As I form, I’m with my following baby—a boy—due in October. At the beginning of my pregnancy, I was erroneously excited about summers pregnancy clothing. With my first, I was super-pregnant in the winter month, which meant my design was generally bulky sweaters and leggings…kind of mundane. Summer maternity clothing sounded more flowy, light and freeing. But as it turns out, it’s proven extremely hard to find stylish maternity wear that I can put on when temp hit the lower 100s (um, yes, that’s how warm the “real feeling” was in Brooklyn this year).
That is, until I started shopping for non-maternity models. Also non-pregnant people have gotten very belly-friendly in recent years, and I’m here for it, whether you like it or not. In other words, I’m looking for convenience, utility and clothes that don’t hug my number, but instead promote breathability through image, material or design.
Here are the three places I’ve been visiting this summers.
ME+EM
The first is from ME+EM, and it can be worn belted or not in their name cloth fabric. (This style will totally resurrect when I’m postpartum and ready to celebrate my waist.) I love this gown for its ergonomics, but also the fact that it comes with fashion-forward detailing—like the fabric at the collar—that makes it uniquely not pregnancy use.
Xirena
Next off, this diaphanous, airy dress from Xirena,. In its rosy tint, it feels strong and beautiful, but even bump-friendly. (That said, I love the other colors, too.) I followed the length guidelines, according to my pre-pregnancy match, and found this type also came with plenty of material freedom. Also, the built-in neck hit my 5’2″ frame just below my stomach, which gave it the feeling of an empire style—a picture that maximizes comfort during childbirth, according to a for another narrative about maternity wear.
Hill House
Finally, the ever-iconic, which lo and behold, is now marketed as bump-friendly on their website. Indeed, I keep reaching for it in various colors throughout the week thanks to the elastic waist and flexible chest smocking. The dress already has a bit of room in it because the fit already runs a little large (the advice has always been to go down if you’re in between sizes). However, I value its breathability and stretch. OK, the pockets, too.