Summer Pregnancy Options for Work & Play...and Savings!

To add on to Lauren's fabulous post about Pregnancy Style, I wanted to comment on some easy ways to save money as you prepare your pregnancy wardrobe and also some options for work and play this summer.

First off, on ways to save money:

1. This may sound weird to some of you, but shop your local Goodwill store. There are often many great maternity clothing items, some of which still have their original tags. Of course you'll want to wash them before wearing, but they come at a discount to their store-bought counterparts. Stores in nicer cities may also have better or more upscale selections.
2. Ask around. I'm sure many of your friends have been pregnant before and even if they plan on having children again, often they'll let you borrow what they have until they need it back. I was actually lucky enough to get two pairs of jeans from and a pair of really nice dress pants from a family member. That's $150 in savings right there! Just remember to repay the favor if you can, by sharing your new maternity clothes with them as well.
3. Check the web for local maternity re-sale stores that sell lightly used designer maternity clothing. If you can't find one dedicated entirely to pregnant women, children's re-sale stores sometimes also carry maternity clothes. These stores often work on consignment, so when you're done, save money by selling your clothes back.
4. Sign up at sites like www.zulily.com, www.gilt.com, www.totsy.com and more! Sites like these offer designer maternity clothes at a discount and you can often get great shipping deals too. The selection varies each day, so make sure to download their mobile app to ensure you don't miss a great deal!
5. Sign up for email notifications from brands like Old Navy, Gap, H&M, Destination Maternity and more. Most of them send out weekly, if not daily discount codes. This can save you 10-50% off the items you want to buy.
6. Try to make much of the wardrobe you already have. Sure your belly may outgrow your pants and some shirts may be too small by the third trimester, but many of those regular tanks or t-shirts you already own will stretch. Long, open sweaters are a great staple that still work no matter how pregnant you are.
7. Buy clothes in the women's section versus maternity. I find that maternity shops charge a lot of money for clothes just because they're labeled "maternity". There are plenty of dresses you can buy that will fit you before and while you're pregnant. For instance, I've gotten some great dresses from Target that are flowy for summer and a size Large tank top from Nordstrom is much cheaper than a maternity tank, even though they're pretty much the same thing.

Lauren had great ideas for winter, everyday outfits, but I'm going to be enduring much of my pregnancy in the hottest days of summer...and working where a business casual attire is required at all times. So I wanted to touch on some additional suggestions.

For work:

• I prefer long dress pants over skirts, but you can't go wrong with a pair of each in black. They will always look formal no matter what you're wearing. Personally, I bought a few pairs of work pants in black (2 pair in black, 1 black work capri, and 1 in a black/brown knit fabric) and then picked up a khaki dress pant and a khaki work capri so that I could feel a little more "summery" at the office. However, if you're open to doing laundry fairly often, you can get buy with less.
• If you have any silk dress shirts, these look fabulous when left out and tied with a belt right under your breasts. It accentuates the fact that you're pregnant, but completes that formal look you're still trying to go for. You can find mini belts in any shade almost anywhere right now. Try fun colored belts in neon or bright colors to add some seasonal flair.
• Find some summery dresses and pair them with a cute belt and one of those long sweaters you already have in your closet. This is my most comfortable work outfit and it can go very formal or very casual based upon the dress.
• Purchase a great pair of wedge heels (or two). They're fabulous for still giving you that heeled look you want, with a lot of extra stability for the balance you may be lacking. I recently picked up a pair of Jessica Simpson wedge heels on sale for $55 that are just amazing and still very professional-looking.
• I'm not a great scarf wearer, but a coworker of mine who is also pregnant, uses a scarf to dress up her work outfits. You just take a simple pair of pants and a solid top and add an elegant scarf to really take that outfit from bland to fabulous. At a cost of around $15, it's an easy way to dress up clothes you may already have, or that don't seem nice enough for work.

For Play/Summer:

• Maxi dresses are the answer to your prayers! Sure I wouldn't wear many of them to work, but for weekend wear they are fabulous! Extremely comfortable and luckily for us, very in style at the moment. I actually had some from my honeymoon that will easily stretch for pregnancy, which prevented me from spending a lot of money on extra dresses.
• I also picked up some dresses that were short (but regular women's size). The only necessity is that you pick out a dress which is tight around the boobs, but very loose/flowy from there. I found a great dress at the Gap Outlet and paired it with a skinny belt and it's now one of my favorite outfits.
• Jean capris are a great style for everyday casual wear, especially if you don't feel like showing off (or shaving) your legs. I bought two pair of cuffed, non-brand name jean capris on zulily for $13 each and they're fabulous! Very comfortable and no one can tell that I didn't spend $100 on them. I like to pair mine with Target t-shirts (in fun summer colors) and will move to some of Target's lace tank tops as I get into the hotter days. Both the t-shirts and tank tops cost me $8-$12 each and don't shrink.
• Since it will get really hot at some point, I did pick up two pair of shorts from Old Navy the other day. I grabbed one in denim and another in white, so that they could work with almost anything in my closet. They were on sale and are really comfortable with the under belly band. I don't love my legs, but I do love comfort! I wouldn't buy lots of pairs of shorts if you don't have to though. If you're working, you're probably only wearing about 2 pair a week.
• For shoes I recommend Old Navy's $3 flip flops - you probably have a million pair in your closet already - or a pair of ballet flats. I have giant feet, or at least the kind that never really look good in ballet flats, but I figured that I needed to find a pair of them for those days when I felt like flip flops would be a bit informal. I found a great pair at Target that somehow managed to look ok and I was in heaven. I actually like them so much I'm trying to find a pair in brown or navy.
• I've asked a lot of people about bathing suits. Sure, I'm hoping to avoid being seen pregnant in a bathing suit, but if there ever comes about a need for one (and I'm sure that day will come), the recommendations I've received from women differ. Half of women say to opt for a cheap maternity tankini. I actually saw a fabulous one at Goodwill but it was too large. You'll have to keep your eyes out online for one you like, as they're hard to find in stores. The other half of my friends just wore a regular bikini when they were pregnant. Maybe they're the type who magically skipped stretch marks or have a strong sense of confidence, but they said it was really comfortable. This option would be easier to find, as you could purchase regular sized bikinis, but just go up a size (or two or five) as necessary. I haven't decided which of these options I'm going with yet.

So what did you wear to work and out on those casual summer days? Do you have suggestions I haven't mentioned here? I'd love to hear from you!