Pregnancy means a lot of things, and one of those things is having to buy new clothes that fit your ever-changing body! One of the biggest challenges with maternity clothing, which you will soon find out if you are newly pregnant, is that most stores don’t carry maternity sizing in-store. They sell it online only. However, Target and Kohl’s do sell maternity clothing in-store. It’s typically a small section but it’s big enough to get some staples and get a sense of your sizing.
Should I Size Up or Buy Maternity Sizes?
This is really personal preference. In my opinion, there’s room for both, but I preferred maternity-specific sizing. Keep in mind that the seasons will also impact your clothing choices. If I had been my biggest during the winter, I might have been able to wear more of my regularly-sized baggy sweaters. Once it got too hot to wear sweaters, it wasn’t even an option.
Sizing Up
“I don’t want to buy maternity clothes, I’d rather size-up, because I want to be able to wear them after I have the baby, too.”
I don’t really agree with the above sentiment. Whether or not the sizing of your clothes is larger or maternity-specific, they may not fit you appropriately after birth regardless. Even during pregnancy, if you size up and it fits, it doesn’t mean it fits well. Sure, the pants may fit around your waist but the seat is hanging super low. Something to keep in mind!
Despite this, sizing up does offer some benefits:
- More Style Options – it’s really about the shape of the clothes, not the label. You can buy non-maternity specific styles that work for pregnancy based on their shape – think: A-line dresses that cinch just below the chest. This opens doors for you in terms of options, particularly if you are shopping for a specific event.
- Cost – There’s no “maternity tax” when you aren’t buying things labeled as maternity.
- Ease of Availability – As noted above, very few shops sell maternity clothing in-store. Most you have to buy online.
Things I bought in larger sizes were sleeping apparel and thermal undershirts. Regular-sized sweaters, if long enough, still fit me through most of the second trimester, but I needed to wear maternity bottoms much earlier.
Buying Maternity Clothes
I preferred to buy mostly maternity-specific clothes since they were tailored in a way that flatter the pregnant body and fit more comfortably all around.
Benefits of Maternity Sizing:
- Comfort and Fit – They are designed to accommodate and flatter the changing pregnant body. Many clothes are stretchy or may have ruched sides so they can grow with you. Some items offer extra belly support to reduce strain on the lower back and abdomen.
- Style and Confidence – Pregnancy is challenging and the last thing you need is to not feel confident about what you’re wearing or how you look in it. Getting clothes that are made for the pregnant body, with cuts that emphasize the bump, can provide a polished and tailored look.
- Versatility – Many maternity clothes are also made with the postpartum period in mind. Many dresses or tops are styled in a way to allow for nursing access, so you can get double duty out of them.
It can get expensive if you want to buy a whole new maternity wardrobe. I recommend starting with the staples and anything that will make you feel confident. It can be a challenging time and feeling good about what you are wearing and how you look in it is important. Be sure to check your local Buy Nothing or local mom Facebook groups to see if anyone is parting with gently used clothing for cheap or free. I was able to get a set of 5 maternity shorts from Old Navy for $5 through one of these groups.
My Favorite Places to Buy Maternity Clothes
These are the stores from which I bought all my maternity clothes:
- Target
- Quince
- Gap
- Old Navy
- Seraphine Maternity (all for nursing except one dress I wore during pregnancy)
- Pink Blush (only my baby shower dress)
- Kindred Bravely (undergarments and postpartum gown)
- Amazon
- Facebook Marketplace
I found these stores to be reasonably affordable with plentiful options.
My Favorite Maternity Clothes
Here’s a list of some of my favorite clothes I wore while pregnant. A couple brands not featured below due to not being able to find the product listings anymore are Quince and Seraphine Maternity. I bought a beautiful linen maternity dress from Quince that I got compliments on whenever I wore. I also bought black linen maternity shorts from them. Highly recommend! Seraphine Maternity has beautiful clothes for pregnancy and postpartum. Fun fact: I was actually wearing my summery Seraphine maternity/nursing dress when my water broke! Eek!
Maternity Clothes for Work
Let’s start with clothes for work. I work in a fairly casual office and am able to wear jeans, but since I was in my third trimester in the heat of summer, I wanted to avoid that as much as possible. As a result, I wore many dresses!
My Bump Women’s Side Bow Tie Pattern Cap Sleeve Maternity Dress – This one comes in many different patterns and colors. It was comfortable to wear to work with nude flats and could easily double as dressy casual weekend wear.
Ekouaer Women’s Maternity Dress Short Sleeve Casual Pregnancy Dresses Rib Knit Crewneck Pregnant Clothes with Belt – I wore this dress A LOT. It was easy breezy and super comfortable. The belt can be worn in the front or the back and it can be worn after pregnancy as well. I found it to be a little long without the bump though! The dress comes in a few different color selections.
Smallshow Women’s Maternity Dress Patchwork Short Sleeve Pregnancy Clothes – I liked the color blocking of this dress, which is also available in other combinations. It’s stretchy and comfy, made of rayon and spandex.
Maternity Clothes for Everyday
It’s good to have some staples you can work with for everyday use in addition to fun “weekend only” stuff. You may even be able to use some items for work, as well!
Over The Belly Dark Wash Skinny Maternity Jeans – Isabel Maternity by Ingrid & Isabel™ Dark Wash – I already loved Target before being pregnant but I loved it even more after because they actually sell maternity clothes in-store. It was so nice to be able to try on stuff and buy it immediately. I only wore Ingrid & Isabel maternity jeans from Target.
Maternity Recycled Power Full Panel 7/8 Leggings – These were perfect for my prenatal yoga class as well as just hanging around. There were no issues with sheerness and they stayed up very well.
Maternity Tank Top – Isabel Maternity by Ingrid & Isabel™ – I bought a few of these tank tops over the course of my pregnancy. They were really comfortable and work well postpartum as well. I even tie-dyed one for fun and decorated one with heat transfer vinyl for a concert. It comes in 7 different colors so you’re sure to find something that you like.
Ekouaer Maternity Shirts 3 Pack – I lived in these shirts. The purchase includes 3 shirts in different colors (with many combinations from which to choose). These shirts are soft, comfortable, and flattering. I wore one to the Newborn Care class at the hospital and another woman was wearing the same shirt! I also wore these shirts to work with jeans before it got too hot and I stopped wearing jeans.
CUPSHE Women Swimsuit Maternity One Piece Bathing Suit Deep V Neck Ruffle Back Tie Ruching Adjustable Straps Swimwear – If you’re pregnant in the summer, the pool will be your new best friend! I wore this swimsuit on our babymoon in Taos, NM. It fit well and was comfortable.
Maternity Clothes for Special Occasions
You may need to get clothes for special occasions, be it your baby shower, someone’s wedding, or a maternity photoshoot.
Maternity Floral Lace Dress – This is what I wore for our maternity photoshoot. It comes in a wide variety of colors. I thought it was super comfortable and I just needed to get it hemmed a little bit before wearing it out.
Pink Floral Sleeveless Ruffle Tiered Maternity Midi Dress – This is what I wore for our baby shower! I felt great in it and it was a hit. It comes in a few other colors, including blue.
What About You?
What were your favorite maternity clothes? Did you have luck sizing up and not buying maternity-specific clothes? Any other recommendations for newly pregnant people? Share in the comments below!
Discover more from Around with Ash
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.
Around with Ash 