Maternity Clothes Inspiration Guide | Milk & Love

Planning a stylish maternity wardrobe

When you're pregnant for the first time it is so exciting and new. The beginning of a whole new chapter of your life. You eagerly wait for a little bump to show, and wonder when you should start buying your maternity clothes. Many women start with just a few maternity bottoms, because your old pants and skirts become uncomfortable quite quickly. Once you enter the second trimester of your pregnancy you probably find you need to add some maternity tops and maternity dresses. You can either do it in a haphazard manner, or you can deliberately plan your stylish pregnancy wardrobe, and take more of a capsule wardrobe approach.

Creating more than one outfit with every item

If you choose to plan your stylish pregnancy wardrobe, you can make sure you incorporate items that can be worn for breastfeeding afterwards, and think through ways to wear each item in more ways than one. There are a couple of fashion accessories that can be incredibly useful during pregnancy, but the one accessory I always recommend investing in is gorgeous belts. A belt can take one item from ordinary to exceptional. It can create definition and shape in all sorts of ways. When you're pregnant, you can wear your belts under your bust to bring in your outfit and create more shape, or you can wear it loosely under your belt for a completely different look. After birth you can use a belt to create more shape with your old maternity wear, and create new looks with old outfits. I love belts that can be worn both on the hips or around the waist.

Style inspiration for pregnancy and breastfeeding outfits

However you decide to create your outfits, the one thing that we all need is style inspiration! When you're pregnant, it's a great time to follow some style bloggers to get ideas on new ways to wear your clothes during pregnancy and breastfeeding. So this week, I wanted to profile a couple of my favourite maternity style tips for you to get started! Here is some inspiration along with the things I love about each picture

1. A belt can help create more shape in your outfits (so they don't just billow out from your chest onwards) - this is particularly helpful for large breasted women, and loose dresses, or tops.

2. But don't stop there! You can also completely change the look of an outfit by adding a belt! That loose dress you love? Try belting it under your belly.

3. Invest in versatile basics early on, like a stretchy black dress that you can wear on it's own, glammed up, or casually, or you can layer it under other tops and dresses. It's so much more comfortable and you'll get more wear out of it.

4. Another essential that I wore over and over, is the black maxi skirt - there are so many ways you can wear it, like under your bump:

over your bump

Or layered under other tops

5. And let's not forget nice maternity dresses! It is lovely to have a couple that you love that can be worn with jackets, or leggings, or under other tops, in colours or prints that can work with the rest of your wardrobe. If you make sure that they are breastfeeding friendly then you'll be able to wear them for longer.

6. Finally, the extra bits. Adding a touch of colour, or an interesting print with a scarf can be an easy way to jazz up your outfit.

7. And finally, necklaces - I love pendant necklaces to help create the visual illusion of long vertical lines. Any kind of statement necklace can also add interest and oomph to your outfit, so don't forget to plan for a few!

What have been your favourite maternity clothes and accessories? How did you plan your wardrobe for pregnancy and breastfeeding?

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