A lot has happened since my last post. Actually, to be completely honest, a lot happened BEFORE my last post, but I had a little catching up to do before I jumped to this chapter.. and now that I’m finally getting around to it… UM SURPRISE! I’M PREGNANT!
I’ve been sharing bits and pieces on my socials and a little more detail over on my YouTube channel when I can, but to get you up to speed, we found out I was pregnant on April 17th. Understandably, we were cautiously optimistic about the coming months, and as time went on we got more and more excited, and finally shared it publicly at the end of June. Fast forward to today, and I am now 27 weeks pregnant and we can’t wait to meet our little one at the end of the year.
One of the things I’ve been excited to navigate ever since the prospect of starting a family was on our radar, was sharing my “tall mama” experience! I didn’t know when exactly I’d pop, or if I’d have much of a pregnant belly at all (I’d read on some forums that some tall mamas didn’t show until month 7 or 8 of their pregnancy), but now that I’m very much dealing with a baby bump and we’re heading into cooler weather, I’m realizing that finding clothing that fits is presenting all new challenges.
Being tall, I’m no stranger to struggling with finding clothes that fit. But what I’ve quickly come to see, is that while tall clothing has become much more abundant over the last handful of years, tall maternity is MUCH more difficult to come by. I was able to wear most of my shorts/pants through the summer, but a lot of my high waisted silhouettes started getting a little tight around week 18-20, when my bike shorts, dresses and low-rise silhouettes started taking over. With cold weather around the corner, and my desire to ensure my ankles don’t get chilly, finding options that accommodate my height AND my growing belly is crucial.
Not wanting to drop a pile of money on a wardrobe I can only wear for a few more months, I still want to do my best to find and share options that I find, but to start, here are a few (probably obvious) tips I’ve figured out so far:
- Stretchy material is key. I wasn’t exactly keen on getting maternity items to start (cost and minimal usage, AND lack of trendy options made it seem like a waste of money), so up until very recently everything in my closet that had extra stretch became quick go-to’s. Bike shorts, body con dresses, and leggings seem to be my best options.
- The return of low-rise trends might be my saving grace! I definitely don’t own as many low-rise options as I once did in high school, but I’m very thankful for the phase I went through a few years ago where I’d wear baggy/low-rise silhouettes with a pair of Calvin Klein’s showing along the top. Not only have I been able to pull a few of these shorts and [cropped] pants from the back of my closet, but they aren’t nearly as baggy and leave ample room for my belly while still looking somewhat trendy and put together according to current trends.
- Sometimes comfort > style. These last few weeks, I’ve had to accept that sometimes, my outfit might not be as “put together” as I’d prefer because I simply just need to wear what’s more comfortable right now. This often means I’ve been a little more on the casual side lately, but I’d rather be casual and less trendy, than uncomfortable in a body I’m already unfamiliar with.
- Properly fitted undergarments make a HUGE difference. Obviously everything is growing and changing and I’ve already had to find a few bra alternatives that are more comfortable and fit properly (THANK YOU KNIX!), which makes the rest of my clothing already more comfortable, but what I didn’t foresee happening was the fact that I may have to switch up my underwear options as well. I’m almost exclusively a thong-wearer which… without getting into too much detail, isn’t really working out right now.
- You really can’t beat a large oversized t-shirt. Like I said. Comfort really does win over everything most days.
I’ll do my best to share a few maternity finds over the next few months as well as some of my other tall specific mama experiences as they come up. If you have any tips I need to know, please feel free to share them, and if there are any brands that are MUST HAVES, I’m open to all suggestions.
Until next time,
xx
PS.. We also got engaged, but Tall Bridal posts will be for a later chapter 🙂
Stefanie Drew - The Tallest Mermaid 