How to Dress During Pregnancy without Maternity Clothes

First off, congratulations on your pregnancy! Hold tight, motherhood is going to be a crazy ride!

Secondly, you may have already discovered that shopping for maternity clothes can be a real drag. It’s difficult to find cute attire that you actually want to wear, especially during the time of pregnancy when you’re already feeling big and bloated.

The good news is that there’s actually plenty of non-maternity clothes that will get you through the 9 months of pregnancy. You will also find that these new wardrobe staples will come very much handy during your postpartum months while your body is adjusting back to normal.

In this blog post I’m giving suggestions on cuts and styles of dresses, pants, tops, leggings, tunics and more that aren’t necessarily maternity clothes but you can wear for each trimester. After my two pregnancies I’ve learned a thing or two about hacking my closet to fit my growing baby bumps.

Because maternity clothes are so drab, my recommendation is to find wardrobe gems that celebrate pregnancy and mark the special occasion. Not to mention the fact that pretty dresses make motherhood more fun. You want to find clothes that make you feel good and ultimately extend your regular wardrobe. Depending on your style you may even want to flaunt your belly. Do you girl!

Eco-Friendly Fashion Choices

Getting a Lot of Wear Out of Your Clothes

From an eco-friendly perspective, it’s much better to invest in clothing that you know you will want to wear for a long time. My goal is always to build wardrobe collections that are both beautiful and useful for all the phases of life.

Another eco-friendly way to shop for maternity-friendly clothes is with second-hand thrift shopping. It’s very common for women to donate their maternity clothing after they’ve completed their pregnancy and postpartum journey. Keep the lifecycle of these clothes going strong by picking them up for yourself.

Thrift shopping also comes in handy for baby clothes shopping too. I have found so many brand new clothes for my kids from local thrift stores and online second-hand shopping on apps such as Poshmark. Babies and toddlers grow so fast and often don’t end up wearing a lot of the new clothes you get gifted by friends and family.

Summer Pregnancy vs a Winter Pregnancy

My first pregnancy ran from September - May so I had a lot of Fall, Winter and Spring months. I run really hot during pregnancy, even in the winter months. For most of my outfits I could just throw on a winter vest or cardigan and I would be warm enough (but I also do live in California where we don’t have extreme winters). Stretchy knit and sweater dresses over a pair of leggings also saved me a lot of time when throwing an outfit together.

My second pregnancy ran between April - January so it was very hot summer months in Sacramento with temperatures often over 100 degrees. I pretty much lived in baby bump friendly oversized and flowy boho style dresses. I also had terrible IBS with second pregnancy and had a hard time wearing any clothing that had a tight waistband.

My other go-to for my summer pregnancy was oversized jumpers that had no waistband. These are a little tougher to find but Free People is your best bet to find bump friendly jumpsuits. I still wear my favorite Free People jumpsuits all the time through postpartum and lounging at home with my kids.

Sizing Up Your Clothes for Pregnancy

For some cuts and styles of clothing you can get away with just sizing up and buying a larger size than you would usually wear. The big question is how much should you size up. This really depends on how much weight to gain during your pregnancy. With both of my pregnancies I started at a size 10 and ended up at a size 14 by the end.

I would avoid trying to squeeze into clothes that have gotten too small because tight clothing can cause poor circulation, digestive discomfort and even vaginal yeast growth. Do yourself a favor and let go of any concerns around the tag sizes and just wear clothing that fits you comfortably.

For all my plus-size gals, the maternity clothing industry has fallen very short in size-exclusivity. Sadly plus size maternity clothes are pretty much non-existent. A great substitute is the brand Universal Standard that makes high quality and comfortable basics. Universal Standard makes plus size jersey knit dresses that are in cuts and shapes that are bump-friendly.

Sorting Through and Organizing Your Pregnancy Wardrobe

As your body continually expands for the better part of 40 weeks, you’ll find that getting dressed everyday will become more and more challenging. One of the best ways to avoid frustration is to put away the clothes that you definitely won’t be wearing during your pregnancy and early postpartum period.

I suggest you bite the bullet and start organizing your closet early on in your pregnancy. The clothing items I would put into storage include denim jeans, trouser pants, dresses made with fabrics without stretch, shorter cut tops and heels. Clearing out space will make it easier to put your baby-bump (and weight gain) wardrobe front and center.

Also, keep in mind that you’ll want to wear mostly natural fabrics because you may have sensitive and itchy skin when pregnant. Stick to fiber contents such as rayon, cotton and linen. Avoid synthetic fabrics such as polyester.

Maternity Clothes I Do Recommend You Buy

While you can get away with straight-sized clothing about 90% of the time, there’s a few maternity things I do recommend you purchase:

Nursing Bras and Tanks

These are extremely helpful for breastfeeding when the baby is born. Your breasts will be leaking milk and you’ll want to have nursing pads stuffed into your bra so that your tops don’t get wet. You’ll also want quick and easy access to your nipples for nursing and pumping. Keep in mind that you will probably have to size-up when shopping for nursing bras.

Maternity Jeans

If you like to wear the classic jeans and t-shirt combo for easy daily outfits, you may want to invest in some maternity jeans. I am currently 5 months postpartum and I still wear my maternity jeans. It’s very easy to pair them with a tunic top and sandals. Voila you’re dressed!

Maternity Leggings

You can get away with regular stretchy waistband leggings for the first half of your pregnancy, but at some point you will outgrow them. Maternity leggings have a wide bellyband that will actually stay up and help support your bigger belly. When you’re having not-so-great days where you just want to be comfortable, you’ll be relying on your maternity leggings a lot.

