Workwear wardrobes can be a bit of a tricky one - with varying styles and dress codes depending on where you work.
If you’re working in an office (or signing in via zoom), you probably don’t want to re-wear the same outfits repeatedly. But equally, you probably don’t want to spend thousands on a workwear wardrobe, especially as your body changes throughout pregnancy.
So, what’s the solution?
In this blog, we’re sharing how to build a capsule workwear wardrobe that you love, and that doesn’t cost the earth.
The best maternity workwear capsule wardrobe…
Building a sustainable wardrobe is not only about finding ethical clothing made with materials that are kind to the planet. It’s also about choosing pieces that can be worn interchangeably and paired in ways that create multiple new outfits.
This is why the idea of a capsule wardrobe is so appealing, especially when it comes to workwear clothing.
| A capsule wardrobe is a collection of clothing, built using interchangeable items only - to create multiple outfits from a small number of pieces. |
This means that you can create a seemingly extensive workwear wardrobe, without spending thousands on clothes that probably won’t fit you in a year.
Plus, it allows you to build a mini-maternity wardrobe suited to each trimester, swapping out key pieces for essential maternity pieces when necessary.
While Instagram influencers might fool you into thinking you won’t need to buy bigger or maternity clothes until say, after 3 months, you might have to. And that’s okay - but a capsule wardrobe will help you cut down on the number of clothes you need.
Top rated dresses to wear to work
Want to put a look together with very little effort? Dresses are the perfect workwear staple! Plus, flowy dresses are brilliant for covering your bump if you want to be discrete in the early stages of your pregnancy.
Here are some of our favourite maternity dresses…
1. Cari London Trapeze Maternity Dress
This A-line trapeze dress is made from a luxurious textured satin, making it perfect for everyday maternity workwear.
And…it has pockets!
Pair it with some tights, a cardigan and boots for the winter months or some flats in the warmer months.
Specially made for pregnancy and post-partum, all Cari London dresses are designed to flatter all silhouettes and all stages of pregnancy - and beyond.
Cost:
Rent for 4 days from £13
Buy for £125
Colour: Black
Material: Acetate 91%, Polyester 9%.
Suitable for: All stages of pregnancy
2. Isabella Oliver Pixie Maternity Dress
This stretchy dress is the perfect base layer to add to your capsule workwear wardrobe (or any other occasion).
Throw on a blazer and some heels and you’re ready to take on the world (or a zoom call).
Isabella Oliver is a maternity brand, “Designed for good”, and so it’s made to grow with your body. The side ruching will grow with your body and flatter any silhouette.
Cost:
Rent from £10 for 4 days
Buy for £75
Colour: Black
Material: LENZING™ ECOVERO™
Suitable for: All stages of pregnancy
3. Bump & Milk Amara Breastfeeding Shirt Dress
A shirt is a staple in any work wardrobe, so why not make a shirt dress?
The Amara shirt dress is cut from a fluid fabric, with a frilly neckline, pop buttons, 7/8 length sleeves, and a removable belt. Its flattering material makes it easy to wear in the early stages of your pregnancy, or while breastfeeding.
Dress it up with heels and a blazer, or down with boots and a leather jacket - the perfect transitional dress.
Cost:
Rent from £15 for 4 days
Buy for £149
Colour: Black & white
Material: LENZING™ ECOVERO™ viscose
Suitable for: Small bump and breastfeeding friendly
Our favourite maternity skirts & trousers - perfect to wear to work
Skirts and trousers are brilliantly interchangeable - allowing you to mix and match tops and shirts to create entirely new outfits. Dress them up with heels or boots, or flats to create a look that suits your style and season.
Here are some of our favourite maternity skirts and trousers for your work wardrobe…
1. Cari London Black Satin Midi Maternity Skirt
This classic, and stylish skirt will become your go-to piece in your maternity workwear wardrobe. The bias-cut slinky satin sits above the bump to flatter and fit at any stage of pregnancy.
Wear casually with a crop top or sweatshirt, or team with a shirt for your work meetings (or zoom calls).
Cari London is a specially designed maternity wear brand, so all their clothes will fit and flatter you at any stage of pregnancy.
However, you can also fold down the bellyband to wear post-pregnancy to get more wear out of it.
Cost:
Rent for 4 days from £13
Buy for £90
Colour: Black
Material: Satin
Suitable for: All stages of pregnancy
2. Cari London Maternity Trousers
These slim-fit trousers add a little flair to your wardrobe, while the neutral palette still allows you to mix and match your capsule wardrobe.
The luxury textured woven fabric sits at ankle length and elongates the length for a flattering fit. With cream fabric, gold thread and navy dots, these trousers are perfect to dress up for work (or any other occasion).
The cream bellyband sits comfortably over the bump but lowers at the back to easily tuck in tops.
Cost:
Rent for 4 days from £17
Buy for £120
Colour: Cream, navy and gold
Material: 62% polyester, 36% cotton 2% metallic
Suitable for: All stages of pregnancy and breastfeeding
3. Whistles Luna Textured Trouser
Looking for a timeless staple to add to your workwear wardrobe?
You can go far wrong with classic black trousers, and these Whistles Luna trousers have a textured finish to add a little twist to a traditional style.
Style with t-shirts, shirts, jumpers or blazers for an effortlessly chic workwear look, that can just as easily transition to daytime casual.
Cost:
Rent for 4 days from £12
Buy for £89
Colour: Black
Material: 53% Viscose, 46% Polyester, 1% Elastane
Suitable for Small bump and c-section friendly
The best maternity workwear tops and shirts
If you’re opting for skirts or trousers, then you need some tops or shirts to pair them with.
These are some of our favourites, that can be teamed with different bottoms or layered with dresses for an entirely new look.
1. Isabella Oliver The Maternity Turtleneck
This classic maternity basic is a capsule essential. It can be layered with dresses, knits or shirts in the winter, or worn alone with skirts or trousers.
Made from soft, stretchy and sustainably produced jersey, the side ruching seams allow plenty of room for a growing bump.
Cost:
Rent for 4 days from £6
Buy for £39
Colour: Black
Material: LENZING™ ECOVERO™
Suitable for: All stages of pregnancy and breastfeeding
2. Whistles Mara Cardigan
Add a pop of colour to your workwear wardrobe with the Whistles Mara cardigan. It’s a cool and vibrant classic, made from 100% cotton.
The cropped length and dropped shoulders mean that it can be worn over a t-shirt, or buttoned up on its own with a skirt or trousers.
Cost:
Rent for 4 days from £15
Buy for £99
Colour: Blue
Material: 100% cotton
Suitable for: All stages of pregnancy and postpartum
3. Whistles Stripe Spot Shirt
Make a style statement in this oversized collar shirt, a modern twist on a workwear classic.
It’s designed in a stripe spot print and will look effortlessly layered under a cardigan (maybe the mara) or worn on its own.
Cost:
Rent from 4 days for £10
Buy for £69
Colour: Blue and white
Material: 100% cotton
Suitable for: All stages of pregnancy and breastfeeding
Want to rent your workwear wardrobe?
Workwear is expensive at the best of times, and that is only amplified when you’ve got to continually evolve your wardrobe to fit your ever-changing body.
Renting not only allows you to sustainably kit out your maternity workwear wardrobe but at a much lower cost than buying it all. And, you can swap pieces out as you get bored of them or as your body changes throughout pregnancy.
By renting your maternity wardrobe you can create mini wardrobes that will do you three months of your pregnancy at a time. This is an alternative to planning on one wardrobe for your entire maternity, which will inevitably stop fitting at some point.
If you want to hire clothing for your pregnancy then hire our maternity workwear available for rent.