Several months ago, we rounded up the best maternity dresses for work, and now it’s time to look at another essential area of your everyday maternity wardrobe: the best maternity pants for the office.
(We just rounded up the best pants for work at Corporette, and we were struck by how few brands offered maternity pants for work!)
Many moms-to-be are lucky enough to be able to wear their regular pants up to week 20 or so (perhaps less likely if you’re on your second pregnancy or beyond), especially with the help of a Bella Band (or a rubber band, in a pinch!).
Somewhere around that stage, though, you’ll probably find that it’s time to switch to maternity pants (which you may get even more wear out of than you think, considering that many moms continue to wear them postpartum).
Many moms-to-be are lucky enough to be able to wear their regular pants up to week 20 or so, especially with the help of a Bella Band.
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Maternity pants usually have a stretchy waistband that you wear under your belly — typically more doable in the earlier stages of pregnancy — or a stretchy full-panel waistband that you pull all the way over it, which can feel a bit more secure. We feature both options below.
Do tell, moms and moms-to-be: What do you think are the best maternity pants for the office?
We have lots of recommendations for you today, most of which are machine washable. Many are on sale, too!
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- Hall of Famers (specific brands that have stood the test of time): Gap, Secret Belly Fit, Loft, Seraphine, Isabella Oliver
- Under $50: H&M, ASOS, Ingrid & Isabel (Target), Old Navy, Uniqlo
- Plus sizes: Limited options at JCP, Old Navy (up to 20) and Gap (up to 20), Loft (up to 18) (See our last roundup of the best plus-size maternity clothes.)
- Suiting separates: Slacks & Co, Seraphine, JCPenney (see our post on the best maternity suits for professional women)
- Washable: H&M, JCPenney, Gap
- Treasure hunts (maybe you’ll find something; maybe not): Amazon, Nordstrom, 6PM, Gilt, Rue La La, Zulily, ThredUp, eBay
- (Also see our post on where to rent maternity workwear.)
If you’re planning on only having one kid, you may not want to spend a ton on maternity pants, or maternity clothes in general. In that case, ASOS Maternity is a great place to start your search.
Bonus: these stretch slim pants from New Look Maternity have pockets! (Do note that the model pictured is 5’10”, so clearly, the pant hem is likely to be significantly longer for you if you’re of average height or shorter.)
The pants come in sizes 0–14 — and you can’t get much more affordable than $24.
Another good bet for affordable maternity pants is Target‘s Ingrid & Isabel line, which includes this crossover panel bootcut trouser (pictured above). The brand has a few options in plus sizes, as well.
If you’re looking beyond bootcut, other styles at a similar price point include $35 MAMA slacks in sizes 0–10 at H&M and the $39 full-panel pixie ankle pants from Old Navy that go up to size 20 (currently on sale for $29).
If you’d prefer more traditional pants, Uniqlo has a limited maternity section, but they’re still a good place to check for options like these $39 wrinkle-resistant ankle-length pants with a front crease.
It can be really difficult to find plus-size maternity clothes for work, but JCPenney delivers — they have options for sedate pants as well as more “fun” styles.
This $39 wide-leg style from Duo is washable, has two back pockets, and comes in three colors — black, gray, and beige — in sizes 1X–3X. It has tons of great reviews, as well.
You’ll find lots of skinny options for maternity pants at Gap, but do note that they’ve had these full-panel baby boot trousers for at least 10 years! They’re machine washable and have back pockets.
The pants are currently on sale for $56 and are available in indigo and black. Sizes go up to 20; keep checking for your size if it’s sold out!
Loft has lots of options for maternity pants, with both roll-down and demi-panel styles available — and these skinny ankle pants (pictured above) are an online exclusive. They go up to size 18 and come in black and navy.
(Note that the pockets, which are shown in one of the photos online, are faux pockets.)
You can find lots of options for A Pea in the Pod’s Secret Fit Belly maternity pants (XS–L) at both A Pea in the Pod and Amazon. The pictured pants, which are $88 (currently on sale for $66!) come in navy and black and are machine washable. They don’t have many reviews yet, but the ones they do have are very positive — and they all mention how comfortable they pants are.
Sister brand Motherhood Maternity also offers their own Secret Fit Belly pants at a lower price point.
Another nice option that’s almost the same price is from Seraphine — their tailored maternity pants (2–14) are $89 at Seraphine.com and are also available at Amazon.
If you’ve decided to focus on a few higher-quality pieces (or more than a few!) and/or you know you’ll have at least one more kid after your current pregnancy, this Josefina pant from reader-favorite brand Isabella Oliver is definitely one to consider. It’s available at IsabellaOliver.com in sizes 2–14 (0–5) for $159.