Maternity SwimSuit

If you’re planning a babymoon vacation or you like to swim regularly, you may want to add a maternity swimsuit to your shopping list. Unless you’re one of those gals who is brave enough to wear a bikini, the ruching on a maternity swimsuit will give you some extra coverage and belly support.

Special Occasion Maternity Dresses

If during your 9 months of pregnancy you have a big formal event such as a wedding to attend, you probably will have to buy a maternity dress. This obviously depends on how big your belly has become. The only retailer I know that makes really cute maternity bridesmaids dresses and formal gowns is ASOS Maternity.

Office & Work-Friendly Maternity Outfits

Many of us expecting mamas have to get dressed in the morning and head into an office. You may work in a traditional professional environment where flowy maxi dresses are not an option. I recommend a building a work maternity capsule collection with the following pieces:

Knit ponte pants with an elastic waistband.
Maternity trousers or slacks.
Button-down oxford shirts - either maternity or sized up.
Oversized blouses.
Blazer to layer over shirts.
Midi length dresses.
Cardigans and sweaters to layer over dresses and tops.

Clothing Hacks for Maternity Dressing

There’s a few secret tips and tricks that us second-time mamas have figured out:

Bra Extenders

While I do recommend purchasing a nursing bra around the time of delivery, bra extenders can get you through your pregnancy. Bra extenders can allow you to continue to wear your regular bras as you gain weight and your ribcage expands.

The Skinny Belt

Whether you have a high belly or low belly, using a very skinny belt you can belt-up your dresses and long tops to feel more put together and define your belly.

Hair Tie Or Belly Band Trick for Jeans

While neither of these have never personally worked for me, I have friends who swear by the belly band or hair tie trick. If you are still able to fit into your jeans with the exception of your growing belly that doesn’t allow you to button them up, try a hair tie or belly band. I couldn’t use either of these tricks because my hips expanded so much that my jeans no longer fit.

Non-Maternity Clothes For Each Trimester

Non-Maternity Clothes for the First Trimester of Pregnancy

Okay, now for the ultimate list of super cute and trendy non-maternity clothes you probably already have in your closet that will still fit a baby bump.

Overalls - You can adjust the straps to be a bit longer if needed. Overalls can most likely be worn for most of the first trimester depending on how fitted they are. Anthropologie makes my favorite styles of overalls.
Oversized Peasant Blouses - A classic spring and summer staple.
Jumpers and Rompers - Look for one-piece pieces like jumpers and rompers that don’t have a tight waistband.
Elastic Waist and Tie-Waisted Leggings, Pants and Shorts - Depending on how fast your belly is growing, you may be able to get away with a stretchy waistband until about the halfway point of 20 weeks.
Smocked Waisted Skirts - Articles of clothing with a smocked waist are often overlooked when it comes to maternity wear. But this light gathering of fabric puts very little pressure on your growing abdomen and it’s super cute too! Here’s a list of my favorite midi length skirt brands.
Oversized and Flowy Dresses - While the heat may be a bummer during pregnancy, being able to wear comfy dresses for the majority of your trimesters is a big plus.
Stretchy Bodycon and Side Ruched Dresses - These types of dresses serve a double purpose: they’ll show off your bump during pregnancy and then the ruching can help hide a postpartum belly.
Cardigans - Extra long cardigans are great for layering over your staple dresses and tops. They’re especially great for transitioning seasons.
Flat Shoes and Sneakers - One surprising thing that happens during pregnancy is your balance can get out of whack. Wearing flat shoes is recommended to avoid trips and falls. Sneakers with arch support also help with possible back pain coming your way in the next few months.
Long Tunic with Leggings - This is a maternity style go-to that you’ll most likely be wearing on repeat for lounging days.
Bodysuits - With your growing belly shorter t-shirts and tops start to ride up. Solve this issue with a stretchy bodysuit.
Layering Tank Tops - These are great for all seasons and give you more belly coverage.
Jogger Pants - That comfy stretchy waistband paired with soft and stretchy fabric. Plus you can wear regular underwear without stretch marks. Joggers also come in handy when you need to wear a heavy maxi pad during the postpartum weeks when you’re still bleeding.
Bralettes - Before you’re breastfeeding you may want to just wear comfy and stretchy lace and cotton bras without the stiffness of underwire of a traditional bra.
Denim Jackets and Blazers - These are great for making an outfit feel more put together by layering them over a dress or top.

Non-Maternity Clothes for the Second Trimester of Pregnancy

A lot of the clothing from the first trimester list is going to spill over into the second trimester. For most women the baby bump really starts to show around 20 weeks for the first pregnancy. For your second pregnancy you’ll definitely see your bump showing earlier. I had a lot of bloating starting at 8 weeks so I had to accommodate a belly very early on.

Non-Maternity Clothes for the Third Trimester of Pregnancy

At this point in the third trimester you are big as a house and you’re very limited on what you can fit into. I recommend you have a couple of the following clothing pieces in your closet to get you through the homestretch:

Slip on Shoes - With your big belly you can barely see your feet, let alone be able to bend over to tie straps or laces.
Very Oversized Dresses - The bigger the better!
Midi Length Dresses - Why midi length? Because short dresses don’t cover your belly anymore and you don’t want to trip over excess fabric with super long maxi dresses. Midi cut right above the ankle is just the right length to give you enough coverage without getting on your way.
Tied T-Shirts and Button Down Shirts - When I was wearing my dresses that had spaghetti straps, I would take my t-shirts or long sleeve button down shirts and knot them right above my bump. This gave me more coverage to hide all the weight gain in my arms. It also extended the life of my dresses into the fall season or early spring when it was still a bit cold.
Short Dresses Double as Tunics - If you’re having a hard time finding tops long enough for your big bump, you can use short dresses temporarily as tunics over leggings or jeans. Whatever makes you feel good and comfortable in the end!