Where to find good inexpensive maternity clothes?

[pookahjade]

Hi mamas,
I'm hoping someone can point me in a good direction. I am 13 weeks tomorrow so not huge yet but my jeans already don't fit. I have gone looking a couple times but so far the only maternity jeans I have found that were comfy and cute are one from a pea in the pod and they are $70 bucks. That's a bit more than I can handle spending on jeans. So does anyone have any recommendations for either online stores or local (Seattle WA area) brick and mortar stores? I'm getting a bit tired of my sweats lol.

TIA
-Pookah

[MaerynPearl]

goodwill and other secondhand stores... most maternity clothes are only worn for a few months before they end up there! Ive gotten some very cute good ones...

Also, as much as I hate to admit shopping there... walmarts got some cheap maternity tops, but I buy them online as my local place doesnt carry them

old navy had some good priced ones online as did target as well so i bought from those stores too (I live in a low population area, the closest old navy or target is over 50 miles away!)

Also... I dont own any maternity pants. I am much more comfortable in my pre-pregnancy pants and a bella band... this has me (at 22 weeks) with my normal amount of jeans and having only spent 60 dollars (i bought two bands, one black and one white to match almost anything I would possibly wear at just under 30 bucks each)

[jenifera2]

Jeans were the one thing I just couldn't bring myself to spend money on, since they're sooooo expensive. If you can find any used clothing (Salvation Army, etc.) or consignment (Once Upon A Child type places) stores you should be able to find some maternity things. No idea of selection in your area, but I'd guess Seattle would be good.

Online, check out Old Navy, Gap, Destination Maternity, Target. You'll have to pay some shipping unless they're offering specials, but I found the local selection near me to be abysmal, so online was a big help! And Target purchases can be returned at the store if they don't fit, so at least you only pay shipping one way.

[CallMeMommy]

Consignment or second-hand stores. The majority of my maternity clothes are second-hand. Otherwise, Motherhood Maternity does have decently-priced clothes, especially during sales, but beware when you check out they'll ask for your address and email so they can send you lots of free samples (including formula).

[indigosky]

And in case it's not obvious, you can always refuse to give out your address. I would always just smile at the Motherhood checkout clerk and say, "Oh, I don't give it out." Same thing at all the stores that ask for phone numbers.

[pookahjade]

Originally Posted by MaerynPearl

Also... I dont own any maternity pants. I am much more comfortable in my pre-pregnancy pants and a bella band...

Bella bands are the spandex tube things that go over your unbuttoned pants right? Do those work well, they look like your pants would just slide out from under them and fall off.

I've checked value village a couple times so far nothing good, I'll have to keep checking. I'm gonna go check out the other online stores.
Thanks ladies.

[queenofchaos]

I know you want brick and mortar, but I have found that on-line has some good deals. Mat jeans do tend to be spendy. JCPenney had some great deals on tops, but you may not need actual mat tops. This is my only pg where I have bought mat tops because I am expecting twins and outgrew all my xtra lg shirts a month ago. I had found that most of the time, you can get by with buying larger sizes of shirts, or borrowing DP's (if possible).
I am not sure exactly where you are at, but there is a really great consignment shop in Everett. Lots of cute and reasonably priced mat clothes. Now I can't think of the name. I will have to call my mom cuz she will remember. Perfect time for placenta brain. "Other Mothers" is a good place for mat. clothes, too.

[Honey693]

Some of the jeans at Motherhood aren't bad. i think I got a pair for $20 or $25 during one of their sales. I like some of Target's clothes too and you can find stuff on the clearance racks if you look. Some of the sizes are wonky so make sure you try them on. I have everything from xs to large in the same brand of maternity clothes from there.

[MaerynPearl]

Originally Posted by pookahjade

Bella bands are the spandex tube things that go over your unbuttoned pants right? Do those work well, they look like your pants would just slide out from under them and fall off.

They work great, I have to pull the bella band down more than an inch or two over my jeans of course, but I usually wear shirts that go down further... and the bella band sticking out further just looks like an undershirt to those that dont know...

I did have a bit of issue with my pants falling down when using the bella band and keeping them unbuttoned earlier on (around 13 weeks) but I found just using the rubber band trick in addition to the bella band helped then... now at 22 weeks my belly does more than its fair share of the work at holding it all up!

[at_the_hip]

Maternity jeans are hard to fit, IME...that might be something you decide to spend the money on, since shirts are easier to come by!! I am happy if I have one pair of good-fitting jeans (read: that aren't cutting off my circulation or threatening to fall down/off!). That being said I carry my weight in my belly...it is huge...but I seem to counterbalance with an 'appropriate' :P amount of weight in my thighs/butt! Some maternity jeans feel like they are on backwards...lol!

