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Today I’m sharing with you my pregnancy style essentials. A list of pieces to have in your wardrobe that will help you feel comfortable and stylish throughout your pregnancy and hopefully help avoid any “Nothing fits!!! I have nothing to wear!!” meltdowns (especially during that third trimester!)
*Side note - if you’re still in your first trimester, or just wanting to keep your pregnancy on the down low for a bit longer, you can check out my post on “How To Hide A Baby Bump”
This post has actually been sitting unfinished in my drafts folder since my first pregnancy, and I figured that seeing as I am now 22 weeks pregnant with bub number two (eeek!!!!!), it would be the perfect time to finally share it with you!!
I hope this can be a helpful guide, whether you are a fashion lover who is excited for the challenge of “dressing the bump” or someone who just wants to get through pregnancy looking reasonably presentable, while buying the bare minimum of maternity clothes!
As you’ll know if you’re a regular reader, I like to keep my wardrobe fairly minimal and streamlined, so during my first pregnancy I was very conscious of trying to add only pieces that would get a lot of wear, and that could (for the most part!) be worn after pregnancy too (and of course just making use of my existing wardrobe as much as possible!)
A fair bit of the style advice I’ve read online, seems to be quite negative about maternity specific clothes, suggesting to just “size up” in normal clothes, and while for some items this can definitely work, I still see the value in adding some specific maternity pieces, particularly bottoms. These pieces are just designed and cut differently and are often much more flattering and comfy for your growing bump!
While I don’t recommend going out and buying a tonne of pieces that will only be worn during pregnancy, my view is that it is worth it to buy a couple of staples that will get you through and help you feel great. If you’re selective in the styles you choose, you’ll still be able to wear (most of them) them afterwards too. For the most part, this list is fairly good in terms of longevity and use outside of pregnancy.
I loved the experience (and challenge) of “styling the bump” and figuring out what worked/didn’t work so well with my growing tummy, but I know it’s something that people can struggle with. Hopefully this will give a good starting point of the basic pieces to have in your wardrobe, so that you can easily put together a myriad of outfit options and help you feel your best during this incredibly exciting (but also sometimes overwhelming) time!!
Take this list as inspiration and adapt it to make it work for you, your style and your lifestyle!
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THE BASICS
1) A pair of maternity jeans
First up is a pair of maternity jeans. I know they don’t sound like the most exciting thing, but if you’re a “jeans and t-shirt” lover like me, it’s definitely worth it to invest in a pair early on as they will be a foundational piece of many outfits (and pants are usually the first thing you’ll outgrow, so it’s handy to be prepared before that happens!)
I actually had 3 pairs - a blue pair and a black pair with the “under bump” style as well as a blue “over -the-bump” pair, but you could definitely get away with just one or two pairs if you’re trying to be really minimal. (We are hoping to have a few kiddies so I just decided to get myself a few options straight up and they’ve gotten a lot of use for this second pregnancy too).
I loved the Ripe Maternity “Isla Ankle Grazer Jeggings”* (go for the normal length* if you’re tall - I’m 5ft2), which were the “under bump” style, for most of my first pregnancy, but found that towards the end of the third trimester the “over-bump” style was more comfortable. The ones I have were the brand Bandia from ASOS* (you can check out this post and video reviewing a few of the other ASOS maternity jean styles too).
There are many different styles of maternity jeans, but I found that the skinny leg style was most flattering and versatile for me. Of course if you prefer the look of boyfriend jeans then you should go for that, but with a bigger belly, I quite liked having a more fitted, streamlined look and the benefit of this is that you can tuck them into long boots giving you more variety with styling!
2) A super comfy pair of black leggings
Of course leggings were going to be on this list! They are an absolute staple when it comes to pregnancy style because they are so versatile and most of all comfy!
While you can find maternity specific leggings, my recommendation would be to treat yourself to a pair of the Lulu Lemon “Align Pants”*. I recommend them to all my pregnant friends, because even though they are a splurge for leggings, they are the most comfortable and stretchy I’ve tried, AND they can also be worn after pregnancy too, so you’re not just spending money on something you’ll only wear for a short time. I have two pairs, one pair that I’ve worn for 5 years (and they are are still going strong), so very much worth the splurge in my opinion! I actually never liked wearing leggings until I found these ones and the great thing is that they really do last and look great for years. For reference I got a size 6 in these ones (although my original size 4 pair does still fit, so as you can tell they are super duper stretchy!) They come in a range of lengths too… I think mine were the 25 length.
You can obviously wear them very casually, but my favourite way is to style them with a longer top or a shorter dress paired with long boots. It’s an easy way to feel a little more put together while still being super comfortable!
3) A pair of black stretchy work pants
When it comes to pregnancy work wear, a pair of black pants was a real essential for me. I had a pair from Ripe Maternity* which were super comfy, and the nice high waist meant that I could wear almost all of my normal work tops with them without exposing my tummy!
I love the versatility of fitted black pants because they can easily be dressed up for going out as well, so you’ll definitely get a lot of use from them (they are perfect if you’re going out for dinner because unlike jeans there’s no waist band digging in!)
