I've been pregnant twice. That's me 37 weeks pregnant in 2013 with my daughter Violet above - photo courtesy of Hailey Kemper of Wildflower Photography in Charlotte, NC. I loved dressing to show off the bump once I had it. Who says being pregnant means being frumpy? Not me! And you don't have to either. There are so many stylish options available out there to fit every budget. This is not a shopping guide for maternity sessions - if you're interested in reserving a maternity session with me, I have a fabulous studio wardrobe of beautiful pieces available to my clients. As part of the client experience, I conduct pre-session consultations where we go through your clothing together or go on a shopping trip if you prefer to purchase something yourself.
If you're in the Atlanta area, there are some great places to shop for maternity clothing. Since maternity clothing is really only worn for a relatively short time, breaking the bank to buy an entire new wardrobe isn't an option for most.
I'm 6 feet tall, so Gap's maternity clothes were a lifesaver because of their options for tall women. If you sign up for Gap's emails, they often have 35-40% off codes. I loved their jeans and their perfect fit maternity tank. I also bought some regular non-maternity foldover maxi skirts from Gap that were wonderful for pregnancy and afterwards. These clothes lasted through two pregnancies and still have life in them for my third, whenever that happens.
I haven't personally shopped there, but H&M has some great maternity options. I have several good friends who love H&M maternity clothing and rave about it. I've heard that it's a great option for more petite women, so if you're on the shorter side, definitely check them out!
Old Navy is another budget option. I loved their linen maternity shorts the summer I was pregnant with my second daughter. They weren't too hot to wear, and the waist panel was extremely comfortable. I also loved Old Navy's regular jersey tanks in long. They actually fit me for my entire pregnancies even though they weren't maternity. Old Navy's quality isn't at the same level of Gap though, so be prepared for the clothing to fade with washing or shrink. Their regular maternity shirts did not work for me for this reason!
If price is not as much of a concern and you want a dress that is simple and incredibly chic, Isabella Oliver makes amazing and comfortable maternity clothes that can be worn even after you're not pregnant. I have several pieces from Isabella Oliver and the quality is amazing. I'm wearing an Isabella Oliver dress in my maternity photo at the beginning of this post. The clothes are super comfortable too, which is key when you're not! If you fall in love with their maternity clothes, they have a sister line called Baukjen that is non maternity. Did I mention I'm a huge fan of both?!
Izzy Maternity has two locations in Atlanta as well and they are a boutique store with wonderful employees that can help you pick out the perfect outfit for a wedding, or just around town. They carry fun accessories too, and have locations in both Alpharetta and in Atlanta at Peachtree Battle shopping center.
A Pea in the Pod (located in Phipps Plaza) also has a great selection and sometimes awesome finds on their clearance rack. A budget tip is to look in Macy's maternity department over at Lenox Mall. They often have the exact same pieces but at much less. They often have free shipping deals online… and sometimes I would just order enough to meet the minimum for free shipping, try on at home, and return in store. Sometimes there just isn't enough time to go shopping! :)
