The Best Maternity Clothes, Recommended By Fashion Insiders And Moms

Best for: 

• Building a capsule wardrobe
• Unique, stylish pieces
• Styles that grow with the bump

Skip if: 

• You’re on a tight budget

If you want to buy yourself a stylish capsule collection for your pregnancy, we recommend Ingrid + Isabel. The brand has a wide selection of basics and fashionable pieces alike, from shower-ready dresses to professional pieces for feeling put-together at the office. We found the garments’ construction and materials to be good quality, holding up well after plenty of wears and washes. 

“I received tons of compliments whenever I wore the Close Knit Midi Maternity Sweater Dress, and it works postpartum, too,” says Badore. 

Best for: 

• Wardrobe basics
• Pieces that transition from maternity to postpartum
• Higher-end fabrics at lower cost

Skip if: 

• You’re looking for vibrant colors

Quince is a favorite with Forbes Vetted editors because it offers affordable garments made with more luxury materials like organic cotton and cashmere. Karen Tietjen, our senior updates editor and a mom of two, says it was one of her favorite maternity brands when she was pregnant. “In addition to being made with higher-end materials, many of these basics come in multipacks, which provided more value,” she says.

“I’m also a fan,” says Badore. “The brand’s organic cotton button down was a staple of my maternity wardrobe. It’s great for layering but also looks crisp on its own.”

Best for: 

• Casual, everyday pieces
• Accessible and affordable options
• Basics for layering

Skip if: 

• You’re looking for more polished and elevated pieces

In addition to being a great value, one of the best things about Gap Maternity clothing is that it’s a one-stop shop for looking polished and put together. From underwear and pajamas, to tops and jeans like the ones shown here, the brand has a wide range of styles designed to fit every stage of pregnancy and postpartum. "I love Gap for affordable, easily accessible maternity clothes, especially basics. The quality is decent, and certainly enough to get you through the ‘bump months’ without having to spend a fortune," says Tietjen. 

Best for: 

• More diverse colorways
• Durable clothing that can withstand lots of washing
• Lounging or working out

Skip if: 

• You’d prefer to spend less on maternity wear

Beyond Yoga offers a range of activewear designed with baby bumps in mind, from tanks and sweatshirts to sporty tennis skirts and bike shorts. After testing, the Spacedye Love the Bump Midi Maternity Leggings are our top pick for maternity workout leggings because they’re soft, completely opaque and can hold up to frequent spins through the washing machine. Beyond Yoga also has more pastel and bold colors than other top maternity brands, so that’s a plus if you prefer something other than basic black.

Best for: 

• Loungewear that doesn’t look like loungewear
• Basics in a variety of colors
• Lightweight picks to help you stay cool

Skip if: 

• You’re looking for XS or XL sizing

Pinkblush Maternity has a lot of activewear that can be worn everywhere, like this cute tennis racerback romper dress. The styles are also available in a wide variety of colors—the romper dress comes in 17 colors. If you want to be comfortable but still look put together or move seamlessly from prenatal yoga to brunch without having to change your outfit, Pinkblush Maternity has tons of great options. 

Best for: 

• Transitioning from pregnancy to postpartum
• Soft and breezy styles
• Luxurious loungewear

Skip if: 

• Might run too small for some
• You need more size and colorway options

“People tend to overlook that you’ll be spending a lot of time at home and want to be comfortable, even in pajamas, so I love to recommend Petite Plume,” says Teich. In addition to sleep tanks, pajama shorts and long pants, the brand also sells maternity robes and nightgowns. The tanks have snap-down straps that make them nursing-friendly, and the fabric is wonderfully soft. The colorways in the brand’s maternity collection are fairly limited to classics like navy, a soft pink, a heather grey and a light blue with the occasional pattern mixed in, and we did notice that some of the more popular colors and sizes sell out with some frequency leaving pregnant moms fewer choices.

