Dressing for pregnancy is hard.
There’s trying to figure out how to adjust to a figure that’s changing on a weekly (no, make that daily) basis. There’s trying to avoid spending too much money on clothing you’ll wear for five months or less. There’s guessing what size you’ll be at what season, and figuring out how to layer to make that outfit you bought for when it’s hot and you’re huge work for now (when it’s chilly and you’re not quite huge yet.) There’s trying to strike just the right balance between comfort and style.
It’s hard.
One thing I’ve found, as a mostly-skirt-wearing-woman, is that skirts are an absolute lifesaver.
My pre-pregnancy pants stopped fitting somewhere around the end of the first trimester – and while I wore them for a little while with zipper unzipped and a belly band covering, it wasn’t long before I needed maternity pants.
Skirts, on the other hand, don’t have that pesky crotch that forces the waistline to a specific place. You can wear them high over the belly (if they’re flowing) or low under the belly (if they’re more fitted or if you find it more comfortable that way.
In addition to being easy to wear, skirts are wonderful for a variety of weather. If it’s cold outside, you can always throw a pair of tights, leggings, or pants underneath. If it’s warm, you can go bare-legged and enjoy the breeze.
One extra benefit – if you’re a leaker, you don’t necessarily have to resort to pads around the house. If you leak a little, you can just change your underpants without having to worry about changing your “over”pants as well. (TMI? Maybe. But this is pregnancy we’re talking about here – plenty of potentially embarrassing material to cover.)
I’ve had to retire a few skirts so far this pregnancy due to length issues (I generally prefer to wear a waisted skirt high over the bump and an elastic-waist skirt low; if the skirt is waisted and short, it gets a little TOO short once it’s over the bump) – but I’ve still got almost a dozen skirts that I’m still wearing, and expect to continue wearing for at least another month or two.
BONUS: My sister-in-law was giving away a strapless maxi-dress and I grabbed it on a whim, thinking it might make a good pregnancy skirt. I’ve been wearing the elasticized part (that’s supposed to go over the breasts) over my bump and and letting the skirt (which is supposed to start just below the breasts) hang just below my bump. It gives me the security of coverage while still letting me have a maxi-skirt. This tip probably only works for tall gals like myself, but I’ve found it to be wonderful.
Did you wear skirts during your pregnancy? What are your best tips for overcoming the clothing hurdles of pregnancy?