze into your faded sweatpants from college? Sure you can, girl. #smallvictories
If you can find brick and mortar stores that sell maternity clothes, great. But I found them few and far between. If that’s the case for you, it’s off to the internet you go. Nobody wants to spend a fortune on clothes they’ll only wear for a few months, so here are the must have maternity clothes essentials you need:
- Maternity jeans. That eight-inch wide waistband feels *so right.* Don’t delay. Cheap ones will fit fine. Let’s be honest, that waist band is seriously about a foot wide. You weight 30 lbs more than normal. Nothing’s going to look that good. Don’t waste money on designer anything.
- Wrap dress. Still flattering, even when you wear a 52W.
- Maxi dress. Especially if your third trimester corresponds with summertime. Stay cool friend.
- One dress or outfit that makes you feel good (professional, sexy, stylish, whatever. You need that).
- One or two pairs of neutral-colored slacks (black or otherwise)
- Three dressy/office-appropriate tops. You can add a jacket (and not zip it) or a scarf to keep things interesting.
- Two cute tops (not necessarily office wear) to go on dates in. And yes, even if you’re tired, go on dates. You will not be able to spontaneously leave the house with your honey so easily for *years*?
- Maternity bathing suit, only you have a string bikini. I was able to tie mine more generously for a long time, but it ultimately started to look embarrassingly skimpy.
- Lounge wear: make it comf. This is the stuff you want to be in most often. At least a couple tank tops and yoga pants. It’ll be your new uniform if you become a stay-at-home mom. However, you’ll probably be surprised by what you still fit into. I got into regular-sized sweats and jersey separates (like some pajamas) for a long time, so you can save by spending on professional clothes first.
- Shoes. No, there aren’t any maternity shoes, but the foot swelling thing is real. I live in a hot weather place, so I was able to wear a lot of sandals, which helped. (Although there were times that my flip flops left indents on my feet—yikes!) You won’t necessarily buy new ones, but you might want to look at your closet. Open-toe sling backs are good because there’s some expansion space. Zippers, pointy toes, and boots might have to wait until after baby’s born.
- Remember to buy the size you normally wear. For instance, if you wear a size 6, that’s the size you’ll buy in maternity. If you’re a small and buy all larges in maternity, they won’t fit.
I also continued to wear my maternity clothes for a little while after giving birth. They were just more comfortable and I felt better about loose-fitting stuff. My final thoughts on maternity clothes are to (try to) buy something cute that you feel good in. Even though you’re growing for a good cause, it’s still hard to feel attractive sometimes. Putting on maternity clothes that fit well with (some) style, will make a difference. After all, you’re zipping for two!
Q: What clothes were the most important for you while you were pregnant? Can you recommend any good brands/stores?
