Bump Style: Where To Shop Maternity
Bump Style
Where To Shop Maternity
Let’s talk bump style! While I have been embracing and leaning into dressing my new curves, it has been quite a challenge. As a full-figured woman, to begin with, navigating clothing and fits within brands is no easy feat. As someone who identifies as an in-betweener (someone who can usually wear the largest sizes in standard sizing and the smaller sizes of plus sizing), it’s been more important than ever for me to continue supporting brands that cater to an extended size range, as I now don’t always have the luxury to size up in brands as many do. In case you missed my previous post on size-inclusive retailers to shop and defining different sizing terms, be sure to check it out here!
But today is all about dressing the bump. I have previously shared a few of my favorite pieces and advice for shopping for clothes on my first and second-trimester recaps. As far as when to make purchases, everyone will tell you all sorts of opinions and timelines, but you should do whatever feels good to you, whenever that is. But if you’re really struggling with bras right now, be sure to check out this post.
Due to the nature of my job, I have the luxury and flexibility to experiment with clothes much more than the average gal, so I’ve done much of that in the second trimester. I did find that I needed some awesome leggings, t-shirts, and bras here that fit me well now, which has helped me feel more polished and put-together, and I previously shared some here (at the bottom), here, and here. If you don’t have a tape measure, it’s time to invest in one. I like to compare my measurements to each sizing chart and make educated decisions from there. I also have some maternity clothing favorites saved on my LTK here and my Amazon Storefront.
Let’s get into it!
storq
When I received my first Storq order, I was nearly in tears because it was the first maternity brand I found with an inclusive sizing range, XS-4X and I found everything to be true to size (I ordered everything in my pre-pregnancy XL). The pieces are well made, high-quality which comes at a bit of a higher price point but keep in mind many of these pieces are meant to be worn postpartum as well, which makes me happier to invest.
Their clothing is definitely on the more casual, everyday side, but they do have some fantastic staple options for your maternity wardrobe. I reached out and they were kind enough to give me code CARALYN10 for you to use towards your purchase!
gap
I was a lifelong Gap lover as a kid and young adult but haven’t shopped them a ton in recent years. A friend of mind mentioned checking out their maternity options and they’ve become some of my favorite pieces. Their options change seasonally, but I was able to wear a bunch of their sweater dresses, pajamas, t-shirts/tanks and swimwear in my pre-pregnancy size XL. They had some dressier options, which may be good for office friendly looks but I mostly stuck to their more casual stuff. I thought the fit and quality were true, if not a little generous! You can often use coupons and get their stuff 30-50% off.
H&M
I was pleasantly surprised how many options H&M and H&M maternity had for dressing the bump. The only problem I had with their stuff is that it sells out so quickly, by the time I was able to share my finds with you they were often sold out. So if you’re scrolling on their site and you really love something, buy it because it may not be in stock later on. Depending on the style, I found things to run pretty true to size, if not a little generously (especially some of the maternity shorts I tried).
AMAZON
Okay, I’ll admit. Sometimes shopping on Amazon can feel like finding a needle in a haystack but luckily for you, I’ve done the majority of the dirty work so you don’t have to! I have a curated list of my pregnancy favorites (and recommendations by you) on there, which consists of mostly basics, undergarments, swimwear, and dresses. The beauty of Amazon is that you can order a couple sizes and returns are easy, so I’ve been able to troubleshoot with a lot of non-maternity styles as well.
They carry a wide variety of brands, including many of the ones mentioned below so they’re great to shop if you only want to try one or two things (or several sizes) and they don’t have the best return policy. While I think reviews can often be helpful, take them with grains of salt because everyone’s preferences are different and not everyone has properly fitting undergarments, which can throw off the fit of something. I think they have a ton of good options from dressier/work friendly to more casual!
honorable bump-specific mentions
Of course, I’m missing quite an extensive list of other options, only highlighting my some of my personal favorites above but wanted to share a few other brands and what I had good luck with from each.
