Since I am 23 weeks pregnant (!) with my first child (the gender is a surprise), I decided to share some maternity style tips and picks with you! I have heard from lots of women that pregnancy styling is tough, and now that I’m pregnant, it’s much easier to help them out! At about 20 weeks, I had to start wearing some maternity clothes, mostly jeans, but I am figuring out what “normal” clothes I can still get away with wearing. I’m not looking to spend $$$ on clothes I’ll wear for such a short period of time! Here are a few tips for staying stylish throughout your pregnancy:

The elastic band trick

Loop a rubber band around the button hole of your jeans, stretch it around the button and wrap around the button. I personally wasn’t a huge fan of this trick, and only did it a couple of times. But, it’s a great way to get more wear out of your regular jeans when your tummy hasn’t expanded that much yet.

Stretchy fabrics are your friend

I am still able to wear my tank tops, workout clothes, body con dresses, and undershirts from pre-pregnancy because they include stretchy fabrics, like spandex, Lycra and elastane. I’m nervous to wear them too far into my pregnancy because I don’t want them to stretch out, but for now, they work.

Steer clear of baby doll styles

Not too long ago, most maternity wear was empire waist and baby doll styles. Not only do these styles make you look larger than you are, they are youthful. Youthful doesn’t cut it when you’re trying to maintain a sophisticated and chic look! The one exception might be a swing-style coat.

Pay attention to length

The main reason I’m finding that some of my clothes no longer work for my growing belly is length. Tops that normally hit mid-thigh and most dresses that are normally just above the knee or longer, are now much shorter with my belly, but they still work. The ones that were roomier to begin with are best.

I’m sure you’ll hear more from me once my belly gets bigger! In the meantime, here is a full catalog of my maternity picks. Comment below with any of your faves that I missed!