MY MOST WORN ITEMS DURING A FALL/WINTER PREGNANCY

This pregnancy has been completely different than my first for a number of reasons… including, my wardrobe options. It’s been the complete opposite of my first and, honestly, I think harder. My first pregnancy, I was in the first trimester during the winter, second trimester during the spring, and then my final trimester during the summer. I loved being cozy in leggings and sweaters/sweatshirts while I had the worst of my morning sickness and then comfortable, loose dresses in the summer when I was at my biggest. (Plus wearing sandals and open toed shoes was a peace of cake, even with foot swelling!)

This time, I was in the peak of my morning sickness during the summer and felt so uncomfortable and bloated that even cute summer clothes couldn’t help. I did think it was fun to wear some fall things with my “cute” second trimester bump, though I desperately missed normal jeans and getting to do “normal” fall shopping. The hardest has been the winter. All I want to wear is leggings and sweatshirts and I just feel like I’m bumming around in the same stuff day after day. Also my feet are so swollen and I’m as hot as a furnace most days from hormones so I’m just struggling to feel comfortable.

I have been sharing what I wore in my daily outfit posts, so if you want to see everything I’ve worn, you can easily scroll through those posts. But I wanted to dedicate this post to my “MVPs” of a fall/winter pregnancy. These are the pieces that I couldn’t have gotten through my pregnancy without! These are the pieces I wore the most and felt the most comfortable in.

I’m going to add sizing notes, but I want to just acknowledge that sizing during pregnancy is pretty unique to the person. Everyone’s bumps are different as is weight gain/distribution. I tend to have a huge bump and gain more than average weight.

OUTERWEAR:

Quilted Coat // This coat was my go-to during the fall and on mild winter days. It didn’t exactly snap closed at a certain point, but it felt cute and fall-ish. I also loved the length. Will 100% wear this next year without a bump, too. (I wore one size up.)

Reversible Coat // Out of all my coats, this is what I wore the most. I think I wore it six out of seven days! It is surprisingly warm, reversible, and perfectly oversized. I could still button it over my larger-than-normal bump up until week 34! (I wore my normal size.)

Parka // I went back and forth on a maternity parka. I wasn’t sure if investing in one would. be worth it. I ended up finding this parka on sale and it fits over my bump and keeps me warm on extra cold days. I think I’ll most appreciate it postpartum during the peak winter cold months here in NJ. (I wore my normal size.)

COZY SWEATSHIRTS:

Oversized Sweatshirt // Every year I find an “emotional support sweatshirt” and this is mine for the 2023/2024 winter season, haha. It’s so oversized and fits my bump perfectly. (I wore my normal sweatshirt size, which is one size up.)

Varley Half-Zip // This is a super comfortable, sporty sweatshirt. It fit for all of my second trimester and only just started to feel a little short. (Though with my extra long tank tops, I can still wear it!) I will be living in this postpartum too! (I wore one size up.)

Vine Pullover // Wow, I love this pullover. It works shockingly well with a bump (even a big, big bump!!!). I can’t wait to wear it without a bump, too. Looking back, I wish I had gotten this sooner and in more colors because it’s become such a staple for me. (I wore one size up.)

UNDERGARMENTS:

Tank Tops // These tank tops were my RIDE OR DIE. I could not have survived this pregnancy wardrobe wise without them. Perfect to wear under cardigans, under sweatshirts, and on their own with PJ bottoms. They’re extra long so they fit over bumps beautifully, even without being maternity. (I wore one size up for 90% of my pregnancy and ended up ordering the next size up for the remainder of my pregnancy.)

White Tee // I used these white tees for layering under sweaters. Super comfortable and felt great on. I didn’t love how they looked, personally, on their own (my own body insecurities for sure), but layered it was perfect. (I wore one size up.)

Scoop Bra // My chest got so big, so fast this pregnancy. Definitely muscle memory from the first pregnancy/breastfeeding. I had to give up on my favorite regular bras quickly. I wore this scoop neck bra through my second trimester but eventually it was too tight. (I wore my normal size.)

