I am convinced that maternity clothes just make you look more pregnant. All the ruching on the sides, the ties around the waist, and tight-fitting tops always seemed to accentuate my bump and make me feel more pregnant than I wanted to. While I did purchase a few maternity clothes this time around, most of my outfits have included non-maternity items.
I did buy a few pairs of maternity pants/jeans since I gained too much weight in my hips and thighs to keep wearing my regular jeans (even if I did unbutton them). I also purchased a couple of maternity tops for this last month of pregnancy. However, other than that, all of the clothes I have been wearing have been non-maternity items. I’ve had a few people tell me that they would never fit into non-maternity clothes, but I think you just have to know what to look for.
These are the tips and tricks I’ve picked up for wearing non-maternity clothes during pregnancy.
Go up one or two sizes
This might seem obvious, but I simply purchased some items in a size or two bigger so they would fit me during pregnancy. Since I knew these would only last during pregnancy, I didn’t pay a lot for them. Many items were purchased at Target or when Loft was having a sale.
I have been able to wear several non-maternity pieces just by going up a size. For example, I purchased this navy blue short sleeve t-shirt and this basic black t-shirt in a medium and both fit me for most of my pregnancy. I also got this white tank to wear under cardigans, and I just went up one size so it would work until the very end of pregnancy.
Look for shirts that are long in length
As long as the length of a shirt is ample and the material is stretchy enough, it will fit over your belly. This striped top I had before my pregnancy and since it has such a long length to it, it has been able to fit me for several months now.
I also have an old Nike tunic top that I’ve had before Cullen was born. It was the shirt I wore to the hospital to have Cullen because its long length fit over my bump til the very end.
Find loose-fitting shirts/tops
Luckily the trend is oversized and loose-fitting, so it can be easier to find tops that can accommodate a bump. During this last month of my pregnancy, it has become a little harder for this tactic to work, but otherwise, for most of my pregnancy I was able to get away with things that fell into this category.
Use a hair tie to keep your pants together while unbuttoned
After a while, your belly will start to get bigger and your pants won’t zip up anymore. During this time, leave your pants unbuttoned and unzipped as much as you need to and use a hair tie to loop through the button hole and secure it around the button. Just remember to wear a shirt that covers that fly or a belly band that make it appear as though you have a second shirt on.
cardigan (similar) | white cami | jean shorts | sandals
These are some of my favorite non-maternity clothes for maternity wear.
I mentioned this dress above, and I love it so much here is a picture of it again. I am not an XS during this pregnancy, but this is an XS dress. It has a great, relaxed fit that works so well for pregnancy. And let it be known that a dress can have too much material and make you look frumpy. I like this dress because it is fitted just enough to work with a bump, and it also has some shape.
dress | jean jacket | shoes
I also purchased this sweatshirt and this long sleeve top that is perfect for a bump. The sweatshirt is a tunic style and has extra length to cover the bump, and the long sleeve is also really stretchy and with a longer length to fit. The sweatshirt is an XS, but the striped shirt is a M, so always been sure to try things on first.
tunic sweatshirt | striped long sleeve | shorts | shoes (similar)
Cardigans with a simple cami underneath should also be a maternity staple as they can be worn through all stages of pregnancy and after into your postpartum days.
Now moving onto athletic/running clothes. I applied many of the same rules for my athletic clothes. and these have been some of my favorite athletic/running clothing pieces.
Since I gained quite a bit of weight in my butt and thighs, I had to find shorts with a larger leg opening. These shorts from Oiselle were a lifesaver.
long sleeve | shorts
A longer shirt + low riding shorts = chic non-maternity maternity running clothes.
long sleeve (similar) | shorts
tank (similar) | tights| sports bra
I hope this helps and you don’t feel like you have to only wear maternity clothes during pregnancy because you certainly don’t. If you have any other tips for finding non-maternity clothes during pregnancy, comment below!
