5 Easy Ways To Extend Your Pregnancy Wardrobe (And Not Break The Bank)

So you’re expecting, but your body and wardrobe have a new relationship status of “frenemies,” right?

It might seem like nothing fits right anymore. And if you can actually squeeze into an outfit, you’re likely spilling out of it in the worst way. Ahem, muffin top…

First of all, congrats and welcome to pregnancy, mama!

Secondly, we’ve got you covered. Here are a few tips that will help you extend the life your current wardrobe, so you don’t have to spend big bucks on new maternity clothes.

Shop Your Closet for Undefined Waistlines

The first thing you need to do is go shopping. In your closet, that is.

Whether your clothes take up an entire wing of the house or you’ve jumped on board the capsule wardrobe trend, chances are you’ve already got usable items waiting for you. It’s just a matter of finding them.

Start off by looking for tops with an undefined waistline. Empire waist tops work great! Not only do they cinch right below your breasts, but they typically have a long and flowing bottom.

This style has a three-fold benefit. It allows for growing breasts, hides a bulging belly, and is usually long enough to cover any challenges you might be having in the pants department.

Tunics and button-up shirts have a similar effect. Tunics cover wonderfully and come in brilliant patterns. And button-ups are fantastic for layering. Plus, they look classy. So scour your closet for those styles, too.

Just remember that just because it’s not labeled as “maternity” doesn’t mean it can’t do the same job.

Size Up or Reach for a Rubber Band

Finding bottoms that will work with your changing shape tends to be a little easier. After all, unlike tops, you can wear some pants several days in a row.

So, keep your eyes peeled for any pants that are a size too big or pants that have a low rise. Obviously, a bigger size will be a welcome fit at this point. And the low rise will sit nicely under your new bulge.

We can’t forget about pants that have a little stretch to them either. Pants like leggings, jeggings, yoga pants, or anything with a bit of stretch. They can be rolled down under your bulge and paired with flow tops to give you a put-together look.

You don’t necessarily have to give up on your pre-pregnancy pants just yet. If your pants fit, but you just can’t get them buttoned then grab an elastic hair band or a rubber band.

Loop the band through and around your buttonhole then hook it onto your button. This will only give you an inch or two extra, but sometimes that’s all you need to be more comfortable.

Although many dress pants have a hook-and-eye closure, you can still make them work for you. Put a safety pin on either side and then enclose them with the band.

So long as you remember to wear shirts that are long enough to cover up your opened zipper, you’re golden!

Reach for the Tube Top

If you’re like most expecting mamas who’ve resorted to the rubber band method, then you’re probably aware of the pointed waistband tips pants that tend to poke through your shirt. These annoying little tips make it blatantly obvious that you haven’t buttoned your pants.

Some women are totally cool with this. But if that’s not you then here’s the solution.

To flatten out those tips that often happen when you leave your pants unbuttoned, wear a tube top around that area. The stretchiness of the tube top will smooth out your pants by forcing the edges to lay flat.

If you weren’t into tube tops pre-pregnancy and wouldn’t even know where to get a hand-me-down one, then try a Bella Band. It’s basically the official maternity version of your make-shift tube top innovation. You may never have to zip your pants again with this little number!

No rule says you have to zip your pants or even wear a tube top correctly. Do your thing, mama!

Give New Life to Your Bra

Along with a changing midriff, your breast will be growing. The funny thing about your breasts during pregnancy is that they don’t just have one big growth spurt and stay that way.

Instead, they have several growth spurts during your pregnancy. And then they repeat the cycle after pregnancy, especially if you’re breastfeeding.

What this means is that your bras aren’t going to fit like they normally do or at all.

Here’s the thing, maternity and nursing bras (or bras in general) can be expensive. So, rather than buying all new bras every few months, simply buy maternity bra extenders like these.

If it’s cup size that seems to be the problem, you can even resort to wearing a supportive sports bra rather than a traditional underwire bra. Or simply pull out the underwires from your regular bras.

Sometimes underwires serve as the nemesis for lactating or growing breasts anyway. When it comes to your breasts, be creative. But always, always support your girls.

Be Fearlessly Innovative with DIY

During pregnancy, women tend to be less fearless with fashion than they were pre-pregnancy. Maybe it’s simply that they’re forced to think outside of their comfort zone, or perhaps it’s that being pregnant is empowering to us women.

Whatever the case may be, it’s a great attitude to embrace. So, go for it!

Now is the time for you to think outside of the box. Even with the onset of pregnancy brain, most moms-to-be have an unrivaled ability to get really creative really fast when it comes to their wardrobe.

So, tap into that power source and put that pent up creativity to good use, mama!

Don’t follow the rules. For instance, wear men’s undershirts – they work great as a comfortable (and cheap) layering option. Just because it’s made for a certain gender doesn’t mean you can’t make it work for you, too.

And avoid the pressure only to buy maternity. The truth is that you can get the same use out of regular leggings that you can from maternity leggings. You just have to roll them down to fit your comfort level. Plus, you save mega bucks!

The take-home message is simply to be creative. You’ve got this.

Go Get Creative, Mama!

How did you extend the life of your wardrobe? We’d love for you to share your tips in the comments below!