I’m notoriously thrifty to begin with, so when we found out I was pregnant, I was dreading buying clothes that I would only wear for 4 months tops.
NWT Liz Lange for Target Dress found at Goodwill for $7!
I’ve found the best deals on new and gently used Maternity wear at Goodwill. My local stores in Bayville, Ocean, and Aberdeen, NJ have Motherhood Maternity tops and dresses from between $3-10/each and brand new Liz Lange for Target shorts, jeans, and tops starting at $3. The deals have helped me save a ton on my clothing budget! I’m going to wear the dress above for a friend’s baby’s birthday party this Saturday. It was on sale at Goodwill for $7 with Liz Lange for Target tags still attached for $28. My mom and I also saw the exact same dress at a Target near her priced at the original $28. Money saved – $21!
I’ve also done great at local Flea Markets and Rummage Sales. I picked up the super cute (gently worn) summer retro print polka dot Motherhood Maternity dress for only 4 dollars! Other must-sees for maternity steals are local consignment stores, garage sales, local kids consignment/charity sales.
Gently worn Motherhood Maternity dress found at Flea Market for $4
To stay as eco-conscious as possible, go for the gently worn items to fill your maternity wardrobe. If you come across the NWT items and purchase, you are still helping out the environment by saving them from a life in a landfill and saving money in the meantime.
Top 5 tips for eco chic maternity wear
- Wash all clothes before wearing – I wash everything before use. Most go in the washing machine, but for delicate fabrics, I was them by hand in the sink and line dry with woolite.
- Stay season appropriate – While you may start shopping early for maternity wear, make sure you are cognizant of what season it will be in the later months of your pregnancy. I found out I was pregnant in January when there were tons of maternity sweaters everywhere, but it didn’t make sense for me to buy them since the bulk of my pregnancy would be in the Spring/Summer.
- Double duty wardrobe – Long flowy tops, open drapey sweaters, yoga pants, maxi dresses and anything empire waist are garments that you might currently have in your closet that you can do double duty with during your pregnancy.
- Patience – some thrift and consignment stores have specific maternity sections (using the term loosely as this could be 1/10th of a rack), but in addition to checking out the specific maternity section, take your time looking through the other clothing sections. I’ve found great tops and dresses hidden in with the ‘normal’ clothing. So a little extra time searching can equal lots of extra money left in your wallet and a cute new maternity wardrobe!
- Good measure – Knowing your measurements and/or carrying measuring tape on your shopping excursions will definitely prove worth your while. I found out that even though I would normally be a ‘large’ in non-maternity garb, I was fitting into ‘small’, ‘medium’, and ‘large’ maternity clothes. They vary greatly in size by designer. If you don’t know your measurements, definitely spend the extra 5 minutes and try on the pieces in a fitting room. It will help you from spending on items that don’t fit and also on passing up on something that size wise you think wouldn’t fit, but actually looks fantastic on you!
I hope these tips help you find a budget and earth-friendly maternity wardrobe that has you looking eco-chic through all 9 months! Let me know if you have any other eco/budget friendly tips for mamas-to-be!