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Thrifty Wife Happy Life

Helping women love what they wear on a budget

Building a Marternity Wardrobe on a Budget

August 16, 2016 by Katie Haller

one/two/three/four/five/six/seven

When you’re shopping for your maternity wardrobe, it’s important that you keep in mind that you are only pregnant for 9 months.  It may seem like a long time, but it really flies by.  Plus, you’re really not showing at all during your first trimester, especially if it’s your first baby, so maternity clothes are something you only wear for a very short time.  When I was pregnant, my goal was always to look cute and stylish without spending a lot of money on maternity clothes.  I built my maternity wardrobe by buying only the essentials.  I mostly bought nonmaternity clothes, because I wanted to wear them after I was pregnant too, however, there were a few maternity clothes that I did purchase.

Here are my 7 essential items from my maternity wardrobe that I couldn’t live without during my pregnancy.

  1. Long Tank Tops- When I was pregnant, I stocked up on a bunch of long tank tops.  I didn’t even bother with buying any maternity tank tops, I just bought regular tanks in a size larger than I usually would wear.  I found that Target’s basic long tank tops (here) were great for stretching over my baby bump and H&M has some great long jersey tank tops (here) that worked great through my pregnancy. 
  2. Long Cardigan- I love my long cardigans and I loved them, even more, when I was pregnant.  I loved layering them with all my long tank tops.  I usually find really cute cardigans at Target (here) and H&M (here) for a great price.
  3. Leggings- I found that there was no reason to buy maternity leggings for me.  I fell in love with my Forever 21 leggings (here).  I usually would buy a size small, but while I was pregnant I bought them in a medium and they went up higher on my belly, just like maternity leggings would.  They worked great throughout my pregnancy and you really can’t beat the price at $3.80 apiece.
  4. A Simple Dress- I decided to buy one maternity dress while I was pregnant.  I was in my third trimester during the holidays, so I wanted a simple dress that I could wear over and over again.  I ended up finding a cute one at Target (here).
  5. Maternity Jeans- Even though I was able to wear my normal jeans throughout my pregnancy, I still wanted a pair of maternity jeans that I could wear comfortably.  I ended up finding a pair from Motherhood Maternity (here).  Since maternity jeans aren’t cheap, you really only need one pair, plus you really won’t need to wear them for very long.  I didn’t even fit into maternity jeans until my 3rd trimester.
  6. Maternity/Nursing bra- This is an absolute must-have maternity item.  One thing I didn’t realize was that your rib cage expands as your baby grows, causing your normal bras to not fit around you.  This is why it’s important to find a good comfortable wireless bra.  This nursing bra from Target (here) was a lifesaver for me.  I’m still wearing these bras and I may never go back to wearing my old underwire bras. 
  7. Belly Band- My belly band may have been the most important maternity purchase that I made while  I was pregnant.  The belly band helped me wear all my normal nonmaternity clothes all the way into my 9th month.  I bought mine at Target (here). 
Here are some ways that I styled my bump wearing these 7 essentials pieces.
These are 3 outfits wearing my 3 favorite cardigans that I wore while I was pregnant. 
There was nothing more comfortable than leggings when I was pregnant.  Here are 3 ways that I wore my leggings throughout my pregnancy. 
This is the one maternity dress that I did purchase during my pregnancy.  I stuck with a basic color like black so that I could wear it over and over again in different ways. 
These are 3 outfits I wore wearing my maternity jeans.
These 3 outfits are all worn with my regular jeans wearing a belly band.  My trick to fitting in my jeans was to wear low fitting jeans and use the hair tie trick, then I’d cover up with my belly band.  It worked great, even in my 9th month.  
Just remember when your building your maternity wardrobe, not everything has to be bought in the maternity section.  Shop smart and pick out pieces that you can wear after baby too!  Try to make the most of dressing your bump.  It goes by fast!

Related posts:

Default ThumbnailWhat to Buy in the Maternity Department and What Not to Buy Default ThumbnailWhat to Wear in Your Second Trimester Default ThumbnailWhere to Buy Affordable Maternity Clothes

Filed in: Affordable Fashion, Maternity Style, Mom Tips, Pregnancy • by Katie Haller • Leave a Comment

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Hi I'm Katie! Welcome to my blog! I am on a mission to help women build a wardrobe that they love without spending a lot of money doing it. I believe that everyone has the right to feel good in their outfit, no matter what your budget is! I am excited to have you here!
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Katie || Affordable Fashion
I found some fun pieces on my latest @amazon order I found some fun pieces on my latest @amazon order! Here's how they look! 

T-shirt hoodie- $21.50- I love this top! It feels like a t-shirt so it's perfect for layering under jackets! 

Flare leggings $24.99- aka yoga pants. These pants take me back to the early 2000's. I am loving them! 

Tunic $24.98- Love this tunic! It's a great length. Perfect for layering under sweaters! 

Matte faux leather leggings- These are the best faux leather legging dupe for the Spanx I have found so far! 

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Check out my stories for more details! Everything is linked on the @shop.ltk app and also in my Amazon Storefront. You can find both in the link in my bio!! 

#amazonhaul #amazoninfluencer #amazontryon #amazonfashion #amazonfinds #affordablefashion #amazonblogger #momstyle #everydaystyle #momootd #casualstyle #winterstyle #leggings #flareleggings #fauxleatherleggings
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Today on the blog I am sharing 15 neutral workwear pieces with 20 outfit ideas. Head over to the blog for all the outfit details! 

Blog- www.thriftywifehappylife.com (link in bio)

Capsule items are also linked on the @shop.ltk app! Follow @thriftywifehappylife for details or go to the link in my bio! 

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🛍How to shop my outfits🛍
✨Download the free @shop.ltk app and follow @thriftywifehappylife for all my outfit details! 
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🛍How to shop my outfits🛍
✨Download the free @shop.ltk app and follow @thriftywifehappylife for all my outfit details! 
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✨ Go to my SAHM Outfit highlight for all the links to my everyday outfits! 

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Out for details 
Leggings- @amazon
Sweatshirt- @oldnavy 
Tunic- Old Navy
Necklace- @silverado_jewelry (code: KATIE10)
Socks- Amazon

Shopping details are linked on the @shop.ltk app! Download the free app and follow @thriftywifehappylife or go to the link in my bio! 

#ltkstyletip #ltkunder50 #sahmoutfit #outfitideas #outfitideas4you #grwm #momstyle #momootd #momiform #cozyoutfit #momlife #winteroutfitideas
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This leopard blouse is one of my favorite tops in my wardrobe! Which way is your favorite?

🛍How to shop my outfits🛍
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