Pregnancy can be a hard time to consider fashion, and with maternity clothing that is so expensive, it can be hard on the pocket too.

But every woman should have at least one outfit she can wear during pregnancy that makes her feel comfortable and feel good about the way she looks while pregnant, long gone are the days when maternity dresses were long and boring.

Certain styles look especially good on pregnant women such as A-line skirts, empire-waist dresses and tops, and pencil skirts paired with swingy shirts.

If you are feeling really self-conscious about your changing body accentuate other parts of your body that you feel more comfortable with.

To get people to notice your neck and shoulders choose a shirt with a ballet-cut or bateau neckline, or dress all in one color and add a scarf or some other stunning accessory.

Then people will notice your accessories and after your pregnancy you won’t feel bad that you spent money on them because you can keep on wearing them.

Some accessories could be a brightly colored piece of jewelry, a pair of shoes that match your handbag, or a button-up sweater.

A money-saving tip for maternity clothing shopping is to avoid impulse buying. Make a list of a few must-have items that can go with almost everything.

For stay-at-home moms this list may include a pair of overall maternity jeans, a pair of dressy black pants, a black or some other universal colored skirt, two shirts, and a casual dress.

For working moms you will probably need to add two or three more skirts, another pair of dressy pants and a couple more shirts.

This should be good for your initial shopping trip, then on later shopping trips try to buy things that will match what you already have, and try to limit what you get later to just one or two items.

Another tip is to buy clothes that have a style that matches the style you wore before your pregnancy. You’ll feel better about the way you look and be more likely to keep the clothing for your next pregnancy, which will save you money.

Knowing what to look for in maternity clothes can be a bit frustrating. A woman’s body changes dramatically in just a few short months, and if you buy the wrong kind of clothing you may end up buying a lot more maternity clothes than are necessary.

When looking for pants keep in mind that your belly will grow and your rise (the length between your crotch and waist) so when you are trying on pants see if it can accommodate for these growths.

When looking for shirts keep in mind that pregnant women grow in their chest, back, arms and belly, but not across their shoulders.

You will want to look for shirts that still fit your shoulders but have room in those other areas. Just buying a larger sized shirt will mean that the shoulder area is bigger and will make you look bigger than you are.

You will also want to look for material that stretches, and is easily washable.

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