13 Best Places for Formal Maternity Gowns (+ Black Tie Options)

Looking for formal maternity gowns that actually work for a real event — not just a photoshoot? I’ve been pregnant through multiple galas and weddings and I’m sharing every brand worth knowing, from black tie splurges to budget-friendly picks. This post contains affiliate links.

Finding a formal maternity gown sounds like it should be easy. It is not. There are roughly a thousand options made for maternity photoshoots — lots of flowy chiffon, lots of dramatic trains that would be a nightmare at an actual event — and far fewer that work for a real black tie wedding, a gala, or a formal work dinner where you need to look polished and actually be able to walk.

I’ve been pregnant during multiple formal events over the years and I’ve done a lot of trial and error with this. What I’ve found is that the brands that specialize in maternity formal wear are almost always worth the investment, and the budget finds are hit or miss. Below I’m sharing every option I’d actually point a friend to, organized by price range and occasion so you can find what you need fast.

Quick tip: For most formal events, you’ll be ordering online and trying on at home — very few stores carry formal maternity in person. Order two sizes when you’re unsure, and always check the return policy before you buy. Nordstrom is the safest bet if you want in-person try-on.

Skip to what you need

• Quick comparison table — all brands at a glance
• Top-ranked formal maternity brands
• Black tie maternity gowns specifically
• Budget-friendly formal maternity options
• Maternity gown rentals
• FAQ

Formal Maternity Gowns: Quick Comparison

Here’s a quick overview of every brand in this post so you can find the right fit for your event and budget.

Brand	Price Range	Best For	Buy or Rent	In-Person Try-On
Tiffany Rose	$$$	Black tie, galas, weddings	Buy	Nordstrom
Seraphine	$$–$$$	Special occasion, wedding guest	Buy	No
Nordstrom	$$–$$$	Curated selection, easy returns	Buy	Yes
ASOS Maternity	$–$$	Trendy formal, semi-formal	Buy	No
Shopbop	$$–$$$	Designer maternity, quality basics	Buy	No
Baltic Born	$$	Bridesmaid, semi-formal	Buy	No
Sexy Mama Maternity	$$	Baby shower, maternity photos	Buy	No
Pink Blush	$–$$	Budget formal, semi-formal	Buy	No
Amazon	$	Budget, last-minute	Buy	No
Shein Maternity	$	Budget, photos, low-key formal	Buy	No
ThredUP	$	Secondhand luxury brands	Buy	No
Rent the Runway	Rental	One-time formal event	Rent	Limited
Mine for Nine	Rental	One-time occasion wear	Rent	No

Top-Ranked Formal Maternity Brands

These are the brands I’d send a friend to first — the ones with consistently good quality, real formal options, and a track record of fitting a pregnant body well.

Tiffany Rose — Best Overall for Formal Maternity Wear

If you’re going to one event during your pregnancy and you want to feel genuinely beautiful, Tiffany Rose is where I’d start. This UK brand launched in 2003 specifically for maternity occasion wear — black tie, galas, maternity bridal, formal events — and the difference in quality compared to most of what you’ll find shows immediately.

I’ve worn Tiffany Rose through multiple pregnancies and what sets them apart is the fabric. Their dresses drape beautifully over a bump, the stretch is in the right places, and the fabric itself feels luxurious against skin that’s stretched and sensitive. I remember being at a black tie gala at eight months pregnant and genuinely feeling like the best-dressed person in the room. That’s the Tiffany Rose experience.

They’re now carried at Nordstrom in the US, which makes returns easy if something doesn’t fit. I’d recommend checking Nordstrom first and going to the Tiffany Rose site directly for the full range.

Seraphine — Best for Special Occasion Maternity Gowns

Seraphine designs specifically for maternity bodies, which means the fit actually accounts for how your proportions change during pregnancy. Their formal and occasion wear line covers baby showers, weddings, and work events, with options in lace, satin, and jersey depending on what the dress code calls for.

