I have said it before, and I will say it again, the bump is an adjustment. Please don’t get me wrong, it is an adjustment I am extremely thankful for but it is definitely a change. Before I got pregnant, I always told myself I was not going to buy a bunch of new clothes that would not work after the baby. I did not want to invest too much in to pieces that would be too big after the baby, and I definitely did not want to invest in “maternity” clothing. Well…the un-pregnant me had no idea. This is WAY more difficult than I thought and truthfully, I never understood how fast my body would change. It almost felt instant that pants were uncomfortable, then once I got in to my second trimester, BOOM!…the belly popped out.
So with all of this being said, again, I do not want to come across as complaining, but I just want to share what pieces were in my closet that I am using most to make my wardrobe work. Let’s do this.
Top Five Items I Am Currently Wearing
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Align Leggings from Lululemon – If you are unfamiliar with these leggings, they are referred to as the “butter” legging at Lululemon because they are SO soft. I became addicted to these way before the bump but I have found that these are the most comfortable now as my body is changing. They are high waisted, which means they hug the bump, but they are soft enough that they do not feel like they are cutting in to my stomach. Not only have I been wearing these to workout, but thank goodness it has been cold weather so I can pair these with over-sized sweaters!
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Midi Dresses – I am going to get a little more specific here. Not just midi dresses, but midi dresses that had no elastic band around or near my belly. Like this one in these photos from Show Me Your Mumu, I have been flocking to the items that are either all body con or that just hang comfortably on my body. With my body con options, I can put a long cardigan over it to feel less “exposed” because that is the other thing…I don’t want things to be tight.
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Midi Skirts (specifically satin or sweater) – I had three sweater midi skirts in my closet before this pregnancy: one black, one tan and one grey. To say that I have worn these skirts a lot is an understatement. I live in these things. I can pull the band above my belly but they are still long enough to wear to work. These skirts with an over-sized sweater or blouse is the perfect work option for me right now which has been nice. As far as the satin option goes, I have learned that satin hugs the bump nicely so these are great. Now, some of my satin skirts don’t work because I can’t let them over the bump, but I have a few that have been perfect.
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Over-sized Sweaters – I am not sure what I am going to do when the weather warms up. Honestly, I have been living in over-sized sweaters lately not only because they fit the bump, but also because the keep me warm. I think one of my side effects has been feeling cold so I always want something cozy on! Come May, June and July I might in trouble.
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Maternity Jeans – Yep, I said it. I went ahead and invested in two pairs right now: one cut similar to my Levis and one flare pair from Show Me Your Mumu. Both have been GREAT additions to the wardrobe and are allowing me to wear jeans again which is great! I probably will try to make these two work as long as possible because I do not want too many pairs but I can see a pair of maternity shorts in my future.
I know that I as my body continues to change, being flexible is going to be the biggest thing. Whenever I put something on that feels comfortable, I definitely make a mental note to come back to that item. I might be repeating outfits but at least I am being conscious of the budget while looking for items to wear. I can easily recycle these items and change out my shoes or accessories to create a new look!
