How to Find Gaudy Clothes for a Pregnant Woman
Oh, the ups and downs of pregnancy. As you watch your belly expand (this is a miracle!), You simultaneously notice that the number of things we carry in the closet is decreasing (so unpleasant!). But you don’t have to get hung up on your partner’s most dangling sweat for the next nine months. Here are our top tips and tricks on how to dress comfortably – and even stylishly – as you grow up.
Start with the hair tie trick. In that awkward early stage, when your belly doesn’t look like a baby bump but looks more like you’ve just eaten a large burrito, widen the waist of your pants with this favorite trick, as shown above: unzip your pants. Slip a hair tie (or elastic) through the button hole, make a loop, then thread the other end of the hair tie through the loop and around the button. This is how it is . Or buy the popular Bellaband .
Shop in your closet. You may need to improvise a little, but the piece of clothing you already own needs to adapt to your changing shape. Choose looser, flowing pieces – maxi dresses, peasant tops, wrap dresses, and anything high-waisted. One of my best fashion discoveries was that during pregnancy, fitted T-shirt dresses can turn into plain T-shirts.
Don’t boycott maternity clothing. This was what I did during my first pregnancy. I thought I was consumerism, refusing to shell out money on anything labeled “maternity clothes.” “I can just live in leggings, flowing tops and dresses,” I insisted. The plan worked fine until about seven months, when I began to be afraid to leave the house, because that meant I would have to put on clothes. I finally got some experience and learned a thing or two from Macy’s on the basics of motherhood. Oh, honestly. I could breathe again. I know there are many articles on how to go without maternity clothes throughout your pregnancy (chop off your jeans! Fold a tunic with a long linen!), But really, as soon as you put on the oily-soft clothes. God, these are really good maternity leggings , you wonder why the hell you haven’t done this sooner.
But don’t overdo it. You’re not replacing your entire cabinet – you’re just adding a few basic things to make your nine months of human baking more bearable. For this pregnancy, I’ve pretty much lived in one pair of Gap maternity overalls and alternating soft tees and tank tops, and that’s the best option. (I work from home, thank goodness.) For inexpensive, decently cute basic stuff, several Offspring moms on Facebook have recommended Old Navy, H&M, Motherhood Maternity, and Amazon. Some of their other maternity accessories:
“Isabel Maternity for Target has these super soft and super stretch tees in a variety of colors.” —Lanna D.
“After trying on something like a million pairs of pants, I finally found some from LOFT that fit my size.” – Terisa V.
“PinkBlush offers a huge selection of CUUUUTE things, and it’s not very expensive.” – Jessica J.
“The only time I shop at Macy’s was maternity clothes. They had small size clothes but larger ones! ” – Jen M.
“The Lululemon Align Pants are THE BEST! I wore mine from about six months pregnant until the day I was hospitalized at 41 weeks! I was amazed to find that the elastic remained safe, and I can wear them for breastfeeding (the belt reaches almost to the chest, so it well hides the belly on both sides of the birth!) ”. – Heather M.
Team members note that many of these stores have checkout sections and frequent sales, so if you don’t want to pay full price check the sites often or use the Honey Chrome extension.
Kill your ex pregnant girlfriends for handouts. Several friends handed me bags of unwanted maternity clothes with instructions: “Please do not return them. Pass them on. ” I like it. This is the Sisterhood of the Fat Pants Itinerant.
Try children’s thrift stores. Lifehacker Health Editor Beth Skurecki says this is where she scored some great results when she was pregnant: “It seemed like the biggest secret because for the first time moms won’t shop at a second-hand children’s store!” It is also worth visiting the thredUP online store.
Check out NextDoor, Buy Nothing Groups , Facebook Marketplace, and local mom clubs. The sellers are often desperate to get rid of the clothes, and they are usually in pretty good condition as they have only been worn for 4-5 months. And it might even give you the chance to meet nice moms in your area.
If you don’t have time to shop, try Stitch Fix . Many busy pregnant women have found success with a custom styling service that sends you a box of hand-selected garments once or regularly. Just leave what you love. This is an especially great option for work wear.
For special occasions I rent. If you’re going to a formal wedding, or doing one of those ethereal maternity photo shoots in the woods, or giving a TED Talk and need a power suit, it might make sense to rent. For disposable wear options, visit Rent the Runway (which also has an unlimited membership program), Rent Maternity Wear, or Mine for Nine , sites that let you borrow maternity clothes for a fraction of the purchase price.
Break up the monotony with accessories. Yes, you are pregnant, which means no one is judging when you wear the same pair of maternity jeans five days a week. But you may start to feel bad about your entire appearance, which may make you feel like hibernating before giving birth. At this point, some bold earrings or necklaces, hot pink lipstick, or eyelash extensions can work wonders. Add something that gives you a little push to get through the last segment. Because wait, very soon this sexy mesh lingerie will be your most desirable accessory.