Hiding that little maternity bump with the right clothes might have been easy enough at first. Soon though, that sweet little nugget is big enough to compare to some fruits and vegetables (what the heck is a Rutabaga anyway?). It’s high time for some maternity clothing!
As I stumbled upon the “maternity” section in different department stores, rummaging through their tiny selection of clothes, I remember feeling frustrated. Grandma isn’t pregnant here, come on! So, on the quest I went for fashionable maternity clothing. Being a designer, I was picky. I already felt like a whale and I had a lot in common. At that point, I didn’t want to add “tent” to the list.
Through all my hard searching, I’ve made a list of all the BEST maternity clothes so you don’t have to feel the frustration I did!
Best maternity clothes for cheap:
The Best Maternity Bra – Target Women’s Nursing Seamless Bra – Gilligan & O’Malley™ $18.99
I wouldn’t recommend buying a “maternity”/nursing bra until your current bra starts feeling uncomfortable. This way, you can try on different sizes and styles and know what really suits your body at the time you need it. I bought this bra in my second trimester after trying on MANY different kinds from MANY different stores all the way from Jessica Simpson’s maternity line to Pea in the Pod etc.
In addition, I had to buy a new bra a month or so after Mae was born, because I started loosing the baby weight. I found that an underwire for me was a no-go and my baby bump pushed the bra up and out, so many bras started cutting into my arms pit at the top. It was weird. The other bra that was a miracle was the Bravo! Designs bra off of Amazon. It was a tad bit more pricey but at over 3,000 reviews and almost a five star rating, I had to try it. At a 32 C, I felt most comfortable in the medium (I exchanged the small).
The Best Maternity Shorts – Target Maternity Crossover Panel Jean Shorts – Isabel Maternity™ by Ingrid & Isabel® Dark Wash $24.99
These are super cute and SO comfortable. I also loved the length. I never had to adjust them and pull them down (no booty shorts here) and I didn’t feel like they were…well, mom-ishly long. Prepare to buy a size or two up.
The Best Maternity Tee – Target Maternity Almond-Neck T-Shirt – Isabel Maternity™ by Ingrid & Isabel® Alternative colors here.
I don’t know about you, but a basic tee for me is like a life staple.
Food. Water. Basic Tee.
I LOVED these Target maternity tees. I bought all the colors! Seriously. And at $12.99…why not? They are super comfy and even after pregnancy, I find myself grabbing them. I packed several of these in my labor bag for the hospital.
RELATED: HOSPITAL BAG CHECKLIST, FOR MOM TO BE
Best Maternity Jeans – Pea in the Pod – AG Jeans Secret Fit Belly Legging Ankle Maternity Jeans $215.00
Here is the ONE exception for cheap maternity wear, but they were my favorite maternity item. So, I feel like it would do you a disservice if I didn’t mention them!
In a whirl of cranky, preggo frustration I found these AH-MAZING jeans on sale at Pea in the Pod. They felt like butter and were OH-so-stretchy. There is a solid reason that this pair of jeans is a best seller for the entire Pea in the Pod Maternity store.
Best Maternity Leggings – Target: Maternity Crossover Panel® Active Leggings – Isabel Maternity™ by Ingrid & Isabel® Black $34.99
I like “active” leggings best because they always seem to pass the “bend over” test (no see through leggings!) and they look nice under a long tee or tunic and feel amazing around the house. These are incredibly comfortable and super versatile! I love them.
Best stores for cheap maternity clothes:
Target – okay, so you already know Target is awesome. Check out their online selection. It’s way better than in-store. I know, right?! (No Starbucks included there though, girlfriend.) I pretty much love everything about Target maternity.
H&M – Yep, they’ve got maternity. I didn’t know either until someone told me I had to check it out. I like how their clothes don’t cost an arm and a leg as well. You can get comfy and yet stylish clothes here. I love their tights, comfy sweaters and cute jackets.
PinkBlush – If you’ve scrolled through Pinterest maternity clothes lately, then you’ve seen PinkBlush. They’ve got the cutest dresses and outfits. Their immense selection of beautiful, chic and affordable dresses is so awesome, it’s nauseating. Or that may be the pregnancy talking…
I purchased a couple of their dresses for a baby shower, a wedding and photos. The dresses fit well, they are absolutely adorable and I actually wear them after pregnancy!
Hats off to PinkBlush for creating clothes so cute that I felt like a million bucks even at the most giant stage of pregnancy. Now that’s saying something!
The best clothes to repurpose for maternity-wear
Some of my go-to clothes during my pregnancy were not maternity!
Dresses: Try dresses with an empire waistline like the one I have on at the top on the Pinterest pic in this post. It was from Target ;D. One of my favorite dresses!
Tunic tops: I just loved a good long tee and some comfy leggings while I was pregnant!
Jeans: You can extend the amount of time till you need to buy maternity jeans. Take a hair tie (or rubber band) and loop it around the button hole in your jeans and loop it back through the tie. This makes a handy little loop by itself you can push the button through. If that doesn’t make sense then Pinterest is your pal to solve the mystery. I used this for a month or so.
Stretchy sweat pants: I have a pair of those good old fashioned sweat pants that everyone used to have in college: grey, comfy and way too big. I love them. You wont see me in public with them but on a chilly night before bed- you betcha! These were my favorite go-to pants when I was pregnant. Here is a very similar pair!
On that note, if you are looking for further low-cost baby related options, check out cloth diapering. You will save thousands and modern cloth diapering is VERY easy!
RELATED: CLOTH DIAPERS 101, THE COMPLETE GUIDE FOR BEGINNERS
