Maternity Wardrobes :: Getting the Best Clothes for the Best Value

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Maternity Wardrobes :: Getting the Best Clothes for the Best Value | Columbia SC Moms BlogWhen pregnancy rolls around, most of us expect there to be several added expenses to the budget for the next nine months. Your wardrobe should not be one of the expenses to worry about.

I’m in my second pregnancy and a very thrifty shopper in general. I’ve found several ways to make the most of my maternity wardrobe and save a ton of money in the process. Here are some pregnancy shopping tips on the type of pieces you should be looking for and where to buy them.

Building Your Wardrobe

When you’re building a nine-month maternity wardrobe, you want to have pieces that will last throughout your entire term. That means before, during and after pregnancy.

Most women will not need to purchase anything new for the first trimester, especially if it’s a first-time pregnancy. If you’ve been pregnant before, chances are you still have some of your previous maternity clothes that you can use again.

For the second and third trimesters, you’ll want comfy clothes that will transition nicely into each trimester. Then there is the nursing phase, which sometimes requires specific pieces that allow for quick and easy feeding, especially if you’re a first-time mama.

In order to have a sufficient maternity wardrobe, you need to have enough basic pieces to go with everything. These staples are more of your everyday style and layer easily for the changing months. You’re going to be pregnant for nine months. That’s almost a year. How many seasons are in a year? Four, there are four. That means you need to have enough key pieces that can accommodate the seasons you will be pregnant. I would suggest not purchasing a bunch of trendy/fancy pieces unless you are preparing for a specific event, or you really want that particular piece. In that case, you would just purchase the item in the season/trimester you’re in.

Below is a list of maternity wardrobe staples that are both practical and comfy in any season. I’ve included both maternity and non-maternity lists because a lot of times, you can still wear non-maternity pieces during pregnancy, we just forget about them! 

You don’t have to go out and buy all these items right away, either! Just get what you need when the time comes, or see what you already have in your closet that could work during that trimester. Then, if you still need more items, you’ll have a list of things to be on the lookout for. You’ll end up mixing and matching a lot, so make sure you have colors/patterns that are versatile enough to transition into the changing seasons and with your other pieces.

Maternity Pieces:

  • Tank Tops (2-3)
  • T-shirts (2-3)
  • ¾ Length/Long Sleeve Shirts (2-3)
  • Shorts (2 different styles)
  • Skirts (2 different styles)
  • Jeans (2 different washes)
  • Fun/Colored Pants
  • Black Pants
  • Leggings (2 pairs)
  • Dresses (loose, everyday fitted and specialty/fancy)
  • Maternity/Nursing Bra (2)

Non-Maternity Pieces:

  • Loose Flowy Tops (3)
  • Stretch Maxi-Dress (2)
  • Leggings (2 pairs)
  • Kimono/Cardigan (2)
  • Scarf/Wrap (2-3)
  • Jackets (casual and nice)

An additional tip about shopping for your pregnancy pieces is, you can always go up a size in tops or dresses in your regular non-maternity size rather than buying maternity specific pieces. This will save you money in the long run.

Where to Find Clothes

As for where to purchase your maternity wardrobe, I have also included a list of my favorite ways to find affordable pregnancy styles.

Secondhand:

  • Online Consignment (ThredUP, Le Tote)
  • Thrift stores
  • Facebook Groups
  • Borrow from friends

Retail:

  • Kohl’s
  • Target
  • Old Navy
  • Motherhood Maternity
  • PinkBlush
  • Boohoo

Shopping secondhand is usually the most affordable option. Especially if you can find maternity styles/brands at a local thrift store. Since these pieces aren’t worn for very long, they will most likely be in really good condition and have minimal wear.

Sometimes though, you can score some really great deals through sales or clearance at retail stores. The stores I’ve listed always have maternity items on clearance. And a lot of times, they have decent sales. You know you’ve really hit the jackpot when they let you use your coupon with items that are already on sale!

As for the boutique/online brands, if you really love their product, sign up for their newsletter so you can get notifications of sales, discounts, and clearance clean outs.

My final word of advice … if you are currently pregnant and plan on getting pregnant again, be sure to save your clothes for the next go round – especially if they are basic staple pieces. I ended up being pregnant in two different seasons, and I’m glad I kept my clothing from my first pregnancy. It gave me more of a maternity wardrobe to mix and match with. And who doesn’t love more options without having to spend more money? 

How do you make the most of your maternity wardrobe budget?

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