Do You Need to Be Pregnant to Wear Maternity Clothes?

It has happened to all of us, right? We've all, at one time or another of combing through the clearance rack at Target, found the perfect sweater dress or an adorable skirt, only to discover next that it has room enough for a beach ball in the front or a six-inch elastic waistband.

And if you are nodding your head, remembering one (or ten) of those moments, then I imagine you're with the rest of us who've then had the pause that follows. The one...two...three as we try to convince ourselves it's really OK to wear maternity clothes. Even if we're not pregnant.

Just cut the tag out! Pretend you're buying it for a friend! Decide it was hiding in your closet from your real pregnancy days! No one will possibly know! Well, no one but you! Every single time you slip into those jeans with the heavenly cotton maternity panel!

Stylist writer Anya Strzemien says, rather rebelliously perhaps, that embracing maternity fashions is more than just fine, it's likely a chic choice. She and her HuffPo colleagues are so happy with their with-child styles, they model the maternity clothing they wear despite the fact they're not also lugging around a growing fetus and seventeen pounds of retained water. The clothes are cute and the real-lady models wear them well and I would never guess they once hung in a maternity section of a department store or the Internet.

I agree that there are some great reasons to pull maternity fashions off the rack.

First, the clothes for pregnant women are a lot more fabulous than they used to be and every season seem to get a bit better -- no more piles of French terry and fake-looking denim for mamas-to-be. At many price points, from big box stores to boutiques, it's easy to find dresses, outerwear, cozy sweaters, and even intimates you'll want. Pretend you're Beyonce, just without the famous baby-to-be developing fingernails inside of you.

Second, the clearance prices on maternity clothing can be crazy-good, especially if you're willing to buy basics or things for next season. Whereas a woman with a rapidly expanding bump needs a dress that fits RIGHT NOW, you will have the luxury of having a belly that stays relatively the same size now and when it's warm enough to wear that maxi sundress again.

Third, if you ever find yourself in that way, your favorite coat/wrap top/expando-capris will see you through just as they've seen you through your non-maternity moments. Plus, you will be less likely to beat yourself up for wearing your third-trimester clothes long after the kid is potty trained if the maternity wear's been in rotation for a long, long time.

Fourth, it's eco-delightful. I gave a ginormous box of maternity clothing to my sister-in-law, who then gave most of it back, and then I passed it along to two more friends and finally, the Salvation Army. This kind of sisterly sharing is lovely. But even after all of that swapping, most of the items were only worn once or twice. Sure, some of the items were stretched out in the shape of an asymmetrical belly forevermore. But lots of the clothes could have been repurposed in cute ways. Or could have started out as cute items in the closet rotation and made their way into maternity seamlessly.

Fifth, sometimes it just fits better. Even if you're thin.Active wear made for growing bellies often has the perfect amount of soft fold-over fabric so that none of your pre- or post-baby body is hanging out all over your yoga mat. Longer cardigans may suit tall women better. There is often more room in the bust or ties, buttons and little tricks to adjust the waist or other areas that may gap or pull for you in regular fits. And styles not cut for teenage stick-figure bodies may suit your non-pregnant figure perfectly.

Sixth, and probably best, as Strzemien says, "Because, at the end of the day, true style knows no waist line." If you like it, you can make it works, and it looks great, who cares if it came out of the maternity section or out off the junior racks. No one will probably know or ask.

Unless you lift up your top and show off the button-release belt.

Have you worn maternity clothes even when you're not pregnant? Do you think it's OK to wear pregnancy styles even if you don't have a baby bump?


More on Shine:
Maternity looks: super-stylish and less than $50
Workout clothes for moms-to-be
Would you do a pregnancy photo shoot?
Most stylish pregnant celebs