Getting Dressed When You're Growing a Human - #4
Part 4: What to wear to/for work
This is Part 4 in a series about how to maintain your sense of style, curate the right pieces and feel like yourself when you are growing a human. You can read Part 1 here, Part 2 here, and Part 3 here.
So far in this series, we have covered basic pieces that will help you feel like yourself and maintain your sense of style, the pieces that will keep you comfortable through the shifting stages of a growing and changing body, and the fun/special/fancy pieces for events, weddings, parties, and maybe just because you need to pull something on that makes you feel like hot shit.
Before I get into dressing for work while pregnant, I wanted to share a little bit about why I think this is important. I’ve articulated this several times in my newsletter, but I saw something recently that really resonated! Last week, Hill House Home launched its summer collection. If you haven’t heard of Hill House Home, it is a digital-first company that started in home textiles and in the past 3 years or so expanded (and continues to expand) into multiple fashion categories. They have a super engaging and slick marketing strategy and share a lot of informtion about how they design collections, how they choose when you launch them, why they’ve chosen a “collection” approach, etc. with their audience. I love their clothes (well documented on my instagram) and really admire their founder, Nell Diamond. Right before the launch, Nell wrote the following in an Instagram post:
This collection is at its core about waking up in the morning and deciding for who you want to be on your own terms. Sometimes it’s a nautical queen in stripes and a basket bag standing on a dock, and sometimes it’s a city girl in a sleek black maxi and a giant pair of sunnies, marching down fifth avenue. Let all of that be a metaphor for living life on your own terms, and refusing to be defined.
I absolutely adore this sentiment. We should all be deciding for ourselves who we are, who we want to be, and how we’ll express it to the world. Fashion, clothes, and style matter! Caring about how you present yourself externally to the world matters (and if you don’t care, that’s totally cool too!). But this should be possible through all phases of life — including pregnancy!
If you work outside the home, then a huge portion of your time requires getting dressed for work, and if you work outside the home when you’re pregnant, you need clothes to wear for work. Maybe you work from home or mostly remotely, and then you don’t need very much — you can probably refer to Part 1 to make sure you have basic pieces that will ensure you are presentable enough when/if you are on video calls.
But, if you are headed into an office or your place of work on any sort of regular cadence, then it’s likely you are going to need a few more pieces, or at least, a few more options. Navigating anything with a dress code of any kind is really challenging when pregnant - finding things that make you feel great when you’re pregnant is super important, but it also hard, and it takes a little effort.
Whether your dress code is business casual, business formal, or somewhere in between, the strategy part of it is pretty simple — U-N-I-F-O-R-M. If you are like me, this can be hard! I am discerning about what I add to my closet, but I also like options. But, a uniform is truly the way to go — find a few things that work (don’t worry, I’m going to give you a ton of ideas), and wear them on repeat. It will protect your budget, make space for you to invest in a few nice things, and ensure that you actually like the pieces that you have (and not just wear them for the sake of wearing them). It will also help avoid scenarios where you have nothing to wear or end up wearing something that isn’t comfortable or doesn’t fit right — both of which will make you feel less than your best. The secret is that most stylish people are iterating on a uniform of some kind most days — when you find something you love and that works for you, you should wear it as much as you possibly can! Remove the decision fatigue! Remove self-doubt. Maximize your ability to feel great!
When you’re pregnant the number of options in your uniform Rolodex does start to decrease a bit. My non-pregnant work uniform is either high-waisted trousers and a silk shirt/blouse, or a pencil skirt and silk blouse of some kind. Unfortunately, neither of these styles (or pieces) provides much runway during pregnancy!
Like the rest of my maternity wardrobe, I mix maternity and non-maternity styles. I don’t really have a strict set of rules that dictate how I decide, but it’s usually based on price (for example, an oversized blazer will work throughout pregnancy and after, and even if it’s pricey, I know I will get a ton of wear out of it), whether or not a piece can work throughout pregnancy (for example - even though I try to avoid pants when pregnant, pants for work aren’t avoidable, and I haven’t found work-appropriate pants that will fit for 40 weeks). My strategy also includes a consistent color palette and fairly neutral pieces so that I can wear pieces together in many different ways. Then, I can add interest via accessories like shoes, scarves, and jewelry.
