My Eco-friendly Maternity Style So Far

As I pass through the middle of my pregnancy and get into these (ugh) hot summer months, I figure it's a good time to chat maternity style.

My philosophy so far has been to work with my existing closet and shop strategically for maternity and bump-friendly pieces that can still work afterward. I'm a pretty budget-conscious clothes shopper and have aimed to stay that way throughout pregnancy.

 


First, I'm working with the items in my closet that continue to fit, and keeping some of my favorite items in rotation. One thing that I think has helped tremendously is routine closet switch-outs. As an item of clothing just gets too tight to wear, I move it to our spare bedroom closet, so it's not in my "collection" for the time being. That way, everything that is in my closet is something I know I can wear comfortably.


Dress: Secondhand from Plato's Closet, bought pre-pregnancy

Additionally, keeping my closet current helps me to know what pieces I do need to go out and shop for. And that's where the other part of my maternity style philosophy comes in: shop secondhand!

In the beginning as my regular jeans were beginning to fit a little snug, I got a little excited to check out the maternity section of my local Clothes Mentor. Since February, I've made a few trips to the store to see what they have and have found some really helpful staple items, along with some bump-friendly non-maternity pieces. I wanted to focus on those pieces especially, so that what I buy can still work in my closet even after the baby is born.

Dress: Secondhand from Clothes Mentor

Shopping for maternity clothes is not always a necessity - it just depends on what's in your closet already. My friend Natalie from Sustainably Chic, who just gave birth to an adorable baby boy, noted that she didn't invest in any maternity clothes because her existing wardrobe was able to accommodate her belly the whole nine months.

I've enjoyed shopping, because I'm still able to get that retail therapy feeling, actually try things on to see if they fit or not, and save a LOT of money in the process. I know it's nothing new, but it is insane to me how expensive brand-new maternity clothing can be, when it's something that you're only meant to wear for a few short months (especially if it has the elastic belly band). I've been able to find great condition, new-to-me pieces for pretty much $12 and under.

Top and Jeans: Secondhand from Clothes Mentor, Shorts: Secondhand from Clothing Loft


I will say, I probably bought a couple too many pairs of secondhand jeans back in my first trimester, both maternity and non-maternity, and while they have come in handy so far, I think my jeans run is about over with this hot weather. I'm getting ready to live in dresses for the next four months.

The staples that I've gotten so far include an extremely comfortable maternity dress, a pair of work-friendly maternity skinny pants and a couple pairs of comfortable non-maternity shorts.

I've also picked up a couple tops and pairs of work flats from ThredUp and scored a few secondhand dresses from my stepmother-in-law.

Dress: Secondhand from ThredUp, bought pre-pregnancy

Dress: Secondhand from ThredUp, bought pre-pregnancy

And while about 90% of my shopping these days is secondhand or sustainable brands, I've still picked up a few brand-new pieces from bigger stores. I got a pencil skirt and on-sale pair of yoga pants from Motherhood Maternity and a casual dress from Old Navy. As I write this post while wearing my maternity yoga pants (balanced with my Shop Green New Orleans tank shown at the end of the post), I can say that even though the purchases aren't necessarily sustainable, they will get plenty of use and then donated when I don't need them anymore.

Shirt: Repreve for Earth Day Network

So far, I haven't needed many new tops, as most of what I already own is loose enough to accommodate my progression.

Shirt: Amour Vert (bought pre-pregnancy), Kimono: Secondhand from ThredUp, Pants: Secondhand from Clothes Mentor

I know that the "real fun" is going to be this summer as I really grow, but I hope that my current closet can take me all the way through to September!

Shorts: Secondhand from Clothing Loft, Shirt: Amour Vert
 One thing that's important to remember if you are pregnant is that you can get away with wearing a smaller variety of clothing for a few months at a time. It's not necessary to go out and buy a complete maternity wardrobe - just buy the pieces you'll truly need and make them work with what's already in your closet.

And if you have to shop maternity, save money and shop secondhand! You're about to be buying baby clothes anyway. (And I'll have another blog post on that later on this summer!)

Shorts: Tentree from EarthHero

Dress: Secondhand from a neighbor's garage sale, pre-pregnancy ($1!)

Skirt: Secondhand from Clothes Mentor, Gray tank: Shop Green New Orleans

Sandals: Sseko Designs


Dress: Maternity, secondhand from Clothes Mentor, Shoes: Secondhand from ThredUp


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