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Finding good maternity jeans is such a daunting task. When you’re needing a good pair that will last you for seven or eight months and tons of wear, it’s important to find the right pair.
I’ve done all the work for you and am excited to share The Great Maternity Jeans Hunt. Because of all the information I’ve compiled, I’ve split it up into two parts and will share part 2 tomorrow, along with a wrap up of all of my maternity jeans thoughts and opinions.
For each pair I’ll share three photos with different angles and views so you can hopefully get a good idea of what each pair looks like. Then I’ll list the pros and cons, as well as some notes with my thoughts on the pair.
Oh, and I’m 5’6″, my pre-pregnancy jeans size is a 26R, and I’m wearing this white t-shirt, this statement necklace, and these heels, and these are featured in completely random order, not by any kind of preference. Okay, here we go.
wearing 26R

PROS:

  1. perfect fit
  2. Stretchy, but a nice sturdy denim that doesn’t stretch out, even after 3-4 wears
  3. true to size — order pre-pregnancy size
  4. Perfect shorter ankle length
  5. Just the right amount of distressing

CONS:

  1. Price point is high
  2. Full belly band, which some people don’t love. I don’t mind it, but I don’t love that I can see the dark color or the line at the top through my shirts.
NOTES: These are my very favorite of every single pair of jeans. They’re incredibly flattering, they’re distressed in all the right places, they don’t stretch out until after a bunch of wears, and they’re so comfortable. I’ve never owned a pair of AG jeans before, but I’m totally investing in a non-maternity pair after the baby comes and I’m back to my pre-pregnancy size.
Wearing size 27R
PROS:
  1. True to size, should have ordered normal pre-pregnancy size
  2. Thinner denim
  3. incredibly soft and comfortable
  4. Real front pockets
CONS:
  1. Price point is high
  2. Longer length. I’m 5’6″ and feel like I need to cuff them
  3. Slightly less fitted ankle (makes cuffing them look weird)
  4. Full belly band
  5. Stretch out after 1-2 wears, but bounce back after I washed and dried them
NOTES: I really would love these more if I got them in one smaller size. I felt like I was pulling them up all day long, and that drove me nuts. They’re crazy comfortable and perfect for a good, simple, dark wash jean. They’re the kind of jean you can buy at the beginning of your pregnancy and will wear a million times during those nine months.
Wearing size 26
PROS:
  1. True to size
  2. Super stretchy so they’re really comfortable
  3. Side panels, so no full belly band
  4. Functioning fly
  5. Good longer ankle length
  6. Fitted all the way down
CONS:
  1. Price point is high
NOTES: I’ve been a big fan of DL1961 jeans for a couple of years, and this pair sold me the second I put them on. They’re so soft and stretchy, and are the kind of denim that sucks everything in and makes your legs look really good (while still being really comfortable). I like my jeans to be fitted all the way around — no loose ankles for me — and these ones are just that. The perfect cut, in my opinion.
wearing size 4
PROS
  1. Good price point
  2. Great wash, and they come in a ton of different colors
CONS:
  1. Super long — I have to cuff them about 3 inches to get them the right length for me
  2. Very low rise so it’s hard to hide the belly band
  3. Full belly band, which is harder to camouflage
  4. Non-functioning pockets
  5. Distressing on knees is fairly low
  6. Not very stretchy
NOTES: I bought two pairs of H&M jeans when I was pregnant with Fos and wore them non-stop. I had high hopes for these ones, but when compared to all of these other jeans I was disappointed. The rise of the jeans is so low, as I mentioned in the “cons” above, and not only are they incredibly long on me (I’m 5’6″), they’re also not super skinny at the ankle. They’re more of a mix between a straight leg and skinny leg. So with the length and the wider calves, they get super bunchy at the bottom. Also the denim is thick and sturdy, meaning they don’t have a ton of stretch.
Wearing Size 27
PROS:
  1. True to size
  2. Thin denim so they’re really comfortable
CONS:
  1. Full belly band
  2. High price point
  3. Stretch out quickly and get saggy
  4. Longer length
NOTES: For the price, I really expected these to be better. They were very soft and comfortable, but within a few hours they were saggy and stretched out. I got a size up, so I’m sure that’s part of the problem…I definitely recommend buying your pre-pregnancy size. I really wanted to love these jeans, but I just didn’t for the price.
Wearing Size 26
PROS
  1. Straight cigarette style with slits at the ankles
  2. Pocket side panels
CONS
  1. Non-functioning fly
  2. Runs slightly big, size down one size
  3. Definitely for curvier bodies
  4. higher price point
NOTES: This style of jean (cigarette) is not my favorite, and definitely not the most flattering on me. It’s a good choice for curvier women or super tall women, but on me I didn’t love them. They run a little bit big so they are slightly baggy on me and I found myself tugging them up constantly. The quality is really great, just not my style and the wrong size. 
wearing US 4
PROS:
  1. Super fitted, but wouldn’t recommend sizing up because the waist and upper legs fit TTS
  2. Good rebound — don’t stretch out
  3. Great price point
  4. Full 360 elastic waistband
  5. Very soft denim
  6. Good length
CONS:
  1. Very tight around the calves, but fine if you have thin legs (see PROS above for fitting note)
  2. No belt loops so they’re harder to pull on or pull up throughout the day
  3. elastic waistband is slightly harder to wear with a larger stomach — better for earlier days of pregnancy
  4. smaller back pockets

