Building a Summer Maternity Wardrobe on a Budget

Becca is sharing tips for building a summer maternity wardrobe on a budget.

Summer is almost here! After the record breaking cold winter, I am hoping we will all get to enjoy a lovely and joy filled summer. Speaking of summer, it’s time to start updating your wardrobe. Last year I spent my third trimester baking in record setting Minnesota heat. As a result, I learned some fantastic lessons about finding stylish summer clothes for my baby bump.

Building a Summer Maternity Wardrobe on a Budget

The key to any successful endeavor is to have a solid plan. Start out by making a list of all the clothing items you will need this summer. Remember that most pregnant women feel extra warm. Not only did I feel like an oven, my body also felt very claustrophobic. Even though size medium fit me well, most of my clothing felt constricting. I felt most comfortable in my husband’s XXL t-shirts and boxer shorts. Too bad I couldn’t go out like that in public. Think about what might feel comfortable to wear when it’s warm out. I particularly enjoyed wearing dresses. They looked good and gave my body the space I craved.

Once you have a summer clothing wish list, begin by shopping in your current closet. Most likely, there are a handful of clothing items that will convert nicely to summer maternity wear. Look for dresses and tops with empire waistlines, low rise bottoms, and some comfy lounging clothes on your partner’s side of the closet. Do you know of anyone that recently had a baby? Ask new mamas to borrow their maternity clothes. Most of them will be overjoyed about sharing their barely worn clothes with someone in need.

As you might already suspect, I truly believe that there is no bigger waste of money than buying expensive clothing for a very temporary need! Luckily, there are plenty opportunities to find stylish, gently used, free or almost free maternity wear. You can:

• Visit your local maternity consignment store (search for locations on Google)
• Check out LuLu Mommy. It’s almost like Craigslist for baby and maternity needs.
• Find out when your local Just Between Friends is having a sales event. Just Between Friends is a seasonal consignment event featuring gently used maternity and childrens’ items.

Once you have perused your own closet and shopped a few consignment events, its time to visit your local mall to fill in the gaps in your wardrobe. The good news is that with a little bit of planning, you can find clearance maternity items at every retailer carrying pregnancy wear. For specific details, be sure to read The Ultimate List of Where to Find Maternity Clothes Clearance Items.

Here are a few more things to consider when it comes to updating your maternity wardrobe.

• Many maternity items are also designed to make nursing easier. If you plan on nursing, consider investing in maternity/ nursing attire to avoid having to upgrade to another temporary wardrobe again after baby arrives. I wish I knew this one ahead of time…

• If you still have a ways to go before baby is born, be sure to purchase extra long tops. As your baby bump grows, you may find that many tops don’t cover your stomach and might need to buy more.

• I generally don’t recommend that pregnant women purchase too many items far in advanced. You really don’t know what size you will be and what will feel great to wear months down the road. Many women who purchase maternity wear far in advanced end up not wearing some of this clothing. This is quite evident by the amount of new clothing you will find at any maternity consignment shop. That is another reason why I love maternity consignment stores!

More Ways to Save on Maternity Clothing

Where to Find Stylish Maternity Clothing on a Budget

How to Find Inexpensive Nursing Clothing

Inexpensive Clothing Choices as You Lose the Baby Weight

Becca Daniels is a self-proclaimed fashionista from St.Paul Minnesota who believes that “just because you are pregnant and on a budget, it doesn’t mean you should look and feel frumpy”.  She is the momma behind Inexpensive Maternity Clothes, a blog focused on helping women find stylish and inexpensive maternity clothes online. Keep in touch with Becca on Pinterest, Facebook and Twitter.