4 Ways to Save Money on Your Pregnancy Wardrobe

Many of the tunics that I had already in my wardrobe worked perfectly already for my growing bump. Pretty much most things that I already wore with leggings I was able to either continue wearing with leggings and add a belt to it, or wear it has a shirt now that it got a little shorter with the bump. Cotton dresses are another item that have been easy to continue wearing – especially empire waist ones or t-shirt styles. Though – I certainly learned that my go to dress is a nice little zip back a-line that does not work well with a growing bump! Things I had in my closet that were already a size bigger than my usual size (things meant to be loose & comfy) were easily repurposed throughout my pregnancy as well and could be worn until they became too short. I will say however when purchasing new clothes during pregnancy, don’t just opt for a larger size at the store you usually shop in because you won’t be able to repurpose as well after pregnancy because it’ll be too large and frumpy in all the areas it’s loose now plus the midsection. I found this in the sleeves of items especially – while things may accommodate your growing belly, the sleeves aren’t going to change. I made this mistake with a sweater I found on sale at Kohl’s that wasn’t maternity and they didn’t have a small so I just grabbed a medium thinking that I would be OK, it’ll be a little loose now, but it’ll grow with me later but the sleeves turned out to be horrendously large. Don’t overestimate how much weight you’ll gain outside of your belly! You will swell, but not always as much as you think.

I was able to wear my regular pants well through my second trimester utilizing this little guy. Thus allowing me to wear all my favorite colored pants and skinnies to work still! This was also helpful in keeping our news private until we had shared with friends and family as there was no drastic change to my usual wardrobe.

If you do need to buy maternity clothes (which, you will at some point!) opt for items that you can wear post delivery as well, such as long tunics. (Also when buying “maternity wear” it doesn’t have to be from the maternity section! Boyfriend cardigans are the best example of this to add a little pop and cover your tush with leggings. Which leads us to the next necessity – a few solid short sleeve maternity T-shirts. These work great as layering pieces with cardigans and flannel or other button up shirts that you already have in your wardrobe too and can help you repurpose items up to delivery. Now here are the two pieces I would say you should certainly opt for the maternity version- jeans & leggings. While the belly band was fantastic until about the middle of the second trimester, there comes a point when that stretchy waistband needs to be connected to the pants themselves. A great pair of maternity jeans doesn’t have to cost you a fortune either – I got mine at target and have been able to wear them the entire time! They are very versatile, and the best part is that they don’t look like mom jeans – they are skinnies. A great pair of maternity leggings is another splurge as they can be worn with a variety of options and dressed up or down. And both of these will be able to be worn after delivery for your comfort and people will be none the wiser. 

While there are certainly so many cute patterns and styles of clothing for the season, my general rule of thumb for opting for mostly classic or neutral pieces is even more true when it comes to maternity wear. Chances are you may have to wear you maternity clothes for a bit post delivery or you may have another child down the road. While pregnancy lasts almost  the entire year, you are not at your largest in every season. So to be able to rewear purchased items from this pregnancy opt for pieces that can be timelessly woven into your wardrobe at any season, and stage, in your life. Solid colors are a great way to add a punch to an outfit without being over the top and the best thing you can do is add a statement necklace or scarf to spice things up a bit and change up your items, or add a piece you already own like a cardigan or flannel for some pattern or texture. It’s a great opportunity to get creative with your accessories!