4) A stretchy dress
I’m usually someone who prefers flowy, loose styles over fitted body-con dresses, but during pregnancy I really did feel best in a more fitted dress. I found they were much more flattering than looser styles that just made me feel bigger than I was, but of course you should give it a try and see what you like best, it’s all personal preference!
The great thing about a stretchy fitted dress is that you can dress it up and down and style it in a bunch of different ways, and no matter how big your tummy gets you will always have something to wear! (Plus they are super comfy which is probably the most important thing!) I recommend choosing a pretty colour that makes you feel really fab. There are ways to style them to help you feel more comfortable if you’re not used to wearing fitted styles (more on that later on!)
I had a light grey one from Kookai (not maternity but they do nice stretchy dresses!) and a pink one from Legoe Heritage that I got so much use out of. I don’t think they do exactly the same style of dresses at the moment but this Legoe one* is really similar, although doesn’t seem to come in pink at the moment!
I do have to mention that I didn’t wear these much after pregnancy, even though the pink one was bf friendly, so I wouldn’t recommend buying too many of this style if it’s not something you would normally wear, but having just a couple of stretchy dresses to wear during pregnancy is a worthwhile purchase in my opinion because it really did help me to feel better when I had the occasional “gahhhh I feel like a whale” moment!
Another thing to be mindful of when it comes to buying dresses is that a lot of dresses are not breastfeeding friendly, so just something to think about if you are planning to breastfeed. I’d suggest keeping any non-breastfeeding friendly dress purchases to a minimum! Let me know if you’d like another post on breastfeeding friendly outfits!
5) A few long singlets to layer under tops + a few longer tops
You can probably get away with wearing a lot of your normal tops, but as you head into the second and third trimester they do start to creep up and get a little short as your tummy gets bigger, so I found it really helpful to have a few long singlets that I could layer under my normal tops.
For singlets, I had a couple of black, a grey and a white ones. When Ruby was born I also picked up some breastfeeding singlets (which are nice and long) and I’ve worn those throughout this pregnancy, so I’d even just recommend picking up a couple of those as they’ll probably be pieces you’ll get most use out of!
I really liked these ones from Bfree Aus. I’ve found the quality to be really good and they are comfy too (they are basically the only bras I’ve been wearing for two years… the only thing is I wish they would sew the bra cups in as they do move in the wash and are a bit of a hassle, but otherwise they are super comfy and particularly great during the early days of breastfeeding!)
I did also purchase a few new tops that were just a bit longer - a couple of fitted ones from Kmart which were a bargain and felt more flattering than my other tops in the third trimester as they kind of “hug” your tummy rather than stick out.
I also loved the Valance Tees* from the brand Legoe Heritage. They are specifically designed for pregnancy and breastfeeding so I found they were really flattering. While you definitely don’t need specific breastfeeding tops (you can just pull up a normal top!!) these ones were really helpful for the early weeks as it made it much easier to feed while also being discreet. As time goes on and you get used to breastfeeding, you kind of don’t care anymore, but I remember being quite shy about feeding when out and about initially!!
6) Comfy Bras
Another important piece you’ll want to add to your wardrobe are some comfy bras. You’ll likely need to retire your normal underwire bras for a while and I’d recommend getting some really comfy ones that are also breastfeeding friendly so you’ll get use out of them afterwards too (if you’re planning on breastfeeding that is).
The ones I wore throughout my pregnancy were from Bfree Australia and have gotten a lot of wear (they’re basically all I’ve been wearing for 2 years now!) As I mentioned above, they also do a breastfeeding singlet/cami version which is great too. I liked these ones because they are really stretchy and you can also order a little adapter to attach to the back if you need it to be a little bigger for a while! For reference I’ve been wearing the size small.
I also just recently picked up two more from H&M that I’ve been liking too. I’m still on the lookout for another bra that gives a bit more shape so will update this post once I find the perfect one!
It’s also nice to have a few stretchy sports bras that don’t have any clips at the back. My favourite used to be from Lorna Jane but they’ve discontinued the style unfortunately! These ones from Cotton On* have been a good replacement so far!
7) A comfy but nice pair of trackies
While your maternity jeans and leggings are quite comfy, you’ll likely get to a point in your pregnancy where, at times, all you’ll want to wear is trackie pants. This is where having one or two nice pairs that are a bit more presentable comes in handy!
For my first pregnancy I bought myself two pairs of Legoe Heritage track pants and they have been so comfy and lovely (and were great postpartum too!) I’m not usually one to wear trackies out of the house (because most of mine are super old and just way too slobby!) but I did occasionally wear these ones :)
Of course with trackies, this is a piece that you can probably get away with buying non-maternity, but I really did love these maternity specific ones from Legoe. The thing I love about this brand is that while they are a “maternity brand” most of their pieces are just really versatile and great to wear regardless of whether or not you are pregnant!
For this pregnancy, as it will be summer, I’m thinking a pair of loose linen pants may be a useful addition too (particularly postpartum!) but I’ll see how it goes/if I come across a pair I love.
