My Maternity Wardrobe: The Second Trimester

My goal this trimester was to stretch my non-maternity wardrobe as far as possible. Once I hit around 14 weeks, non-maternity pants were just impossible, so I had to give in to a few purchases. Fortunately, right around that time, intense summer hit San Diego, so I was able to wear loose-fitting, non-maternity, summery dresses for a couple of months.

St. James Breton Top, Motherhood Maternity shorts, Palladium sandals

I delayed taking any belly photos until around 20 weeks because while my belly was indeed growing, so was my chest. Most of the time, in loose-fitting tops and dresses, you could not tell I was pregnant. As I have stated and friends have also commented, "It just looks like you ate a big burrito." (Um, I love how in San Diego the burrito is the go-to reference for why one might look a little rotund.) In fact, my belly didn't start sticking out further than my chest until 23 weeks!

Here are some of the outfits I wore during my second trimester:

clockwise from top left: Hand-me-down T-shirt, Isabel and Ingrid leggings, American Apparel sneakers; Hand-me-down dresses, barefoot and Reef flip flops!

Sample sale dress from over 10 years ago and Swedish Hasbeens clogs

Most of the clothing I wore this trimester were pieces I already owned, especially tops and a few dresses. Because she has an abundance of clothing, my sister lent me a handful of her summery dresses, which saved me a ton of money. I also inherited some Motherhood Maternity items from a girlfriend who wore them during her pregnancy last year: a pair of low-rise shorts (not my favorite -- but for free I should not complain -- next time I'd like to get some shorts with a belly panel), some chinos, and a flowy top. Finally, my sister bought me a pair of Motherhood Maternity cross hatch denim trousers from a resale shop for $8. They are perfect for substitute teaching jobs (one of my gigs these days).

Here are the only maternity purchases I did make this trimester because I thought they were absolutely essential:

*Ingrid and Isabel leggings (purchased for 1/2 price on ebay: $25 with free shipping)
*Ingrid and Isabel lounge pants (purchased pre-loved on ebay for $12 including shipping)
*2 Nursing Bras (A splurge: $107. Future post on bras, coming up...)

Total out of pocket cost for 2nd trimester: $144

My favorite non-maternity pick that pregnant ladies can buy now and still enjoy later: Yoga Pants from American Apparel. I already had a pair of these and I may buy another. So comfy!

LINKS!
Check out this page for some fun maternity dressing tips.
This site features sales on maternity brands and introduces new maternity lines.
Some more ideas for wearing non-maternity clothes during pregnancy.