“I will note that the tummy panel didn’t reach over my baby bump towards the end of my pregnancy, but it could be easily folded down around my hips,” says Badore. “But I wore them a lot postpartum, too.” 

Best for: 

• High-quality and classic pajamas
• Hot sleepers
• Reusing as nursing pajamas postpartum

Skip if: 

• You don’t want the hassle of line drying

Lake makes some of the best pajamas for women, and it has an excellent maternity line, too. Options include pants sets, shorts sets, nightgowns and robes. The nightgowns and robes are especially ideal for those later months of pregnancy when everything feels too tight. Many of the pajamas are Pima cotton, which is a high-quality, soft and breathable cotton, like this wide-leg set. Just note that they should be laid flat to dry, not tossed into the dryer. The snaps at the collar also make these ideal for postpartum moms who are breastfeeding, and the brand also sells sleep tanks with nursing-friendly snap-down tanks. 

Best for: 

• Bundles and multipacks
• Inclusive sizing
• Maternity bras that are nursing-friendly, too

Skip if: 

• You want an underwire bra

Between a growing belly and a changing cup size, you may find that your pre-pregnancy underwear just doesn’t work. A number of moms say they were happy in bras and panties from Bodily while expecting and postpartum. “Personally, I like the super-soft Under The Belly Panty and The Effortless Bra, which doesn’t have an underwire and also functions as a nursing bra,” says Badore. The brand has panties with a higher-cut waistband and a range of other pregnancy and nursing bra options—plus plenty of options for discounted bundles. 

Best for:

• Elevated undergarments
• Extra soft and stretchy fabrics
• Underwear you’ll want to wear postpartum

Skip if:

• You need a wider range of options 

For moms who want a higher cut at the leg, we love Embrace’s High Leg Brief, and the brand also makes a range of elevated nursing bras that are both pregnancy and nursing-friendly but still feel chic. “I have both panties and nursing tanks from Embrace, and they’re often the first things I reach for after laundry day,” says Badore. “The fabric is just so soft and has the right amount of stretch. But I also appreciate that these solid basics are a little luxe.” 

Best for: 

• Extra support and coverage
• Inclusive sizing
• Continued use into postpartum

Skip if: 

• You don’t want to hand-wash your undergarments

If you prefer a maternity bra that provides more support and coverage, consider a bra from Kindred Bravely. Moms with bigger busts say they love that this brand has a wide range of plus sizes. We found the bras incredibly durable, but one downside is that a number of its styles are hand-wash only—something many moms don’t want to manage postpartum. 

Tietjen is a big fan of the brand’s bras. “Kindred Bravely’s bras were (and still are) my absolute favorite. The brand offers dual-purpose nursing and pumping bras, as well as regular wireless bras that are so comfy, yet supportive and fit like a glove,” she says. “I loved them so much in my postpartum months, that once my nursing days were over, I snagged a few Everly Wireless Bras—as well as a handful of Diana Sublime Sports Bras—to wear as my daily bra.”

Best for: 

• Special occasions
• Maternity photoshoots
• Timeless designs that won’t go out of style

Skip if: 

• You’re seeking a more casual look

“We love dresses because it’s an outfit in itself, and you don’t have to worry about over or under-the-bump waistbands,” says Anita Rajendra, founder and CEO of La Belle Bump, a maternity rental service. “We’ve found for most women, dresses offer a lot of comfort.”

For looks that feel fresh and inject a little more color into your wardrobe, consider Emilia George. The brand has many dresses ideal for weddings, photoshoots and other special occasions. Quite a few of them have clever zippers and openings for pumping or nursing, too. These dresses mighty be too splurgy for some, but we’ve found the quality warrants it. You can find plenty of Emilia George styles on rental services, so that’s one way to spend less. “Personally, I’ve rented Emilia George dresses from Nuuly and appreciated the option,” says Badore. 

