Favorite Maternity Clothes Purchases of 2nd Trimester
Today I’m talking all about my favorite maternity pieces for the second trimester. If you’re looking for the full list of cute places for maternity clothes, don’t miss, click here.
Second trimester dressing the bump really starts. If it’s your first pregnancy, you’re just starting to really show and if you’ve been down this road before, you are really looking pregnant about now.
Second trimester is also the part of pregnancy where I like getting dressed the most. First trimester I’m sick and in between my maternity and non-maternity clothes. By the third trimester half of my maternity clothes don’t fit and I feel a bit like a whale. Second trimester my energy comes back and I’ve shared the news with friends + family and I can finally start dressing like I’m pregnant. It is the best time (baby kicks! sayonara nausea! fewer food aversions!)
Here are my MOST worn and loved pieces from my second trimester. Many of these are carrying me well into my third trimester as well. The list includes my two favorite pairs of maternity jeans, the lounge pants I can’t live without, and a dress that makes me feel awesome.



Best Maternity Clothes for Second Trimester
GAP lounge pants:
These are the first clothing item I’d recommend buying while pregnant and my most worn single item so far (besides my wireless bra). They are buttery soft and so comfortable. They are extremely light weight, which is nice when you run warm throughout pregnancy and are the perfect maternity lounge pant.
Black Midi bodycon dress (Eliza dress by Hatch):
This splurge has been my favorite maternity dress because it is so versatile and high quality. I’ve worn it with heels to events on campus, with flats to church, and with sandals in Florida. You can dress it down with a denim jacket or throw on a blazer. I’ve only had this one for about a month but another piece from Hatch got so much wear last pregnancy, post partum, and is now back in heavy rotation so I trust this brand.
I ordered this when it only came in one size, like most of Hatch pieces a few years ago. I’m wearing it in this post at 25ish weeks and love it. I can still wear it now at 29 weeks but I’m not sure it will last me more than another month. I’m 5’4″ and the length is fine (and would work just fine for someone taller or shorter). I don’t think this would work super well on me (with stretch lines in the fabric) past 34 weeks (or past 140 pounds on my 5’4″ frame). A big part of this is because I carry super far out. A lot of maternity shirts are just too short on me at this point (29 weeks) so, depending on how you carry, this could work longer through pregnancy.
Striped bateau top by Hatch:
This is the black and white striped top I want to wear every single day. It’s a classic look, doesn’t scream pregnancy, and can be worn post partum (I have a similar version from a few years ago as well that I wore post partum, especially before I lost the baby pouch).
It’s a little pricy for a single maternity top but, considering cost-per-wear, it is one of the less expensive items in my closet.
shop the hatch bateau top here
Compression slip:
Where has this been all my (pregnant) life? This is a game changer for bodycon dresses while pregnant and smoothes out everything and hides lines and all the things. I wear this under all my fitted maternity dresses now and feel so much better in them (and less self conscious, no longer having to step into the bathroom to adjust).
shop my maternity compression slip here
bellaband:
This handy little band lengthens the life of your regular pants so you don’t have to transition to maternity as quickly. WHY did I not have one of these before? I have a few non-maternity pants in larger sizes I bought post partum after baby #2 that I can wear now with this band. The little grip on the bottom holds everything in place and after a full day of wear I didn’t feel like things were slipping down or I needed to adjust anything.
ingrid and isabel full panel workout leggings:
These are my favorite maternity over-the-bump leggings. They are great for working out but I also wear them around the house and chasing after kids. I lived in them post-partum appreciate that they aren’t see-through at all (unlike some other pairs I unfortunately wore to a barre class recently).
I have three pairs of these. Two are this pair and one is from the Ingrid & Isabel line for Target (from my last pregnancy) and is made of slightly different material. All three are GREAT for workout leggings although I prefer the original Ingrid & Isabel over the Target version for lounging + being out and about. They also come in a full length version but at 5’4,” the crop length works great for me.
Shop my favorite full panel workout leggings here
Shop the Target version at 1/3 the price here
Splendid green striped tee:
This is another first trimester purchase that finally fits a bit better. It isn’t anything super special but it’s a good quality tee that isn’t skin tight or see through and is something I reach for whenever it’s clean. It has held up really well in the wash over the last few months and I’m a big fan.
shop splendid maternity tees here
Madewell maternity jeans:
These are everything I want in a daily wear pair of maternity jeans. I’d heard great things about Madewell maternity jeans but I had been holding out. My regular Madewell jeans are great but a bit thicker and more sculpting which I imagined being a little uncomfortable all day-everyday while pregnant. The Madewell maternity jeans are lighter, stretchier, and SO comfortable.
I would definitely size down in these because I find they run big. My pre-pregnancy size will fit by the end of pregnancy but if I was looking for a perfect fit right now I would need to size down.
shop Madewell maternity jeans here (this is the pair I have)
black maternity striped sweatshirt from Pea in a Pod:
Sometimes you just need a soft and comfortable sweatshirt and this one is perfect. It isn’t too thick but it isn’t super thin either. You can throw it on with jeans or over leggings. I wear it around the house, out and about, and to the gym. This particular one is out of stock but there are so many cute maternity sweatshirt options that will also be great post partum.

