How to Build the Ultimate Maternity Capsule Wardrobe

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Pregnant and want to be as minimal as possible with buying new clothes? Our maternity capsule wardrobe guide will show you how with ease.

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How to Build the Ultimate Maternity Capsule Wardrobe

Have you noticed that in many different areas of life, less truly is more? It’s kinda “the thing” lately and many people are finding themselves to be happier living a much more minimal lifestyle. Well, this notion works in the fashion department, too. In the past I have talked about fashion storage and organizing your closet and going shopping in your own closet, so today I’m going to help all you preggo mamas learn how to build the ultimate maternity capsule wardrobe! Don’t worry, I’m working on another post that will help pare down your regular, non-maternity closet, too. It’s just that I’m living the maternity life right now and it’s a completely different machine.)

What is a maternity capsule wardrobe?

Essentially, a capsule wardrobe is a mini wardrobe. It includes pieces that pair well with one another and make it easy for you to mix and match, and grab and go. These pieces are super versatile and are meant to be the ONLY pieces hanging in your wardrobe. (Because of this I do recommend making sure these are high quality items and not cheap pieces.)

Maternity capsule wardrobes and capsule wardrobes in general are benefiting many and have become so popular because they make our lives easier. (And that’s what we all want at the end of the day, right?) The goal is to simplify our lives so that we have more time for the things that matter most and spend less time choosing what to wear. If you are already a mama, imagine losing that stress of finding something to wear in the morning. If you are a first time mama-to-be, get ready to have a very short period of time for choosing what works best on you and pulling yourself together. A maternity capsule wardrobe will change all of that and create more balance in your life and closet.

Tips to Build Your Own Maternity Capsule Wardrobe

1. Choose how many pieces.

Most capsule wardrobes aim for about 40 pieces total, but with a maternity capsule wardrobe you can definitely go lower in number because you will only be wearing these pieces for about 10 months total and as you transition back into your pre-pregnancy wardrobe. Choose a number that you are most comfortable with and stick with it! For me, since we live the city life and send our laundry to be washed every other week, I make sure to include multiples of these pieces:

2. Start with the basics.

Basics are key to this entire capsule collection process because they are going to be your wardrobe work-horses. Think about the things that you couldn’t live without in your pre-pregnancy life and copy that to your pregnancy wardrobe. Don’t ever sacrifice your personal style whenever you are pregnant and stay true to who you are.

Here are some blog posts that will help you get inspired for your maternity capsule wardrobe:

3. Think 10 months out.

When building a traditional capsule wardrobe, you want to start planning 2 weeks before the next season hits, meaning that you will be “capsuling” 4 times per year. But, when you are pregnant, instead of thinking seasonally, you are preparing for 10 months of clothes that will work for your growing body, so make sure to keep these key thoughts in mind:

Pay attention to your body and how quickly it’s growing, as you may want to start building your capsule once your pants are officially too tight to make it worth every penny.
Do still think about the seasons that you will be pregnant during.
Don’t just focus on the pregnancy, as most of these items will be worn a good 6 weeks after giving birth. Choose pieces like the Belly Bandit “BDA” (before, during, after) leggings that will take you through the whole experience.

4. Choose one amazing piece to build around.

Pregnant or not, style expert or not, the easiest way to build a maternity capsule wardrobe of any kind is to choose one amazing piece and build the rest of the wardrobe around that. This will be the piece that determines your color scheme, patterns that you incorporate, and even the types of fabrics to include. Think about the way your favorite retail store or boutique is curated whenever you walk inside. Colors are always grouped accordingly with both layering pieces, basics, and accessories that compliment them. Here are some of my favorite maternity pieces that are comfortable, but really fun to build an entire wardrobe around:

5. Don’t forget about shoes and accessories.

So here is my confession: I don’t consider accessories or shoes a part of the maternity capsule collection because I feel like these are things that should always be in our wardrobes that help add spice to an otherwise boring outfit. But at the same time, in order to build a cohesive maternity capsule wardrobe, we gotta add some new pieces that tie everything together. Add these at your discretion, but some of my favorites have been scarves that will later double as nursing covers, oversized necklaces that I know are safe for baby to chew on, and fun sunglasses where the shades shimmer in different colors – all fun to wear year round!

What a Maternity Capsule Wardrobe Looks Like

Here are some outfits from recent maternity style shoots that I have curated into mini maternity capsule collections and they are making my life so much easier during this pregnancy! More style inspiration to come over the next weeks, too – so stay up to date and subscribe to my email list for some fashion insight, freebies, and special deals on beauty, fashion, mama gear and more!