As far as outfit recipes that will work their way into your maternity work-style uniform, there are actually a few really good options. I would recommend trying a few out and seeing what works for you! You could absolutely wear all these different styles throughout the course of your pregnancy (if you’re in an office every day of the week this would probably work really well for you), or, maybe you just wear two or three of them on repeat.
Slim or Ponte Pants + Oxford shirt/Long Sleeve Shirt/T-shirt/Tank + Blazer/Cardigan (This is all about dress code, preferred style and season!) Depending on the dress code in your office, you might also wear a jumpsuit under an oversized blazer!
A go-to recipe for me (in a very clear color palette!) Knit or stretchy dress + Blazer/Jacket/Sweater (could be long sleeve, tank, or sleeveless depending on the season. In the winter, sweater dresses are the greatest!)
Many sweater dresses and other knits worn for work this pregnancy - definitely one of my preferred styles! Slip Skirt + Sweater tucked into the skirt (depending on the season, a big oversized knit or something lighter weight, and a great uniform to leverage if you want to wear mostly non-maternity pieces!)
The first two skirts are non-maternity, the blue skirt is maternity (and not technically a slip skirt, but a similar idea -- especially if the weather is warmer! Wide-leg trouser + Blouse or structured top (great, especially in warmer months!)
I didn't get that into this one, because I didn't buy any new maternity pants this pregnancy, but I made these sweater pants work and I love the look! Empire-waist or wrap dress or shirt dress (early in your pregnancy, your existing wardrobe might work, if this is a style you love, later on you might have good luck sizing up, or there are some good maternity styles that I’ve rounded up below!). This Xirena dress (far right, has been a great non-maternity piece that I am still comfortably wearing at the very end of my pregnancy!)
Another go-to for me. The polka-dot dress is (old) Asos Maternity, the other two are dresses I already had in my closet!
A color palette is key in ensuring you can embrace the uniform AND not feel like you are buying a ton of pieces. It’s pretty natural for me to lean towards neutrals in the wintertime - my non-maternity closet looks pretty much the same - lots of white, cream, black, navy, tans, stripes, and small patterns. My summer closet has more color - just how I tend to be feeling by the time summer rolls around - but I would still try to build in solid colors, as the patterns and colors can feel harder to wear on repeat (totally psychological, but I will still acknowledge it), and can also be harder to combine in multiple different ways. Another option is to lean on dresses for your color and patterns, and stick to simple, solid colors in sweaters, blazers, shirts & pants — so then you can still do plenty of mixing and matching!
Let’s dive into the pieces that I think are going to get you the most runway, and ensure you are feeling comfortable, great and like yourself as show up at work throughout your pregnancy. Similar to the earlier couple of guides, I am going to structure this one by piece/item, and then share styles at several different price points for your shopping enjoyment! I hope you find this helpful, fun to read, and useful - I would love to hear any feedback or thoughts you have in the comments! You can shop most of the pieces highlighted below, plus others here.
