The Working Closet
with Susan Wagner
The Working Closet is your source for the best of what's hip and fresh in fashion and beauty. Susan Wagner keeps you up-to-date on trends and offers tips and tricks for making everything in your closet truly work for you.
You can also catch Susan over at Friday Playdate.
I’m all about basics, for everyone, but especially during pregnancy, because you’re trying to balance looking good and making sure everything fits, all without spending your entire year’s clothing budget on pieces that will only be useful for maybe six months, tops.
Did I say balance? I meant juggle.
The secret is to choose a small collection of staples, pieces that are the maternity version of what you would wear if you were NOT pregnant. For some things–tees and yoga pants, for example–look to retailers like Target; if your tees don’t survive the pregnancy, it doesn’t really matter. (But even for lounge wear, please PLEASE buy proper maternity pieces–don’t just make due with your husband’s sweats and tees. PLEASE. I’m begging you.)
If your office is very conservative, it might be worthwhile to invest in one suit and just wear the hell out of it. Look for something with pants AND a skirt; mix and match the pieces like you would a non-maternity suit. And don’t worry about wearing the same thing over and over–after all, you’re pregnant! How many maternity suits can you be expected to buy?
Think also about getting at least one dress, particularly for summer. A shirt dress is a great option because it can go easily from work to weekend. Wear pumps or dressy flats for the office, and cute skimmers for the weekend. Wear it with your suit jacket or a little cardigan ( you don’t need a maternity cardigan, by the way–wear a regular cardigan but DO NOT button). Choose something in a neutral color–navy or black or even white–which will allow you to change your look with accessories.
So what SPECIFIC pieces am I loving right now for the mamas-to-be? Funny you should ask . . .
Japanese Weekend Lux Jersey Polo, Bella Blu Maternity, $54.00
Mod Print Top, Bella Blu Maternity, $42.00
Black Fold Over Pants, Bella Blu Maternity, $88.00
Gap Maternity Roll Panel Modern Flare Pants, now $48.00
Knee Length Ponte Skirt, A Pea in the Pod, $125.00 (jacket and pants also available)
Liz Lange for Target Shirt Dress, $27.99
Oh, Susan, where were you when I was pregnant? I only now realize how frumpy I must have looked - but I do brag about the fact that I spent $104.95 on my entire pregnancy wardrobe. (Yes, I realize this is something to stop bragging about very soon!)
Nataly | July 31st, 2007 at 1:32 pm
Maternity clothes can be hard; they are expensive, for starters, and keeping everything covered can seem like the impossible dream. But recently (like since I had my last child five years ago) there are more and more hip and affordable options.
And Nataly, did you REALLY only spend $100? That is awesome.
Susan Wagner | July 31st, 2007 at 1:57 pm
I struggled a great deal when I was pregnant to find clothes that fit. However, I spent the majority of my pregnancy on bedrest so it didn’t matter much. My problem now is what to wear post-partum? My daughter is now a month old, and while I know it’s roughly 9 months on, 9 months off, I’m struggling just to find basics to get me through until my body gets back to normal. I had a c-sections and I’ve found that my shape has completely morphed; especially in the hip area. My pregnancy pants don’t fit right, and I can’t seem to find regular pants in bigger sizes that fit. Any suggestions?
Stephanie | July 31st, 2007 at 5:47 pm
Susan,
This is so helpful - thank you!!!! Really great stuff!!!! i’ve actually never heard of Bella Blu Maternity - need to check it out for sure!!!! Thanks so much!
Victoria
Victoria | August 1st, 2007 at 8:11 pm
I meant to leave this comment on this post instead of the one below. (Comments at the top instead of the bottom. So confusing. Forcing me to adjust. Too difficult.)
I totally recommend finding a good consignment shop for maternity stuff. I bought a pair of black pants for under $20 when I was pregnant with my first and they are really wonderful quality and saw me through every dressy event (pregnant me did NOT to skirts — *shudder*) I attended. I can’t even imagine what they would have cost brand new.
Jan | August 6th, 2007 at 5:28 pm
I found a website called babylooksgoodonyou.com that has some stylish and comfy maternity t-shirts. Prices are good, and so is the quality.
Kann | September 12th, 2007 at 12:54 am
I have made a gift for my wife at http://arabellab.com/index.php?cPath=66&category=Gifts
She looks fabulous and feels that way as well.
Jery | September 26th, 2007 at 12:11 pm
Hello Beautiful Women. I love this article! I recently left the corporate world and am now a stay at home Mom who has just started a maternity consignment store online. My hope is to give all pregnant women the opportunity to look great and feel beautiful throughout their pregnancy. You don’t have to spend a lot of money to look great. When I was pregnant I loved my full length JW basic black dress (nylon/poly). Paired with one great accessory, I felt absolutely beautiful. It doesn’t have to be complicated. A few great pieces with a couple of fabulous accessories will take you a long way. The key is not to get too overwhelmed with the experience. This article really shows you how it can be done.
Elizabeth Savage | September 3rd, 2008 at 12:59 pm