Tab’s Tips to maximize your maternity wardrobe

I am all for celebrating your baby bump and dressing comfortably for pregnancy, it’s just too much fun. I’m also for saving money on your maternity wardrobe because who wants to invest a lot in clothes you’ll wear for less than a year?? So here are

Tab’s Tips to maximize your maternity wardrobe

The idea is to utilize what you have and only buy what will work for you and your lifestyle. And of course you want to look and feel fabulous during your pregnancy!

1. Extend the use of your non-maternity clothes.

• Simple camisoles can extend the length of your tops and give extra coverage.
• Wear maternity tops with your regular bottoms or maternity bottoms with your regular tops (see photo below).
• Maternity bands and belly bands also help you wear your regular pants longer. They’re available from virtually every major retailer including Target and JCPenney.
• Take advantage of the tunics and flowy tops trend! I’ve purchased a few new non-maternity tops that will take me through most of the second trimester and will be forgiving and comfortable after the baby comes.

I wore this non-maternity dress at 22 weeks.

2. Follow the same rule for non-maternity clothes.

To avoid looking frumpy, remember…

Wear fitted tops with loose bottoms and loose tops with fitted bottoms.

If you wear a baggy top with guachos, you could end up looking like you belong working in a field.

There is nothing wrong, however, with wearing your skinny jeans with a cute fitted tank if you want to rock your bump! Celebrate your new curves!

3. Mind your colors.

A maternity capsule is ideal, of course, but tricky when you’re pulling from your current wardrobe and dealing with hand-me-downs. Still, stick to only a few colors for your basics (denim, black, white) and accent colors so you can keep wearing your favorite shoes and accessories. Here’s how to start a capsule wardrobe.

Remember to keep your “pop” colors near your face to maximize your maternity wardrobe, even if you’re just wearing yoga pants and a tee shirt.

Now’s also a great time to Discover Your Signature Color if you haven’t already (mine is turquoise).

4. Splurge strategically.

What’s going on during your pregnancy? Are you attending a wedding? A formal evening event? A holiday party? Buy a spectacular dress you can accessorize for the occasion or a few fabulous tops so you look good in the pictures.

If you do a lot of yoga, for example, splurging on a few pairs of maternity yoga pants is smart.

And if someone offers to take you shopping for clothes for your baby shower or maternity photos, let them!

5. Keep majority lifestyle in mind.

Will most of your pregnancy be spent at home with your other kids? At work? At the the gym? Plan your maternity wardrobe accordingly.

Read more about wardrobe and majority lifestyle.

6. Use completer pieces to jazz up your outfits.

Kimonos are a pregnant woman’s best friend! Jackets and vests are also fun for layering and don’t usually have to be maternity. They add interest, color and texture to even a simple outfit.

7. Accessorize.

If you’re self conscious about swollen ankles or weight gain, cute accessories are a wonderful distraction. Whether you’re dealing with morning sickness or being overdue and miserable, cute earrings or a statement necklace can boost your mood and give you confidence.

I hope these tips to maximize your maternity wardrobe help you! Do you have any tips to add?