Maternity Style Guide

Ok ladies, it’s officially here. The ULTIMATE maternity style guide for your prego fashion needs. I can tell you right now, everyone has their own opinion on what you need and what you don’t during this transition period, so I’m going to break it down and share with you EVERYTHING I’ve purchased, and what items I’m still wearing from my pre-pregnancy days. Let’s get started.

*This post is not sponsored and may contain affiliate links. All content and opinions expressed are my own.*

Maternity Style Guide

Maternity Style Guide - Top 5 Most Important Tips

Before I break it down and list out everything I’ve purchased for my maternity wardrobe, I wanted to share my top 5 ride-or-die tips when it comes to dressing your bump:

  1. Comfort is key – if you wouldn’t want to wear it for 12 hours straight, don’t buy it
  2. You’re going to be hotter than you think – temperature does a funny thing to a pregnant woman’s body…so keep that in mind when choosing fabrics and silhouettes
  3. Yes, your feet really do go up a size – this doesn’t mean run out and buy all new shoes (though you may be tempted), but styles like open toe or sandals are GREAT
  4. Dresses and skirts get shorter as the bump gets bigger – this one makes me so sad, especially since I’m tall
  5. “Be confident in whatever you’re wearing and you’ll look good no matter what” – according to my husband LOL
Maternity Style Guide
Maternity Style Guide
Maternity Style Guide

Ok, now that we’ve gone over some tips, let’s get in to what you absolutely need for your maternity wardrobe!

Maternity Style Must-Haves:

  • Maternity jeans/jeggings (2) – there are options for an under-the-bump fit, but I personally hate the way this feels and would much rather have the high-waist additional belly support style!
  • Maternity shorts (1) –  again, the extra belly support is a must!
  • Maternity slacks (3) – I work in an office so I have to dress pretty business casual. I purchased three pairs of maternity slacks in total (2 black and 1 grey), and they’re great for the office!
  • Maternity leggings (2) – I have one pair of maternity leggings for workout/lounge, and one pair that are more work appropriate.
  • Nursing bra (1) – I went ahead and purchased a nursing bra early as I could tell my rib cage was getting wider. It is SO comfortable that I don’t wear any other type of bra now LOL.
  • Maternity tops (6) – so far I’ve purchased a total of three maternity t-shirts, one maternity tank, one nursing shirt, and one office blouse. I found that I can actually get away with wearing a lot of the work blouses I had prior to getting pregnant as they are pretty loose and flowy, but t-shirts and tanks tend to get a little too short.
  • Maternity dresses (6) – depending on the style and fit, I’ve been able to wear most of my own dresses. Long and flowy (or even tight but stretchy) has been fine for me, but I have purchased a few maternity specific dresses, especially for work.
Maternity Style Guide
  • Shoes (2) – now don’t get me wrong, I’ve purchased more than two pairs of shoes in the past 7 months, I’ve just only purchased two for the sake of my pregnancy. The first are a pair of white casual Guess sneakers, and the second are strappy sandals from Target (literally so comfortable, you absolutely have to get something like them!)

What NOT to buy:

Above are all the clothing items I’ve purchased throughout my pregnancy, and now I want to tell you what I think you can skip out on. Some people can get away with just buying a size or two bigger than they used to wear with things like dresses and tops, but I’ve found that maternity specific styles just fit better in general.

  • Pregnancy underwear – I have not needed to get any of these, however I probably will get the post partum panties once I give birth.
  • Maternity cardigans and jackets – what does that even mean??? Seriously, such a scam.
  • Maternity swimwear – I’ve just been wearing suits I’ve always had my entire pregnancy. The types that fit best seem to be low rise bikinis.

Where to shop:

My #1 favorite maternity store is definitely Motherhood Maternity. They have their own boutiques, or you can shop them at most Macy’s. You can also shop them online! I’ve found that their clothes specifically fit me the best, especially the maternity jeans and slacks. The one downside I will admit is that most of their clothes are kind of basic. I did get this dress from Motherhood Maternity, but it’s about the most stylish piece they have in store. Online they seems to have some better options, especially in the jeans department, but if trend and style is what you’re looking for then I would recommend checking out ASOS. I never knew they had a maternity line, I actually just discovered it a couple weeks ago when I was shopping for a wedding guest dress.

Other than Motherhood Maternity and ASOS, I’ve shopped at Ross and Target for maternity clothes. I love Target’s nursing bra (this one here is my fave) and their leggings are super comfy. I should also mention Pink Blush as I know it’s a well known online maternity boutique. They actually sent me two dresses to try out, and neither of them worked for me because I’m too tall. I ordered my regular size (small) and they were not only really tight, but just way too short for my height. Definitely NOT work appropriate lol.

Maternity Style Guide
Maternity Style Guide
Maternity Style Guide
Maternity Style Guide

Where do you shop for maternity clothes? Do you prefer to shop in-store at places like Motherhood Maternity, or at online boutiques like ASOS and Pink Blush? Let me know in the comments, and I hope you enjoyed this maternity style guide!

xo,

B

Photography by: Karya Shanilec Photography

Outfit Details: Bell sleeve dress (Motherhood Maternity, on sale here) | Fringe heels (I.N.C., similar here) | Grey crossbody (Lavenda’s Closet, similar here)

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