Today’s episode of WHAT TO WEAR is all about maternity! I’ve teamed up with my pregnant best friend, Leanne Barlow, to share some simple formulas for pregnancy outfits.
Let’s talk about cute pregnancy outfits today
I’m so excited for today’s WHAT TO WEAR episode because it’s all about pregnancy outfits! You guys have been asking for maternity style in this series, and since I’m not pregnant, I enlisted the help of my best friend, Leanne Barlow of Elle Apparel, to help me out with this post.
We each put together our top three go-to pregnancy looks, one outfit for each trimester.
If you missed my other WHAT TO WEAR posts, find them HERE.
Here’s a little introduction to my guest today
Leanne has killer style, and since she’s on her fourth pregnancy, she’s got lots of good style advice when it comes to dressing the bump.
In her last pregnancy, she put together a total style guide for each trimester — you can see them all here:
You can also see her daily maternity style in her hashtag, #LeannesBabyBump on Instagram.
Let’s put together some pregnancy outfits
Leanne and I both took our collective pregnancy style knowledge and came up with two cute bump-friendly outfit formulas for each trimester, so there are six total outfit formulas to help you stay stylish, comfortable, and cute during your entire pregnancy.
Two outfit formulas for your first trimester of pregnancy:
Leanne’s 1st trimester outfit formula:
During your first trimester, you’re usually able to still fit in your regular jeans. But as they start getting tighter in the waistband, a BELLA BAND is a great option. It’s a super tight band that goes around the waistband of your jeans so you can unzip them and keep everything covered and your pants pulled up.
Of course, if you’re not ready to share your baby news yet, an OVERSIZED or FLOWY TOP is a great option to keep things hidden.
Merrick’s 1st trimester outfit formula:
For all of my pregnancies, I never announced til I was out of my first trimester. We lost two pregnancies late in my first trimester, so I’m all about hiding it until I’m ready to share. I’m sure many of you can relate. Therefore, FLOWY DRESSES are a great option. They breeze over any bump that’s starting to show, and they won’t restrict you when you’re feeling bloated and uncomfortable.
Wear them with a simple SANDAL and then add a cute HAIR ACCESSORY.
Some outfit inspiration from Leanne and me in our first trimesters
Next up, second trimester! These are two outfit formulas for what to wear in your second trimester of pregnancy.
Leanne’s 2nd trimester outfit formula:
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Ruched fitted dress
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Flats
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Simple jewelry (earrings + rings)
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Denim jacket
As you head into your first trimester, that bump starts showing up. As soon as it starts showing, these BODYCON DRESSES are so fun and super flattering. Toss a dress like this on with a DENIM JACKET and some cute FLATS and you’ll feel feminine but still casual.
Merrick’s 2nd trimester outfit formula:
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Maternity jeans
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closer fitting tees
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comfortable sneakers
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easy accessories, like a baseball cap
I started wearing maternity jeans during my second trimester. Lots of women like to wear their regular jeans as long as possible — I am not one of those women. MATERNITY JEANS were my best friend! Try them with a FITTED TEE, some BASIC SNEAKERS, and a BASEBALL CAP!
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Some outfit inspiration from Leanne and me in our second trimesters
And last but not least, third trimester. These are two outfit formulas for what to wear in your third trimester of pregnancy
Leanne’s 3rd trimester outfit formula:
Third trimester is all about comfort. At this point the bump is growing by the second, so comfortable, soft pieces will be your best friend. Find fitted pieces, like this BODYCON MAXI DRESS that accentuate the bump, and then choose simple layers like a CARDIGAN to cover up your backside (I don’t know about you, but that was the last thing I wanted hanging out in a super fitted dress when I was 35+ weeks pregnant).
Merrick’s 3rd trimester outfit formula:
If dresses aren’t your thing, soft MATERNITY LEGGINGS are a great alternative. These ones have a fold over band, so that’ll keep you super comfortable.
When my baby bumps were super big, I loved wearing really fitted tops. The flowier the top, the bigger I felt. So super fitted, stretchy tops that smoothed over the bump made me feel a lot more confident. Again, finish off the outfit with a layer if you want. This cute OLIVE JACKET is a great option, but a CARDIGAN works great too.
Some outfit inspiration from Leanne and me in our third trimesters
See my other WHAT TO WEAR posts right here!
The cuteness of this post cannot even be put into words. ❤️