Unlike most of the pants we’re featuring here, the Josefina pant has a narrower, under-the-bump waistband. (Note that the pants are dry clean only.)
You may also want to check out our post on the best maternity jeans for work and play…
Pictured above, some of the best maternity jeans as of 2021… 1) Madewell 2) Paige 3) Isabella Oliver 4) J.Brand
Your turn, readers: What have you found to be the best maternity pants for the office? During your pregnancy, how long were you able to hold out on buying maternity pants (perhaps using a Bella Band, as mentioned above)?
Do you typically buy pants in similar styles to your regular pants, or do you prefer different sorts of pants when you’re pregnant because they’re more comfortable or more flattering, or both?
HSAL says
The Secret Fit Belly in suiting fabric from Motherhood Maternity were my absolute favorite work pants for both pregnancies – 2015 and 2018. I got the bootcut style so I can’t speak to any of the other styles, but they were perfect. I liked the Loft straight leg/bootcut dress pants I had but they had a very tight belly panel – the 2018 pairs were a little looser than the 2015 pair, but they still didn’t last my entire pregnancy. The legs on the Loft skinny pairs that I got were way too tight or my legs were way too swollen, but either way I didn’t love them. I had pretty good luck with Kohls and Old Navy for casual pants.
Marshmallow says
I have two high-end pairs that I really love: the Hatch trousers (so expensive, but so comfy and WARM for a winter pregnancy) and Storq’s “tailored” pants. Both are the low-waist, elastic variety and marketed as being designed to still fit after baby, too. We’ll see about that, of course.
I was generally unhappy with most other maternity pants I tried. Motherhood Maternity’s skinny “trousers” with the front seam were better than leggings but still read way too casual even though they have pockets. I rented the Rosie Pope skinny pants from RTR and they looked great but just kept sliding right off my belly, even at 8+ months. I continued wearing a few pairs of elastic-waist non-maternity pants I already owned (Eileen Fisher kind of stuff) and otherwise mostly stuck to dresses.
shortperson says
i got a pair of theory over the bump pants from pea in the pod that are the best pants i have ever owned. putting them on again in my second pregnancy was a mini celebration. they are the only maternity clothes i am hanging on to. i can rebuy everything else if an accident happens.
Patty Mayonnaise says
This feels like such a silly problem but I have been having the hardest time figuring out whether maternity pants actually fit. I guess the belly panel throws it off? I avoided this altogether during my last pregnancy by just wearing dresses and tights. But this time, I’m having such a hard time finding pants that are cut closely enough to actually stay up, but not be too tight if that makes sense… This is especially problematic at stores like Loft where there’s crazy vanity sizing so just sticking with my non maternity size isn’t helpful since it could be anywhere from 0-4! Maybe I just hate maternity pants? Except for leggings of course, which I’d wear nonstop if I could.
Lana Del Raygun says
I got Lands’ End, which were the only affordable ones I could find in tall sizes (you order by inseam up to 34″ or unhemmed).
Anon says
Old Navy also had tall maternity pants – that is what I used.
lsw says
Finding tall maternity pants was absolutely brutal. Thankfully I was a summer pregnancy so I could get away with wearing things that were cropped. I basically lived in two pairs from Loft, one which were trouser fit and just barely too short, so it didn’t look awful (would never have worn pants that short not pregnant, but I was out of options). Old Navy just fell down all the time and were untenable for me. I was also fortunate to have a business casual workplace so I could get away with it. I never wished so hard Banana Republic had maternity…
Ros says
I work in a business-casual (very casual) office – non-pregnant, my standard is black jeans, black blazer, and blouse. So I lean towards Old Navy black pregnancy jeans (or the pixie pants) while pregnant. I’m in my third pregnancy right now, and… yeah. First time around, I was 14 weeks pregnant before I needed more than elastics. Second pregnancy, 10 weeks. This time, 7 weeks in, I was like ‘this belt is actively painful, FINE.’ So… yeah. This is the time for those side-insert elastics that feel like real pants but don’t compress my belly when I sit, I guess.
Lin says
I love my gap skinny dress pants. I bought them in navy and black and have basically lived in them. The J. Crew factory outlet had maternity jeans this year that I bought in blue and black as well. Those four pairs of pants have been perfect.
Celia says
I love Seraphine for maternity wear, but found their pants super uncomfortable and very small (I couldn’t get on pants that were the same size as the dresses I purchased from them).
GovAtty says
I would LOVE a round-up of petite maternity pants. Or even an update that included petite maternity pants.
MEB says
LOVE LOVE LOVE my Superkin maternity work pants. They have real pockets which for whatever reason people seem to think pregnant women don’t need?!? Someone please explain! They also have flattering fit details so I don’t feel frumpy and feel a little more like myself.