NOTES:  These ones were honestly really hard to put on. The calves and ankles are so skinny, and once they were on they were like compression leggings, suctioned to my legs. But up at the top they’re actually a little bit loose, as you can see from the picture above, so the proportions on this pair were off. Plus, I didn’t love the smaller pockets because they made my backside look bigger.

PROS:
  1. True to size
  2. Great price point
  3. Good casual color
  4. Perfect distressing
  5. Thicker, sturdy denim
  6. Not super stretchy, but still comfortable
CONS:
  1. Smaller pockets, which make your back look wider
  2. Elastic waistband panel in the front, not great for super large bellies
  3. Less fitted around the ankles
  4. whiskering on the front pockets that makes my hips look slightly wider
NOTES: I really wanted to love these ones, but they weren’t my favorite. The fit was really good, but I didn’t like the small back pockets, and I really didn’t like the whiskering on the front pockets. I guess we didn’t get a good straight on shot of me wearing these, but they draw attention to my hips and make them look wide. But if you have no hips and want to give yourself the illusion of more curves, these are definitely a good pair for you. 
wearing size US 6

PROS:

  1.  super comfortable
  2. very stretchy and soft denim
  3. Pocket panels
  4. Not as low-rise as other H&M denim I’ve tried
  5. Not quite as long as other H&M denim
  6. Great price point
CONS:
  1. Slightly looser ankle/calves
  2. back pockets are slightly low
NOTES: I liked these ones way better than the other H&M ones I tried. They still had the looser calves and ankles, and they were still long, but they weren’t quite as loose or long as the others. I also really like the side pocket elastic panels. Definitely recommend these.
Don’t forget to check back tomorrow for part two that includes a bunch more brands and price points!
photography by rad and happy

February 16, 2016

THE GREAT MATERNITY JEANS HUNT, PART 1

Finding good maternity jeans is such a daunting task. When you’re needing a good pair that will last you for seven or eight months and tons of wear, it’s important to find the right pair.
I’ve done all the work for you and am excited to share The Great Maternity Jeans Hunt. Because of all the information I’ve compiled, I’ve split it up into two parts and will share part 2 tomorrow, along with a wrap up of all of my maternity jeans thoughts and opinions.
For each pair I’ll share three photos with different angles and views so you can hopefully get a good idea of what each pair looks like. Then I’ll list the pros and cons, as well as some notes with my thoughts on the pair.
Oh, and I’m 5’6″, my pre-pregnancy jeans size is a 26R, and I’m wearing this white t-shirt, this statement necklace, and these heels, and these are featured in completely random order, not by any kind of preference. Okay, here we go.
wearing 26R

PROS:

  1. perfect fit
  2. Stretchy, but a nice sturdy denim that doesn’t stretch out, even after 3-4 wears
  3. true to size — order pre-pregnancy size
  4. Perfect shorter ankle length
  5. Just the right amount of distressing

CONS:

