The Non-Maternity Maternity Wardrobe
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I’m having mixed feelings about building a maternity wardrobe. One would think (especially if you knew me well) that an excuse to NEED to be shopping for brand new clothes would make me squeal inside. But it isn’t. I’m at a loss because 90% of my pre-pregnancy clothes come from J.Crew and, well, I’ve already exhausted their maternity line (which, by the way, is well worth the money). Here’s my problem: maternity clothes, overall, don’t seem to be made with great quality. I’m sufficiently disappointed in the stores at our local mall, equally dissatisfied (yet, I’ll keep them because I’m giving up) with my online purchases, and all of the good stuff seems to be $300 . But, I still have these fantasies of a perfect little maternity closet.
So, I’m making due. For starters, I’m not really “maternity size” yet. Baby Byland’s hanging out really well in between my hips here at 17 weeks (I knew they were going to be good for child bearing! Yes!), so it isn’t as much that I’ve got a huge baby as much as it is that, for the time being, my regular sized clothes aren’t fitting the way they used to.
I’d like to call this the fat stage of pregnancy. Those who know you’re pregnant, and knew you before, can totally tell there’s a bump there. But the grocery clerk who’s checking out your carb-loaded, snack-tastic grocery purchase just thinks you’ve let go of your body. So, for the next month or two, here I’ll stay. In the fat stage.
I’ve developed a few coping mechanisms:
Maxi skirts and dresses: Truth be told, I can’t tell the difference between my non-maternity maxis and my new maternity maxis. Just this weekend, I bought a to-die-for casual maxi dress from Anthropologie that seems to be ready to stretch out in the midsection moreso than the Jessica Simpson maternity brand maxi dress I bought for later on. So, that’s something to keep in mind. I’ve already targeted a special dozen items in my wardrobe I fully expect to get me at least to months seven and eight. And, there again, I wonder if some of these maternity things will outgrow my belly at that time, too.
Billowy, flowy blouses: It’s no secret that I’m a fan of structured, tailored, classic lines on clothes. I’ve spent the past two weeks of my pregnancy allowing myself to finally understand that a Tippi sweater just doesn’t work when you have a belly. These, however, also don’t have to be maternity purchases. I found an adorable blouse on sale that will easily last me to the delivery room. I just love it. The key here turns out to be oversized items. Plus, what’s more comfortable than a feminine, oversized tee?
Layers: Everyone’s figure is different. For me, I’ve never before had to worry about a gut. My excess weight likes to pile up on my arms and my hips and my thighs. But my tummy? Always flat. So I’ve probably been over-conscious of my little baby bump. I love it, because it’s my child. But, it’s still weird thinking that people may think I have a little belly. I’ve really come to love throwing on blazers and jackets. Ladies… there’s nothing more slimming than a well-fitted blazer. I PROMISE YOU. I’m blazering it up all the time nowadays. Extra points if it’s sort of cropped. That’s turning out to be a cute look.
Accessories: Never underestimate the power of a scarf or a chunky bracelet. If nothing else, I think it makes me feel like I’m more put together when I just feel exhausted.
Leggings: For all the slack people give Lululemon, my Wunder Under leggings are still my best friends. Even better? The Astro pant has a pretty nice waistband for baby to expand. Leggings get a lot of play in my weekend life these days.
Denim: Lastly, the first thing to go was honestly my jeans. All the jeans. And I bought those belly bands that cover up the fact that I’m not buttoning (or zipping) my pants any longer, but it’s not a perfect fix. I much prefer to wear the J.Crew maternity jeans I splurged on. They don’t have a huge elastic band that goes over your entire midsection. And, they look (and fit!) like regular jeans. So, from that, I can tell you that having a nice pair of maternity jeans on hand before you think you will need them could save you a panic attack or two. It sure did for me.