8) A pair of shorts (depending on the season)
This wasn’t actually an essential during my first pregnancy due to the season, but this time around I’m going to be pregnant in the middle of summer. My normal shorts are all high waisted styles that definitely will not work for the bump so I’ve added in two new pairs of shorts to my wardrobe.
These denim ones are from Legoe and are “maternity shorts”, but I’ll be able to wear them when not pregnant too. If you go for an “under bump” style with a drawstring/elastic waist band and make sure they are a big enough size you may be able to get away with non-maternity ones. I like the light denim wash of these which should be very versatile. I also picked up a pair of white shorts from Ripe Maternity*. These ones have a stretchy waistband so they are move obviously a maternity specific style, but I couldn’t find any other white shorts I liked that were suitable!
I’ve noticed that there are a lot of linen shorts around in the shops lately and these would probably make for great pregnancy (and postpartum) shorts too.
That’s something I’ve been quite mindful of this pregnancy - trying to plan for what I’ll wear after the baby arrives too, as feeling good in your clothes can make a huge difference in how you feel when you’re in the midst of that newborn bubble - loved-up but also incredible sleep deprived and hormonal and getting used to your body without a bub in your tummy!
Extra Pieces To Help You Feel More Stylish
Now that we’ve discussed the basics that will help to just get you through, I’m going to mention a few extra pieces that can help you feel a bit more stylish and pulled together. A lot of these are likely pieces you already have in your wardrobe, so hopefully this can just give you some styling ideas and ways to jazz up the basics discussed above!
8) Longer outerwear for layering - eg: cardigans or button down shirts
Because I’m someone who usually prefers wearing looser or “fit and flare” styles, I really liked having a few longer cardigans or button down shirts (worn open or belted) to layer over the leggings and fitted dresses that I mentioned above (I just felt a bit more comfortable having something looser to cover my bum!)
You can also tie the button down shirts in a knot under the bust to emphasise the bump which is quite a cute look!
9) A cropped wrap cardigan or top for layering
In direct contrast to what I mentioned above, I did also quite enjoy wearing a few more cropped styles that tied under the bust and really emphasised the bump!
I had two that I wore a lot and really loved as they were a kind of “wrap style”. One was this pretty plum coloured one (which unfortunately is very old from a brand that is no longer around!) and a black one from Portman’s (pictured earlier). While these particular pieces are no longer available, there are a lot of crop style tops around that would work really well to emphasise the bump! I’d recommend looking for more fitted styles or ones that can be tied so you can adjust the fit!
If you have a lighter knit or a t-shirt you can also just knot it under the bust (sometimes using a hair-tie can help) to give the same cropped look (as I did with the dress above)
10) A pretty dress (preferably breastfeeding friendly)
While fitted dresses are great, sometimes you want something a bit more special or something that feels a bit looser and easier to throw on! Having a “go-to special event dress” will be particularly useful if you have a fancier event like a wedding to attend while you’re pregnant!
Shirred styles* are everywhere at the moment and are a really great option. Depending on the fabric and pattern you should be able to find something that you can dress up enough for a wedding. These styles are usually breastfeeding friendly too so you will be able to get use out of it later!
I loved this dress from Spell which I wore to my best friends bridal shower, and then also to my brother and sister-in-laws wedding when Ruby was just a few months old. It was great because it was super comfy and I could breastfeed in it!
I have another wedding to attend next year too so have picked up this gorgeous pink linen dress from Forever New which is stretchy under the bust so works with the bump now and will also be bf friendly too.
Look out for wrap styles or ones with buttons that you’ll be able to get use out of after pregnancy too… otherwise you may end up with dresses that just aren’t practical after bub arrives! (if you’re planning on breastfeeding that is).
I treated myself to this sage green dress from Saba* which will work throughout pregnancy but will be equally as great afterwards too, as well as a beautiful embroidered one from Tigerlily.
Okay, so I’ve gone a little dress crazy lately, but I didn’t have a lot of breastfeeding friendly dresses and I just fell in love with these ones!
11) A high waisted belt to cinch in dresses or tops above the bump
A high waisted belt is a really useful accessory to have. I found something as simple as cinching in a dress or a shirt under the bust made me feel so much more confident as it gave me a little bit of definition around my “waist” and therefore made me feel a little less whale-like.
Regardless of how big you get, there will probably be times when you just feel huge and simple style tweaks like this can help you to feel a bit more confident!
12) Pretty hair accessories, hats, a great lipstick etc.
As I just mentioned, there will likely be a few moments (particularly in the third trimester) when you may feel a bit “blah”. Your tummy feels huge, you’re uncomfortable, your not sleeping etc…
For me, I found adding just a small extra accessory helped me feel a little more stylish and was a nice pick-me-up in those moments. I loved a pretty hair accessory like a headband or hair clip, or a swipe of bright lipstick to lift my mood in these moments!
So those were my pregnancy style essentials! I hope you enjoyed the post and found it helpful. Let me know in a comment below if there’s anything you think I’ve left out or if you have any of your own styling tips to share! I have quite a few #bumpstyle posts here on the blog and also over on instagram @laurennatalia.co so do come and say hi if you’d like more style inspo!
Lots of Love
Lauren
xxx
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