On Maternity Clothes
I think I am missing a girl gene. No really, I think I am. Brace yourselves for what I am about to say.
I hate shopping. I’m also not the biggest fan of makeup or high heels (well, except these heels, that I was obsessed with). But really, I hate shopping. And I hate shopping with other people. If I’m going to clothes shop, I’m usually on a mission. I like to get in, get out, and not browse.
I guess I should clarify a little: I like shopping for home goods and such. But I absolutely despise clothes shopping and would prefer not to do it. Like, ever. Half my wardrobe comes from clothes my sister is getting rid of (she is a self-professed clothes horse), so most of the time, I actually don’t have to shop.
Maternity clothes, on the other hand, are a different story.
So far, I’m surviving on:
one pair of maternity jeans
two pairs of maternity shorts (one dressy, the other casual jean shorts)
three Old Navy Maternity tanks (in gray, navy, and black)
three Liz Lange for Target maternity t-shirts (in white, gray, and pink)
…and that’s it. I supplement by using most of my regular shirts still (which work just fine as long as I have some sort of tank underneath them to give them length). I also have two maxi skirts, a jersey dress, and a jersey skirt that are stretchy enough for me to use. Oh, and I still haven’t bought new bras. I tried some on one afternoon and got so fed up I said to hell with it…and went home still wearing my now pretty obviously ill-fitting pre-pregnancy bras.
I think the problem for me, is two-fold. One, the aforementioned missing girl gene, aka hating shopping. And two, I am cheap as hell when it comes to clothes. I would rather spend money on stuff for the new house or the nursery. Maternity clothes are expensive, and even if you go to Target or Old Navy, it can add up really fast!
It also helps that my office has a very lenient dress code (we don’t deal direct with customers and our office is not open to the public), and I can wear t-shirts, jeans, etc. 5 days a week. So I really have no need to dress up (though sometimes I wish we did have a stricter dress code, because I would like to dress up. Then I get up in the morning and think, nah. Comfort wins every time!). I try to dress nicely—you know, tees with cardigans, darker jeans, and nice flats and jewelry, but it’s by no means your typical office wear.
So, people who love shopping, this is your chance to dress me. I am looking for pieces that can hopefully go with me through the end of my pregnancy—do those exist? I know I’d like to get at least one pair of leggings that aren’t see-through and can last me all the way until November, but that’s about it. What else should I add to my wardrobe? What are your favorite brands? Most importantly, can I order online or do I really have to drag myself into a store? How do I even size myself these days?! HELP ME!
I’m 18 weeks along, and so far have gotten all of my maternity clothes on ebay! It’s awesome to only pay $2.99 for a shirt that’s $20 in the store! You’re right, they’re pricey, even at the discount stores!!
So, I’ve really struggled with maternity wear in general and have discovered that Old Navy NON maternity has really helped me survive this pregnancy. I’m a huge dress fan and anything empire waisted from Old Navy I’ve been able to continue to wear all the way up until now at 35 weeks where I’m just starting to feel like I’m outgrowing some of the Non maternity stuff. But it’s all cheap and I figure I can wear it post baby since it’s not actually maternity! Other than that I love Old Navy tank tops, both the maternity ones and now they have new ones out that are again non maternity called the Perfect Tank and they’re super long and still cover my 35 week belly. Good luck, maternity wear can be a challenge even if you’re like me and love to spend money on clothes!
I would recommend browsing at your local Goodwill or thrift store. I noticed the one here has a maternity section. You won’t have to go to a store to browse at much; the section likely is small and limited in selection. And you won’t have to spend much; the items are probably all less than $10 and gently used.
Good luck! Wish I could help more!
I’ve been buying a little more expensive stuff this time around, like Loft maternity line for example. I went the cheap route with my first pregnancy, and it just didn’t hold up well to being worn multiple times a week. It would have been nice to not have to buy all new clothes for the 2nd pregnancy, but nothing from the first is still good enough to wear.
I’ve found that I have to order almost everything online. Most stores only have a rack or two of maternity clothes if they have them at all.
Go to a fancy lingerie store and get fitted properly for a bra. Your boobs will thank you.
I’m the same way. I hated spending money on maternity clothes and I don’t have to wear anything fancy to work. I had one pair of maternity jeans that lasted my entire pregnancy (except the last two weeks when they were too tight). I had a pair of black pants from Target, a pair of shorts from Target and a pair of capri’s from Motherhood.
I did buy a couple of dresses for church and my shower. They were great – that’s all I wore my last few weeks were dresses because they were loose and I wasn’t uncomfortable in them. I would suggest a jersey dress as a staple piece to get you through the rest of this. I ended up buying a maxi dress from Target that I put a cardigan over (both non-maternity) and that worked until the bitter end.
All of my shirts and tanks came from Old Navy and Motherhood during sales. I only bought tee shirts and tank tops. I wore sweaters and cardigans that I already had in my closet. I did have to buy a new pair of flip flops because…my feet grew. That was fun (not).