Seamless Bra // Again, I missed my “real” bras, but these were a lifesaver during my first pregnancy and continued to be a go-to for me this time around. So comfortable and smoothing. (I wore my normal size.)

Seamless Thongs // These are the best. (I wore my normal size.)

Maternity Underwear // I wear these at night and find them so comfortable with my bump, no matter how big it gets. I got these originally for postpartum in my first pregnancy and they continue to serve me well! (I wore my normal size.)

PAJAMAS:

Lake Maternity PJs // Honestly, I was so hot for the first half of my pregnancy that I went to bed sans pajamas. These have been great for my third trimester. (I wore my normal LAKE size, which is one size up.)

TOPS:

Oversized Cardigan // I really loved oversized cardigans in general and they were perfect for pregnancy. I would wear them buttoned up or unbuttoned for different looks. I was impressed with this one, both for the price and quality. (I wore one size up.)

Striped Turtleneck // You can’t beat the price or style of this sweater! I got it in multiple colors and wore it once a week this fall and winter!

Wrap Sweater // A bit of a splurge, but loved this sweater for when I wanted to feel super comfortable and yet look a little more polished. I think I’m going to splurge on the grey for postpartum too. Worth every penny!!! (One size fits most.)

Turtleneck Sweater // These turtlenecks were such a pleasant surprise. I wore them all fall and winter. Crazy comfortable and looked great with a bump!! (One size fits most.)

Button Downs // These fit a little better during my first pregnancy, but I’m even better this time around. They are staples for me year round though, pregnant or not! They’re really great for postpartum too, especially if you’re planning to breastfeed. (I wore my normal size.)

BOTTOMS:

Lululemon Aligns // I bought these during my first pregnancy– they ended up being a staple for me during pregnancy, postpartum, and again during pregnancy. It’s shocking how stretchy they are. They just grow and grow and grow with my bump. Hands down the most comfortable thing in my repertoire. Worth every penny, trust me, if you’re pregnant. (I wore my normal size.)

Wide Legged Denim // I did a big purchase of maternity jeans this fall and loved everything I ordered. (When does that happen?!) These jeans ended up being my “most worn” namely because they are just that comfortable. Definitely felt like cheating because they were so stretchy they didn’t even feel like denim. (I wore my normal size.)

Straight Leg Denim // These were my next most worn pair of denim. Super comfortable and flattering! (I wore my normal size.)

DRESSES:

Turtleneck Sweater Dress // This was the dress I wore the most. It became my “go-to” dress anytime I needed to be a little more dressed up. LOVED it. (I wore one size up.)

Sweater Dress // I loved this dress throughout the fall and into the winter, too. So comfortable and it could be dressed up and down in so many different ways.

Knit Shirtdress // When I ordered this it was a bit of a risk; I had no idea if it would work with a bump or not. Turns out it’s perfect and was a favorite of mine for when I wanted to look cute!

SHOES:

Sneakers // These have been a go-to for me even outside of pregnancy. My feet have been pretty swollen this pregnancy (for MONTHS) and I have relied heavily on these sneakers. (I wore my normal size.)

New Balance Sneakers // I’ve had these for a year and I wear them pretty much every day at some point. Love how sporty they are!! (I wore my normal size.)

Clogs // I bought these clogs on a whim after wondering if I should for a while. I ended up loving them and they’ve been perfect for pregnancy. You will very likely catch me wearing these to give birth and wearing them home from the hospital too!! They pair perfectly with these socks. (I wore my normal size.)

Pointed Toe Ballet Flats // So many of my shoes don’t fit right now, so I had to splurge on a pair of comfortable flats I could wear when sneakers just won’t cut it. These (I wore one size up.)

Ugg Boots // A winter go-to pregnancy or not! (I wore one size down.)

Mary Janes // Again, my poor feet couldn’t handle much this pregnancy. When I had to wear something dressy, these were my go-to. They looked great with jeans and dresses.