11 maternity style essential items
I’m on the home stretch… 37 weeks pregnant now, so I thought it was about time I shared my maternity style essentials before baby boy gets here.
When I was pregnant with Lily I tried to avoid buying maternity clothes because back then I just didn’t see the value of owning something that I could only wear for less than 9 months. Inevitably, the clothes I wore even though they weren’t maternity, ended up feeling like maternity clothes as I literally wore them day in, day out. I started to really detest wearing the same clothes on repeat and felt very limited in my options. Clothing fatigue much?
So this time around, I picked out a handful of maternity specific styles that really made such a difference to my outfits & generally how I felt when getting dressed in the morning. Maternity specific styles such as jeans & a dressy dress are the key items I would recommend investing in while pregnant. Probably should have done that the first time around haha, but what do they say, you live you learn!
For your reference, pretty much all of these items have been tried and tested by yours truly. This is more of a maternity wardrobe for Fall through to Spring, and doesn’t have any hot weather/Summer styles (as I wasn’t super pregnant back in the Summer). I’ve coded all items as NM (non-maternity) or M (maternity) to show what can be worn after giving birth. As let’s be real, if you’re going to invest in a new wardrobe while pregnant, ideally you want items that you can wear after birth also. So here goes:
(M) THE “DRESSY” DRESS - You’ve got to have at least one dress that you can wear out on date night or to any formal event. This jersey Isabella Oliver Grayson dress has been perfect for work events and can be worn with heels or boots. I wore this dress with some statement hoop earrings, an oversized cardigan & boots for my baby shower.
(NM) THE CAMI - a longer, stretchy camisole is a lifesaver when it comes towards the end of your pregnancy. I started wearing cami’s under my regular tops as I can’t stand feeling cold when the belly is popping out from under my top. I own a few cami’s from Jockey but the one pictured above is from H&M.
(M/NM) LONG JERSEY TOPS - I have quite a few of these long sleeve, lengthy jersey tops and they pair so well with the skinny jeans or joggers. It’s up to you if you want to buy them from a maternity brand, but having the right length is critical. The stripey version above is from Isabella Oliver.
(NM) THE OVERSIZED DENIM JACKET - I’ve already written a post on how much I love an oversized denim jacket, especially early on in your pregnancy when you might be trying to conceal the bump. This Levi’s ex-boyfriend trucker jacket has been worn through both of my pregnancies now and I’m sure I’ll wear it long after!
(NM) THE OPEN FRONT CARDI - I purchased this Acne mohair cardigan at the Archive consignment sale a month or so back and it’s been such a great addition to my wardrobe. I pair it with a long sleeve top, skinny jeans and either sneakers or boots (pictured above). Another item that’s going to come in handy post-pregnancy for nursing etc.
(M) MAMA TIGHTS - I haven’t tried these mama tights from H&M but I’m seriously contemplating adding them to an online order I need to place (for nursing bras). I’m thinking they would look super cute with a knit dress and boots, or even a stretchy jersey skirt & top combo.
(NM) THE ELASTIC WAIST JOGGER - I practically live in these Uniqlo joggers and own them in 3 colours. I wear them to bed, I wear them when doing the daycare drop-off/pick-up or even out for a casual coffee on the weekend. The thick elastic waistband means they are super comfy but somehow the cuffed hem & metal-capped drawstring make them just a little bit more dressy than regular sweat pants! I also have an incredibly comfy pair of harems from Aussie brand Legoe Heritage that I wore in the images above.
(NM) A GREAT PAIR OF KICKS - Comfort all the way for this one. Although I’ve got to say, as great as these Van’s Old Skool sneakers are, some elastic-style shoelaces would be super handy right now (the bump struggle is real)!
(M/NM) THE OVERSIZED SWEATER DRESS - This is such a great style and can purchased from both maternity & non-maternity stores. The cream coloured one I wore a few blog posts back is a non-maternity version from Aritzia, compared the one pictured above which is from H&M. Wear it paired with tights and heeled booties, or on it’s own with boots on warmer days.
(M) THE MATERNITY JEAN - This is the one item that I’m compelling all pregnant ladies to buy! Maternity jeans have this magical way of making you feel like your old self (sartorially speaking). They can completely elevate a look and make it look super modern. Wear with a long sleeve top, open-front cardigan and pair with either sneakers or boots. These are the Zadie jeans from Isabella Oliver and I’ve had so many compliments while wearing them. On a side note, I would recommend sizing down, as with all denim, they tend to stretch out a little.
(NM) THE OVERSIZED PUFFER JACKET - Pretty much none of my old jackets zip up over the bump right now, so I knew that I would have to get myself something to keep me cozy this Winter. With that being said, I still wanted a style that I could wear after baby arrives, hence I went with the Puffy Puff from Everlane. I went with my usual size as I didn’t want it to be too huge, but dependent on the style, you might need to go up a size or two. I love that this puffer keep me super cozy and is wide enough to button-up over the burgeoning bump.
So that’s all for my maternity style favs! You’ll have to let me know in the comments or over on IG if I missed any key styles or any of your favourites when/if you’re pregnant. Next up (give a few more months to write this one) will be nursing friendly style essentials!
x Sharday