Finding out we were pregnant made us excited for setting up a nursery and shopping for items we would need for our new addition. I was less thrilled to splurge on a maternity clothes wardrobe that I would only get a few months of wear out of. But at around 20 weeks pregnant, I was only comfortable in a few of the pre-pregnancy shirts I had, and the hair tie around my jean buttons was no longer cutting it. I knew it was time to go shopping. Along the way I found a few hotspots for maternity clothes and learned a couple of helpful tips that I wanted to share with you.
1. Retail stores:
Obviously, one place to find maternity clothing is at retail stores. One big store catering to pregnant women in my area is Motherhood Maternity. I found that many of their items were on the pricey side, unless I could get them on sale. On a desperate search for work pants, I did end up checking out their in-store selection, only to be disappointed by the fit and lack of options. Being a teacher, I needed at least one pair of khaki or black pants to make it through the rest of the school year. I had a hard time finding pants that fit well before pregnancy, but adding a bump to the mix made it almost impossible. I did have better luck at a couple of other retail stores though:
Old Navy– is where I’ve had the most luck finding cute clothes that fit well. I was able to find 2 pairs of pants for work and a pair of jeans, Jackpot! They also had a nice selection of short and long sleeve shirts and a few dresses. I imagine in the warmer months they will have more to offer. Don’t forget to check the clearance section in the back. The best part is that Old Navy has sales all of the time. I recommend going to the store before shopping online, because a lot of their maternity clothing cannot be returned to the store. You can always mail it back if it doesn’t fit though.
Burlington Coat Factory– I was able to score a few short sleeves and sweaters and a pair of leggings. The best part about Burlington is the most I spent on an item was $15. They have great prices, but it requires looking through the rack. Unfortunately, it is sometimes a hit or miss because they don’t always have a particular item in all sizes.
Kohls– I was recently in Kohls and noticed a new maternity section near the baby things. I discovered it after I swore off buying any more maternity clothes, so I only looked. Kohls is one of my favorite store to buy clothes from because their items are normally on sale and coupons can be used. They had a nice selection of nursing bras too.
Second Hand:
Since maternity clothes are only worn for a short amount of time, there is a good chance you may be able to find cute, gently used items. I was able to find a couple of items at our local Goodwill and Salvation Army store, but their maternity sections were small, so it is a hit or miss.
Check out other local second hand clothing stores in your area. Often times these store are more picky about the clothing they purchase, so their items are in better condition.
“Maternity” clothes:
My last tip for finding cute clothing to dress your bump is to look outside of the maternity section for tops. I’ve had some good luck finding tops at second hand stores that fit me well. Some tops fit too loosely and look a bit tent-like, but some clothes I found had a tighter fit (with some stretch.) Some even had an elastic band on the bottom that worked well. Shopping a size or two larger gave my tummy enough room and was long to cover my bump.
Whether you shop new or second-hand, shopping for maternity clothes can be a fun or daunting task. I remember a few weeks away from my due date I was getting a little tired of wearing the same clothing, but in the end it was all be worth it!
I would love to hear your favorite way to find maternity clothing on a budget.