This time last year I was pregnant. It was my first time, and there was a lot of lessons learnt when it came to comfortable and practical maternity wear. First thing I learnt was there is a lot of daggy maternity wear out there! Eek! Second thing was: you don’t need to necessarily buy ‘maternity’ wear, however a few basics that are specially made for pregnancy will come in handy in the later stages. Third thing was: comfort. No matter how great something looks, when my stomach had expanded to double or triple it’s normal size, there’s no way I was squeezing into something scratchy, tight or hot. So, I thought I’d make a bit of list of things that I got great wear out of and the things I found really practical.
Everyone is different and each body type is different of course, and it depends on whether you are working (and what occupation you have) to what you might wear the most; but here are a few places to start. If you’re looking for maternity style inspiration, I have a Pinterest board for that! Check it out here 🙂 So here’s the 11 maternity clothing pieces I wore the most, and why!
1. Wrap and/or shirt dresses.
I bought a black wrap dress on eBay and had a couple of shirt dresses in my wardrobe, and they’re definitely buys you won’t regret. If you intend to breastfeed afterwards, they’re also very handy. You don’t need to necessarily buy a maternity wrap or shirt dress either. Just make sure there’s plenty of stretch or room to it and it has some give in the bust area.
ASOS maternity wrap dress with bird print AUD$49
2. Bodycon midi dress.
I had a couple of stretchy midi dresses from Supre that were absolute bargains, and I wore constantly to work. Pregnancy was about the only time in my life so far I have felt comfortable wearing bodycon dresses. They’re super comfortable, especially on those days when you feel you need some support for the bump.
ASOS maternity midi dress AUD$29.65
3. A pair of skinny black pants.
One of the items I did buy specialist maternity was a pair of skinny black pants – I bought these from Soon Maternity. I wore these to death with tunics and oversized sweaters and striped tops. A cropped length looks good with flats, too, which is perfect for tired feet.
Soon maternity crop skinny pants AUD$99.95
4. Maternity jeans.
I held off buying maternity jeans as they just looked so daggy in the shops. There came a time, however, when I just felt like wearing a pair of jeans, a t shirt and boots, and nothing else would compare. So, off I trotted to Jeans West, which has a great range of maternity jeans at a great price point. I’ve also heard the Topshop maternity jeans are quite good.
Topshop maternity jeans AUD$68
Jeans West skinny maternity jeans AUD$69.99 (currently two pairs for $99)
5. Black floaty top.
An easy outfit for me on those ‘can’t be bothered’ days was my maternity jeans or black pants, a black top and pumps or ankle boots; with a scarf or necklace. Easy, flattering and comfortable. I bought a black tunic from ASOS in their maternity range, however there’s plenty out there.
6. A fun and/or dressy dress or two.
One outfit that I felt great in whilst pregnant was a bright, floral sundress. Another was a black lace cocktail length swing dress. It just made me feel more normal and human. Slick on some lipstick in a bright hue and you’re ready for a friend’s BBQ, a wedding or birthday party.
ASOS maternity maxi AUD$27 (on sale)
Little Mistress lace dress AUD$94.88
7. Maternity leggings.
A basic, great for pairing with tunics and those dresses you can still fit into but are now a bit short (trust me!). I run with the rule that if wearing leggings, the top must come last my backside. But each to their own!
ASOS maternity leggings AUD$23.72
8. Striped t-shirt.
A basic in any wardrobe, buy a long length one so you can tuck it into shorts or wear over jeans or leggings. Navy or black stripes are classic.
Topshop Maternity stripe tshirt AUD$28
9. Black shorts.
A -tshirt, black shorts, sandals. That was pretty much my go to for those super hot days in the middle of summer where I wanted to just sit in a cool bath all day, but alas I had to get out and about. I found a cool elastic waist pair at Sportsgirl that I bought in a size bigger and wore underneath the bump, but there are some great maternity options too.
ASOS maternity twill shorts AUD$39.53
10. Maternity singlets.
You don’t necessarily have to buy maternity singlets – just some extra long singlets will do. Great for underneath tops which have suddenly gotten a bit short, or on their own with a pair of patterned harem pants or jeans. Speciality maternity singlets will work well too after the birth, and I wore a nursing singlet with relaxes pants in the hospital.
ASOS two packs of singlets AUD$35.58
Target maternity singlet AUD$30
11. Relaxed print pants.
While pregnant, I had a couple of pairs of stretchy, comfy, printed pants that came into their own in the later stages. Worn with a singlet and a cardi or jacket and sandals, they look smart and are comfortable. I also wore them in the hospital when visitors were coming. Warm too.
New Look maternity printed pants AUD$39.51
