Eventually, maternity clothes will probably be a necessity if you are pregnant, but you can save money by extending your pre-pregnancy wardrobe as long as you can.
Make simple alterations to your wardrobe and dress fashionably even during pregnancy.
Maternity clothes don’t have to be expensive, but the truth of the matter is that, one day you’ll wake up and suddenly nothing from your old wardrobe will fit right. It truly happens almost overnight, and it’s like you are dropped onto the Earth without a single thing you can wear. However, a little creativity can create a lot of style when it comes to altering your pre-pregnancy wardrobe to fit your pregnant body. These ideas can be mixed with maternity clothes to give you a few more options, or can be worn by themselves for cute outfits to take you through at least part of your nine months.
Find your Loose Clothes
It might be time to break out your fat pants, as much as it pains you to do it. Being pregnant means your body is expanding in all sorts of places, not just your belly. You might find your hips and backside expanding, as well, so that bigger pair of pants that you have in the back of your closet might come in handy now. You’ll also want to find all the flowing, loose blouses you can. These are wearable as long as your belly isn’t stretching them out. Even your button-down shirts that were so cute tucked into your pants can now be worn un-tucked but still buttoned. Unless they are really fitted to begin with, those button-downs have a surprising amount of room in them for your expanding belly. You can get a more elegant look by wearing a swing coat during pregnancy.
Get a Belly Band
If you can still squeeze into your pre-pregnancy pants but you can’t quite button them, invest in a belly band. Belly bands are stretchy bands that go over your waist and cover your unbuttoned pants, holding them up and hiding the zipper. Under a shirt, it just looks like a tank top sticking out. Only you’ll be the wiser.
Use Belts
Let’s face it–you no longer have the waistline you used to. However, if you’re worried about those big, flowing shirts making you look more fat than pregnant, you can still use those old belts to define your shape. If you wear them just under your bust to define an empire waistline, you can take a floppy shirt and easily turn it into a cute top that flatters your bump. If your belts don’t have small enough holes in them to secure properly, try tying them in knots or using scarves and ribbons instead.
Take Advantage of Elastic Waistbands
Stretchy waistbands can be a godsend for pregnant ladies. Yoga pants, leggings, and maxi skirts will all last you well into your pregnancy. Many of these items can be worn over an expanding bump while it’s still small, and then under the bump when it gets big enough. As a bonus to a maxi skirt is that, you can turn it into a strapless maxi dress by pulling the waist up above your chest and adding a cute belt just above or below the bump to define your waist. If you’re taking this look to work, add a cardigan or an open button-down shirt to make it more conservative for the office.
Wear your Husband’s Shirts
This doesn’t sound super-flattering, but when you need to wear a t-shirt and yours no longer fit, raid his stash if he wears a bigger size than you. Rock his t-shirt off your shoulder for a bit of a sexy look, or add a belt for a casual-yet-cute weekend top.
Pregnancy style doesn’t have to be expensive, nor does it have to be frumpy. With a little creativity, you can extend your pre-pregnancy wardrobe and give yourself a few more options to fill in the gaps between maternity clothes. The most important thing to remember is to be comfortable and confident. You’re growing another human, you deserve to feel good!
