Sure, we all know what wardrobe essentials for work professional women are supposed to have in their closets, but if you’re buying one for the first time or replacing one you’ve worn into the ground, it can be a pain to find exactly the right incarnation in stores. (It’s even harder if you’re seeking maternity workwear essentials!) In “The Hunt,” we search the stores for a basic item that every woman should have.
It’s been a while since we featured a roundup of must-have maternity dresses for the office, so today we’re recommending eight options at various price points — with sleeve lengths and necklines that will work for all seasons.
(Hey, that would be a fun topic for a future post: Which seasons are the best to be pregnant or give birth? Stay tuned…)
Readers, which brands and styles did you find to be the best maternity dresses for work?
If you’re a mom-to-be, you’ll also want to check out our maternity wardrobe checklist — and, if you need extended sizes in maternity wear, click on over to the best plus-size maternity clothes for work. If you’re working from home right now and not planning to buy a lot of maternity workwear until you return to the office, see our posts on four companies that rent maternity workwear and where to get used maternity clothes.
{related: check out our roundup of maternity workwear essentials!}
What are/were your favorite maternity dresses for work? What were the most comfortable and versatile, and what were your favorite styles — wrap dresses, sheath dresses, or others? How far into your pregnancy were you able to wear your non-maternity clothing?
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A few noteworthy categories of must-have maternity dresses for the office:
- Usual Suspects (brands to check first): Maternal America, Seraphine, Isabella Oliver, Kimi & Kai, Gap, Old Navy, PattyBoutik
- Plus-size maternity dresses for the office: Pink Blush, Motherhood Maternity. Universal Standard, Gap, M.M.LaFleur
- “Maternity-friendly” dresses: J.Crew, MM.LaFleur, OfMercer, Universal Standard,
- Cute weekend dresses or maternity dresses for business casual offices: Loyal Hana, Target, Hatch, Gap, Old Navy, Rachel Pally, H&M, ASOS
Hunting for where to buy the best plus-size maternity clothes for work?
Some of our favorite retailers include Pink Blush / Motherhood Maternity / Universal Standard / Gap / M.M.LaFleur
Must-Have Maternity Dresses for the Office
If you need an extremely affordable maternity dress — one that’s appropriate for a lot of offices and also casual enough for weekends, this knit twist-front dress from Old Navy fits the bill!
The front twist is an interesting detail in an otherwise basic dress (and looks a bit different from others I’ve seen), and I love this color, which they call “Victorian Jade.” The dress, which is machine washable, is also available in a gray/black heather, cranberry, and olive green, and it comes in XS–XXL.
The price is $29.97 or $34.99, depending on color.
I’m not too familiar with the brand Mother Bee Maternity, but their clothing is available at Amazon as well as the brand’s website.
This wrap dress is only $37.99, is machine washable, was made in the U.S.A., and is available in a ton of colors and prints, from hunter green to burgundy to a cute little pineapple print. (Many of the other prints are a bit … much.)
I really like the tie belt and this shade of navy. Some color/size combos are eligible for Prime and free returns at Amazon. Sizes available are S–XL.
Seraphine is a very popular maternity brand (for good reason), and, as you may know, was a frequent choice of Kate Middleton and others in the royal family. (Kate even wore this particular knot-front dress.)
Available at Amazon and the brand’s own website (four solid colors as well as a pretty floral print), this looks really comfortable yet stylish. It’s machine washable, too. The dress is $75 and available in sizes 2–14, and Seraphine’s website offers free returns.
Stowaway Collection is a new-to-me brand, but I think the name is so cute. It’s also nice that all the clothing is sewn in the U.S.A. (Long Island City) and that the brand uses U.S.A.-made fabric “whenever they can.” This dress caught my eye because of the boatneck style (which I feel like you don’t often see in maternity dresses) and beautiful cobalt blue.
The cotton blend is machine wash, tumble dry; sizes are S–XL; and the price is $78.
Regarding the wide neckline, it could cause an issue with maternity-bra straps, which can be wider than non-maternity styles, but no worries — Nordstrom has free shipping/returns.
Maternal America is another really nice, reliable brand for maternity dresses. I love the gathered bodice on this dress, especially the shape (it’s nursing-friendly, too), and I’m always a fan of elbow-length sleeves. The swingy skirt portion looks pretty and comfortable, the dress is machine washable (dry flat), and it’s made in the U.S.A.
Note that the color says black, which is correct, but the image is navy — when we inquired, customer service said that the company didn’t provide a pic of the dress in black. This dress is $88 at Nordstrom and available in sizes XS–L.
Ponte is a great choice for a maternity dress fabric — comfortable and easy care — and this dress from NOM Maternity is machine wash, dry flat. (Does anyone else think “nom nom nom” whenever they see this brand name — very fitting for pregnancy cravings.)
And if you have a baby or toddler while you’re pregnant and are breastfeeding, and/or you’re planning to wear this after you give birth, note that it has a hidden nursing panel. I’m not usually a fan of this panel style (it’s so obvious that it’s a nursing dress — not that you should feel like you have to hide it!), but the pleated details underneath the waistline camouflage it a bit.
The dress is $128 at Nordstrom and comes in sizes XS–L (also in a cute colorblock).
Isabella Oliver is another popular brand that’s a reader favorite, and I really like this black jersey style. I’m not usually a fan of goldtone buttons (too preppy for me — and I own a Lilly Pulitzer dress), but I like the look of them against the black and on this fitted, ruched style. It’s a detail that isn’t common with maternity dresses, and I like that aspect, too.
There aren’t a ton of reviews yet, but almost all are very positive, noting that the dress is flattering and comfortable. It’s $135 and available in sizes 0–5 (U.S. sizes 2–12/14).
Psst: this $65 dress looks like an Isabella Oliver dupe for their former bestseller, the IvyBridge.
Reader fave M.M.LaFleur doesn’t make dresses that are explicitly “maternity,” but they do have styles that are marked “maternity-friendly,” like this pictured one, The Emily Dress. In fact, it’s also labeled full hips-friendly, bust-friendly (definitely nice for a maternity dress!), middle-friendly, and petite-friendly — and sizing goes up to +3. (See their sizing chart for measurements.)
The fabric, “WonderTex,” is machine washable, wrinkle-resistant, stretchy, and treated with an anti-odor finish (apparently “so you can wear your piece multiple times before tossing it in the washing machine” — hmm…). Plus, the dress has POCKETS! It’s $165 and available in five colors.
Readers, do tell: What do you think are the best maternity dresses for the office? What are the brands that you think best combine comfort and style?
Like this feature? Check out other recent installments here and at Corporette!
anon says
If you’re tall, realized that the Seraphine knot dress runs short. I was able to wear it comfortably during second tri, but by third tri my bump was big enough you could see my underwear in the front. I’m 5’8″ for the record.
Anonanonanon says
I splurged on two maternity dresses for work: an Isabella Oliver and a Seraphine and they could not have been more worth it. It was so nice to be able to put a pre-maternity blazer over nice dresses for big meetings and presentations. Definitely made me feel more on top of my game. I ended up with a job offer that doubled my salary toward the end of my pregnancy, basically because this organization had witnessed me “on it” in multiple meetings/presentations, and I’m sure it didn’t hurt that I also LOOKED “on it”
Anon says
I have a soft knit long sleeve isabella olivier dress (no buttons) and wore it at least 2X a week when I was pregnant with a pre pregnancy blazer. If you work in a more formal office, this is the way to go. I also HIGHLY recommend the spanx maternity tights.