Maternity Shopping with Mommysaurus

If the choice had been mine, I would've spent my entire pregnancy in sweatpants and Led Zepplin t-shirts--both of which I have a hearty collection.  Point is, I would've spent no money on maternity clothes if I didn't have to.  Sadly, this could not be my reality.  My job as a public school teacher required me to wear professional attire which meant that, much as I didn't want to, I had to somehow acquire a fair amount of maternity clothes. And, in spite of what you may have heard about public school teachers' salaries on the news lately, I didn't have much money to spend.  But I've always been a resourceful gal, so I managed to find a few tricks to maximize my maternity wardrobe without breaking my bank.  I hope you find them just as useful as I did!



Don't Be Afraid to Shop at Consignment Stores
My local Salvation Army thrift shop was my best friend during my pregnancy.  I got a majority of my work clothes here.  The best part was that they were in 'like new' condition because they were all so gently used.  I was able to get maternity dresses, dress slacks, and dress shirts--most for around $3 apiece!  And don't forget to check out the plus size section as well as maternity.  I found a great empire waist dress that tied in back that I was able to wear for my entire pregnancy.  I also scored a very cool vintage red wool cape (totally bohemian-chic!) that served as my winter coat when my belly was enormous and it only cost $6.99.  Another perk of consignment shopping for maternity clothes is that you can pay it forward by re-donating your items that are still in good condition.

Plan Ahead for Seasonal Clearance
I found out I was pregnant last May, so with the knowledge that I would be in need of fall/winter maternity wear, I was able to take advantage of some deep discounts on the previous winter's clothes still on clearance racks at local department stores.  My favorite spot for this was Kohl's.  By May some of the coolest looks from the previous winter were discounted at 80, sometimes 90 percent.  I bought basic pieces and some fun things I liked at huge discounts and simply set them aside for when I'd really need them.


Put on Your Brave Face and Venture to a Motherhood Maternity Outlet
I learned quickly that Motherhood outlets are not for the weak.  It requires a strong will and an even temper to survive shopping at these establishments, but it you can do it, you'll find some great discounts.  A word of warning: the saleswomen will follow you around and they will try to push on you scads of merchandise you neither need nor want.  Oh, and do not under any circumstances sign up for any mailing lists or allow them to have your phone number--I'm still getting calls from unwanted solicitors because Motherhood gave them my number.  That being said, if you can ignore these gnats they call saleswomen, you can make out like a bandit at the 'as is' racks.  Find the irregularity before you buy.  Most of the things I found had slightly crooked hemlines or a small, easily fixable, hole on one of the seams.  I was able to purchase multiple items with miniscule imperfections at $10 or less each.

Post on Your Facebook or Other Social Media Page
Incredibly frustrated by my lack of pants that fit by the end of this past summer, I posted on my Facebook Page "Really wish I had some pregnant-lady pants that fit!" and lo and behold one of my girlfriends who I hadn't talked to in quite some time, sent me a message saying I was welcome to all of her maternity clothes--she'd just had a baby that spring.   After some quick coordination, she dropped off a large bag full of very trendy maternity clothes at my house.

Invest in a Few Basics
In my entire pregnancy, there were only two items for which I paid full price: one pair of maternity jeans and one black maternity wrap dress.  I'm a jean girl so that one good pair of jeans got a lot of use.  And of course, jeans go with just about anything--dress them up, dress them down--it's easy to get dozens of different looks out of just one pair.  The dress, however, was by far my best investment.  My husband is a high school band director and I was gigantic and pregnant during concert/banquet season--not to mention holiday season.  I wore that same black dress to countless functions this winter and no one ever noticed because I accessorized it differently each time.  Sometimes I'd wear it with red jewelry and shoes; sometimes I'd pair it with fun, patterned tights or leggings; sometimes I'd dress it down just a little by putting a colored tank on underneath it so that the color would show through at the neckline.  Two or three basics can really stretch your wardrobe a long way.

These were the tricks that got me through my pregnancy on my tight budget.  I'd love to hear your ideas and feedback. And, of course, happy shopping!

Regards,
Mommysaurus Rex