Target has awesome maternity leggings. I wish I had bought them while I was pregnant! Go ahead and buy online. Buy one size up from your normal size. I’m normally a medium and had to go large in all of my maternity stuff. It may seem big now but in another couple months, it won’t feel so big anymore!
So, here’s my thing with dresses. I love them but I am a victim of thigh rubbage whenever I wear dresses. When I’m not pregnant, no big deal–I just throw some spanx on underneath dresses and skirts, and I don’t get the thigh rub. With pregnancy though, spanx are neither comfortable nor recommended. I’ve been rocking a pair of cut off leggings underneath my dresses as of late, with the waistline worn down below my bump, but even those are getting kind of uncomfortable. Do you know of any maternity type spanx things that would work that aren’t actually spanx? I don’t know if I am explaining this very well, haha…but I need something to wear underneath (preferably shorts) that are comfortable and prevent the thigh rubbage.
Thanks for all the great tips, everyone!
I bought a big size of spandex shorts from target to wear under dresses. The thigh rubbage is TERRIBLE while pregnant in the middle of summer.
I’ve been surviving on the basics like you. I have 1 pair of nice jeans from gap maternity, a pair of crops and shorts from target, 2 tanks and four tops. I did buy one non-maternity banana republic dress in a size 13 that has worked well and grown with me (it’s a wrap type dress) but girl GET YOURSELF A NEW BRA. I shopped at target, gap, motherhood maternity and Khol’s all have better selections online anyways!
I hate spending money on maternity clothes and always try to buy on sale, but I’m gifted in the breast department and decided that would be my one expensive item I couldn’t be cheap with. I went to Nordstrom and had a professional fitting and it was awesome because the lady brought in a ton of different sizes and then helped me find one that didn’t look like I pulled it out of my grandma’s closet. I only bought one and I hand wash it a few times a week (I know not quite the cleanest) but it was $70 so I can’t justify ANOTHER one when I know I will need nursing bra’s and more of those. I think this one will fit me through the remainder of my pregnancy and if it doesn’t…. I’ll make it or just buy nursing bras
I actually never found something good to wear under dresses. I have the same problem with thigh-rub. Pre-pregnancy, I would wear short jogging shorts I found at Target. I was never able to find anything like that in maternity. I just sucked up the thigh-rub knowing it wasn’t going to last forever. Sorry I couldn’t help with that…. Oh and I get the Spanx that aren’t Spanx thing. Do you really want something pressing on your belly while pregnant? I think not. I think capri leggings would work under long dresses, but I don’t think they make maternity bike shorts. Can’t imagine why not…
One of the tips I heard was just to buy larger spandex shorts to wear underneath. Also slip shorts! They are kind of granny but I hear they work great.
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So I went a little crazy on maternity clothes shopping so I’m not the best person to talk to about staying on a budget (haha). I would check craigslist, sometimes people sell maternity “lots” for cheap and you can actually see it in person.
Since your office is casual, I would probably recommend 1-2 nice pairs of jeans (I like Indigo Blue, which you can get at Motherhood Maternity) and some basic tank tops that you can throw a cardigan over (Motherhood has these and sometimes runs by 1 get 1 50% off deals and they have a good sale section online and in the store). Long and extra long non-maternity tank tops would work too–I bought a few from Charlotte Russe—I hadn’t been in that store since I was probably 21! I’m a HUGE fan of tunics—I bought a lot of tunic-type tops at TJ Maxx (non maternity), and some from Pea in the Pod and plan to wear them until I lose the baby weight. I wear them with jeans, dress pants, and leggings. I also have several Max Factor dresses that I picked up at Nordstrom rack a few years ago that are a bit longer and have high waists so they should fit my belly though the whole 9 months (I’m wearing for my 20 week photo that will show on my blog on Monday). I second Target’s Maternity Leggings and I love Motherhood’s maternity yoga pants—I wear both with tunics/dresses that are now a little short on the weekends.
Darn, I was going to come in and suggest dresses! But now I see that you’re not so into them. You could wear dresses and tights (once that’s appropriate). They do make maternity tights. But honestly, I wore leggings, boots and some shirt for nearly all of my pregnancy. Like every single day. I always belted the shirt under my bustline, and then threw a cardigan over. Granted, it was cold during the later stages of my pregnancy, so it worked. I also bought one pair of black dress pants from Target and wore those to work all the time when I wasn’t wearing a dress with tights. I rotated the same stuff all the time, and I was really lucky because my sister was pregnant before I was, so she gave me all of her maternity clothes. I ended up buying like 4 things my entire pregnancy.
I very much like dresses…but I definitely need something underneath to deal with chafing. Once I find a solution there, I can wear dresses no problem.
I survived in sports bras during my pregnancy, my boobs were too tender!
Kohl’s was my best friend during my last pregnancy…they have the Oh Baby by Motherhood brand, which isn’t the highest quality but it’ll get you through 9 months and my stuff appears to be lasting through this pregnancy. I must say being pregnant in fall/winter is much more fun than summer! My whole wardrobe was cute maternity sweaters last time around.