  1. Price point is high
  2. Full belly band, which some people don’t love. I don’t mind it, but I don’t love that I can see the dark color or the line at the top through my shirts.
NOTES: These are my very favorite of every single pair of jeans. They’re incredibly flattering, they’re distressed in all the right places, they don’t stretch out until after a bunch of wears, and they’re so comfortable. I’ve never owned a pair of AG jeans before, but I’m totally investing in a non-maternity pair after the baby comes and I’m back to my pre-pregnancy size.
Wearing size 27R
PROS:
  1. True to size, should have ordered normal pre-pregnancy size
  2. Thinner denim
  3. incredibly soft and comfortable
  4. Real front pockets
CONS:
  1. Price point is high
  2. Longer length. I’m 5’6″ and feel like I need to cuff them
  3. Slightly less fitted ankle (makes cuffing them look weird)
  4. Full belly band
  5. Stretch out after 1-2 wears, but bounce back after I washed and dried them
NOTES: I really would love these more if I got them in one smaller size. I felt like I was pulling them up all day long, and that drove me nuts. They’re crazy comfortable and perfect for a good, simple, dark wash jean. They’re the kind of jean you can buy at the beginning of your pregnancy and will wear a million times during those nine months.
Wearing size 26
PROS:
  1. True to size
  2. Super stretchy so they’re really comfortable
  3. Side panels, so no full belly band
  4. Functioning fly
  5. Good longer ankle length
  6. Fitted all the way down
CONS:
  1. Price point is high
NOTES: I’ve been a big fan of DL1961 jeans for a couple of years, and this pair sold me the second I put them on. They’re so soft and stretchy, and are the kind of denim that sucks everything in and makes your legs look really good (while still being really comfortable). I like my jeans to be fitted all the way around — no loose ankles for me — and these ones are just that. The perfect cut, in my opinion.
wearing size 4
PROS
  1. Good price point
  2. Great wash, and they come in a ton of different colors
CONS:
  1. Super long — I have to cuff them about 3 inches to get them the right length for me
  2. Very low rise so it’s hard to hide the belly band
  3. Full belly band, which is harder to camouflage
  4. Non-functioning pockets
  5. Distressing on knees is fairly low
  6. Not very stretchy
NOTES: I bought two pairs of H&M jeans when I was pregnant with Fos and wore them non-stop. I had high hopes for these ones, but when compared to all of these other jeans I was disappointed. The rise of the jeans is so low, as I mentioned in the “cons” above, and not only are they incredibly long on me (I’m 5’6″), they’re also not super skinny at the ankle. They’re more of a mix between a straight leg and skinny leg. So with the length and the wider calves, they get super bunchy at the bottom. Also the denim is thick and sturdy, meaning they don’t have a ton of stretch.
Wearing Size 27
PROS:
  1. True to size
  2. Thin denim so they’re really comfortable
CONS:
  1. Full belly band
  2. High price point
  3. Stretch out quickly and get saggy
  4. Longer length
NOTES: For the price, I really expected these to be better. They were very soft and comfortable, but within a few hours they were saggy and stretched out. I got a size up, so I’m sure that’s part of the problem…I definitely recommend buying your pre-pregnancy size. I really wanted to love these jeans, but I just didn’t for the price.
Wearing Size 26
PROS
  1. Straight cigarette style with slits at the ankles
  2. Pocket side panels
CONS
  1. Non-functioning fly
  2. Runs slightly big, size down one size
  3. Definitely for curvier bodies
  4. higher price point
NOTES: This style of jean (cigarette) is not my favorite, and definitely not the most flattering on me. It’s a good choice for curvier women or super tall women, but on me I didn’t love them. They run a little bit big so they are slightly baggy on me and I found myself tugging them up constantly. The quality is really great, just not my style and the wrong size. 
wearing US 4
PROS:
  1. Super fitted, but wouldn’t recommend sizing up because the waist and upper legs fit TTS
  2. Good rebound — don’t stretch out
  3. Great price point
  4. Full 360 elastic waistband
  5. Very soft denim
  6. Good length
CONS:
  1. Very tight around the calves, but fine if you have thin legs (see PROS above for fitting note)
  2. No belt loops so they’re harder to pull on or pull up throughout the day
  3. elastic waistband is slightly harder to wear with a larger stomach — better for earlier days of pregnancy
  4. smaller back pockets

NOTES:  These ones were honestly really hard to put on. The calves and ankles are so skinny, and once they were on they were like compression leggings, suctioned to my legs. But up at the top they’re actually a little bit loose, as you can see from the picture above, so the proportions on this pair were off. Plus, I didn’t love the smaller pockets because they made my backside look bigger.

