Best Non-Maternity Clothes to Wear for Pregnancy

Fashion & Beauty

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Want to look amazing while pregnant but don’t have a fortune to spend on a new maternity wardrobe? Today I’m talking aWant to look amazing while pregnant but don’t have a fortune to spend on a all brand new maternity clothing? Today I’m talking about 5 great ways to extend your regular wardrobe and how to dress during pregnancy without maternity clothes!

Want to look amazing while pregnant but don't have a fortune to spend on a new maternity wardrobe? Today I'm talking about 5 great ways to extend your regular wardrobe and how to dress during pregnancy without maternity clothes!

Are you of the opinion that pregnant women need lots of cute maternity clothes? Or do you feel that your regular wardrobe can be used to accommodate a baby bump??

I fell firmly in the first camp for my first pregnancy, and most definitely while pregnant with the twins because I was as big as a house! (No really. Maybe just the size of a smallish bungalow but definitely some sort of house.) But since then, I’ve learned that the best way to stay stylish affordably is to make lots of my regular clothes work for an entire pregnancy.

I also love analyzing current trends to see what will work with a growing belly; so today I’m sharing the 4 BEST non-maternity pieces (plus a bonus tip) to get you through most of, if not all of those exciting 9 months!

>>Check out my Dressing a Mom Bod course here if you’re struggling to look stylish while dressing a constantly changing body!<<

Want to look amazing while pregnant but don't have a fortune to spend on a new maternity wardrobe? Today I'm talking about 5 great ways to extend your regular wardrobe and how to dress during pregnancy without maternity clothes!

 

1. Leggings and tunic: if you don’t already know of my undying love for this pairing, you most be new around here 🙂 A pair of leggings paired with a tunic is comfy, cute and a maternity staple for any time of year. Just grab a flowy short-sleeve tunic and light leggings for summer and a thick turtleneck sweater for winter. I love these regular leggings and these maternity ones for the later months. Anything with an elastic waistband can be great maternity wear so stock up on these. Tunics are basically just any flowy top in a longer length. I like those that come below my bum so that I don’t worry about any extra pounds I’m carrying down there.

2. Knit & sweater dresses: these are perfect for the later trimesters when you’re big enough to show and don’t mind flaunting the belly a little (especially during the cooler months). I recommend sizing up for the third trimester though, and/or looking for fabrics that are super stretchy. While maternity dresses can be great for very large bellies in the last trimester or multiples, it’s always sad to only wear them for a month or two.

Try throwing on a vest or the cardigan I’m wearing in these pics if you’re self-conscious about extra pregnancy lumps and bumps around the hips and bum. I also love the look of crop tops over flowy dresses and wrap dresses also make great maternity-to-postpartum wear since they’re usually nursing friendly.

3. Flowy boho tops: these are one of the cutest trends happening right now and a great way to dress a growing bump. These blouses are perfect for the early days of the first trimester before you’re ready to announce, as well as during the postpartum months. The best part about making your regular wardrobe work during pregnancy is that you don’t have to throw anything out when baby is born.

4. Knit ponte pants: I mentioned in this post how these are my secret weapon for any time I’m carrying some extra pounds- either from pregnancy or just too much dessert; try wearing them with the flowy tops mentioned above. If you can’t bear to stop wearing some of your favorite jeans, don’t forget the belly band or elastic band trick! Just leave your jeans unbuttoned and then use a belly band or hair tie (loop the latter through your buttonhole and then around your button) to keep those pants up.

(side note, I actually am wearing maternity jeans in these pics and they’re one pregnancy splurge I highly recommend. These are my faves because they’re super cute, stretch just enough and no one can tell they’re pregnancy jeans)

5. My last recommendation isn’t for a specific article of clothing but instead just a strong suggestion to buy some cute clothes in a larger size. We women have a hard time doing this for some reason, but pregnancy involves lots of body changes and it’s so much easier to get dressed (not to mention feel good about yourself) if you’re not trying to squeeze your bum into too-tight pants every day. I have owned clothes in at least 4 different sizes for a long time and it is amazing to know there is always something to wear in my closet.

Want to look amazing while pregnant but don't have a fortune to spend on a new maternity wardrobe? Today I'm talking about 5 great ways to extend your regular wardrobe and how to dress during pregnancy without maternity clothes!

I have a few tops and pants that are about 2 sizes bigger than what I usually wear and I get so excited when I pull them out of my closet. Wearing them gives me permission to just let my body do what it’s meant to do, both during pregnancy and especially afterwards, without any ridiculous expectation to “bounce back”.

Even after 7.5 pregnancies, I still think that splurging on an entirely new maternity wardrobe is kind of unnecessary…and I’ve gotten a lot of use out of my maternity items. That being said, purchasing some new clothes that can expand with your ever-changing body is a great way to better appreciate the blessing of an new life.

Hopefully these tips will help you save some money while still sporting some great maternity style!

IF YOU LIKED THIS POST, YOU MIGHT ALSO LIKE:

The Best Online Prenatal Course (created by an L&D nurse of 20 years)

My Favorite Baby Shower Gift (for Yourself or Others)

Postpartum Survival: 5 Things No One Tells You About 

Photos by Photography Hill

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2 Comments

  • Reply
    Best Affordable Maternity Clothes • Bonnie and Blithe
    February 18, 2019 at 7:36 am

    […] managed to make a regular non-maternity wardrobe work for much of my current and past pregnancies (see this post!), sometimes you just desperately need something that’s designed to fit a big ol’ baby […]

  • Reply
    Pregnancy – latest news » Best Non-Maternity Clothes for Pregnancy • This mom of 8 shares her tips!
    April 8, 2021 at 12:06 pm

    […] This content was originally published here. […]

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