As far as leg chafing…I know the feeling! If you can get over the old lady look/feel, slip shorts work great! You can get them at Walmart…like the Vanity Fair satin ones..they come in white, nude, and black usually. Totally old ladyish but they work!
Target has wonderful nursing bras…I really liked the stretchy sports bra type ones that had the flaps/hooks for nursing…you can wear them while you’re pregnant for comfort and they’re great for nursing. Plus if you don’t want to buy maternity underwear their Gilligan & O’Malley seamless bikinis are wonderful.
Hope that helps!
Have any of your girlfriends or even random coworkers had kids recently? One of my groups of girlfriends has passed clothes around for the past 5 years or so. In another group, my pregnant friend brought up the issue at lunch. Turns out a coworker’s daughter had bags and bags of stuff to turn over.
I’m not speaking from experience (I’ll get the REAL hand-me-downs once I’m finally pregnant), but I think if you promise to return the items once you’re done (for now), you could probably score some freebies.
And again, don’t know what I’m talking about preggo-wise, but I do have rubbing issues. A steady dose of baby powder can work in a pinch.
My favorite maternity staples were a pair of super comfy leggings from gap maternity (I still wear them, obviously not in summer, but I actually love that the waist is a little loose so I don’t feel like a sausage even when not preg) and gap’s maternity camis – I have 3 and wear them every week still because they are nice and long and stretchy. You could buy those all online bc I think they are just small, med, large style sizing, and more forgiving. I bought like 2-3 cute maternity tops from Destination Maternity and it was well worth it because they actually made me feel cute. I also love gap’s maternity long sleeve cotton shirts – at the end of your pregnancy when it’s cold out you would probably like those for work.
Oh and meant to add that Destination Maternity in Brookfield is a great place for a bra fitting. They have some decent sales sometimes too. You definitely need to go there at some point while pregnant!
I am completely useless at helping you with this. The only suggestion I have is to check out Old Navy’s that DON’T have maternity, in their clearance section. When I worked at ON we’d get maternity returns and since we didn’t have maternity (and most of it is online-only) it went straight to clearance at 50% off. It would take some searching in the clearance but if you find a nice staff member they might help too. The regular Old Navy’s are good too if you have coupons. I have a GAP visa and use all my rewards at ON because it’s so cheap.
And I hate shopping too!! So you’re not alone. And try working from home… that’s casual dress code TO THE MAX. I generally shower during my lunch break (MAYBE.)
I’ve skimmed the comments (whoa! lots ‘o women with pregnancy wardrobe advice!) so I hope this isn’t duplicative, but I would suggest the following:
Invest in 1 pair of maternity jeans that you love the crap out of – I would suggest these have a full panel to take you all the way to the end. I got mine at Pea in the Pod in Brookfield and they were $85 – I know, I know, ridiculous – but I LOVED THEM and they fit fantastically and were super comfortable and I wore them every time I wore jeans.
Also, find a good pair of yoga pants for lounging around the house/running errands on the weekends. I found that non-maternity yoga pants were more comfortable for me, and loved American Eagle’s Aerie brand of “slim gyms”. They have a fold-over waist band that I ended up wearing unfolded/pulled up as a pseudo-maternity panel, and they fit me until I delivered (actually I’m 99.9% positive I wore them to the hospital). These were pretty cheap (less than $25 usually b/c they’re always running sales) and I lived in them on the weekends. Um, I also still wear them. Don’t hate.
Target has amazing “be” brand maternity tanks that are LONG and COMFORTABLE and relatively inexpensive ($20-ish?) and I found them to hold up a lot better than my old navy maternity tanks. Look for the ones with the ruching on the sides, as they expand to fit your belly better than the non-ruched variety. I got one in black and one in white and wore them until the end, too.
I know a few ladies have suggested dresses and tights in the cooler months, but I will be honest with you and tell you that I believe maternity tights were sent to Earth from Satan himself. Seriously. I wore them a whopping 1 time to a wedding on New Year’s Eve and I made a vow with myself never to wear them again. Super uncomfortable for me, at least.
I found Kohl’s maternity to be just so-so (and the selection definitely lacking) so I ordered a bunch of stuff from Motherhood Maternity and the quality was okay. Old Navy maternity ran a bit big for me, so I usually ordered 2 sizes and sent the ill-fitting size back. I hated shopping for maternity clothes in the store, so mail-order was where it was at for me. Good luck!
Amy, Many congratulations! I couldn’t resist recommending to you 😊 the online Zoe Alexander UK Maternity Brand. You can have made to measure free of charge, the clothes are specially made for you and they’ll fit you like a glove! You can choose your length and perfect fit for your figure. The fabrics are very good quality!
Recommendation will be to have leggings ( for fitness & comfort), a Little Black Dress (very sexy ), the maxi dress ( great comfort), a tunic ( great with leggings or jeans), a wrap top/ cardigan and a pair of jeans.
Enjoy your pregnancy!
Before I used to wear frumpy clothes and feel ugly. But ever since I found Morph maternity online and started wearing their maternity wear, I feel beautiful and so much more confident about my pregnant self.