The Ultimate Guide to Maternity Workwear: 9 Must-Haves For Every Pregnant Woman

The task at hand is workwear. Specifically, workwear that’s intruded by growing an actual human around one’s midsection. Pregnancy, it seems, has decided to throw a literal bump into my daily workwear dressing. That’s fine—two can style the maternity workwear game. Today, I’m breaking down the core essentials for styling your work days during pregnancy. Below, you’ll find the nine essential maternity items every professional woman needs to make it through nine months of working and growing a human, along with all of my favorite picks for each category.

Overall Tips for Maternity Dressing

Maybe the most fun part of pregnancy dressing is that it is a perpetually moving target. Your waistline is always growing, so you want to invest in pieces that grow with you. For example, in the first few months, you might be able to just size up in your favorite fitted wool sheath dress, but three weeks later, that’s not going to fly anymore. Save your money for the items that you can wear throughout your pregnancy.

A second overall tip to keep in mind is a trick for styling your ever-changing curves: As your body grows and you become increasingly curvy, I find that accessories with clean lines and angles make maternity looks feel more balanced. This includes everything from a chic belt with a square buckle, to blazers with angular shoulders and a structured cut. These items offer a nice aesthetic contrast to your figure which is becoming more and more round—as it should be!

Essential Workwear Must-Haves

Without further ado, let’s get into the workwear essentials that will allow you to look polished and professional at the office while still being comfortable throughout your pregnancy.

1. Flowy Blouses

I actually recommend flowy blouses to everyone, especially for those who are pregnant. You want to reserve the right to tell people (especially coworkers) that you are pregnant however and whenever you are ready. Even early in the first trimester when you’re not really “showing” but your midsection is a bit beyond what your normal fitted pieces can handle, flowy blouses are perfect. They are a solid workwear investment before and after pregnancy as well.

2. Blazers

Blazers are your workplace best friend always, but especially throughout pregnancy. They make concealing your mid-section in the first trimester so much easier, but they’re also a killer option throughout the later stages of pregnancy. When it comes to maternity workwear in general, I typically like to think of it in layers, with blazers acting as the icing on top that holds everything together. On top, blazers balance and elevate loose or stretchy base layers to make the overall look perfectly professional.

3. Long Cardigans

This won’t come as a surprise, but comfort is key during pregnancy. Not only are long cardigans and dusters comfortable and cozy pending any overzealous office air conditioning, but minimizing discomfort by dressing in anticipation of it is a smart plan of action.

Top Online Stores for Maternity Clothes

I prefer to shop online for my clothes, shoes, and accessories. Here are the favorite online stores to shop for maternity clothes based on quality and selection:

You’ll likely see a trend—so many favorite maternity clothes can be found at Nordstrom (a.k.a. the mothership). Whether you’re concerned about miscarriage risks or simply aware of the harsh realities some women face when pregnant in the workplace, you deserve to look and feel your best.