Pregnancy opens up a whole new world, and when it comes to maternity clothes shopping, it can be a confusing one. Here are some tips to help you navigate the maternity clothes shopping gauntlet and to help you avoid common mistakes in buying maternity clothes. By keeping these thoughts in mind when you’re shopping, you’ll know which items on the rack are real deals, and which are duds, which maternity clothes are worth purchasing, and which are best passing up.
Maternity Clothes Shopping Mistake #1 – Focusing on Cheap Maternity Clothes
I know: maternity clothes are expensive.
No, it’s not a conspiracy to hijack women’s pocketbooks at a time when they’re forced to buy clothes.
The reason maternity clothes are expensive is because they’re made in smaller production runs than other clothes. Fewer sales mean higher cost per item. Unless you shop for your maternity clothes at mega-mass-market retailers who have created discount maternity lines like Old Navy, Walmart and–God forbid–Forever 21, then you’re going to be experiencing some sticker shock.
The high price tag on maternity clothes is a common complaint by pregnant women and so a common mistake is to shop for maternity clothes that are as cheap as possible.
The problem with focusing on cheap maternity clothes is that you’re going to end up with tops and bottoms that aren’t well made, won’t last long and won’t fit well. “Big deal,” you may say, “I’m only going to wear them for a short time.”
When you find that your brand-new maternity top that you wore once or twice started to unravel after being washed, you won’t feel like you just saved money.
Another problem with cheaply made maternity clothes is that they lose their stretchiness and shape over time–that is, if they had any to begin with. A girlfriend of mine picked up some inexpensive maternity leggings at Target then called me to order some “real” Ingrid & Isabel maternity leggings the next day. She said she spent all day that she was wearing her maternity leggings pulling them up and hitching them over her belly and trying to keep them in place. The ultimate cost of her “savings” on the Target brand is that she wasted the entire purchase price of something she couldn’t wear at all.
Spending money on high-value, high-quality items ultimately saves you more money in the long run. And when you can get a coupon code to get a little savings, then so much the better.
Maternity Clothes Shopping Mistake #2 – Not Considering the Fabric
No matter what stage of pregnancy you begin to buy maternity clothes, you won’t be at that stage long. (That’s the frustrating part about having to buy the clothes, now, isn’t it?)
Your breasts are going to increase in size throughout your pregnancy and again after baby is born. As the months progress, some women find that their arms fill out, making sleeves feel tight. Your rib cage expands in late pregnancy, making some shirts tight around the shoulders, too. Late stage weight gain may add pounds to your thighs and bottom, and your hips widen as your pelvic bones loosen, so that maternity pants suddenly don’t fit right. And then, of course, after baby is born, the weight comes down–but not enough to fit into pre-pregnancy pants.
The key, then, to making the most out of your maternity clothes purchases is to find items made with strong, flexible material that will not only grow with you, but also retain their shape and stretchiness. These types of maternity clothes will stay snug, flattering and supportive as your belly and body grow larger, and then again, when you get smaller.
Look for:
- Breathability, softness, durability and stretch
- Natural fabrics such as cotton, modal, and bamboo
- Blended jersey made from those natural materials together with Spandex or lycra
Avoid buying:
- Silk, rayon and even 100% cotton–which won’t have any give in them when other parts of you start to get bigger.
- Synthetics like polyester that hold heat to the skin
- Any clothing with dyes that rub off when you hold them
- Maternity clothes should NOT be “permanent press” or “wrinkle-free.” Recent articles have shown that such fabrics are treated with chemicals like formaldehyde that are dangerous to pregnant women and their babies.
Maternity Clothes Shopping Mistake #3 – Shopping Too Early & Blowing Your Budget in the First Trimester
The first problem you’re likely to encounter with your changing body is that your pants won’t fit, but before you go blowing your budget on a couple pairs of $150+ maternity jeans and pants, know that your belly won’t be large enough yet to fill them out. Plus, you don’t know just how big you’re going to get.
Solve this problem with buying one or both of the following:
Both of these items allow you to wear your current pants and skirts longer, making them a great value. They’ll come in handy again after pregnancy when your belly is smaller, but not small enough to get back into pre-pregnancy clothes.
A second problem you’re going to encounter early in pregnancy is that your bra won’t fit anymore. Or, your breasts may ache so much that you need a bra that’s more supportive and comfortable.
But before you get excited about your larger bust and blow a couple hundred dollars on an assortment of new bras, realize that your breasts are going to continue to change and grow for the next year. By all means, buy a new bra as soon as you need one–but just get one now because you’ll have to get more by your 6th or 7th month, and maybe a couple more while you’re breastfeeding. And, if you can, make your early maternity bra purchase one that has stretchy cups that will expand a little as you grow and make sure you can wear the bra on the tighest band setting–that way, as your rib cage expands, you’ll be able to let it out and still stay comfortable.
These two strategies should save you lots of money initially, so you’ll have some budget left when you’re in the second and third trimesters and need to find new clothes for work or special occasions.
Maternity Clothes Shopping Mistake #4 – Not Thinking Ahead
Why buy maternity tops for pregnancy and nursing tops for breastfeeding, when you can buy maternity nursing tops that will work for all the stages of new motherhood?
Several brands of maternity clothes today are made to serve longer than the nine months of pregnancy. There are maternity nursing clothes on the market now that are designed with stretchy fabrics that retain shape, so while they expand to fit your blossoming belly, they also will bounce back to fit well postpartum.
