Moms-to-be, I have a secret to share. Are you ready? There are a ton of non-maternity clothes for pregnancy that work just as well—if not better—than those specifically designed for a growing bump.
It’s a realization I came to during my first pregnancy, but that was kind of to be expected. I had my daughter in July of 2022 when I was working fully remote, so I wasn’t putting together outfits every day as much as deciding which pair of black leggings had the least amount of cat hair clinging to them. Still, when I did have to look semipresentable, I was pleasantly surprised with how many of my established maxidresses, skirts, and oversized button-downs were still in heavy rotation up until I delivered.
My nonmaternity clothes edit
During my second pregnancy, I’ve been going into the office four days a week. Not only do I need to actually get dressed every day, I also require a fair amount of options so I’m not in the same thing every day. Luckily, I’ve been able to go ahead with the same ethos: If you shop strategically, you can amass a pregnancy wardrobe that is made up of 90% nonmaternity items. This ensures that most of the purchases you make can be reworn long after you give birth—and opens you up to lots more options when it comes to retailers.
Don’t believe me? Here’s a comprehensive, shoppable list of some of my personal favorite nonmaternity clothes for pregnancy, which I’ve been wearing far into my third trimester.
My nonmaternity dresses
In a nonmaternity maternity wardrobe, dresses are the clear GOAT. There are so many styles that can seamlessly transition from prepregnancy to postpartum, from maxis to midis and even boxier-cut minis. I’ve been living in shirtdresses, including a preppy style from Vineyard Vines and a flowy, striped Tuckernuck number. What’s great about this style is that the fit is roomy and forgiving enough to hide a growing bump in the early days, but shows it off it once it pops out. Add in a couple of on-trend maxidresses and you have enough options for all nine months.
My nonmaternity jeans and pants
We’ve all seen maternity jeans and pants with a big elastic waistband in the front, and those are also great. But in many ways they are impractical. For starters, your bump has to be relatively big to fill out the elastic pocket, meaning they’re best worn at the very end of your pregnancy. And it’s not like you can (or would want to) wear them again postpartum. Enter the alternative: pull-on jeans and pants with elastic waistbands. This style is not only growing in popularity, but is also easy to wear as you grow. I’ve been living in my Miramar jeans from Rag & Bone even well into my third trimester; they’re just so cozy, yet they actually look like real jeans. And this style can be professional too—my Everlane pants somehow feel as comfortable as sweatpants but look as polished as slacks.
My nonmaternity tops
Oversized sweater are my ideal comfortable yet fashionable maternity clothes—but if your pregnancies are mostly during the summer, like mine have been, you need more options. What I’ve found is that a boxy T-shirt is the way to go. Whether that’s a cute cropped style or my weekend go-to (the perfect oversized shirts below), you can mix and match the tops with jeans, skirts, and more. The other hero of this journey? The oversized button-down. I’ve been living in one from Anthropologie, but you can find a style in your ideal color and fabric at your favorite retailer. (And to be honest, I often just steal my partner’s.)
My nonmaternity skirts and shorts
The name of the game here is similar to my mantra for dresses and pants: Elastic and flowy are your friends. I snagged these Madewell pull-on denim shorts when I was dying in the summer heat, and they immediately became something I wore nearly every single weekend. The best part? The drawstring is adjustable, a key feature as the months go on. As for skirts, I’ve loved pairing maxi- or midi-skirts with either of my go-to T-shirt options throughout my entire pregnancy. At first, it hides the growing bump (if you’re into that—or not telling work yet), and further into my third trimester, it shows it off in a cute way. It’s like day to night, but the pregnancy version.
My nonmaternity loungewear
Here we are at the good stuff. While you can buy pregnancy-specific leggings, PJs, and sweatpants, a lot of popular brands work just as well, especially if you size up. I’ve been obsessed with my sweats from Aviator Nation and Splendid, which effortlessly walk the line between cozy and stylish. If you’ve been on literally any pregnancy forum, you know the reputation Lululemon’s Align collection has of being the perfect staple from prepregnancy through postpartum. I am still wearing the same ones I wore my first pregnancy—a true testament to the quality and timelessness of the design.
