As my days of this second pregnancy are coming to a rapid close (hello, 39 weeks!), I wanted to share what’s been on repeat in my closet. It may seem insensitive to write about clothing during the current status of the COVID-19 pandemic, but for me, writing blog posts and thinking about things like outfit styling is a welcomed relief from the news swirling around us! If you agree, read on.
I found dressing the bump to be much harder this time around, mainly because I have gotten used to dressing a certain way (a bit more flowy and loose) before the pregnancy and having to switch to stretchy, usually body hugging items felt very unnatural this time! I’m not sure why it was so different from my first pregnancy but I think it has to do with something about me tying so much emotion to what I’m wearing- I know, I know, I’m one of those people. But it’s true, when I like what I’m wearing, I feel so much better about myself and it even impacts my productivity! One thing that helped was accessories- especially shoes. They made all the difference for me (until my feet swelled to a point of pushing me into sneakers daily, ugh) and I felt a classy pair of shoes really pulled the outfits together.
Core Maternity Capsule
1. Black knit dress– I also got a Hatch navy blue knit dress from ThredUp (same style here but in different colors) that I really loved and had fun styling with shirts underneath and sweaters on top)
2. Black pencil skirt
3. Black jeans/leggings – I used a Bellaband with my pair of non-maternity black jeans throughout the pregnancy. It got a bit uncomfortable towards the end but it saved me from buying new pants!
4. Long tunic tees/blouses – I had about 5 tunic type longer tops that were really useful
5. Long cardigans (green and gray) – These saved me throughout the pregnancy- I wore them both so often! I usually am a strict secondhand buyer when it comes to clothing but I couldn’t find any sweaters I loved- these were from Old Navy (yes, fast fashion– gasp!) but once I realized how much time I was wasting searching for the “perfect sweater” I decided to just buy these and be done with it. I’m so glad I did! They seem to be decent quality so I’m excited to get more wear out of them. Side note: This made me realize I need to be a little more lenient about secondhand shopping and yes, even possibly fast fashion- it boils down to how much time I want to spend searching and how much I can afford at that certain time. As long as I’m not buying something new every time I go out just to buy, I’d say I’m making headway in becoming a conscious consumer.
***I had purchased a maternity kit from ASOS during my first pregnancy that consisted of the main items in my capsule- a black dress, pencil skirt, leggings, and a black tank top. All items have proven to be so useful so I’m glad I made the purchase the first time around!! Other maternity brands offer similar packs, like this one from Hatch.
My typical outfit combinations looked like this:
Stretchy pencil skirt + flowy tunic top
Bodycon dress + long sweater
Skinny pant + long top
My Main Tips for Dressing the Bump:
– Consider purchasing a maternity pack of your core items and then add in things from your current wardrobe. The maternity pack I had purchased was the basis for almost every outfit I wore!
– Check secondhand options for big ticket maternity items (designer jeans, nice dresses, etc.) My Hatch Collection score from ThredUP was so helpful and I loved how it looked! Also, I can probably resell that for as much as I paid (or more!) so it was a great investment. Click here for $10 off your first ThredUP order!
– Embrace this new style phase- I didn’t this time around and looking back, I wish I would have because the whole reason for my changing body is I am growing a tiny human (!!!) and the female body is amazing to be able to do that! I should have been showing myself a lot more love and appreciation.
-When all else fails, throw on some shoes that make you happy and just go with it!
– Get creative. I wore an unbuttoned shirt dress over a knit slip dress and tee shirt, and it was a nice change from my usual rotation of outfits.
I hope this was useful to any other expecting mommas out there!