Even better, maternity nursing dresses and maternity nursing tops have discreet panels to allow for breastfeeding access after baby arrives. The first iterations of maternity nursing shirts used to have square top panels that you’d lift up to reveal slits for breastfeeding access, but today’s styles are more inventive and attractive. Many are available in seasonless colors and fabrics that can be easily layered and accessorized to take you through winter to spring and early summer, or vice versa.
While your new pregnancy may have you excited about the opportunity to go out shopping and splurging (and rightfully so!), keep in mind the needs you’ll have 4-6 months ahead. Especially if you’re a working mom and planning to nurse your new baby for the recommended minimum of 6 months, you’ll be wearing maternity clothes of some sort or another for over a year’s time! For some women, they’re in maternity clothes for 2 years.
When purchasing your maternity clothes, think ahead and invest in quality pieces that will work for both pregnancy and breastfeeding.
Maternity Clothes Shopping Mistake #5 – Skimping on Accessories
Don’t just change your wardrobe with maternity clothes–accessorize.
To flatter your new, larger shape, purchase a new, larger handbag, some chunkier beaded necklaces or long pendant pieces. You want some size, color and length in your maternity accessories to create a draw for the eye.
If you don’t have a long, open cardigan, get one! Blazers are coming back, and can look great, opened of course, on a pregnant woman.
Pick up a new scarf with a bold color or pattern. Get some longer, bigger earrings. And don’t forget to pick out a pair of new, comfortable tall boots.
The right accessories can elongate your silhouette and create a put-together look. They’re also really useful for allowing you to create different looks with the same basic maternity clothes pieces. You can swap tops and bottoms and layers with various kinds of accessories and get more wear out of the maternity clothes you’ve purchased.
Read more in a guest post “How to Add Wow to Maternity Wear” from style expert Amy Tara Koch.
Maternity Clothes Shopping Mistake #6 – Falling Prey to Maternity Mythology
Just because you’re pregnant doesn’t mean that you can’t wear certain types of clothes any more, or that you have to wear certain types of clothes. Whatever your style, you can stick to it. In decades past, pregnancy meant months doomed to mu-mus, tent tops and giant collars and sleeves. But those days, fortunately, are long gone and today’s women have lots of choices.
Pregnancy doesn’t mean that you have to ditch your personal style and turn into somebody else’s idea of what an expecting mother looks like. If your style is edgy, stay edgy. If it’s professional, stay professional. If it’s a tailored and fitted look, keep wearing a tailored and fitted look. There’s no pregnancy police out there to cite you for not wearing tent dresses or empire-waist tops if you just hate them.
You will be feeling new things and thinking new things about yourself as you journey into becoming a mother, but that doesn’t mean you have try to become someone else’s version of “pregnant mom.” Be you. While you’ll change in some ways after your baby is born, you’ll still be you. Embracing who you are during pregnancy by holding true to your personal style will ensure that when you look in the mirror and are shocked by your giant belly, you’ll still recognize yourself and maybe even love your curves.
Maternity Clothes Shopping Mistake #7 – Feeling Bad About Your Body
It’s SO easy to feel discouraged when buying maternity clothes.
I had a very tough time of it when I was pregnant because I’m a tall, curvy woman with a large bust, wide hips and long legs. The down side to my hourglass figure is that many clothes styles are impossible for me to wear. I couldn’t find a maternity bra or maternity pants in a three-state radius that fit me. I felt terrible when I was trying on clothes because nothing fit. NOTHING. I felt like a freak and an enormous, hulking cow.
Before I had gone out looking for a bra, I loved my even fuller breasts. Before I had looked for maternity jeans, I had loved how high I was carrying my baby and how big my belly was.
But the shopping trips made me feel terrible. (And, mind you, this was pre-Internet days, so no online shopping!)
What I had to do was really pay attention to what types of clothes look good on my tall, curvy pre-pregnancy body and stick to those styles when maternity clothes shopping. Tunic tops and leggings, a-line dresses, sweater dresses, slub tunic tops and long skirts look great on a figure like mine and can still work during pregnancy.
Knowing your body type, embracing it, and shopping for it can help you remember while maternity clothes shopping that your pregnant curves are beautiful.
Maternity Clothes Shopping Mistake #8 – Going It Alone
Is your tendency to shop by yourself? When sales people approach you, do you say, “No thanks, I’m just browsing?”
If so, snap out of it when you go maternity shopping!
Going it alone is a big mistake when maternity shopping. As I mentioned in the opening of this article, pregnancy is a whole new world. There are going to be changes to your body that you don’t know about yet, and considerations for comfort and fit that you don’t even know you don’t know to think about (did you follow that?).
Don’t be afraid to seek professional assistance when shopping in stores–and even online. (I try to answer every email and phone call inquiry personally, so I can describe colors, feel, etc.)
We maternity store owners are here to help you feel and look beautiful and we really truly want you to be happy. Take some time to talk with sales staff or the owners of the stores to let them know about your lifestyle, your style preferences and what’s already in your wardrobe. Let us recommend pieces that will fit your needs, budget and tastes.
It may be a good idea to bring along a girlfriend, too, especially if you have one who’s already been through pregnancy. Her insight and experience will be a big help. She can:
- be your moral support when you’re feeling huge and unattractive
- be a second set of eyes, finding things to try that you may not have picked
- give you honest feedback about whether a style flatters you or not
- help you in putting on or removing some more tricky items
With confidence and that inner glow–and by avoiding common mistakes in buying maternity clothes–you’ll enjoy your pregnancy style.
Love,
Tara
More reading: 6 Tips for Buying Maternity Clothes
