How to make sure your baby bump wins best dressed.

A wise friend once told me “Don’t spend too much money on maternity clothes because you are going to want to burn them immediately after you give birth.”

Her theory, while a tad dramatic, was that because you end up wearing the same maternity clothes day in day out that you won’t be able stand the sight of them post-baby.

While that’s true for some things – the ‘maternity’ skinny jeans I bought – when it came time to have a wardrobe clean-out, I’d grown more attached to my bump clothes than I realised.

So what’s the solution? Invest in two or three mid-ranged priced items for special occasions like weddings and going out and make a few wardrobe swaps to get you through the next nine months.

1. Swap dangly necklaces for long scarves.

Whether you haven’t told your employer you’re expecting yet or you just don’t feel like the attention today, a long scarf is a great distraction tool. Swap it for any dangly necklaces you have that will cut your expanding chest in two anyway. FYI: This is how Miranda Kerr dodged speculation about baby Flynn for months.

2. Swap loose tees for longline singlets.

In pregnancy you will encounter the less talked about ‘spare tyre trimester’ where you don’t look pregnant yet just that you’ve been hitting the biscuit tin a bit too hard lately. When you’re finally out of this pickle, swap your loose tees (and long scarves: see above) for tight longline singlets to not only accentuate your glorious bump but as an extra layer on cooler days.

3. Swap maxi skirts for long dresses.

I remember buying a (non-elasticated) maxi skirt in the early stages of pregnancy and being devastated when it inevitably rode up to my armpits and looked terrible. Don’t make the same mistake I did, and embrace maxi dresses – a great option for both warm and cooler weather.

4. Swap heels to wedges.

Props to you if you can rock a heel during pregnancy, I gave up my heeled boots somewhere in the second trimester. If you’re a can’t live without heels try giving wedges a go – much more comfortable choice than stilettos.

5. Swap skinny jeans for leggings and stockings.

Let’s just address the elephant in the room first, yes – leggings as pants is a controversial and heated topic, but pregnancy is your leggings as pants get out of jail free card. Go forth and wear as much elasticised comfort as you want on your lower half. Also if you’re going to be pregnant over winter, invest in a couple of pairs (I’d say at least two good quality pairs, I got mine from Seed) and specialised maternity stockings to wear with dresses and boots.

6. Swap racer-back swimmers for a two-piece.

Whether you regularly do laps at the pool or want something for a summer holiday, you are going to be much more comfortable in a two-piece. Plus you don’t have to buy more than one pair if your bump has a sudden growth spurt.

7. Swap thongs for flats.

Thongs as in flip-flops (not the other kind) because there will be times where you’ll feel unstable on your feet. In summer swap your Havaianas for sandals or in the cooler months opt for a pair or study flats that will give you more stability.

8. Swap shift dresses for knit dresses.

The thing with shift dresses is they tend to be short. Add a soccer ball-esque bump to your front and you’ve got a top instead of a dress. Striped knit dresses

9. Swap statement necklaces for arm candy.

Call me crazy but the last thing I wanted to do when I was last knocked up was to draw attention to my expanding bust. If you’re in need of an accessories fix stock up on some arm candy instead.

What maternity swaps did you make?

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