Pants / Pants / Oxford Shirt / Navy Blazer / Linen Blazer / Plaid Blazer / Green Knit / Black Sandals / Striped Dress / Black Tank Dress / Trousers / Trousers / Slip Skirt / Slip Skirt / Ballet Flats / Shirt dress / Shirt Dress / Shirt Dress / Mules / Cardigan / Loafers / Sweater / Cardigan / Shirt
Shirt Dress: Look for a slightly empire waist, or flowy style and you can wear something non-maternity. I have and love this and just wore it to a meeting at 38 weeks! Also love that these style dresses work great for postpartum & if you are nursing! $ / $$ / $$ (pictured) / $$$ (pictured) / $$$ (pictured) / $$$
Wrap Dress: A wrap dress with an empire-waist fit will last throughout your pregnancy, and has a little more give than a knit - so its all about preference! $ / $ (pictured) / $$ / $$
Slim-Cut Pant (Ponte): One or two pairs of slim-cut pants will be a workhouse in your maternity wardrobe. Wear with sweaters, button-down shirts, t-shirts, blazers, etc. I like slim cut, but not tight (so, not leggings), because it’s more versatile and wearable in most office settings (if you can wear leggings to work, go for it!). You can also wear these pants with tunic sweaters, which is especially useful if you are not ready to draw any attention to your belly (I wore the ottoman tunic weekly for my first pregnancy and it helped to conceal my bump until I was ready to tell my co-workers!) $ (these are actually great and have latest me for 3 pregnancies!) / $$ (pictured) / $$ / $$$ (pictured)
Oxford Shirt: I don’t think you need to go maternity here - you can size up, or look for an oversized style. You will never be upset to have a few oversized button-ups — postpartum and beyond! $ / $$ (pictured) / $$. /$$$ (good if you are looking for something a little fancier!) / $$$
Blazers: Look for oversized styles that will work throughout your pregnancy and beyond. You don’t need to button them, so you get a little extra runway! Pair them with pants, skirts, dresses, and jeans on the weekends. This is great if you can swing more casual! If you want to spend a little more, this is a worthy investment, but if you are on a tight budget, there are still some great options! Also, a lady jacket is always an option! $ / $$ / $$ (pictured) / $$$ (pictured, you can’t go wrong with navy!) / $$$ (pictured)
Stretchy Knit Dresses: I think these will be your best friend in pregnancy! Depending on your office environment, hopefully you can choose at least a couple that you can comfortably wear on the weekends, or out for dressier occasions! Let the seasons dictate what you need — mostly summer, go for tanks and tees, mostly fall/winter, look for heavier knits (think more of a sweater dress), and long sleeves! Wear with your cardigans, a sweater over your shoulders, with your blazers, or on their own! If you are looking for something less fitted, this is a great option! $ (pictured) / $ / $ / $ (pictured) / $$ (pictured) / $$$ /
Wrap Dress: A wrap dress with an empire-waist fit will last throughout your pregnancy, and has a little more give than a knit - so its all about preference! $ / $ / $$ / $$
Ankle Length Trouser: Another pant staple - especially good if you love a pantsuit look. If you are in an office multiple days a week, or in a dressier environment, a trouser-style will help give you some options! $ (pictured) / $$ (pictured)
Slip Skirts: I love a slip skirt because you can pull it up over your bump, and then use that high waistline to tuck into — a t-shirt, a blouse, a sweater! I have had great luck with non-maternity styles here - in my normal size and a size up! This is a nice option if you prefer maternity! $ (I have and wore this on repeat!) / $$ / $$ (pictured) / $$$
Shirt Dress: Look for a slightly empire waist, or flowy style and you can wear something non-maternity. I have and love this and just wore it to a meeting at 38 weeks! Also love that these style dresses work great for postpartum & if you are nursing! $ / $$ / $$ (pictured) / $$$ (pictured) / $$$ (pictured) / $$$
Cardigans & Sweaters: These are layering pieces. I don’t think you need to go maternity here - I’ve never bought a maternity sweater that I can recall - oversized will always be great, so size up if you need to! $ / $$ (pictured) / $$ (pictured) / $$$ (pictured) / $$$
Simple Tees & Tops: I went into detail on these in Part 1 - but basically you need some basic pieces to wear under sweaters/blazers/etc. $ / $ / $ / $$$ (pictured)
Accessories: This is where you get to have fun! Hopefully you have your whole collection available to you, and one of my favorite things about pregnancy is that I am not spending much on clothes, so I make more room for shoes and other accessories. Ballet flats, mules, loafers, block heels, boots - they are all your best friends! $ (pictured) / $$ / $$ (pictured) / $$ (pictured) / $$$ (best ballet flats IMO) / $$$ (Kitten heeled mules)
I hope this was helpful! I would love to hear what you think!