How to Hide an Early Pregnancy Bump, by 2 Stylish Girls Who Know

Samantha Silver and Gemma Rose Breger are industry experts who have been using their extensive fashion and beauty knowledge to create one of the most engaging mum-focused websites out there: This Is Mothership gives stylish but realistic advice on every imaginable topic. Here, they decode the wardrobe essentials that keep you sane, chic and on the good side of your bank manager.

When we both fell pregnant first time around, we went into panic mode: Just what will we wear? Now that we’re both pregnant again (we know—at the same time, two weeks apart—wild!), we’ve got our maternity style down to an art.

The first couple of months are tricky, fashion-wise. You may not want people to know you’re pregnant (perhaps for superstitious reasons, or perhaps because you need to hide it from work), so we’re going to start by sharing few tips that have helped us along the way. We didn’t reveal our second pregnancies until well into the second trimester, and no one guessed…

We don’t see much point in spending lots of money on items we’ll only wear over a six-month period, so we try to stick to non-maternity–specific high-street pieces, unless it’s an investment piece that will last us beyond pregnancy, like accessories and jewellery. Keep reading to see the essentials that can help to hide your first-trimester pregnancy bump.

VERTICAL STRIPES

You can’t have missed monochrome stripes, a trend sweeping the catwalks and high street at the moment. Stripes never go out of style. Monochrome is the most powerful of the stripe family, and it’ll always elongate your body. The high street is awash with them, so you can opt for a blazer (we love this one from River Island), cropped trousers, jeans or a shirt.

These stripes will all conceal whatever needs to be hidden; just make sure you pair them with something more simple so you don’t look too Beetlejuice. If you opt for a new pair of monochrome trousers, stick to an elastic waist so they can sit comfortably below your bump.

LONGLINE OUTERWEAR

Styling out autumn in your first trimester is easy. When it comes to outerwear, anything longline will elongate your body and draw the eye away from your stomach. Cover up with longer oversize blazers (make sure they fit around your shoulders neatly so you're not swamped), and opt for something in bright colour (we like this one from The Kooples) or a print to detract away from your expanding waistline. If you prefer a more formal longline blazer, check that it has long, thin lapels, as these will make you appear longer and slimmer. 

Giving a nod to a big A/W 17 trend, the kimono is a really useful item that will see you throughout your entire pregnancy and beyond, as it’s great for covering up with minimal effort involved.

ATTENTION-SEEKING ACCESSORIES

Distraction is key when you're trying to minimize your pregnant belly. Sticking to a more neutral shade (black, cream, khaki, grey) will ensure that onlooker focus their attention elsewhere. Use accessories as a focal point—hats, oversize statement jewellery and large bags will always do the trick.

Flat shoes can be sensible and still make a major statement—we're both gravitating towards pointed-toe mules and pumps with bow detailing. You'll find a glut of them at Zara and all across the high street right now.

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