Today I’m sharing my favorite floral jumpsuit for the end of high Summer and talking about my approach to maternity wear. I’m sharing my shopping tips and what I look for when picking out bump friendly items that you’ll be able to wear during and post pregnancy.

jumpsuit // sandals // bag // shades // earrings (c/o)

I hope you all are rested and relaxed after a long Labor Day weekend. I’ve gotten a lot of questions about my “maternity” outfits lately so I wanted to make today’s post all about how I’m surviving, shopping and still wearing a red floral jumpsuit like this one. I put maternity in quotes because I’ve managed to limit my true maternity wear to 5 items: these white jeans, blue jeans, black leggings and these grey ones plus this pair of shorts. It has been my mission from the beginning to get by on normal clothing for as long as possible. I have nothing against traditional maternity styles. I just didn’t see a point in dropping so much money on items I would only wear for a very short season of my life. Even if you’re planning on multiple children, you may rack up a total of 12 months in them and that to me just isn’t worth the price you pay for the quality maternity wear.

As I mentioned earlier, I’ve gone out of my way to avoid true maternity wear at all costs. The few pieces I have purchased have been very inexpensive and they are really comfortable. I must admit, there is something so comforting about a waistband that comes all the way up to your bra. It’s also fun to see the look on your husband’s face when he sees you in said pants for the first time. What was I getting at? Oh yeah! Instead of loading up on stretchy waist everything and a-line tops , I opted for flowy dresses, looser boho style tops and drawstring waist shorts to get me through the Summer months. This is a luxury you have if the majority of your pregnancy spans May – September like mine did. If you’re looking at the other side of the calendar, don’t worry, I have my two biggest months ahead and will be shopping for fall additions (leggings and sweaters) too and already have my plan in place. Be sure to check back for that post!

Now for the tips you really came here for. Let me start by saying my approach to maternity wear is not the easiest. I’ve spend a lot of time shopping online and reading product descriptions to figure out what is going to work with the bump. The good news is now you don’t have to!

HOW TO SHOP FOR BUMP FRIENDLY CLOTHING

Know Your Body Type: This should be pretty straight forward, but may not be so obvious to some. I know, hands down, what works for my body type- baby or not. In the world of online shopping this is so important to figure out. Otherwise, you will be spending your life processing returns. I have trained myself to understand how things look on models and how that will translate to me. Most sites note the model’s height and what size they are wearing. Use this as a starting point and adjust your size based on what you have in common. For example: I know I’m only about 2-3 inches off from most retail models height but pack a little more junk in the trunk than their typically straight figures. So, I know the length will be comparable give or take a few inches, but if it is a more fitting style anywhere from the hips down, I should probably size up. If it is an empire waist or smocked top with a roomy fit like on this floral jumpsuit, I can probably stick with my normal size. For reference: I’m wearing a small in this jumpsuit for reference and am still wearing it at 32 weeks pregnant.

Shop by Silhouette: While it is really killing me to be missing out on so many great Summer silhouettes and trendy high waist styles, I know those absolutely won’t work with the bump or my weight gain. It’s just not going to happen this year so don’t torture yourself. Look for those empire waist or swing dresses. Also look for column midi and maxi dresses as they tend to have a looser fit overall. Simply purchase one size up and you should be good for the majority of your pregnancy.

Find a Brand and Stick with It: You may have seen on instagram or IG stories how much I love Free People (not sponsored). They are a brand that I loved before pregnancy and now have a whole new appreciation for. They are the only brand that has allowed me to stay in the same size all throughout my pregnancy. I purchased this dress, this top in cream and purple and today’s floral jumpsuit all in my pre-baby sizes. I know Free People works for me so when I’m looking for something new, I start with them.

Go One Size Up: I am pretty firm on this rule if you truly want to be able to utilize your “maternity wear” postpartum. You can go two sizes up in just about anything and wear non-maternity clothes all 9 or 10 months, but they will most likely look boxy or sloppy once your body bounces back. Sticking with one size up gives you bump friendly options for now, and looser more relaxed fitting items later that still look effortlessly chic.

MATERNITY BRANDS I’M LOVING

In case you’re saying that’s all good and well but “where can I just get my maternity wear?” I’ve got you covered. Below are the sites I’ve shopped most often and have had good luck finding cute things.

ASOS – They have great basics and dresses for special occasions. We have two weddings in October (right before due day) and I’m definitely planning on picking one from here once I get a better idea of the weather. They also have a great assortment of maternity jeans.

H&M – My go-to place for jeans! I got my white pair here and have been living in them non-stop. Seriously, I wear them at least one to two times per week. They have some fun dresses to try too.

NORDSTROM – For a little bit of everything I really like Nordstrom. They are definitely my department store pick for maternity wear. You have to order everything online, but they have a good selection of tops, dresses, bottoms and loungewear.

SHOP BOP – They are great for those good quality maternity pieces I mentioned at the beginning of this post. I am totally in love with the HATCH brand (again, not sponsored, just honest). If I could afford all their stuff I would completely abandon my strategy, at least for their modified version. Every piece of Hatch clothing is specifically designed to be worn during and post pregnancy. They just take all the work out of it.