As you probably know, the psychic turmoil of figuring out what to wear can literally throw off your entire morning. The never-ending feeling of “I have nothing to wear” can be draining — not to mention completely time-consuming when you’re trying to get ready for work. Factor in being 32 weeks pregnant at the height of the summer months, and getting dressed goes from being a struggle to an all-out battle. Luckily, however, I just found the maternity dress that saved my wardrobe, not to mention my sanity.
I live in Boston, which has been consistently cold and rainy throughout the spring this year. For that reason, I spent the majority of my second trimester wearing leggings and oversized tank tops, and it worked at the time. But now that summer is officially here, leggings have started to feel less comfortable and more like a torture device. I knew I needed another go-to pregnancy wardrobe staple.
Shopping for maternity clothes isn’t always easy; most options are overpriced or just straight-up frumpy. I want to be pregnant and stylish, and I don’t think those things should be mutually exclusive. I’ve discovered ways around these conundrums, like buying non-maternity maxi dresses in a size bigger than my regular fit. But on a recent trip to Target, I found myself browsing the maternity section where I found what has become my favorite dress of the summer.
Liz Lange Maternity Tank Dress, $25, Target
The item of clothing in question is a tank dress from Target’s Liz Lange maternity line, and it only costs $25, which seems pretty reasonable for a dress. The best part is that it comes in multiple colors: dark pink, turquoise, light grey, and dark grey. Actually, I lied — the best part is the fact that it is comfy AF. The stretchy polyester/spandex material allows plenty of room for my bump, and it’s form-fitting enough that it almost feels like a body-con style.
Being pregnant or being a mom doesn’t mean you have to give up the pieces of yourself that you love — and I certainly plan on trying to feel cute and stylish every step of the way.
When you're pregnant, your instinct might be to select a dress that’s baggy and roomy. But that can often be super unflattering effect, because it can easily look like you’re wearing a potato sack. Contrary to what I initially thought about maternity clothes, the more form-fitting, the more flattering they are. And this dress is indeed form-fitting.
I initially bought the dress in pink, and I quickly realized that it would become my summer uniform. I started wearing it all the time — out to dinner with my husband, to the grocery store on a Sunday afternoon, during the week while I was working. I actually began doing laundry more often just so I could wear it as much as I wanted without feeling like a slob. It quickly became apparent that I needed another one, so I drove to Target the other day and picked up the turquoise version as well. And truth be told, I think I’ll just cave and buy the rest of the colors because summer is just getting started, and I’ve got two more months to go before this baby’s here.
Truth be told, when it comes to wearing something that helps you feel like yourself during pregnancy, there’s really no price limit (though it does help that this dress is hella cheap). And now that I’m past the “honeymoon” phase of the second trimester, I will literally do almost anything if it means feeling physically comfortable. The fact that this dress manages to achieve both things — I feel like me and I’m not uncomfortable in my own skin — makes it worth every dollar. And who knows? Maybe these dresses will look just as cute postpartum underneath little denim jackets or vests. Being pregnant or being a mom doesn’t mean you have to give up the pieces of yourself that you love — and I certainly plan on trying to feel cute and stylish every step of the way.
