12 Do's and Don'ts for Your Fall Maternity Wardrobe

1 / 13 12 Do's and Don'ts for Your Fall Maternity Wardrobe

Fall can be an extra-challenging time to dress a quickly transforming

pregnant body — the temperature swings from sweltering to frigid

faster than your moods. This guide will help narrow down what you

really need in your fall pregnancy wardrobe so you can shrink your

shopping list (and put that money toward the nursery instead).

2 / 13 Shop for: a pair (or two) of maternity jeans

Comfortable, form-fitting, grow-with-you maternity jeans, like these

dark-rise, cotton and spandex jeans available on Amazon, are the must-

have foundation for a fall maternity wardrobe. You can dress them up

(especially dark denim) topped with a silky blouse and a statement

necklace…or down, paired with a button-down menswear shirt and a

cardigan you can take off should temps get toasty. One important tip:

Don't buy maternity jeans too soon, or they'll be too small during your

eighth and ninth months. Once your using the rubber band trick with

your old jeans, it's time to shop for maternity jeans. Check labels for

Lycra, which is what makes the best maternity jeans stretchy — and

that's an absolute must. Wondering about waistbands? Your best bet is

the kind that sits below the belly for comfort through all the trimesters.

Other options include jeans with low panels that fit best in mid-

pregnancy, and full or high panels, which work better for late

pregnancy when your belly's big enough to fill them out.

3 / 13 Check your closet for: leggings

Comfy leggings, like these midweight sleep leggings in black and grey

from Target, are a mom-to-be's best friend, especially in autumn. Resist

the urge to buy pricey maternity leggings the second you know you're

preggers because most regular leggings will fit right up to your due

date, especially if they're made from ultra-stretchy fabric. Once they're

really too snug at the waist, just place the band beneath your belly and

pair with a roomy sweater — or take that as a sign that's it's time to

purchase a bigger pair.

4 / 13 Skip: new workout pants and PJ bottoms

No need to shell out cash here — most of your workout gear likely

contains Lycra, so it'll stretch as you grow. When you get too big to pull

your gym pants over your belly, just situate the waistline beneath your

bump, and you should be good to go. Bonus: If you have any of those

workout pants with roll-down tops, you can wear them unrolled over

your bump for extra support and coverage (i.e., so your belly button

doesn't distractingly poke through your tank top during prenatal yoga).

You can also keep wearing your drawstring pajama bottoms, which are

pretty forgiving and can be tied beneath your belly once the waistline

gets too tight.

5 / 13 Shop for: a couple of roomy, long sweaters

You might be able to fit your favorite sweaters over your burgeoning

belly… but don't. Unlike your tummy, sweaters get permanently

stretched out, leaving them saggy and sad when you put them on a

year from now. So splurge on a tunic or two in neutral colors, like this

flow, grey striped sweater from Amazon, to layer over tees and pair

with leggings or maternity jeans. (Chances are you'll keep them in

heavy rotation once the baby's born to avoid getting spit-up on the

sweaters you love.) When shopping, look for styles with rushing (or

gathering) on the sides, which will allow the sweater to grow with you

but still hug your curves.

6 / 13 Check your closet for: a go-to sweatshirt

Fall mornings and evenings can be pretty chilly — even with a baby

bump to warm you up. A snuggly hoodie is just the thing to keep

Goosebumps at bay, and chances are you've already got one that'll

work just fine. If not, raid your partner's side of the closet — he'll find

you adorable in his old college sweatshirt, especially with that beautiful

baby bump. (But if neither of you are the sweatshirt type, try this

inexpensive zip-up hoodie from Target.)

7 / 13 Skip: maternity cardigans and blazers

Who needs a new blazer or cardigan when the ones you have work fine

— just leave them unbuttoned! And here's another opportunity to

mine your partner's wardrobe: Borrow his cardigans (and his button-

down shirts to wear beneath) for your second and third trimesters.

Pretty up the look with a vivid scarf or your favorite costume jewelry,

and you're ready to roll.

8 / 13 Shop for: a wool maternity coat

It may be expensive, but when you've got a fall pregnancy, a good coat

is well worth the investment. Not only will a coat like this double-

breasted black one from A Pea in the Pod keep you warm as temps fall

through November and beyond, but a tailored, empire-waist coat can

make you look pulled together (even on days when your outfit

underneath is decidedly not). Think hip length and in lightweight wool

(so you don't end up looking like a mummy in a long, heavy coat).

9 / 13Check your closet for: accommodating tights

Before you shell out the cash for maternity tights, search your closet for

a pair you've been wearing for a few seasons — chances are they're a

little stretched out (read: roomier) already, so they may work. Roll

down the waist so they sit low on your hips, and voila — instant (free)

maternity tights. But if you wear lots of dresses and skirts, it might be

worth picking up a pair or two of thick maternity tights, like these fun,

chevron-patterned ones from Target, to keep you warm right through

the winter.

10 / 13 Skip: that maternity denim jacket

Confused why they even make denim maternity jackets (including

super-pricey designer ones)? You should be, since these jackets don't

seem to be any different from their non-maternity counterparts.

They're just impulse items that stores hope to tempt you with while

you shop, so feel free to skip them and wear the denim jacket you

already own (or, if you don't have one, purchase a less pricey, non-

maternity variety in a little-larger-than-usual size).

11 / 13 Shop for: office-friendly trousers and skirts

If you work an office job, you'll need three or four trouser/skirt options

(follow the same waistline guidelines you used for choosing jeans). Go

for dark, solid colors and pay close attention to fit. (Baggy clothes are a

no-no when you're trying to look professional.) A pair of tailored,

straight-leg pants in black or navy, like these black ones from Amazon,

and a knee-length, black pencil skirt, like this one from Motherhood

Maternity, are all you need — pair them with a variety of different tops,

and your coworkers won't even notice the repeat appearances of the

bottoms.

12 / 13 Check your closet for: empire-waist dresses

If you own any flow dresses with an empire waist, bank on wearing

them until nearly the end of your pregnancy (at which point your bump

may be so big that the front hem might look noticeably shorter than

the back). You might also be able to repurpose roomy spring dresses as

fall maternity wear by adding tights, boots, and an open cardigan or

blazer. This empire-waited dress from Macy's is perfect for summer,

spring and fall.

13 / 13 Skip: button-down blouses

Don't waste your dollars on maternity blouses with buttons down the

whole front — chances are your bra size will change rapidly, resulting in

a too-tight fit across the back or gaps between the buttons. Instead,

stock up on empire-waist tops with flattering details like V and scoop

necklines, or tie belts that nip in on top of your bump to create a

shapely silhouette.