Back to Basics: Pregnancy Wardrobe Must-Haves

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I’m officially in my 30th week of pregnancy as of Saturday, and I’m having a lot of fun dressing my bump.  When I first started showing, I had no idea what styles to look for or how to dress the bump. Seven months later, I feel like I finally have the hang of it and I wanted to share my must-have pregnancy wardrobe staples on this month’s back to basics series.

Now that there is no hiding my bump, it is much more flattering to embrace it instead of trying to wear something oversized to hide it. I’ve noticed that empire waist lines are very flattering and help elongate your silhouette. Regular waist lines hit me in a weird spot now, so I try to avoid them. If something is too oversized, belting it at my rib cage makes it more flattering. Tops and dresses with ruching also help show the bump off too. Pregnancy is such a special time, so I am having fun with how I dress while staying true to my style. Before I bought anything new, I shopped my own closet and sectioned out what is “bump friendly.” Having a spot to quickly grab from that I know will work has really helped me when I’m in a hurry.

Pregnancy Wardrobe Essentials:

• • • Staple dresses:
      

  Shop My Dresses:

  

  I haven’t purchased much new clothing, especially not maternity clothes. I was lucky enough to get a lot of maternity clothes from my sister-in-law. I tried to be mindful when purchasing clothes, since I didn’t want to buy a lot of maternity that I won’t use for long. I got this ruched maternity dress in navy and  black. These have been my staple dresses and are easy to change up with accessories and jackets. These ruched dresses especially look great with a jacket. I find when I wear something tight, I am more comfortable with a jacket or wrap to balance the look. I also have this navy dress that is maternity and my go-to.  It will also be flattering for postpartum because of the forgiving style.

  • Maxi/midi dress:Shop My dresses and Similar Dresses:

    

  I’ve noticed that a lot of my regular length tops are now crop tops and regular length dresses are now too short. Maxi and midi dresses are my go-to because they’re typically very comfortable and a lot of my non-maternity ones have extra fabric, so they still work.

  Nursing friendly dresses and tops: Shop My Dress: Mother Bee Maternity Dress

  I plan to breastfeed and have decided that anything new I purchase must be nursing friendly. I have several maxi dresses that are made to be nursing friendly like this one.

  • Accessories: I have found that scarves and accessories are my favorite way to change up a look and feel put together. I like to mix and match dresses with different scarves and accessories to make them look different.
  • Jackets: All of my regular size jackets still fit. I love to add a cardigan/wrap, leather jacket or denim jacket to change up a look.
  • Adding A Pop of Color: I love pops of color even when I’m not pregnant, but color especially makes me feel beautiful during pregnancy. When I wear a solid dress I like to add accessories in a color, so it’s not noticeable I’m repeating an outfit.
  • A Pair of Jeans: I’m not a huge pants girl, but a good pair of maternity jeans is essential. I do prefer the maternity ones that don’t have a panel.

   

  Favorites Purchases:

  • These PJs: I have the shorts and pants version. These are so comfortable and are nursing friendly. I think I’m going to buy another pair of the shorts for summer. These are non-maternity and I sized up one size.
  • Zella Leggings: This was my first maternity purchase and I have gotten a lot of use out of them. They’re so comfortable and although they do have a panel they worked when I had a small bump.
  • Target workout clothes: I didn’t want to spend a lot of money on workout gear, so I got 2 pairs of workout leggings for Target. These are pretty comfortable. I hear the Lulu align pants are the best.
  • Jessica Simpson Jeans: Although jeans are not my favorite during pregnancy, Jessica Simpson’s are very flattering and comfortable.

  Favorite Maternity Stores:

  • Pink Blush: They almost always have a sale, so I recommend waiting for one.
  • ASOS
  • Mother Bee Maternity
  • Target: Workout clothes
  • HATCH: I love HATCH, but it’s mostly over my price range. They have great beauty products specifically made for expecting and nursing mamas.

  What were your essentials when dressing a bump?

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