shop maternity sweatshirts here
Wireless Victoria Secret bra:
I bought this wireless bra second trimester in my first or second pregnancy but dug it out a few weeks ago and it is SO comfortable. I recommend going into a store and getting sized as your breasts grow (I’ve tried ordering online and can’t quite get it right). I can wear this one all day without it getting uncomfortable.
shop my favorite maternity wireless bra set here ($30)
runners up:
Leopard Kate Spade block heels:
I grabbed these on clearance during the Shopbop sale and have worn them every Sunday since. With a growing bump and shifting center of gravity, chasing two toddlers at church in regular heels is too much for me. Scratch that, walking anywhere in regular heels is too much for me. These give me a tiny bit of height but the block heel make them really easy to walk in and very comfortable. I’ll be wearing these long past pregnancy but it was a great time to get them.
shop the block heels here (lots of colors available)
Ingrid and Isabel maternity lounge shorts:
It is not quite warm enough to get a lot of wear out of these yet but they are made from the most comfortable fabric. I plan on working out in these once it gets warmer or if you’re just looking for a maternity lounge short, this is it.
I wore these shorts in this post about our Florida trip.
shop Ingrid and Isabel maternity lounge shorts here (sold out)
James Jeans maternity ankle leggings (jeans):
These are my go-to maternity jeans when I want to be a little more put together. They have a bit more structure and quite flattering (as far as maternity jeans go). I really like them but I am always really happy to take them off. If you’re willing to sacrifice a bit of comfort for style, try these. They only have a few sizes left but if they have your size, they’re a great price right now!
shop James Jeans maternity jeans here
Saks Off Fifth non-maternity tunic tee:
These buttery soft shirts were a favorite pre-pregnancy but the tunic style has been a staple since my first trimester. They’re on a huge sale right now and I recommend these if you’re pregnant or not. These would also be great post partum.

Black Motherhood Jumpsuit
This is one of my all time favorite maternity pieces but I haven’t worn it as much as I was planning. You can dress it up with heels and jewelry or down with sneaker sand a denim jacket. It is lightweight and oh so comfortable. It is available in the black color I have (wearing it above) and in a more casual heather grey. Plus, you can order it with prime shipping on Amazon!
Shop the black maternity jumpsuit here (sold out right now)
this one is short sleeved, comes in a few colors, and has good reviews
Maternity Swimsuit from H&M
This is my FAVORITE maternity suit I’ve tried on. The cut is flattering without showing off too much (I love that it isn’t super low cut). The quality is going to work for this summer which is all I really need. It is unlined/unpadded but the placement of the ruffles means you can’t see nipples (the only time I’ve talked about nipples on the blog before? but it needed to be said) so you don’t need the padding.
The solid red color is sold out but they have two different floral options in the same style available right now. If that particular style hasn’t been restocked, there is also this scalloped version I just ordered!
You can also check out the 40 cutest maternity swim suits here
shop my favorite H&M maternity swim suits here
If you liked this post, you might also like these:
- Where to buy maternity dresses for photos
- Best pregnancy splurges according to 100 moms
- 30 places to buy cute maternity clothes
