Making Your Maternity Wardrobe Work For You
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If youre expecting a baby theres no need to sacrifice your sense of style. With the right maternity clothing its easy to stay looking fashionable all through your pregnancy without spending a fortune. Heres how to pull together a wardrobe that works for you.
Borrow
Planning a baby is an expensive time so it makes sense not to shell out for a whole new maternity wardrobe. No doubt youll be receiving offers of maternity clothing from friends and family if so, take up the offer! Even if not all of it is your style no doubt you can make most of it work for you. Dont limit yourself to a minimal wardrobe when youre pregnant as this will become boring and get you down. Variety is the spice of life so the more the merrier when it comes to maternity clothes.
Buy second hand
Even if its not your normal shopping habit, buying second hand maternity clothing from somewhere like Ebay makes perfect sense. You know the quality will be reasonable as they wont be worn out from years of wear and youll only be wearing them for a few months yourself. People often put job lots of all their maternity clothing into auction sites together, so you can get some real bargains. If you end up with a few things you wouldnt normally pick then why not experiment with some new styles?
Switch to forgiving shapes
In the early stages of your pregnancy, or as soon as you know that youre expecting, start switch your clothes buying behaviour. Forgo fitted forms in favour of more flowing shapes that will work well both pre-pregnancy and during. Not only will this hide the beginnings of your bump for longer but youll find that if you buy the right shapes you can wear non-maternity clothing well into your pregnancy. Fortunately empire line dresses and long line tunic tops are fashionable right now. Theyre also very comfy to wear meaning theyll be great for wearing after youve had your baby too. You can always add a waist-cinching belt if you want to show your post-baby shape off again at a later date.
Buy wisely
When you do buy new maternity clothing, aim for pieces that have maximum versatility. Wide leg jersey trousers or wide leg linen trousers will be flattering on your bump and can be dressed up or down for daytime or evening. A pack of basic long line camisole tops (one black, one white) is an essential. Youll find that you can layer your existing tops over these so that your bump is still covered. One area you really cant skimp on is your underwear. The size of your bust will change so make sure you get fitted regularly throughout your pregnancy (and beyond), and buy new bras whenever necessary. It doesnt matter how stylish your clothes are if your bras dont fit properly you will never look or feel your best.
Accessorise
As youll be working with a reduced choice of clothing, your accessories will really come into their own. Jewellery, colourful scarves, handbags utilise them to full effect to get multiple looks from your maternity wardrobe or to take an outfit from day to night. If youre wearing clothes that used to belong to someone else they can help bring your own sense of style to an ensemble too. All these pieces can be worn after your baby is born, and they can be bought inexpensively, so treating yourself to new accessories will be money well spent.
