10 Pregnancy Fashion Necessities

Being pregnant doesn’t mean that you have to give up on your great fashion sense (or aspiring great fashion sense, if you’re like me). Today, there are so many companies catering to hip pregnant mamas that finding the right pieces to create a pregnant fashionista’s wardrobe is easy, or easier than it was before. Because most moms don’t have thousands of dollars to spare on fashion that will be, in a sense, out of fashion within nine months, the key to buying maternity is buying the necessities and adding on inessentials as time and budget permit.
Here you’ll find 10 pregnancy fashion necessities that are required (well, maybe “required” is too strong a word) of all hip (and wanna be hip) pregnant mamas.

1. A skinny belt. Skinny belts, skinny belts, what ever would I do with a skinny belt?” Well, let me tell you. Skinny belts are great accessories to add to any loose fitting shirt or dress to attenuate the belly and hide the, well, other things. The perfect skinny belt is one that is skinny enough to fit right below your breast bone and right above your belly.
2. A little black dress. Who says that you can’t be sexy during pregnancy? Who? A little black dress is a perfect evening accessory for any hip pregnant mama. Longer black dresses are great for evening, black tie affairs, and evening weddings, while shorter black dresses are great for daytime lunch dates, daytime weddings, etc.
3. A boyfriend style shirt (or a shirt from your husband’s closet). Preferably in a solid white or another neutral color, a boyfriend shirt paired with a skinny, high waisted belt does much to attenuate the belly. It also is, and perhaps most importantly, extremely comfortable and versatile, able to be paired with a black pair of leggings, skinny pants, or a loose fitting trouser jean.
4. Leggings or skinny pants. Leggings and skinny pants are great because they can so easily be dressed up or down depending on the other items that they are paired with.
5. A classic maxi dress. Particularly if you happen to be pregnant during the summer months, a maxi dress with an empire waist is a must have in your fashion arsenal. And while solid colored dresses are typically more versatile, prints (stripes or polka dots or animal prints) can also be fun and dressed up or down depending on the pair of shoes and jewelry that they are paired with.
6. A pair of wedges. Wedges truly are the best of two worlds, aren’t they? So often, new pregnant moms assume that they must wear flats throughout their pregnancy. But, that’s just wrong…and….boring. Wedges are a perfectly safe option for you to wear throughout your pregnancy for dressier occasions and for nights on town. For the summer pregnant gals, choose a sexy pair of sandal wedges. For the winter pregnant gals, choose a sleek pair of closed toe boot wedges.
7. A pair (or two) of dark denim, trouser maternity jeans. H&M, Gap, and a Pea in the Pod all have great options of maternity jeans for moms to be. As a recommendation, always buy maternity jeans in person (i.e., not online) so that you can try them on before you buy them.
8. A fun tee. T-shirts are not only comfortable but a great compliment to your pregnancy wardrobe. While there are plenty of fun, mama to be shirts on the market, it’s just as good (and likely cheaper) to buy plain, fitted solid colored T’s.
9. A fun cover-up. Whether a sweater, leather jacket, or wrap, cover-ups are very, very necessary. The option that you choose should depend on the climate in which you live and how you plan to make use of the cover-up (i.e., for all day coverage, etc.).
10. Great undergarments. Yes, ladies, when you’re pregnant one of your most important fashion accessories can not (or should not) be seen by much of the world. Pregnancy will change much of your body, your breasts, your hips, and buttocks. To remain comfortable throughout your pregnancy and looking good in all of your clothes, invest in some great undergarments that fit you throughout ALL stages of your pregnancy.