Cattails, Rabbit Trails, and Thistlefish: The Modest Budget: Is Target the BEST Shop for Maternity Clothes?

Tuesday, March 21, 2017

The Modest Budget: Is Target the BEST Shop for Maternity Clothes?

Welcome back to The Modest Budget! This second trimester, I honestly have NOT felt like looking cute or posing for pictures... Finding things to wear in the first and second trimester has been really hard! I'm not big enough for a lot of maternity clothes, but almost all of my every day clothes are too small. And don't get me started about how uncomfortable jeans are right now!

SO. I have been slowly trying to transition my closet into flowy clothes/maternity clothes. And where was the first place I went? Target! (no duh!)
But I'm finding that Target has YAYS and NAYS when it comes to maternity clothes, particularly with their limited in-store selection.

First Trimester Shopping Trip (transitioning to maternity clothes)

For my first trimester, I was just trying to find some tops and flowy clothes that would not cling to my growing stomach. At this point, most of my pants still fit, as long as I rubber banded them closed or wore a BeBand (which is TOTALLY worth the $19! I highly recommend one!).
(Ignore my weird face 😂)
Didn't buy: I really liked this shirt because it was really flowy and went down over the butt (which is nice for tighter pants and leggings) but it was a tad bit transparent. I try to avoid shirts that I need to wear tanks with, especially now that I know I'll be the most pregnant during the hottest months of the year.
Find the striped T here.
Did buy: So I got the black one instead of the white one. It has been such a great basic black T that can be dressed up or dressed down!

Didn't buy: This was a shirt that I didn't end up buying bc it was December and I didn't think it was super practical to buy a tank. But the fit was perfect for first trimester, and would have been great with some layers. The design on the front was so pretty, too!
Find this tank here.
Didn't buy: This is a top that I very much regret walking away from. This was not a maternity shirt either, but it was still super flowy and SO comfy! The little detail on the back was cool, and I needed more long-sleeve shirts than I thought I did. If I found this one again, I would definitely be taking it home.
Find this long-sleeve shirt here.
 Did buy: This was another great investment piece. Not only could it be layered (like I tried below) but it is really light, light enough for the spring time. My belly still has not outgrown it and it hasn't gotten too short in the front. Really excited to keep getting some wear out of these stripes!
Find a similar T here (and a $5 clearance T here!)
 Didn't buy: Again, I kind of regret this one, because I didn't think about the fact that a bunch of my cardigans have gotten worn out. I didn't get it because it didn't have any closure on the front, and I tend to get irritated with things I have to fuss with throughout the day, but I'm realizing now that those are great layers for growing bellies.
Find a similar clearance jacket here
Did buy: You may recognize this one from our baby reveal pictures! This has probably been one of my favorite early-pregnancy purchases, both because it is flowy and because this cut is pretty "in." The down side to it is that is a little shorter than I realized, which means I might out-grow it before summer truly comes, but I've already worn it a bunch.
Find this dress here and a maxi version here.

Second Trimester Shopping Trip (full-swing maternity)

I didn't document this shopping trip as well as the first, but this trip was to find some jeans and a few more shirts that fit my growing tummy. I was DESPERATE for jeans! But I had zero luck. I'll talk about that below.
 Didn't buy: This was a good top, but it felt too tight on my arms (and it was clearance, so no additional sizes). And, again, I'm trying to only get long-sleeve/winter items that are 100% perfect because I know most of my pregnancy will be in the summer. Not sure if you can tell, but this shirt also covers the bum, which is great for leggings.
Find this shirt (on clearance!) here
 Did buy: Ok, I think this is the best thing I've found from Target. This T is perfect!!! My favorite tops are v-necks, but they're hard to find at a modest v-length. But this one I can wear with out a tank underneath!! #winning. I bought the green color, but they had a bunch others not in my size. I'm going to keep looking for them, or order some more colors online (esp. the navy and the white, and possibly the black).
Find this great shirt here.
Didn't buy: Do you see those awkward-looking jeans that I'm wearing?? Ugh, horrendous. I think I tried on every pair of jeans/pants in their store, and all of them have a weird crotch area. I've run into this problem with every single pair of Target pants that I have tried on, bought, or been given. Pay attention to that if you shop at Target, because it really isn't cute.
Did buy: This dress was on clearance for $8! Woot! A pregnant friend of mine actually sent me the link to this one on clearance online, but it was $11. So I feel like I totally lucked out! It's still a little big in the belly area (hence, why I am totally pushing my stomach out to see what it will look like when it fits! 😂) but it is super lightweight and awesome for summertime. Really excited to possibly dress it up for an outdoor wedding.
Find a similar dress here.

Is Target the Best?

While Target has been my go-to for clothes for a long time, I have been super duper disappointed with their pregnancy selection. (Not that I'm mad, they are still killing it in other areas!)
They are great for the in-between stages, or when you aren't yet in full-fledged maternity clothes. But when it comes to investment pieces, like jeans, some dresses, and undergarments, Target is a little bit of a disappointed. 
So, if you're in your first trimester and looking for some clothes to hold you over, I would totally send you to Target. But for other maternity stages, I am still looking for somewhere budget-friendly to shop for some investment maternity pieces.

Have you had any luck with maternity clothes at Target?
P.S. How are you rocking your bump?? I want to see those preggo outfits! Tag me at #TheModestBudget!

Also linking up with some awesome parties here!

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5 comments :

  1. This is going to soind hilarious because one, I don't and two I won't have kiddos but there is an excellent chance that I may own Liz Lange Maternity clothes from Target. Because I find them at goodwill bu they are so uber soft!

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  2. I shopped very little for maternity clothes when pregnant but I did find almost everything at Target. I like what you picked out. When are you due?

    I'd love for you to check out my linkup on Thursdays and share this posy with me. Thanks Casey.

    Happy Hump Day! Ada. =)

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  3. I totally agree about the jeans! I'm tall (5'9") and the legs either puddled on the floor (whaaaa?) or the back kept sagging and falling down - I tried on tons and every single pair was a big fat zero. So weird! Have you tried Etsy for tops and dresses? There are some really cute and affordable options for well-made pieces. Hope you find the perfect pair of jeans soon! Your outfits look adorable, though. :)

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  4. i wore leggings non stop when i was pregant and one pair of over the bump jeans from gap! xo jillian - cornflake dreams

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  5. Love Target!! And motherhood suits you:)

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