What I wore during weeks 17-20 of my pregnancy

I wanted to follow up my last post by sharing a handful of outfits I wore during weeks 17-20 of my pregnancy. My first trimester was marked by a constant feeling of being bloated. It wasn’t until these three weeks leading up to the mid-point that I noticed my body seriously starting to change. If you’re currently expecting and in the earlier stages of your pregnancy, hopefully this might give you some ideas. My main aim with these outfits was to reflect my personal style, while adapting it to accommodate my growing bump.

Week 17

wearing Sezane t-shirt, Grlfrnd Denim leather trousers, Paul Andrew heels

This was the only photo evidence I could find on my phone of what I was wearing during week 17. In large part, it was one of the final opportunities I had to make the most of my jeans. I’d splurged on these leather trousers around the 13-14 week mark of the pregnancy; given the price tag, I wanted to make the most of wearing them until they no longer quite fit.

In terms of the quality, I really couldn’t be happier. The leather is buttery soft leather, and the slightly cropped length is exactly what I was searching for. For reference, my inseam measures 28 inches to my ankle. I tried both the 25 and the 26 and found there wasn’t much difference in the sizes; for reference, I usually wear a 25. I decided to opt for the larger size for a few reasons; I wanted a slightly more relaxed fit overall, and was conscious that my hips may widen throughout pregnancy. To complete the look, I wore it with a simple cotton tee. This one is from Sezane and is made from 100% organic cotton. It’s a mid-weight, not sheer, and feels pretty nice against my skin. And it washes well which is a plus, though it’s worth noting that it is quite pricey for a basic.

Week 18

wearing Joseph sweater (affordable here), Realisation Par skirt (dupe here), By Far mules (affordable dupe here)

I won’t go on long about this outfit as you saw it in my last post, but I loved this neutral combo. I’ve been wearing the RP skirt a tonne to get my CPW down (you’ll see evidence of this soon…). While I have my issues with the quality, I do love the style and silhouette of the skirt overall.

wearing Frame grey tee (old but similar here), Faithfull red wrap skirt, Everlane wide strap sandals

This was a really simple outfit for a day at home. It’s one of those easy outfit combos I see myself returning to a lot over the summer. I don’t wear a lot of colour, but red is one that I think is perfect over the warmer months. The key here for me is the wrap style of the skirt. Despite not being a “maternity” style, it’s one of those pieces that will be able to accommodate a growing bump and that I’ll hopefully still be reaching for during the home stretch in February. Because the skirt is such a statement-maker, I kept the rest of my outfit simple. A plain grey tee, and my wide strap sandals from Everlane.

wearing Karen Walker gingham dress (old but I love this style), Everlane double strap sandals, Cuyana tote bag

One thing I realised pretty early on, was that simple sundresses would be my best friend during my pregnancy; especially as we head into summer. This gingham number was a lucky eBay find, which I snapped up in an AU12 – plenty of room to grow. I really love the adjustable tie at the neckline, and the ruffles along the sides. Oh, and did I mention it has pockets?! Again as it’s a printed piece, I let the dress do the talking and kept my accessories simple and pared back.

Week 19

wearing M&S black merino sweater, Assembly Label linen trousers, Charlotte Olympia kitty flats, Celine trotteur bag

When it came to snapping my outfits, week 19 was definitely a case of finding my best “angles”. I wore this during a slightly cooler day, opting for a full monochromatic look, that I kept interesting by varying the textures. The linen trousers were another thing I added to my wardrobe early on in my pregnancy, and they served me well during that awkward period where my jeans no longer fit, but the maternity skirt I’d bought still felt a little too big. I opted to go for them in a size 8 for a relaxed fit (I’m usually a size 6 or so in Assembly Label pants); they have a drawstring waist which I like as I can easily adjust them to fit.

Shoes-wise, I pulled out my Charlotte Olympia kitty flats, which I’ve been gravitating to a lot recently. I’ve had this style in my wardrobe for more than seven years now, and I still adore how whimsical and fun they are.

wearing Sezane chuck sweater, Realisation Par skirt (dupe here), Workshop utility jacket (old but similar here), Vaneli two tone pumps, Everlane day tote mini

You’ll have to excuse the terrible mirror selfie from this photo, but hopefully this gives you a sense of my “transitional” season style. A nice cosy sweater, tucked into a midi skirt, with a mid or lightweight jacket thrown over top. What I liked the most about this outfit was the colour scheme. I wear a lot of all black, white, or grey outfits, so this was enough to make me feel like I was getting a bit of variety with what I was wearing.

wearing Kindersalmon shirt (10% off sitewide with ‘mademoiselle10’), Forcast trousers, Everlane day heels, Parisa Wang enchanted bag (also here)

This is probably one of my favourite outfits that I’ve worn in the past few months, for a couple of reasons. It’s really simple, but the details on the shirt made it feel elevated and special. I’m all about basics with a twist, and Kindersalmon really nailed the brief with this one. Aside from the interesting front panel detail, it also has these mega puff sleeves – a huge trend of the moment. I tucked that into my Forcast trousers, which admittedly were a bit of a squeeze by this point. I also added in my day heels; these are such a reliable go-to style for me when I’m not quite sure what shoes to wear.

wearing Everlane alpaca sweater, Assembly Label linen trousers

During my down time, comfort has ranked pretty highly in terms of how I get dressed, and this outfit was the epitome of cosy. It was pretty rainy this particular weekend, which was a great excuse to whip out this alpaca sweater. I wore this during a stay at the Paramount House Hotel, and it was the perfect lounge around outfit, and also great for when I had to do some shooting. Again, paired with those Assembly Label trousers, it made for an easy casual look.

wearing White by FTL tank, Realisation Par skirt (dupe here), Tony Bianco mules

I’m not quite sure exactly what was on the agenda this day, but as you can see, I was clearly returning back to that Realisation Par skirt as often as I could. I’d been so on the fence about which size to opt for, and in the end took the sizing chart advice which recommended going with the larger of the two if you’re in between sizes. I’m glad I did as it’s fast become one of my most worn pieces of Spring, just as the muted leopard print is a quick and easy way to jazz up an outfit. The tank, I’ve tied with a small elastic band and tucked under at the waist, to create more of a streamlined effect. I find this to be a really flattering way to pair your basic tees or tanks with any maternity friendly skirts floating about in your wardrobe.

Week 20

wearing RUBY mirella bodice & skirt, Vaneli two tone pumps

I thought I’d end this round up with an outfit that I wore a few days into week 20 of my pregnancy; this divine Mirella set from RUBY. I’d been wanting to pick something up from this collection for yonks, but never got around to it. The periwinkle blue is such a fun pop of colour for me, and has given me so much joy to wear. I usually wear a size NZ6 in RUBY, but made the decision to size up to an NZ8 to fit a growing bump, and I’m glad I did. I figure I can always get the skirt or top altered if needed post-pregnancy.

One thing to note, is that these pieces are semi-sheer; I personally wear a simple white slip underneath to protect my modesty. The fabric, being a light cotton gauze, is also prone to pulling, so you do have to be a little mindful not to catch it on anything when you wear it. Clearly I let the outfit do the talking with this one, opting to wear my neutral yet understated Vaneli two tone pumps as a complement.