Best for: 

• Dresses that accentuate the bump
• Special occasions
• Soft and stretchy fabrics

Skip if: 

• You don’t like form-fitting dresses

Bumpsuit has a wide array of stylish option to dress up your bump, from mini dresses to gowns like this wedding-guest-ready brushed satin option. A celebrity favorite, the brand made it onto Hailey Bieber’s list of pregnancy and postpartum essentials. Many of the dresses in this line are sleek and sophisticated and would make for a stunning maternity photoshoot.

Best for: 

• Affordable, everyday options
• Prints, stripes and bold colors
• A wide variety of styles and pieces

Skip if: 

• You want a sophisticated and high-end look

For very affordable everyday dresses, consider checking out Motherhood maternity, a brand you can find at quite a few retailers, including Target and Amazon. The brand sells a wider range of colors and prints in casual cuts—not just basic black. “I had good luck with the Mock Neck Maternity Dress, which fit true to my pre-pregnancy size yet is stretchy enough to comfortably cover my baby bump all the way through to the end of my third trimester,” says Badore. 

Best for: 

• Seam-free smoothing
• Inclusive sizing
• Those on a tighter budget

Skip if: 

• You’re looking for lots of different options and styles

So much of the underwear, leggings and tights designed for pregnancy have seams in places that don’t always work with blouses and dresses. If you’re hunting for smoother lines, you may want to check out Shapermint’s maternity offerings, which are smoothing, supportive and seam-free. We found the leggings to be particularly opaque, and there are also shorts, camisole tops and bras in the collection. The brand is more size-inclusive than most, with options from small to 4XL. 

Best for: 

• Belly support
• Everyday shapewear
• Maternity leggings that do double duty as shapewear

Skip if: 

• You don’t want something tight or that could feel constricting

From maternity leggings with bump support to C-section recovery briefs, Belly Bandit sells a variety of items that are designed to support your pregnant and postpartum body. In addition to shapewear, you can also purchase a pelvic-pain relief band, which can bring relief if you’re suffering from symphysis pubis dysfunction (SPD) or other pelvic pain during pregnancy. 

“I used these Mother Tucker Leggings from Belly Bandit when I was postpartum after my first baby and found them to be both comfortable and incredibly supportive,” says Betz. 

Best for: 

• A high-quality maternity staple
• Jeans that work for all stages of pregnancy
• Inclusive sizing

Skip if: 

• You prefer jeans with a panel that covers your bump
• You want to spend less on maternity clothes

The Paige Anessa Maternity Jeans pictured here earned the top spot on our list of the best maternity jeans. The high-waisted side-panel jean can be easily dressed up or down, making them especially versatile. It’s also made from a stretchier denim so you can look put together but still feel at ease. The brand’s other maternity jeans also receive high marks from expecting moms. Though Paige jeans are an investment, many moms find that the combination of comfort and style is worth it, and you can continue to wear them postpartum. 

Best for:

• Pants that cover the belly
• Jeans available in different colors

Skip if:

• You prefer a pant waist to sit under the bump

Some moms-to-be prefer to have pants that cover the bump, so if you’re looking for that style in a jean, this option from Abercrombie & Fitch is worth considering. The straight leg jean is available in four washes, and there’s a bootcut style as well. Moms tell us that they appreciate the functional pockets and belt loops.

Best for: 

• Simplifying shopping for maternity clothes
• Sampling designer brands
• Reducing waste and spending

Skip if: 

• You don’t have time to return rentals

A rental service like Nuuly makes it simpler to find maternity clothes that fit your growing bump—without the long-term commitment of buying. You can save some cash by not having to buy every item new and get to try out on-trend clothing. When browsing clothes, Nuuly allows you to sort by size, occasion, pregnancy stage and more, making it easier and faster to find exactly what you’re looking for. 

“When I used the service during my pregnancy last year, I appreciated that I could easily find office-appropriate attire for the stage my pregnancy was in and that Nuuly took care of the cleaning for me,” says Badore. For more details, check out her in-depth guide to using clothing rental services while pregnant.