Wedding season is about to hit; I’ve got two invitations tacked on my fridge already. One of the first questions that comes to mind is, “what am I going to wear?” I didn’t get invited to any winter weddings when I was pregnant, but I can only imagine how tricky it might have been to find a dress that I liked without emptying my wallet. It’s not just about the money, either; when you’re pregnant you have to guess what your measurements will be in a few weeks or months. What is a pregnant woman to do?
First, try to wait as long as you can to shop for your outfit, without putting yourself under too much stress. It’s hard to predict how your body will change as your baby grows. Some women gain weight all around, and some women seem to expand in their belly and nowhere else. Not all maternity clothes fit the same – some may flatter certain shapes more than others. If you can put off shopping until two to three weeks before the event, your size shouldn’t change that much before the event.
If you have to shop early for some reason, try maternity stores, which often have fake baby bumps that you can strap on to see how something fits with a larger belly. This will help you determine whether something is going to look good on you once you fill it out. If you have been pregnant before, you may be able to look at pictures and make a pretty good guess as to what you’ll look like once the wedding rolls around.
If you plan on wearing the dress only once, save money by buying a very simple dress or outfit, and make it dressy with accessories that you can use again after your pregnancy. For example, you could buy a basic shift dress and pair it with decked out shoes, a beaded shrug, or a piece of jewelry that really makes a statement. If you’re planning on having more kids in the future, buy a dress that you can wear in any season, that way you’ll have a better chance of being able to wear it again.