I’ll be honest here, having never been ‘in the family way’ I know practically nothing about maternity wear. However we’ve had several pleas from readers recently about fashionable, seasonal clothing for pregnant ladies and I was keen to help out. Luckily for me (and you) two thirds of the Rock My Limited team are mothers and so I’ve pulled together this post with their advice for anyone looking for summer maternity wear. We’ve even thrown in a few posh frocks too as it can be a pain shopping for wedding attire with or without a bump!
Fern
Fern is mama to the very beautiful Elle and throughout her pregnancy she favoured ASOS. You can see more of Fern’s maternity style here.
I love these three dresses; The Mamalicious Mini Dress, The Fit and Flare Floral Dress and The Fluted Maxi. ASOS maternity stuff is really good and cheap too, so you don’t feel bad for spending on something you’ll only wear a few times. I found if I had anything nice to get dressed up for when pregnant I still needed to be comfortable so stretchy dresses in soft fabrics were best. I think dressing things up with accessories is key so if you’re feeling self conscious you can distract people with a sparkly earrings or a statement necklace or maybe an oversized clutch bag.
Lorna
Lorna is proud mummy to football superstars Elliott and Joseph and more recently to gorgeous little Anabelle and has embraced her bump three times!
You literally can’t go wrong with this ASOS essentials pack. I teamed many of my pre pregnancy clothes & accessories with these basic items or just brought non-maternity clothes in a larger size which seemed to work well from weeks 20-32. All of theses items can be dressed up or down whatever your occasion and your personal style.
This is a seriously cool Topshop split back top in it’s own right, never mind that it’s maternity. It would look fabulous with the above essentials leggings dressed down with flip flops or trainers or on a date night teamed with the soft jersey midi skirt and heels.
I suffered with swollen feet & legs during my last pregnancy when I attended a wedding with only three weeks to go in the height of summer and I’d chosen a short dress. Maxi dresses are so flattering I’d wish I’d seen this baby blue number. Especially as I attended another wedding only nine days after our little lady was born and had to literally strip off (in a private room I might add) to breastfeed her. The genius nursing pocket in this ASOS Maxi Dress would have been such a blessing plus I have a huge soft spot for illusion crop top layers this season.
Another layered top on this gorgeous Embellished Dress, are you sensing a theme here? But the genius split back not only expands with your bump it also expands with your breasts as lets face it they grow too. I love the embellished top layer giving you just enough sparkle & making you feel glam for that special event.
I was rather on the large side during pregnancy, and would have people comment all the time, “haven’t you had it yet?” and “you’re going to pop.” I’d actually find myself saying it before they had a chance sometimes just because I knew what they were thinking. Anyway I say embrace the bump and your new shapely figure, it’s a truly beautiful thing, an absolute miracle!
Lottie
There were loads of gorgeous photos of Lottie’s two littles, Molly and Alice in our home tour last week. Lottie loved a bit of M&S during her maternity stage.
I find M&S clothes fit me perfectly and are great quality. I had quite a few maternity items from there which were great. I’m a big fan of the Wrap Dress when pregnant as you can alter it to suit your changing bump. This black number is perfect for the office but could be dressed down with sandals or glammed up for an evening with a pretty necklace. Plus black is the most flattering when pregnant so whats not to like?
I never normally wear tight clothes but when I was pregnant I somehow found them more flattering. The looser items just made me look giant. I had a small bump with Molly so could get away with it more but everything seemed twice the size with Alice! This Striped Tunic Dress would be great as you can wear it with some leggings or tights as the summer comes to an end.
I’m loving this Kimono teamed with a vest top and a pair of M&S Skinny Maternity Jeans. I had a few pairs when I was pregnant and they were just so comfy and made me feel much more normal as I’m not a leggings type of person.
Alice was a summer baby and I actually had her during a heatwave so had to deal with extreme heat in the last week of pregnancy, during birth and with a teeny newborn. I found loose lightweight natural fabrics the best in those final few days. Then lots of cooling Evian water spray – an essential for the hospital bag! It was also nice to have a cold shower and cover myself in a nice cooling body lotion afterwards.
Lolly
As we all know Lolly welcomed adorable Hector in to the world last October. Hector’s Nursery will soon be gracing these pages!
I only discovered Isabella Oliver quite late into my pregnancy when I was fed up and felt like the size of a house so didn’t invest. Next time round though I’ll definitely be purchasing a couple of key buys from the store. I love this Tunic Style Dress for summer that could easily be adapted to Autumn winter with a pair of tights and a cropped jumper.
A very pregnant, about to give birth any day now friend, sported these Seraphine Trousers on a recent meal out together and she looked AMAZING. Even in my non pregnant state I quite fancied a pair myself. She assured me that they were very comfortable and lightweight and since they had a drawstring would be the perfect trouser post birth as she returned to her pre-pregnancy figure.
Charlotte
Mama to the delightful Mabel, our blog queen is a big fan of the Maxi.
As soon as I bump “popped” I went tight, personally it made me feel as though I had some shape – I didn’t mind looking pregnant at all, I just found that being short and with a bump everything looked like a small marquee unless it was very fitted.
