You don’t have to spend crazy amounts of money for a whole new pregnancy wardrobe. Create your own minimalist summer maternity wardrobe that you love with this helpful guide!
Many women spend tons of money on pregnancy specific clothing only to wear them for maybe one or two short seasons. If you’re like me, your budget doesn’t allow for a massive clothing haul and/or you want to be conscious about where you put your money. Minimalist summer maternity wardrobe it is! This doesn’t mean however, that we have to cut out style and feeling good in the clothing that we’re in.
Before we begin…
Are you used to having a large wardrobe with lots of cute items and outfits? Is your ever decreasing wardrobe upsetting you? Well maybe it doesn’t have to be as tragic as you think…
I remember sorting through my clothes during my late first trimester, trying everything on and figuring out what I can or can’t still get away with. I ended up with maybe a third of what I originally had, but let me tell you, it was actually so freeing. We live in a very small apartment which includes a very small space for clothes. I always felt like everything was tight, and filled to the brim, even though it was ‘tidy’. Reducing the amount of clothes available in my closet did one of three things:
- Created a more breathable and enjoyable space.
- Made outfit decision making so much easier.
- Made me more conscious of what I want in my postpartum closet because of the above two points.
Don’t get bummed out about your clothing situation, or lack thereof. Embrace this season and you may find some perks that come out of it.
Disclaimer:
To stay within my maternity budget I’ve opted for perhaps a smaller wardrobe than you would like. My plan is to add to it little by little with each pregnancy. As this is my first, its going to obviously hold the smallest amount and variety. Take it as a helpful framework for you to build your own pregnancy wardrobe!
My minimalist summer maternity wardrobe at a glance:
- 2x Shorts
- 1x Jeans
- 4x T-Shirts
- 3x Dresses
- 3x Maternity Bras
- 1x Leggings
- 1x Jean Jacket
- 1x Cardigan
- 1x Sweater
Shorts x2
I’ve opted for just two pairs of shorts, one jean and one comfy/exercise short.
I actually only needed to buy the jean shorts, turns out my normal exercise shorts are still fitting, even into my third trimester! Keep this in mind, you may not need to get as many new items as you think.
Jeans x1
When I was writing my maternity clothes shopping list I decided on just starting out with one pair of jeans. It was going to be getting quite warm so I couldn’t see myself needing jeans a lot.
Make sure that you love the item and it can be versatile to suit a variety of needs/outfits. This rule of thumb applies for all the clothing items you buy, but especially when your limiting your amount.
T-Shirts x4
I got a set of three of these t-shirts in different colours off of amazon. They turned out to be quite cheap per t-shirt and they were in colours that I liked so I went with that option. I also bought one oversized t-shirt to add to the mix.
Dresses x3
I bought a couple of nicer dresses for church and just general ‘dressing up’. Need I mention that it’s also summer, and pretty dresses are a must!? I was careful in this purchase because I didn’t want to have a dress that could only be exclusively worn during pregnancy. Both the dresses a chose did not come from a maternity section but had a very loose style which have so far enabled my third trimester belly. An added bonus, I didn’t even need to size up from my regular size!
Maternity Bras x3
I got this set of maternity bras off of amazon, also one of the cheaper options out there and they have so far suited me quite well.
Leggings x1
I’m not a leggings person and generally only wear them for some form of exercise. However, they are extra nice during pregnancy! My regular leggings also managed to fit me until about the start of my third trimester. Again, see if your regular clothes can still work for you before you go out buying something new!
Warm layer x2-3
Even in summer depending on where you live the weather may call for a little something extra over our t-shirts and shorts. The great thing about these items is that you can often just get away with wearing what you already have! Their’s no rule to say that your cardigan or jacket has to actually be able to close, wearing it open is also a great option.
I have a jean jacket, and a couple of longer cardigans plus all of my other random jackets that I’ll just wear open!
Tips!
- Make sure you take the time and only buy items that you love and fit really well! This is always important, but even more so when your going to be wearing that item on a more regular basis than perhaps other articles of clothing.
- Pregnancy clothes might fit differently compared to regular clothes, especially with Jeans. In pregnancy jeans/pants it is often the piece of extra material which goes over your stomach that hold your jeans in place instead of the waistline in regular jeans. Because of this, make sure that the actual waist part of the jeans fits you well. It may be a bit deceiving when the pants stay on well but don’t actually fit properly around the waist. I made this mistake with my first pair of jeans and they ended up being slightly bigger than I would have preferred!
Developing a minimalist summer maternity wardrobe for the summer doesn’t have to be difficult or break the bank! Enjoy your pregnancy and the chance for a simplified, yet stylish wardrobe.
