How To Dress Your Pregnancy Bump When Maternity Clothes Are Trash

ADPR. The vast majority of maternity clothes are either navy, striped, or navy striped... And I'm not okay with it. Have brands not heard that variety is the spice of life? Generally speaking, maternity clothes are trash, which is why I started looking for maternity clothes which aren't typical maternity clothes.

_{Originally published in May 2021. Updated in January 2026 to reflect current pregnancy styling options and non-maternity alternatives.}

Why I Believe Maternity Clothes Are Trash

There are various reasons why I believe maternity clothes are trash. The main reason being, not feeling like myself. I feel so much more passionate about not losing who I am during this pregnancy. During my first I succumbed to every thing possible during pregnancy. I found it hard to adjust & felt like my body was just a vessel for our baby. This time however I'm putting my foot down. I refuse to lose myself and a huge part of that is ditching the maternity clothes.

1. The Loss Of Identity

Finding the right wardrobe to see you through your pregnancy can be really hard work. What's already a pretty difficult time for a woman, can be made even harder by struggling to keep your identity through your wardrobe.

I'm currently six months into my second pregnancy and although I feel much more secure in myself, I've still struggled to keep my identity throughout this pregnancy. It took me a long time to redefine my personal style after becoming a mum. I felt lost in who I was and I most definitely don't want to go back there.

The long and short of it is, I don't want to cover myself up in trashy maternity clothes.

2. Maternity Clothes Don't Offer Much Choice

Variety was my biggest bug bearer when searching for maternity clothes online. Like I said in the introduction it seems that if you don't like navy or stripes, then you're going to really struggle.

It felt quite demoralising traipsing around the internet for nice pieces of maternity clothing. ! I mean, the internet is a pretty big place right, and I felt like I couldn't find one single piece which felt like me. It was so soul destroying!

3. Maternity Clothes Can Be So Expensive

I'm not the most frugal person on the planet, although that being said I do like to think I know a bargain when I see one... And you certainly won't find that in the maternity clothes section.

Being pregnant is kind of like organising a wedding. In the sense that if you stick the word 'maternity' on the front of something it seems to double the price. Now don't get me wrong, there are some very luxurious brand who offer some wonderful maternity pieces, but for me I just can't part with my cash. Not for something I'll only get a few months wear out of. Brands such as Seraphine for example offer great quality, but I could never bring myself to drop £60 on a dress I'd be wearing for such a short amount of time... Especially when we have a new baby to prepare *pay* for.

Why So Many Women Avoid Traditional Maternity Clothes

For many women like myself, maternity wear hasn’t evolved at the same pace as everyday fashion. Which is why so many of us turn to non-maternity alternatives during pregnancy.

• Limited style choice: Traditional maternity ranges often prioritise function over design, leaving people feeling disconnected from their personal style at a time when confidence already fluctuates.
• Short wear window: With pregnancy lasting just a few months, many women don’t want to invest in an entirely new wardrobe they’ll only wear briefly.
• Better non-maternity options: Stretch fabrics, oversized tailoring, and elasticated waistbands have become mainstream, making standard high-street pieces far more bump-friendly than they once were.

From my experience writing about fashion and lifestyle for over a decade, this shift away from maternity specific clothing has been one of the most consistent trends I’ve seen... And it’s only become more pronounced in recent years.

How To Dress Your Pregnancy Bump When Maternity Clothes Are Trash

So how do you dress your pregnancy bump? That's the question. Or for me it was how do I dress my bump and still feel like myself.

Maternity clothes are trash, but it most certainly doesn't mean you have to feel like trash throughout your pregnancy.

1. Choose Outerwear Which Still Feels Like You

I quickly realised that I could still feel like me and wear clothing items I liked through my choice of outerwear. I'm not the most stylish person in the world, but I still rely quite heavily on feeling myself through my wardrobe. I've found the older I've gotten the more self assured I've become & I don't want to lose this through trashy maternity clothes.

You can still wear jackets or shackets (shirt jackets, mind blown) to give your outfit a bit of personality. If they button up great, if not I really don't think it's a big deal. I personally prefer the unbuttoned look, which at this point in my life works perfectly! Hallelujah!

This lilac checked shacket works amazingly as it's already oversized meaning not only is it a style I'd usually go for, but it'll see me right through my pregnancy too. I'm wearing my usual size here & it's still got plenty of growing room for me and baby.

I'd even hazard a guess and say If I wanted to I reckon I could button this up at 40 weeks. Hold me to it, I'm confident!

2. Choose Clever Cuts

There's a tongue twister if ever I heard one! By choosing clever cuts of clothing (heck that's even worse) you can potentially wear the same item of clothing pre-pregnancy, during pregnancy & post pregnancy. In fact, I bet you've got items in your wardrobe already that are suitable.

This side split knitted jumper works perfectly as the splits up either side will accommodate for your growing bump. Again I chose my usual size with this sweater and it fits brilliantly.

This will no doubt be a staple in my wardrobe over the coming months. I have lots of oversized hoodies, but this piece offers an un-elasticated bottom meaning it'll be so comfortable throughout the full 40 weeks. I also think this will be a great addition to my hospital bag & wardrobe post baby when my body's figuring out what on Earth it's doing.

3. Choose Comfort

I've felt much heavier and much more uncomfortable during my second pregnancy than I did in the first. This means I've been prioritising clothing pieces that are comfy and make me feel good.... Loungewear!

Loungewear is a great place to start when looking for maternity clothes. It's true what they say that comfort is key, and for me loungewear is the key! The connotations of loungewear being frumpy, drab and unkempt couldn't be further from the truth, you just need to know how to level it up.

I've found knitted pieces to be not only the most comfortable, but the most stylish too. This off the shoulder knitted loungewear set makes me feel sassy, feminine & exactly like the person I was before pregnancy. I sized up in this piece, although if I'm honest I could have probably gotten away with my usual size... For now!

Although there's a lot of stretch the the material, I think by the time I reach 40 weeks I'll be grateful for sizing up.

The Moral Of The Story

Maternity clothes are trash, but you most certainly don't have to feel like trash during your pregnancy. Whatever your style I really believe you can keep your personal style throughout pregnancy... You just have to be clever about it!

Writing this during my own pregnancy completely changed how I thought about clothes and comfort, and many of the styling approaches here are ones I relied on daily.

What do you think about maternity clothes? Do you feel like you've lost yourself or your sense of style through pregnancy?