PROS:
  1. True to size
  2. Great price point
  3. Good casual color
  4. Perfect distressing
  5. Thicker, sturdy denim
  6. Not super stretchy, but still comfortable
CONS:
  1. Smaller pockets, which make your back look wider
  2. Elastic waistband panel in the front, not great for super large bellies
  3. Less fitted around the ankles
  4. whiskering on the front pockets that makes my hips look slightly wider
NOTES: I really wanted to love these ones, but they weren’t my favorite. The fit was really good, but I didn’t like the small back pockets, and I really didn’t like the whiskering on the front pockets. I guess we didn’t get a good straight on shot of me wearing these, but they draw attention to my hips and make them look wide. But if you have no hips and want to give yourself the illusion of more curves, these are definitely a good pair for you. 
wearing size US 6

PROS:

  1.  super comfortable
  2. very stretchy and soft denim
  3. Pocket panels
  4. Not as low-rise as other H&M denim I’ve tried
  5. Not quite as long as other H&M denim
  6. Great price point
CONS:
  1. Slightly looser ankle/calves
  2. back pockets are slightly low
NOTES: I liked these ones way better than the other H&M ones I tried. They still had the looser calves and ankles, and they were still long, but they weren’t quite as loose or long as the others. I also really like the side pocket elastic panels. Definitely recommend these.
Don’t forget to check back tomorrow for part two that includes a bunch more brands and price points!
photography by rad and happy
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9 Comments

  1. Paige Cassandra Flamm says:
    February 16, 2016 at 5:22 am

    This is such a great round up! I’l definitely be coming back to this the next time we’re expecting!

    Paige

    http://thehappyflammily.com

    Reply
  2. Kimiko says:
    February 16, 2016 at 6:09 am

    This was an awesome round up, can’t wait for Part II!

    Reply
  3. Jenn Whiteman says:
    February 16, 2016 at 9:04 am

    gosh i needed this two years ago! I prefer the ASOS jeans over the H&M jeans any day. I had to wear them a couple months after I had the baby and they were soo comfortable!

    Reply
  4. Esraa Bassiouny says:
    February 16, 2016 at 11:54 am

    Gosh, when my sister was pregnant we kept looking for a good pair of jeans, but we didn’t find anything good in Egypt, even the H&M ones were sold out, it was just a disaster experience for her. Do you know any site that sells online, but ships worldwide?
    http://dressmecasual.blogspot.com.eg/

    Reply
  5. Lauren says:
    February 16, 2016 at 5:38 pm

    This is seriously such a good post!! I have only tried a couple of brands of maternity jeans, so this is super informative!! You should try the J Crew maternity jeans! I live in those!

    xoxo

    Lauren

    http://www.dressingdallas.com

    @dressingdallas:disqus

    Reply
  6. Sharon Green says:
    February 16, 2016 at 6:15 pm

    This post could not come at a better time for me! I recently found out that I’m expecting my first child, and I was stressing out about having to find a pair to fit over my soon-to-be growing belly.

    Thanks for doing the work for me! 🙂

    Reply
  7. Melissa Dickson says:
    February 17, 2016 at 1:43 pm

    Has anyone tried Gap maternity jeans? I was thinking about ordering some but haven’t yet. Any opinions?

    Reply
    • Michelle says:
      February 27, 2016 at 8:09 pm

      I tried on a couple pairs and found them to run at least a full size bigger than my smallest Gap non-maternity size. They are also really long. Denim quality seemed good but I can’t speak to if they stretch out since they didn’t work for me.

      Reply
  8. Laura says:
    September 17, 2018 at 2:02 pm

    Great post. Which AG jeans are you weAring in the first post?

    Reply

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