Maternity Capsule Wardrobe On A Budget
If you don’t want to spend a ton of money on maternity clothes because you only need them for a few months, try this capsule wardrobe designed to get you through a fall to late spring pregnancy!
If you haven’t figured it out by now, I am nowhere near a fashion blogger.
Not even close.
If you could see me as I’m writing this, I’m smashed in the corner of a couch with 2 kids up on me and I’m in a green shirt that belonged to my husband until I stole it and the same black leggings I’ve been wearing since…at least last Sunday.
If you want the true visual, I send pictures like this to my email list because those are my real fam and they deserve treats of ridiculousness from time to time. You can join below and get all the fun behind the scenes shots and more!
But, per usual, I’m here to help you and so that’s why I showed up today.
It’s still surreal to me writing maternity things on this blog because for years, I didn’t think it would ever be a thing for us again. Losses and infertility can just make things super weird and anxiety ridden instead of super joyful and exciting.
Creating your maternity capsule wardrobe
I hate shopping. I really do. And spending a ton of money on clothes that you only need a few months? No thank you. So when it came to buying maternity clothes for myself, I wanted minimal as possible.
Before we dive in, let me answer some questions you may have about your own maternity wardrobe.
How many weeks pregnant do you need maternity clothes?
This is a tricky one because it will depend on your size prior to pregnancy as well as what baby number this is on.
For me, I don’t wear hard pants much as it is and when I do, they’re usually jeggings and don’t have a true waistband so it wasn’t until about week 15 or so that I noticed my shirts were becoming more belly shirts. And not in the cute way.
How many pieces of clothes do you need in a maternity capsule wardrobe?
Again, highly up to you, but for me, the fewer the better! Mine has seriously just enough to get by. It’s how I live.
How much should I spend on a capsule wardrobe?
Entirely up to you, but I choose options like Old Navy, Target and Walmart because it’s not expensive and even if it falls apart in a few months, I won’t need it again.
Here are some great ideas and what I’m loving in my own capsule wardrobe:
Maternity Tops
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We got pregnant in September, so I didn’t really need any new clothes until about a month ago. Even though I live in the south, it’s been quite chilly here.
Short sleeve tops – I like these short sleeve maternity shirts because they come in a 2 pack and with black and white, you can pair them with just about any color pant. Throw on a denim button up open on front, and you’re golden!
Bralette – I’m the founding member of the Itty Bitty Titty Committee so I barely even need a bra. I understand some of you may not be in this club and have what I like to call “actual boobs”, but I’m still not about that real bra life. I’ve worn these exact bralettes for over 2 years and have never looked back.
Plus boobs get sensitive when you’re pregnant and they may change sizes. Mine, however, do not because … they just don’t, okay?
Long sleeve maternity shirts – This 3 pack of long sleeve maternity shirts was actually the very first piece of maternity wear I bought. Even though they’re long sleeve, I like these because they’re not too thick so you can layer them with a cute jacket or cardigan.
Maternity hoodie – This is technically a nursing hoodie that you can use as postpartum clothing as well, but it’s super comfy and great if you’re just running errands or even lounging around the house.
Maternity Bottoms
Maternity jeans – You’re going to want at least one pair of maternity jeans. They’re a wardrobe staple in any capsule wardrobe. I’m a skinny jeans kinda girl so that’s my style of choice, but you can go with the weird butt mom jeans or boyfriend jeans or whatever style your heart desires.
You can choose whether you like the half panel or the full belly panel. I have never liked the half panel because it just pushes on my belly too much and isn’t too comfy.
Maternity jeggings – So this is a great happy medium if you’re not wanting to wear full blown jeans but also need something a little bit nicer than leggings. I got these maternity jeggings for Christmas and love them! Walmart has stepped up their game for real.
Maternity leggings – Or as I like to call them the holy grail of maternity style. You can not *not* have a pair of maternity leggings. Or like me, 1348943 pair. I love these maternity leggings from Old Navy because they’re thick material and comfy.
I actually got mine on sale half off and they were $10 a pair. You seriously can’t beat that. They’re great to mix and match with the shirts we talked about earlier.
Maternity Dresses (and shoes)
Floor length maternity dress – Whether it’s a wedding or a baby shower, you’re gonna have to have at least one maternity dress for special occasions. But seriously you really only need 1.
Unless you’re some type of celeb who needs to be strutting around in a dress more regularly, one should really be enough to get you through your pregnancy.
Comfy tennis shoes – You can probably use what you have, but my feet swole towards the end and actually went up a size. I never went back to my pre-pregnancy shoe size but it’s fine. These are a great budget friendly tennis shoe option if you’re in the market for some new ones.
Casual maternity dress – I like dresses like this one because you can dress it up with a cute blazer and heels (ew) or you can throw on your tennis shoes and a jean jacket and just be all cute and pregnant and stuff.
Flats – Listen. If you wanna be a baddie and wear your lil’ red bottoms and strut around pregnant, be my guest. But I’m not that girl. You won’t catch me in heels unless someone is paying me a hefty amount of money or they’re somehow illegal wherever I’m going.
I have these flats in black and they’re SO comfortable and SO cheap. If you treat them right, they’ll last you a long time too!
Things like accessories, shoes or jackets and cardigans, often times you won’t have to buy anything! You can just use what you have and leave them open. Shopping for maternity clothes doesn’t have to be stressful or even expensive!
