Maternity clothes have evolved significantly, no longer limited to the shapeless blouses and jumpers our moms wore. The convenience of online shopping allows you to find practical, affordable maternity clothing for every occasion, from work to the gym, at popular retailers like Target, Gap, H&M, and Old Navy, saving you time and effort.
The maternity clothing available on these sites caters to all your style preferences and favorite go-to pieces. Designed in comfortable materials and styles, they change with your body as it grows throughout pregnancy. Whether you need comfy leggings and tops for everyday wear or maternity dresses for special occasions like weddings, you’ll find it all. Don’t forget to stock up on work-appropriate dress pants, tops, skirts, and essential maternity loungewear. And yes, there’s even maternity swimwear and lingerie to ensure your bump and bust are comfortable.
Shop Your Closet
Before you go shopping for maternity clothes, go through your closet first. Take stock of what kind of bump-friendly clothes you already own. Stretch or flowy dresses will usually work. Other items that are good to have during pregnancy include long tunics and long shirts. Also, make sure you have plenty of laying pieces because they’ll be key to creating new outfits during your pregnancy!
Next, consider which seasons you’ll be pregnant during. You don’t want to end up with a bunch of maternity sundresses when your due date is in March. Think about when your due date is. You will most likely need the most maternity clothes during your third trimester, so it’s important to plan for whatever season that is in.
Maternity Capsule Wardrobe
Finding the right outfits that fit during pregnancy can be challenging, often leading to the search for new clothing. The top places to buy maternity clothes provide options that can take you through the upcoming months, featuring stylish pieces you can continue wearing comfortably after giving birth.
It’s not always necessary to completely overhaul your wardrobe when expecting a baby. Instead, focus on investing in essential maternity pieces and supplementing your looks with clothing you can continue to wear post-pregnancy.
Stick to forgiving silhouettes in a chic, neutral color palette (think black, brown, navy, or beige tones). Anything that helps you feel even a smidge chic as you attempt to squeeze into all the elasticized pregnancy clothes is worth a second look!
With so many choices out there, what you need to buy when you’re pregnant can get confusing! Many pregnant women rely on these basics as their belly expands:
- Maternity jeans (we love these cute jean leggings from Abercrombie & Fitch!)
- Leggings
- Dresses such as this flattering, fitted one that’s under $20
- Tank tops (like these affordable side-shirred ones from Old Navy)
- Maternity sweater or two, depending on the seasons you’ll be pregnant
- Two nicer blouses/tops
Grab a couple of cardigans and scarves from your pre-pregnancy closet to round out your maternity capsule wardrobe. Most women find their maternity capsule wardrobe functional well into the fourth trimester and beyond.
Keep Wearing Your Favorite Jeans
Some moms-to-be feel tempted to keep wearing their favorite pair of jeans or dress pants in the early weeks of pregnancy. If you’re doing this to postpone buying maternity clothes, don’t! You’ll just stretch out your beloved pants and feel miserably squished. Try the hair-tie hack instead:
- Unzip your pants and thread the hair tie through the buttonhole
- Thread one end of the hair tie through the other end (this secures the hair tie to the buttonhole)
- Then, just wrap the hair tie around the button
Or, you could invest in a belly band. It allows you to wear your non-maternity jeans throughout your entire pregnancy! You can also wear a belly band with leggings or under your dresses. It provides extra support throughout your second and third trimesters. If you’re tight on your maternity wardrobe budget, this item will make your non-maternity wardrobe go a long way.
Shoe Shopping
Remember your shoe closet, too! Shop for comfortable and supportive shoes. As your pregnancy progresses, your feet will spread, and your ligaments will become more flexible.
Ditch those high heels completely. If you’re really into the added height, try a pair of wedges. Your center of gravity is changing, so you’ll be more likely to fall. The risk of injury from falling just isn’t worth it!
Shopping for the Best Maternity Clothes
When you first find out you’re expecting, the thought of shopping for maternity clothes can be really exciting. But it’s best to hold off until you actually start to need maternity clothes.
We recommend doing most of your maternity shopping during your second trimester. That is the time when your body will probably change the most.
When you start shopping, have a plan. Create a shopping wish list and then try to buy only what you need to get you through your pregnancy. Look for clothes that will hold their value through the months you need them. Remember that one day, these clothes will take up space in your closet, so you don’t want to overdo it!
If this information helped you, you might also like our other blogs about the best maternity clothes:
Where to Buy the Best Everyday Maternity Clothing
How to Find the Perfect Pregnancy Shoes
Where to Buy the Best Maternity Pajamas
Editor’s Note: This article was originally published on September 20, 2017, and has since been updated.