By Hillary from two L’s please

I’ve always had some difficulty dressing my body type. I’m tall but all of my height is in my torso. Since becoming pregnant, my struggle to dress my (ever growing!) body has reached desperate levels.

Fortunately, I’ve found a strategy that has greatly reduced the amount of time I spend fretting about how to dress my definitely-pregnant-but-not-yet-huge body.
1. Don’t be afraid to spend money on staples.

For me, this meant buying two identical pairs of dark wash maternity jeans. You may not be able to get away with wearing denim in a professional office but I’ve found that people are generally a little more lenient when dealing with a (crazy! hormonal! unpredictable!) pregnant lady. I wear my dark jeans to work every day, rotating out a pair when it needs to hit the laundry. Did it feel good to spend $100 on two pairs of jeans that I will (likely) never wear again? No. It it worth it to not have to worry about what I’m going to wear on my bottom half every day for the next four months? Yes. Emphatically, yes.

2. Buy big.

My second staple is a non-maternity navy blue blazer in a size larger than I usually wear. My hope is that once I’m back to my pre-pregnancy weight (knock on wood!) I can have it taken in by a tailor. I’ve survived with only one blazer so far by changing the look (roll up the sleeves and pair with a tee for a more casual look, wear the sleeves rolled down with a blouse underneath for a more formal look) but if I do find that I need another one, I’ll definitely go the same route and buy a non-maternity blazer than can hopefully be altered.

3. Layer. Then layer some more.

My long torso is the bane of my pregnant existence. I am constantly on high alert against exposed tummy skin. The only solution I’ve found is in the form of hideous, low-cut, skin-tight tank tops. They show a shameful amount of cleavage but it doesn’t matter because I’m wearing them solely for their length. I layer a more modestly cut tee over top and then add an open cardigan (or my blazer) for an additional layer.

4. Accessorize.

There are days when the call of the snooze button is too difficult to resist and I end up having ten minutes to get dressed and leave the house. On those days (the maternity jeans, t-shirt, and ballet flats days) a string of brightly colored beads or a single pendant on a long silver chain takes my outfit from “rushed and boring” to “easy chic.” At least, that’s what I tell myself.

Do you have any tips for dressing for the office while pregnant?

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