I put off buying maternity clothes as long as possible when I was pregnant with Charlie, only to go out and buy a bunch of clothes around my seventh month when nothing fit anymore. I definitely recommend buying maternity clothes earlier in your pregnancy so you get the most wear out of them.  Luckily many of the items I purchased like maxi dresses and wrap sweaters have had a long life post pregnancy.

This is our guide to the top 15 maternity clothing essentials!


1) tank top, 2) tunic, 3) yoga pants, 4) maxi dress, 5) leggings, 6) wrap sweater, 7) jeans

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8) ballet flat, 9) pea coat, 10) belly band, 11) underwear, 12) sleep bra, 13) cardigan, 14) black pants, 15) side ruched tee

1) maternity tanks – I lived in maternity tanks throughout both my pregnancies.  I was able to wear the longer style tanks from Gap (which you see me wearing in my belly shot pics) instead of buying maternity tanks.

2) tunics – Tunics provide lots of room for your growing belly.  I wore some of my nonmaternity tunics up until I had Olive!  Ones that tie or wrap under your chest can be especially flattering for your belly.

3) yoga pants – Yoga pants are comfortable but still look put together.

4) maxi dresses – Maxi dresses were my single biggest maternity clothing purchase because I’m a dress girl, and I still wear all the dresses after having the baby.  Empire waist and wrap dresses are also very flattering.

5) leggings – I loved, loved, loved my maternity leggings with the fabric panel that goes over your stomach, and wore them long after I gave birth.  They were my comfiest pants to lounge around the house (especially after a c section), but they were also easy to dress up with boots!

6) wrap sweater – I purchased three maternity wrap sweaters throughout both my pregnancies, and continue to wear them long after having the baby.

7) jeans – Designer maternity jeans are just as, if not pricier than regular jeans, but I was able to purchase them for a fraction of the cost at a maternity consignment store.  You can’t get through your pregnancy without a nice pair of jeans.

8) ballet flats – I used to be a 4 inch heels kind of gal, but I couldn’t wear heels while I was pregnant. Now I’ve become a ballet flat kind of girl!

9) winter coat – If you’ll be in your third trimester and live in a cold climate, a maternity coat is a must.  Buying a coat in a larger size just won’t do because the proportions will be off.  I made that mistake when I needed a maternity coat last minute and wasn’t able to find one.

10) belly band – These stretchy fabric bands enable you to get longer wear out of your regular clothes.  One trick that I often used as well was to loop a hair elastic through the button hole of my pants or skirt and fasten it onto the button.  A cheap, easy, diy waistband lengthener!

11) underwear – You don’t need to purchase maternity underwear, but you probably will have to purchase underwear in a larger size.  Gap’s cotton underwear are my favorite.  They usually have a better selection in the stores than they do online.

12) maternity/nursing bras – You’re going to want to purchase comfortable bras in larger sizes for your growing breasts throughout pregnancy and when you’re nursing.  I wore a nursing sleep bra every single day until I weaned Charlie.

13) cardigan – I was hot, hot, hot while I was pregnant and a long, loose maternity cardigan provided just the right amount of layering I needed.

14) black pants – If you work in an office, a pair of black maternity pants is a closet staple.

15) side ruched tee – I purchased a side ruched long sleeve tee from A Pea in the Pod and wore it throughout my third trimester of both pregnancies.  They’re super comfy and super flattering!

Did you have any maternity clothing essentials?

Maternity Style part 9 of 9

1. Maternity Clothing Stores by Guides
2. Affordable Stylish Maternity To Get You Through Fall by Brandy @ Heart & Habit
3. 5 Summer Non-Maternity, Maternity Items by Brandy @ Heart & Habit
4. Maternity Work Wardrobe: What's Worth It by Mrs. Tricycle
5. DIY Maternity: Adding An Empire Waist by Mrs. Tricycle
6. The Awkward Bump: Dressing My Spare Tire by Mrs. Tricycle
7. Favorite Maternity Clothes by Mrs. Hopscotch
8. Maternity Must-Haves by mrs. tictactoe
9. Maternity Clothing Essentials by Guides