This Ribbed Scarlett Dress from Boohoo is only £15 and the colours are lovely. I have one in black, grey and green for my next summer holiday. They have so much stretch and are quite long so would easily fit over a growing baby whilst keeping you cool in the warmer months.
Becky
Super cute Leo’s mommy Becky has a top style tip for summer mama-to-bes. As skin can be more sensitive during pregnancy you might choose to cover up your shoulder. Becky suggests layering a tee over a maxi and knotting the t-shirt above the bump for a cute daytime look. Boohoo have a wide range of maxis.
Now folks it’s over to you. Can you recommend any stores for summer maternity wear? What did you wear (or are wearing) to a wedding when pregnant during the warmer months?
{SHOP THE POST}
[show_shopthepost_widget id=”877245″]
I’m now 38 weeks and really wish I had bought more maternity wear. Earlier in pregnancy I thought I would wear stretchy/ bigger size so as not to waste money. However from about 30 weeks I have really struggled to fit in anything not maternity- so my advice to those in the early stages is buy some key maternity pieces because they are so much more comfortable as your bump grows. also agree with Becky- skin is much more sensitive and I really want to keep covered especially in the heat.
Also I would love a piece on fashionable nursing clothes for the next stage!
Not long to go Anna!
We’ll see what we can do on the fashionable nursing clothes front x
Eeek, two weeks to go! I did exactly the same with Molly as was in my own clothes till nearly 5 months so didn’t buy anything but regretted it later. With Alice I shopped early which was much better. Mainly as I had a huge bump at 12 weeks. Definitely found Nursing clothes really hard so we’ll see what we can do. xx
Anna I’m really, really struggling with finding nice nursing clothes – it’s so depressing only being able to wear things you can have constant access to your boobs in!
So although I’m now 6 months in and Elle will slowly feed less and less, I’m definitely keen for us to put together a post on nursing clothes!!
Fern x
Dressing for easy and discrete boob access is an ongoing frustration for me too. Non-frumpy nursing specific clothes just don’t seem to exist.
Anna I know exactly what you mean – I thought I could get through and manage with non-pregnancy bits and pieces but now I wish I approached it all completely differently. Next time I’m definitely going to get some ‘proper’ pieces and perhaps not eat so much chocolate. I would have loved to have looked like me with a lovely bump, instead I looked like the Michelin man’s girlfriend.
I took a capsule wardrobe approach to my maternity wear and then just bought extra jewellery, belts and accessories along the way to prevent me getting bored. I refused to give up my skinny jeans (I got some great under the bump numbers from Gap that were convincingly unmaternity-ish) and squidged myself into my favourite leather biker jacket right until the bloated end. I combined this with a whole array of tops from Isabella Oliver and a few of their dresses for occasions. The quality is great, very bump flattering – I’m a huge fan of Isabella Oliver – and the website and Instagram are great for styling ideas to keep things interesting.
Loving the biker jacket and bump combo! I never discovered Isabella Oliver and so wish I had as it gets some great reviews xx
Laura I loved Isabella Oliver too – I hadn’t realised that they posted styling ideas on Instagram but will follow them for future reference! Love the idea of the capsule wardrobe with accessories to change it up. I stayed in the maternity Leigh jeans from Topshop until the end and even after I gave birth and then gradually moved down in sizes until I could fit into my pre-preggo jeans again. I couldn’t fit into my leather jackets so I am mighty jealous that you could, I stuck with loose blazers instead which added a bit of style to the ensemble.
I am now 5 months pregnant and have read rock my style since the launch and now so excited I can use the tips in all the maternity posts! All fabulous!
Hooray
Congratulations Jill! We hope you find lots of useful info in the archives!!
x
As someone who boob fed a lot!! I found the best solution was to wear a strappy-stretchy vest under a normal top. To access you could just lift outter top up and pull vest top down. This method had the added advantage of keeping the post-baby belly covered up. I bought a whole bunch of Primark vests in all different colours – they’re really long and the straps can be altered bra-strap style!
Great tip Victoria, those Primani vests are only a couple of quid and I find they wash well too x
This is a great idea Victoria!!! I’ll definitely be popping to Primark asap as I’m sick of wearing the same tops on rotation!! x
Hi Victoria
This was exactly what I did! Those Primarni vests were a life saver & meant I could look half decent in normal tops. Love that they had adjustable straps too
Oh I wish I had seen that asos pack earlier! Could do with a dress just like that but already have the asos midi skirt (which I live in!) and black leggings!!!
Plus with only 12 weeks or so left I really really can’t justify it! Why don’t they sell that dress on its own!!!!!
I’ve found topshop and asos the best for maternity wear.
So annoying Vicky that they don’t sell the dress as a solo piece. I hate it when they they do that!
Turns out I DID need the pack and could justify it! I was doing my body balance class yesterday in an old pair of gym leggings which few weeks ago fitted fine but are definitely digging in now!
