photo credit: http://www.flickr.com/photos/zeytingozlu/7921267806/
You’ve just found out you are pregnant – congratulations! And now, other than cooing over teeny tiny clothes for baby, you’ll also be thinking about your own wardrobe, and what you’re going to wear as your waistline expands. The good news is you don’t need to spend a fortune to get a good collection of clothes that will see you through not only your maternity, but also for the first few months after you have the baby, too.
The capsule maternity wardrobe
Trying to create a capsule wardrobe for your maternity period is key to stretching your budget as far as possible and giving you a range of outfits to wear while you’re pregnant. We recommend you include some of the following.
- Leggings with lots of in-built Lycra. Choose black, brown and gray for great flexibility and to allow them to go with lots of different tops.
- Roll top skirts. Elasticated, stretchy skirts with roll tops feel as comfortable as jogging bottoms when worn – but look a whole lot more stylish.
- Tunics and longer length tops. Colorful long tops or tunics can help you retain a bit of your shape, particularly those garments which are nipped in below the bust, while still having enough give to accommodate any size of bump and to hide that pregnancy belly after you’ve had the baby.
- One good dress! A jersey dress is a great option to have in your wardrobe for work or for more formal occasions. The stretchy material will accommodate your bump long into your pregnancy, and after you’ve had the baby there will be something you can slip on to feel great straight away.
When to buy maternity clothes
It can be tempting to go out and buy lots of maternity clothes as soon as you know you’re pregnant. The truth is, however, that most women do not know how their weight and body will change during their pregnancy, so rather than buying expensive maternity clothes straight away, invest in some capsule buys that offer stretchy comfort and in a size bigger than your usual size.
Many of these will do you up until your 6th or 7th month of pregnancy at least, at which point you can pop out and buy a minimal wardrobe of maternity clothing to see you through the last few weeks. Don’t discard these stretchy friends though, as you’ll be glad to have them back after the birth. Even the fittest new Mum takes a few days or weeks to get back into her pre-pregnancy wardrobe!
Getting cheaper maternity clothes
With so many pregnant ladies buying from the high street shops, the second hand maternity clothing market is replete with bargains to be had. As most women only wear their maternity clothes for a short space of time, lots of second-hand clothes are in excellent condition and can save you huge amounts on the retail prices.
Don’t forget, when you’re finished with your maternity clothes, there are lots of places specialising in recycling clothes for cash, so you can recoup some of your investment and have more money to spend on your new baby!
