Pregnancy Capsule Wardrobe: Buy Less and Look Great

Last updated on March 12th, 2023 at 09:20 pm

Have you heard of a capsule wardrobe before? Or a pregnancy capsule wardrobe? A capsule wardrobe is a curated collection of essential clothes that you can mix and match to create endless different outfits.

Everything goes with everything else, so when it comes time to put together an outfit, you know it’s going to look good.

You may not be a minimalist, but when you’re pregnant, the thought and the price of having to put together an all-new wardrobe can be daunting. So it’s a great time to put together a pregnancy capsule wardrobe!

During pregnancy (and heck, pretty much all the time), there’s probably no less than a million things running through your mind at any given time. With so many things to think about, and do, and prepare for, it’s helpful to free up as much space in your mind as you can.

Having some go-to outfits, and limited choices in your pregnancy capsule wardrobe is going to help cut down on your decision fatigue a bit, so you can focus your energy on the other things that need your attention (baby’s room, washing all the baby clothes, finding the perfect breast pump, the list goes on and on).

Adjust your pregnancy capsule wardrobe to when you’ll be in your second and third trimesters. In the first trimester, you won’t need new clothes, unless pants start giving you trouble. Second time and beyond mothers, I’m looking at you!

As you get into the second and third trimesters, you can still wear some of the clothes you already own, plus you can continually change up your look with different accessories you already own.

And make sure you have the right undergarments to work with all of your different outfits!

TOPS:

T-Shirts (any season) – 2 or 3

For warm days in the summer, or under jackets and hoodies in colder weather. These you can wear year-round.

Look for black, white and maybe even stripes as different options.

Long Sleeve (any season) – 2 or 3

Same here, you can wear long sleeve tops year-round. In the summer, tie them around your waist for some belly definition, and put it on when it cools down at night.

Black and white are great options for long sleeves. Get the third in another neutral like gray, or look for a bright color if you want something a little different!

Sweaters (fall, winter, spring) – 2 or 3

If you’ve been into the looser sweater trend, what you have will probably work for a while until you get closer to the end. Delivery coming up in the cold weather? Get a couple sweaters that you know will fit over your baby bump and last until the very end.

Basic neutrals are great if you have them already, or want to add them to your wardrobe. But you can also look for some different colors and patterns that you know will go with the rest of your items.

Maternity Tanks (any season) – 2 or 3

My cousin (in-law I guess?) introduced me to supportive maternity tanks, and I’m in love! The closer you get to the end of your pregnancy, the more uncomfortable you’ll be. These tanks will give you the support you need, and you can wear them under anything and everything.

You really only need these in basic colors since you’re going to be wearing them under your clothes. So go ahead and get a couple in colors you typically would wear.

DRESSES:

Casual Dresses (can work for any season, but mostly spring, summer and fall) – 2 or 3

A couple simple jersey dresses will work for a long time when you’re pregnant and beyond! For my first baby, I was consistently wearing the same 3 jersey dresses over and over (it was summer!) with a jean jacket for work.

And none of the dresses I wore were maternity. They were all a size up from Amazon!

Dresses you can get away with different colors, but maybe hold off on all of them having a pattern. Have at least one or two neutral ones!

“Fancy” Dresses (any season) – 1

Unless you have a lot of weddings or events to go to, you might need one nice dress. But I would wait to buy it until you get closer to if/when you know you’re going to need it.

I bought one nice dress when I was pregnant the first time around (back when people were doing more things), and I wore it probably 4+ times.

Or, if you have a lot of events to go to, and want different dresses, check out Rent the Runway! You can borrow designer clothes for less, and then send them back when you’re done!

BOTTOMS:

Jeans (any season) – 1 or 2

Look for some over-the-bump jeans that are similar to styles you typically wear. Go for a darker pair so you can wear them with a variety of different looks.

As far as cuts, if you are pregnant somewhere during the dead of winter, skinny jeans will be easier to tuck into boots, and not get everything wet!

Black Pants (any season) – 1 or 2

Depending on whether or not you’re working in an office, you might not need more than one pair of black pants. They could be black jeans or dress pants.

I have one pair of black jeans, and they’re great for work, or for when I need to dress up a little bit.

Shorts (summer) – 2 or 3

Depending on how hot the weather is, you’re going to want a couple pairs of shorts to keep you cool! Get a couple different washes, not just ripped/destroyed pairs!

A pair of linen shorts would also be super comfortable and cute for casual events!

Shoes

What you have, and a few new comfy pairs if needed

Sneakers: If you’re pregnant in any season but winter, sneakers are a great option. Look for somewhat “fancy” slip-on sneakers. Maybe even a half-size bigger if you’re going to be on your feet a lot.

At some point, you won’t be able to bend over to tie shoelaces, so slip-ons will be your best friend. Plus, your feet will likely swell a bit, so make sure you have a little extra room in your shoes to accommodate!

Boots: Pregnant during the cold weather? Some cozy Ugg-like boots will keep your feet warm and will be way easier to put on and take off. Be a little weary of tall pull-on boots though, because however hard they are to put on, they’re going to be doubly hard to take off! You’ll definitely need some assistance!

Nice shoes: depending on what you have planned during your pregnancy, you might need a couple pairs of nice shoes. Some for work, or even some fancier shoes for a wedding or an event!

There’s a lot of sparkly and jeweled flats to choose from, that will go with any outfit.

Sandals: sandals are a super easy, all the time go-to, pending the weather. Depending on the sandal, sometimes it’s even “cool” to wear them with socks!

When it’s warm outside, or even when your feet start to swell up a little bit, you’ll be happy you have some comfy sandals.

Have a comfortable pair on hand, and depending on your workplace or events you have to go to, there are some less casual pairs that are still comfortable.

Season-Specific Wear

Bathing suit: summer time, or going on vacation to the warm weather? You’re probably going to need a bathing suit!

Low-rise bikini bottoms will work, and a comfortable bikini top. Plenty of sites also have one-piece bathing suits that will accommodate your growing baby bump. There’s also a lot of affordable options, so you can get more than one if you want.

Jacket: on the other end of the spectrum, you’re going to need some sort of jacket when it’s super cold outside. Check out places like Old Navy when they’re having their major sales to get both a heavy-duty and nicer jacket, in a larger size. Or look for a wrap coat, so you can tie it to fit as you get bigger.

Bonus Items You Might Have Already

Leggings: Soft, stretchy pairs of leggings will work well for a long time. As you grow, you may need to size up, or get a maternity-specific pair.

Sweatpants: If your existing sweatpants were already sort of baggy, those are going to work for a while too. Wear them under your bump to stay comfortable.

Hoodies: same with hoodies, if they’re already a little baggy, they’re going to last a while. But as you near the end, you could get a couple maternity styles, or go up one or two sizes in your favorites.