ABERCROMBIE & FITCH
I tried and liked their maternity denim and shorts, sized up to 33R
ASOS
They have great dresses (especially special occasion options) as well as some trendier pieces
HATCH
Their stuff is incredible quality, luxurious even. The price point reflects this but many of their pieces can be worn postpartum as well, which helps make the spend easier. From casual basics to fancier pieces, they have some really beautiful pieces. CARALYN15 works towards your purchase!
KINDRED BRAVERLY
I have a ton of their clothing, their leggings are my favorite maternity leggings (a splurge but fantastic). They have more casual/basics but some fantastic options for now and postpartum, including pajamas and nursing-friendly options.
MOTHERHOOD MATERNITY
They have a wide variety of styles and options up to a 3X, including workwear and classic pieces. I’ve tried a few things and everything I’ve tried has been true to size or slightly generous.
OLD NAVY
I’ve heard great things, I imagine it’s similar to the Gap stuff that I’ve tried and have been loving. They definitely have a wider variety of colorways and prints. They’ve also got work-friendly styles, pajamas and activewear up to XXL.
PINK BLUSH MATERNITY
I haven’t bought anything for myself but when my sister-in-law was pregnant, we ordered a bunch of stuff for her and I thought they had some great options for dresses (casual to dressy) and swimwear. Their sizing isn’t very impressive, only offering up to size L which is why it hasn’t made an appearance in my wardrobe.
SPANX
They’ve got great leggings and shapewear as well as a few bump-friendly styles! I’ve had good luck with a lot of their stuff, as you may know my code CARALYN10 works for a discount and free shipping/returns.
I haven’t personally tried Target maternity but I’ve heard from several friends and readers that they have great options! One of my friends is currently expecting and said they had some great options, especially for workwear.
other helpful tips I’ve learned
Even as an in-betweener (defined above and here), I have been able to successfully size up in many brands. For me, it’s been more important than ever to support brands who are catering to a wide range of sizes (XXS-4X+) so that I’m able to size up, shared a bunch here! A few of my personal non-maternity but bump friendly favorites that I’ve been able to shop and size up have been Staples by The Drop, Anthropologie, J.Crew, Lululemon, and Gibson Look.
You may be able to pull off non-maternity styles (like swimwear) in long torso length to accommodate the bump, this was particularly helpful for me in swimwear! J.Crew swimsuits in my usual size, long torso worked wonderfully for me throughout pregnancy.
I can’t reiterate enough how important it is to have a tape measure to make sure you’re ordering as accurately as possible. Remember, your body is doing some incredible things right now! It’s okay if your size changes significantly.
With that said, do not neglect your undergarments. I will die on this hill. It can make an inexpensive outfit look like a million bucks and vice versa. I’ve covered this extensively on the blog, a few helpful resources include this, this and this!
I haven’t needed to shop maternity in everything, as you may have noticed! I personally found that I really needed maternity-specific styles in some basics (like t-shirts, leggings, undergarments) for proper fit but have been able to work with bump-friendly styles and still wear a lot of my classic staple pieces (like denim jackets, moto jackets, blazers, etc). Don’t be afraid to tailor things as well, I may be doing this for my baby shower outfit!
Finding my own “bump-style” has been a journey! I still like to feel like myself and true to my personal style but with an added new accessory! Some days it’s easier than others but you’ll notice that I have a few outfit formulas that have been working for me.
MATERNITY LEGGINGS + SWEATER / TEE + FLAT
DRESS + SANDAL/LOAFER + DENIM JACKET
DRESS + SNEAKERS
Manifesting my own maternity line or collaboration someday because it is really HARD sometimes to shop for this ever-growing body and getting the fit right!
A FEW FAVORITES
Above are a few of my personal favorite styles that have gotten me through the first two trimesters and into my third now. I’m hoping this post will be a guide and resources for many months and years to come for my pregnant friends near and far, I will be sure to keep it updated! Please feel free to leave any of your favorite items, brands or places to shop throughout your pregnancy below. As always, thanks for reading!
xx CMK