When you are big at the end and your shirts are all too short, you will appreciate the bella bands once again...and they are great to hide belly when you are nursing too! So those are definitely worth it. It is also nice to have a dress or two that you are comfortable in for when everything feels wrong and belly is outgrowing everything!

Craigslist can sometimes be a great place to get a lot of maternity clothes for cheap...if you can find someone who has been pg recently and in your size, you can really score for a fraction of the price. Thrift stores are hit and miss, as many have very little selection or just old stuff...I am really fortunate to have one here that is awesome for maternity but I haven't had that same luck at any other thrift store (and I really do enjoy thrift shopping!!).

Gap maternity is awesome...Old Navy can be good too but some things measure bigger than average. Motherhood is inexpensive but expect to wash gently / hang to dry if you want them to last and look nice for long. Their underwear seem to fray almost immediately.

[EricaDoula]

Kohl's has amazing maternity clearance. In the store they have 70% to 90% off some items! I found a sweater for 4$, 2 t-shirts for 2$ each and a dress for 7$!

[MommaCrystal]

My absolute FAVORITE pair of maternity jeans came from the goodwill and cost me ONE DOLLAR! LOVE THEM! And I'm short. Finding petite sizes can be tricky. But I did!

I have a bella band. I LOVE IT! I'm due any time now. I've used it the whole pregnancy. I haven't used it with my nonmaternity clothes in a while but I have some maternity pants that won't stay up - I'm not a hip hugger girl so unless they are over the belly they totally feel like they are falling down. The bella band works great. When I was smaller and used it with my nonmaternity clothes it was awesome there too!

[Sunflower66]

the GAP online is where I got most of my maternity clothes, they have great sales and if the item isn't what you wanted you can return it for a full refund at a local GAP store.

[aikigypsy]

I got some things from craigslist, which never fit me properly because I diddn't get as huge as I expected to.

H&M is good if you have one nearby. The maternity jeans I got there were about $40, maybe a little less, and I got another pair of pants that was less than $30. Everything looks pretty good, but you definitely need to go in person to get the right fit -- their sizing can run a bit uneven/random.

[aslyn]

ITA about the thrift store. We have 1 here thats 1/2 price on mondays and Ive gotten entire wardrobes for all occassions for less than $20. The only thing I buy "new" is under-clothes and socks which I get at the dollar store super cheap. With a family as big as ours we have to save money any way we can!

I prefer my sweats, old t-shirts of DH's and flannels/sweatshirt if I get chilly. But I work from home so I don't have anyone to impress but my family and they have all seen me at my worst and best so unless the cashiers at the grocery store has a problem with my attire its not an issue here

[liberal_chick]

Target is my go-to. I've been really please with the jeans/capris I've gotten from them (in fact, thinking about it, ALL my jeans are from Target). I think I paid between $20-30 per pair.

I got some great shorts and a darling dress from Old Navy, but the shirts I got don't hold their shape and just look like frumpy messes by the end of the day.

[Rico'sAlice]

ebay

[nolansmummy]

With my two pregnancies i found the best places were Old Navy, or Target. Those are the only brands that lasted through both kids and are still in decent condition. Everything i bought from motherhood has torn or worn out within a couple months, and we don't have a thrift store here. I did look at Once upon a child, but seriously the maternity clothes were from like 1980 and well, weren't exactly my style.

[dkenagy]

I am a tall girl; 5'10". I have always had a hard time finding maternity clothes, especially jeans! I do like Target, but they don't carry tall sizes, so the jeans are always too short. Other things I have bought from the Liz Lange line have held up well over at least a couple pregnancies.
In place of maternity jeans, I have gone up one size at Old Navy in regular, low-waist jeans. I got through 2 pregnancies with no prob, this time I am carrying lower and bought a "BeBand"... it is made by BellaBand for Target stores; it only comes in black and white but costs less... I paid $16 for mine. Now that I am at my EDD, I'm really depending on my BeBand; being tall to start with and now with my huge belly, shirts tails and pants waists rarely meet!!

[MisaGoat]

Target, Old Navy and H&M. My mom got a shirt and nursing bra from Kohl's me but I don't think I really liked either. I have a dress and a skirt from Motherhood. I needed a somewhat dressy outfit for my SIL's graduation and bridal shower. I lived in the skirt from Motherhood. I had a bunch of shirts from Target and Old Navy and a really comfy pair of over the belly panel chinos from H&M.