Below, a guide of some of the best non-maternity dresses that will work for your pre-baby body, your baby-growing body, your post-baby body, and everything in between!
Prairie & Roomy
Most of the first trimester is spent in a sort of limbo: Between morning sickness and the uncertainties of those first few early weeks, you’re likely caught between wanting to shout your pregnancy from the rooftops while also wanting to keep it close to home. You probably won’t look any different at first, which will feel maddening considering how different you feel. There is also often the frustrating sensation of waking up with a relatively flat stomach and having a bump by the end of the day—very hard for wardrobe planning! I found the best dresses for this stage to be prairie-like styles since they were fitted up top for definition but with wiggle room in the body for whatever is happening on any particular day (or hour). (You could go with plain black or white, but there’s a wealth of cute prints in this section.) I relied heavily on a puff-sleeved La Ligne dress and smocked floral dresses from Dôen during this stage as they were comfortable and made me feel instantly put-together. These dresses are also ideal for the final countdown stages of pregnancy as they will have enough space in the flowy material to cover your blossoming basketball!
Knit Stretch
Sweater dresses might not seem like the best option for a growing baby bump but once the bump has made its’ official appearance, a tight knit dress is actually the ideal way to show it off. This usually happens in the second trimester (a.k.a. the “golden age” of pregnancy) when typically the sickness has passed and left behind an adorable baby bump, just the right size to showcase in a slim fitting dress. A fitted knit piece like any from Khaite or Toteme is also a great option if you’re really feeling your bump and want to show it off and work equally well after the baby has arrived when you want a little extra stretch for your post-baby boobs!
Loose Shirtdresses
Sometimes when pregnant the only thing you want to be is comfortable: Think loose, flowy silhouettes and anything in the caftan or cotton poplin category. Garments with a removable belt or tie are ideal here as you can cinch them up for a bit of definition or remove the tie and wear it loosely. I absolutely lived in Jenni Kayne’s James dress throughout my pregnancy—it was perfectly belted in the early days and loose and flowy when I needed it most at the end. Anything with buttons is great for breastfeeding or pumping too; I loved a shirt dress from my Sleeper dresses for this and Zara always has a great selection of button down dresses ideal for breastfeeding.
Fitting for an Occasion
If any fancier occasions fall during pregnancy, an empire waist is the way to go, Agua by Agua Bendita has some beautiful options. A fancied up caftan is also an excellent evening wear option, anything with a loose silhouette but jazzed up details like feathered sleeves or a bejeweled collar will allow you room for both you and the bump to breathe easily throughout the night and hopefully even dance!
Sun Dresses
If any part of your pregnancy falls in Spring or Summer then sundresses are your best friend. Easy to throw on, sun dresses typically don’t have much in the way of zippers or buttons so there should be plenty of give wherever you need it. Dresses with a tie belt are also ideal as you can adjust them above your bump to still give your look a bit of definition if needed or forgo the belt all together if it feels too constricting.