Maternity farm work clothes needed!

thethinkingweasel

Overrun with beasties
Joined
Jan 2, 2020
Messages
31
Reaction score
47
Points
76
Location
Upstate SC
Hello friends! I am 5 months along in my first pregnancy, and have been having the hardest time finding maternity clothes that are good for working outside on the farm. My favorite work clothes are Ex Officio collared shirts with vents, and Duluth Trading cargo pants. Neither of these brands makes ANY maternity clothes. In my internet searching, I have yet to find any company that makes maternity clothes designed for farm work. Has anyone here had this experience? Found any leads? Have any suggestions???
 

rachels.haven

Herd Master
Joined
Jun 7, 2016
Messages
3,103
Reaction score
12,400
Points
523
Location
zone 7a
Lol, there aren't any as far as I know. Clothes for men with hay bellies always have the rears too small and are useless. What I've seen done the most is to find some bibs that unzip down the middle and can be left open and try to buy the next size up to accommodate baby and that mandatory weight the doctor wants you lugging around (also useless, dang it).

Interested to see if things have changed since I looked long ago, so I guess I'm following this thread.
 

farmerjan

Herd Master
Joined
Aug 16, 2016
Messages
10,198
Reaction score
38,753
Points
748
Location
Shenandoah Valley Virginia
Jeans with the stretchy maternity panel.... a few pairs you don't care if they get manure and such stains.... oversized mens shirts....Button down or snaps give you more control on temps that say t-shirt/pullover types. Never bothered with maternity work clothes because most men's work shirts are better made.... and I sure didn't care how I looked and the cows sure didn't give 2 figs either as long as I showed up.
 

thethinkingweasel

Overrun with beasties
Joined
Jan 2, 2020
Messages
31
Reaction score
47
Points
76
Location
Upstate SC
Haha!! True, the animals don't care! I'm really attached to my nice work clothes, though, which also took me forever to find. I'm in my second trimester and my belly is about to bust the buttons off of my normal work shirts. I have found some capris and some pants that will work as the weather gets cooler, but I really need some shirts for NOW. I'm due in December, and I've found some flannel maternity shirts that should work nicely for outside work in the fall, but they are waaaay too hot to wear at the moment.

Several friends have suggested just wearing dresses, but I can't see that that would work very well with squatting/kneeling in the garden and digging holes for trees and wading through muck when it rains. I like having coverage on my legs against poison ivy, blackberries, mosquitoes, etc., and pants/capris just seem easier to bend down in than a dress that I'd have to hike up all the time.

All the outdoor/work type clothing companies seem to think that pregnant women don't ever do these sorts of things. I'm feeling quite invisible lately. I see a business opportunity here for someone who sews (not me)!!
 

Ridgetop

Herd Master
Joined
Mar 13, 2015
Messages
6,572
Reaction score
22,275
Points
693
Location
Shadow Hills, CA
Get oversized men's overalls from Salvation Army. Shorten the legs. They are roomy and good for hot months. I used them with a sports bra years ago when working construction on our apartment building with no A/C and they kept me cooler than shorts. You can also buy them new at Tractor Supply - pricey new though. Or look on line. The overalls do hold up well and you can use them in cold winters by wearing heavy wool sweaters underneath them instead of over.
 

Ridgetop

Herd Master
Joined
Mar 13, 2015
Messages
6,572
Reaction score
22,275
Points
693
Location
Shadow Hills, CA
Just saw you don't sew so you will have to shorten the legs by cutting them off and leaving them ragged, OR get the iron on hem tape. This tape is like the iron on patches/ You fold up the hems after you cut off the extra leg length and just iron the tape on to hem the bottoms.
 

thethinkingweasel

Overrun with beasties
Joined
Jan 2, 2020
Messages
31
Reaction score
47
Points
76
Location
Upstate SC
I can sew enough to hem them! Just not interested in/able to make a garment from scratch.
 

Ridgetop

Herd Master
Joined
Mar 13, 2015
Messages
6,572
Reaction score
22,275
Points
693
Location
Shadow Hills, CA
Oh, okay. Then look at the thrift stores and Salvation army. They are super comfortable since there is nothing at waist level and if necessary you can leave the buttons open or sew in a stretch panel on the sides. If you can hem, you can manage that if you decide you need it. I don't think you will. Get several sizes in girth and you will be able to make it all the way through to the due date.

Congratulations!! Let us know when the little darling arrives Our pages are for all babies!!!
 

thistlebloom

Herd Master
Joined
Nov 18, 2019
Messages
2,037
Reaction score
7,612
Points
383
Location
Idaho panhandle 48th parallel
I second the overalls idea. :thumbsup
I have a pair of insulated womens Walls overalls for winter and have about wore them to death over several years. They have the zippers up the outside of the legs for easy on /off over snowboots. I wear jeans underneath, so when I come in from chores I can just shed in the laundry room.
That has nothing whatever to do with maternity wear, I just had too much coffee this morning and it makes me verbose!
 
Top