I’ve worn Seraphine pieces across multiple pregnancies and the quality is consistently good. The special occasion line tends to photograph really well, which matters if you’re also doing maternity photos around the event. If you see something you love from Seraphine, go ahead and order it — I’ve never been disappointed.

Seraphine was aquired in 2025 by NEXT and is now sold on their site (also, I bought some of the cutest kids clothes when we were in the UK at a NEXT bouqitue – might be worth browsing if you’re already placing an order).

Nordstrom — Best for Easy Returns and In-Person Try-On

If you want to try dresses on in person, Nordstrom is your best option in the US. They carry Tiffany Rose, Seraphine, and a curated selection of other formal maternity pieces, and their free shipping and free returns make it very low-risk to order a few options in different sizes at home.

When I was pregnant and looking for something for a formal event, I’d often order three or four options from Nordstrom, try them all on the same afternoon, and return what didn’t work the next day. It makes the whole process a lot less stressful. Their maternity formal selection does vary, so check early — the closer you get to your event, the fewer options tend to be in stock in your size.

Shopbop — Best for Designer Maternity Pieces

Shopbop carries a smaller but very well-curated selection of maternity from brands like Hatch, Ingrid & Isabel, and Blanqi. The maternity formal options aren’t always there, but when they are they’re worth it — and their free shipping and printed return labels make it one of the most painless shopping experiences online. If you’re also looking for maternity denim while you’re there, their selection is excellent.

ASOS Maternity — Best for Unique Formal Styles

ASOS is where I go when I want something I won’t see five other people wearing. Their maternity section has a really unique range of longer formal options that skew more fashion-forward than the traditional maternity brands. Look specifically at their floor-length and midi options to find things that will read as formal.

One note on sizing: ASOS has been inconsistent for me over the years. Order two sizes if you’re between anything, and double-check whether the specific dress runs small before you order.

Baltic Born — Best for Maternity Bridesmaid Dresses

Baltic Born is best known for bridesmaid dresses that also work for pregnancy, and it’s genuinely where I’d point someone who’s pregnant in a bridal party. The flowy silhouettes are forgiving at any stage of pregnancy and the color range is wide enough to match almost any wedding palette.

My honest take on quality: these photograph beautifully but in person they’re not the same level as Tiffany Rose or Seraphine. For a wedding where you mostly need to look good in photos and feel comfortable all day, Baltic Born is great. For a black tie gala where you’ll be wearing the dress for six hours, I’d spend more.

Pink Blush Maternity — Best for Baby Shower Gowns

Pink Blush has a large collection of floor-length maternity dresses in tons of colors and silhouettes, which makes them a popular pick for baby showers and maternity photos. Most of their formal options lean toward a slim, bump-forward fit that really shows off where you are in your pregnancy — which is exactly what you want for a shower or a shoot.

A few things I like about Pink Blush specifically: they let you sort by color, which is helpful if you’re working with a specific palette, and their wrap and ruched styles are genuinely flattering at every stage. The quality is solid for the price point — not Tiffany Rose, but not trying to be. I’ve worn their dresses postpartum too since the wrap styles adjust well after the bump is gone.

If you’re unsure about fit, I have a full Pink Blush review here with sizing notes before you order.

Black Tie Maternity Gowns: What to Look For

Black tie maternity is its own category and it’s worth thinking through before you start shopping. The things that make a maternity gown work for a photoshoot are often the opposite of what makes one work for a black tie event.

For a black tie event, you want:

• A clean hem — floor length is traditional, but if the dress has a lot of excess pooling fabric, it’ll be hard to walk in and you’ll spend the whole night worried about tripping
• Quality fabric — crepe, satin, matte jersey, and lace all read as formal; chiffon can work but flows a lot when you move
• An empire or ruched waist — these silhouettes are the most flattering at every stage of pregnancy and photograph well under event lighting
• Built-in support — if you’re in your third trimester especially, look for dresses with good structure or bring shapewear options

Best brands for black tie maternity specifically: Tiffany Rose is the clear top pick — they were built for this exact occasion. Seraphine’s lace gown options also hit the right formality level. For something more budget-conscious, check Nordstrom’s current maternity formal selection and look for anything in a matte crepe or structured jersey.

