From a young age I have vivid memories of conversations with my mom about Princess Di and how much she loved her. She appreciated Princess Di’s desire to give her sons elements of a “normal” life, like going to McDonalds and public parks, even though they were royalty and their lives were anything but normal. She also admired Princess Di’s style (who doesn’t) and because of these childhood conversations with my mom I have always been intrigued by the royal family. I can’t say I am a die hard fanatic, but I have seen all of the good documentaries about them on Netflix and enjoy keeping up with their lives! 

I have loved watching @thriftinglikearoyal’s platform take off and think it’s great that people are being inspired to not only express themselves through fashion but also shop resourcefully and responsibly. There is so much to learn when it comes to fast fashion and how it is impacting the world around us. Trust me, I am up there with the worst of Target addicts, but I am taking baby steps towards a more ethical shopping process and finding beauty in secondhand items. 

I am almost 34 weeks pregnant and I thought it would be fun to take on a @thriftinglikearoyal challenge and find some looks from the royal ladies during their maternity seasons. It was really easy to find stylish photographs of the royals while pregnant as we all know their lives and activities are well documented. What proved to be the real challenge was finding pieces at thrift stores that would suffice as a quality dupe! I’m no stranger to secondhand shopping, but my method usually does not involve looking for something specific.When I go into a store with little to no expectations it leaves a lot of room for feeling like I have hit the jackpot. But trying to find something that was so similar to something else proved to be a challenge because I really didn’t want to sacrifice on quality and settle for a piece that was close enough.

This look is probably my most favorite of Meghan Markle’s maternity season. Turns out she was toward the end of her pregnancy in this look just like me! I loved the simplicity of her polished pony and chandelier earrings that left all of the attention on the stunning little black dress and white blazer from her trip to Morocco.

After five trips to different thrift/secondhand stores, I finally found this UNIQLO dress that fit the description of Meghan’s pleated Loyd/Ford dress. I paired it with a white blazer and chandelier earrings I already owned. My black pumps are definitely not Manolo’s but they get the job done! 

This is my second pregnancy and I am a firm believer that you don’t have to lose your sense of style as you transition into motherhood. I have always been one to express myself through style. While I have seen some improvements and an expansion of options in maternity clothing since my first pregnancy in 2018, I am of the opinion that maternity clothing in general can really be a bore and often comes with a hefty price tag.

However, with patience and confidence, secondhand pieces can get you through the maternity stage without sacrificing your personal style. There will also be a shift in what you wear when it comes to practicality, for example: you won’t find me wearing this white blazer while my toddler is within 6 feet of me but it’s a piece that still gets worn for date nights and outings with friends. Instead of saying, “I can’t wear this anymore” I have become more strategic about when and how I wear things. I make my clothes work for me! Not the other way around.

Just as Meghan and the other royals have remained stylish during their baby bump phases, be encouraged and believe that you can still rock your favorite looks while growing a human being!