Consider this my confession: Maternity leggings have got me in a chokehold. Yes, my baby is now earthside, and I still can’t shake them…
Having sworn off leggings the last time they fell off the fashion world’s radar circa 2013, I promised myself I’d never return. And while I managed to stand strong during much of the pilates girlie movement, it turns out I do have a tipping point. That point is at around five months pregnant. By that date, I had spent an embarrassing amount of money on the best maternity leggings – and had absolutely zero regrets in return.
If you thought comfort was key with your outfits before, you’ll quickly learn that being with child only increases that belief. If the item of clothing you’re putting on doesn’t feel as comfortable as you do when you’re naked, then what’s the point? The best leggings for pregnant women happen tick that box then some, and are therefore (in my opinion, and much to my partner’s chagrin) maternity clothing wardrobe essentials.
As well as being versatile, leggings are one of the most comfortable pieces of clothing you can wear when you’re with child – and they go with literally anything. Heading to a prenatal yoga class? Team them with a sports bra and workout vest. Popping to the shops? Throw on a classic white T-shirt and trainers. Heading out for mocktails with your friends? Dress them up with an oversized blazer and stilettos. Yes, really.
And, thanks to the quiet luxury trend that recently came into its own and hasn’t gone anywhere, leggings are now socially acceptable 24/7.
Maternity leggings will also serve you long after your baby arrives, making them a sustainable, investment purchase. If you’ve had a C-section and are feeling uncomfortable, there’s a plethora of specific leggings on offer that are designed with a stretchy fit and foldable flap to accommodate sore scars. If you’re breastfeeding and looking for a comfortable but practical ensemble, try pairing them with a white shirt with a nursing bra underneath.
As Lorna Jane Clarkson, founder of Lorna Jane activewear, explains: “I consider my activewear to be a metaphor for freedom and I wanted to give that same feeling to expectant and new mums.” Hear, hear.
Meet the experts:
Why you can trust us
Website Director, Bianca London, Commerce Photo Editor, Neamh Randall, and Fashion Editor, Charlie Teather, have all become first or second-time mums over the last few years, and – alongside, you know, prepping for one of humankind’s toughest physical feats and the subsequent life-altering reality of a tiny new human to care for 24/7 – rediscovering how to dress a body that was changing every single day posed a real challenge.
We didn’t want to lose our personal style identities – which, conveniently for those of you reading this for inspo, are all very different to one another’s – but we also wanted to celebrate and not just ‘disguise’ this incredible moment in our lives. And if we were finding this balance hard to strike, after working our whole adult lives in the fashion and magazine industry, we figured others must be too. So, we made it something of a personal/professional mission to compile the ultimate maternity fashion guides. If for nothing more than for us to refer back to if/when we ever do this pregnancy thing again, because (spoiler alert) baby brain is no joke, people…
How we tested the best maternity leggings
Throughout each of our pregnancies, we shopped for a whole host of maternity leggings, from on-trend leggings with ankle split detail to maternity gym leggings and new-in leather look maternity leggings. We’ve tried them out for sheerness (because there’s nothing worse than see-through leggings), comfort over their growing bump, and style. Bianca has also continued wearing them beyond birth to see how they adapted. See how they fared below.
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