Planning tip: If your event has a specific dress code (black tie vs. black tie optional vs. formal), that changes what you need. Black tie optional gives you a lot more flexibility — a nice floor-length maternity dress in any fabric will work. True black tie means you want the good stuff: Tiffany Rose, Seraphine, or something comparable.

Budget-Friendly Formal Maternity Clothes

Not every formal event requires a $200+ gown. If you’re going to a semi-formal dinner, a work event, or an event where “formal” is more of a suggestion, there are solid options at a lower price point. The key is pairing whatever you get with the right shoes and jewelry — a simple floor-length black maternity dress with good heels and actual jewelry looks much more put-together than you’d expect.

Pink Blush

Pink Blush is one of my regular go-tos for maternity and their floor-length wrap dresses are consistently flattering at every stage of pregnancy. They have a solid formal section — look for the maxi and full-length options. The wrap style in particular is great because it adjusts as your bump grows and works for nursing postpartum too. I’ve written a full Pink Blush review here if you want more detail before ordering.

SHOP PINK BLUSH MATERNITY →

Amazon

Yes, Amazon. There are actually some surprisingly good floor-length maternity dresses on Amazon that can pass for formal wear, especially if you’re not going to a true black tie event. The key is being selective — look for options with real reviews and photos from actual customers (not just the studio shots), filter by length, and make sure you’re buying from a seller with decent return policies.

SHOP AMAZON FORMAL MATERNITY DRESSES →

Shein Maternity

Shein has a large selection of floor-length maternity dresses, many under $30. You’re not getting Tiffany Rose quality — not even close — but for a low-key formal event, a baby shower, or maternity photos, there are legitimately cute options. Just order at least three weeks before your event since shipping can be slower than you expect, and size up at least once since their sizing runs small.

ThredUP

This is genuinely underrated for formal maternity wear. ThredUP is an online secondhand retailer that often carries Tiffany Rose, Seraphine, and other premium maternity brands at a fraction of retail — and maternity clothing is ideal for buying secondhand because most pieces have only been worn a handful of times. Search specifically for those brands in their maternity section and you can find something really nice for very little money.

SHOP THREDUP MATERNITY →

Walmart

If you haven’t looked at Walmart’s maternity section lately, it might surprise you. There are some genuinely wearable floor-length options, especially in black. For a casual formal event where you need something quickly, it’s worth checking.

Renting Formal Maternity Gowns

Rental is a great option if you need something for one event and don’t want to spend a lot on something you’ll wear once. The maternity rental market has grown a lot — here are the best options right now.

Rent the Runway

Rent the Runway has a limited but decent selection of maternity formal wear from quality brands. You can do a one-time rental for a specific event or join their subscription. The subscription makes sense if you have multiple events coming up during your pregnancy — otherwise the one-time rental is probably the better value.

Mine for Nine

Mine for Nine has over 1,000 maternity clothing options including occasion wear. There’s no membership fee — you just pay the rental cost per item. One useful perk: if you’re unsure about sizing you can order the same dress in two sizes for a small additional charge and return the one that doesn’t fit. Occasion wear typically has a 14-day return window, so plan accordingly.

Armoire Maternity

Armoire has a dedicated maternity rental section with bump-friendly and nursing-friendly options from higher-end brands. Plans run $69–$139/month, which makes the most sense if you have multiple events or just want a rotating wardrobe of nice maternity pieces throughout your pregnancy.

Frequently Asked Questions

Good luck shopping! I hope you find something that makes you feel incredible. If I missed a brand you love or you have a formal maternity gown find to share, leave it in the comments and share the love!