So my ‘maths’ is I need a new pair of leggings (£12) and I’ve seen a similar dress in Next (£20) and I’ll use the vest and a spare skirt is handy.. so for I get the vest and skirt for £13!!! Ha ha ha I doubt the husband will agree with this maths!!
Husbands never agree with this logic Vicky but Team RMS definitely do x
Great timely post for me- thanks RMS! I feel like this is a silly question but… I’m really stuck on what size maternity clothes to buy. I’m 15 weeks pregnant & haven’t really got a bump yet, just that awkward bloated feeling! I’m normally between a size 8-10, & at the min I can see my thighs getting bigger quicker than my bump is! Do I opt for the bigger size(?) although then I don’t want that to lead me into a false sense of security thinking I can eat all the pies but equally I want to feel comfortable! Any advice greatly appreciated! xx
I bought my usual size ( I think they allow a bit extra!!) so if you can might be worth buying/trying on both sizes. Ive got some leggings a size smaller which still fit fine at 28 weeks.
Its really hard to guess what shape you’ll be so go for stretchy stuff where possible!
Hi Jolene. Always a hard one. I made the mistake of buying up a size and they were just huge. If they are maternity clothes go for your normal size as they are cut to suit the bump. Towards the end I probably did need the bigger size but found alternatives for those last few weeks! If I was going for normal clothes, like long vests from H&M, then I just went up a size or two. Happy shopping! x
In the beginning I went for my normal size, and then towards the end I think I went up a size, not sure if this was because I over indulged or just nature taking it’s course & swelling!
I actually think there should be separate pieces designed for the different trimesters of pregnancy.
Lorna x
Thank you so much for this post – I’m 20 weeks and with an upcoming hen do and wedding to attend really needed some inspiration! Interesting to read all the comments about wishing you’d bought maternity earlier as I’ve been puzzling over what’s worth buying maternity and what’s not. We also found out last week we’re having a boy so I am VERY excited to see Lolly’s post on Hector’s nursery soon!!x
Oh congratulations on the little baby boy! How exciting. I didn’t really get much maternity with my first baby but with second I bought more outfits early on which I wore lots. I’d suggest one or two pairs of maternity trousers/jeans and then a selection of tops. I bought some specific maternity cardys but have to say they weren’t really worth it as I just wore my own. I think then a couple of dresses that could be smart or casual are always good. And lots of long vest tops. I got lots from H&M and they were great for after as well. I also can’t wait for Lollys nursery tour. Its going to be a good one! xx
Thanks Lottie! Absolutely loved your house tour by the way (for some reason my comment wouldn’t post that day!)x
Ah, thanks so much! xxx
Congratulations Amanda.
I attended a hen do at 31wks & wedding at 37wks. Above all else I made sure I was comfortable and managed to be one of the last ones standing on both occasions. Good luck with finding something
Lorna x
I’m almost six months pregnant and needed new clothes pretty much straight away, partly because I couldn’t stand anything clingy or tight (especially on my waistband) and partly because my usual things simply didn’t fit. I even tried the hairband trick to try and eek out my skinny jeans, but that was hopeless!
I just bought baggier things from H&M, that I can wear as lounge wear once my bump has gone. I do love the M&S kimono in your round-up though and have bought that now. It was on sale (£23) so I couldn’t resist! Plus, I can easily wear it once my bump has gone too. Thanks for the recommendation! x
Yay, so pleased you purchased the kimono and even better that it was in the sale! I will fully admit to wearing some of my bigger H&M purchases as loungewear too! xx
I’m currently 36 weeks pregnant and living in mamas and papas leggings, Isabella Oliver t-shirts (they are long, so cover both bump and bum!) or Seraphine/New Look maternity tunics. I also have one pair of over-the-bump jeans as I very quickly found that under-the-bump (of which I had bought three pairs!!) became so uncomfy as I am carrying this baby pretty low. Even in the milder weather, I feel a little less exposed in over-the-bump leggings/jeans and slightly more “held together”. I also bought bump bands early on (one set in S/M and another in M/L) and find now that the bigger ones can sit quite low keeping the bump snug but still covering my bum if I need to! Love Seraphine for wedding appropriate maxis that can be dressed up or down – knotted at the bust and so flattering! I would also say to go straight into expandable maternity wear sooner rather than buying a size up – I find now at 36 weeks I have very limited choices from my maternity wardrobe and trying very hard not to buy anything new!
Oh and forgot one other thing – by far the best thing I did was have a maternity/nursing bra fitter come to the house to properly measure me and fit me for bras and nursing vests (although at £20 each reading above comments about Primark vests makes much more sense!). They are called Bosom Buddies and I think available all over the UK (I am in Scotland). A properly fitting maternity bra (also for nursing) makes all the difference to an outfit too – especially if you are going for the slightly more fitted maternity clothes!
This service sounds amazing Maddy! I so wish I had known about that one. xx
Love these suggestions, they have come at exactly the right time! I will definitely be buying the fit and flare dress now that I have got over my initial phobia of maternity wear! https://medium.com/@kaleighseymour7/dressing-the-bump-c9d87ec933d3