Maternity Clothes: The Do's and Don'ts of Dressing
Your (Growing) Bump
By Patty Adams Martinez
I remember vividly the day my
favorite jeans stopped buttoning when I was about six or seven months pregnant.
I even teared up (thanks hormones!). My response may have been overly dramatic,
but a good fit, nice color, and pretty silhouette go a long way to making you
feel like a million bucks.
When you're pregnant, dressing can
be a major fashion challenge even for the trendiest mom-to-be because your body
is always changing, and you don't know which clothes in your closet are going
to fit from day to day. Suddenly, you're dressing this body that seems
totally foreign to you, and you have no idea what's going to look good on it.
Olivia Capone Myers, Design Director for A Pea in the Pod, to the rescue!
Olivia's pregnant herself, and due in about two weeks. So not only is she a
fashion expert, but she knows firsthand how to flatter a woman's new curves.
Here are her six tips to dressing—and feeling—like the goddess you are.
DON'T MAKE YOUR OVERSIZED SWEATS YOUR GO-TO OUTFIT."When you're pregnant, being comfortable is key," says
Olivia. "I see so many women wear their sweatpants everywhere, or even
worse, their husband's clothes, because they fit and they're comfortable. There
are so many other alternatives! Leggings, jeans, dresses!
Jersey knits are the best."
DO
EMBRACE YOUR BUMP.
"Sometimes women think that if
they wear bigger clothes—like buying a size or two up in a regular
[non-maternity] dress—they will be able to hide their bump," says Olivia.
"Instead, the stomach may fit, but everything else is baggy and it just
makes you look larger. You're better off buying a maternity dress that fits you
everywhere—like this Isabella Oliver Vivian Print T-Shirt
Dress—and that accentuates your tummy, and still shows off all of your best
assets."
LAYERING DOESN'T MAKE YOU LOOK LARGER—IF DONE THE RIGHT WAY. "Scoop, boat and V-neck tops
are all a good choice for pregnant women, because they help frame your
face," says Olivia. "I live in camisoles that I can throw something
over." The only rule: watch your proportions. A long tunic with skinny
jeans will help elongate you.
DO INVEST IN A GOOD PAIR OF JEANS. "If you only splurge on one item, make it a pair of
designer jeans that make you feel fantastic," says Olivia. "Jeans,
like these 7 for All Mankind Secret
Fit Belly 5-pocket jeans, can be dressed up and down, so you can wear them just
about anywhere."
DO WEAR PATTERNS AND STRIPES. "Women worry that they can't wear patterns or
horizontal stripes anytime—especially when they're pregnant," says
Olivia. "But as long as you have an all-over print without a lot of
negative space, or you have a simple stripe, they really
flatter a pregnant woman's body."
DON'T BE AFRAID OF COLOR."The
instinct for pregnant women is to dress in dark colors, like navy or black,
because they think it makes them look slimmer," says Olivia. "But
color actually really flatters your body, especially if you have ruching
details around your stomach," like in this Isabella Oliver sleeveless maternity dress.
