It’s time once again for pregnant women to think about dressing up for Halloween, whether they’re hitting a party or just handing out treats at the front door. Lately, the trend has been to embrace your changing shape and make it part of the costume — my favorite is the lady who stuck a fabric sun on her baby bulge and hung little planets from her arms. But what if you’re not far along enough to have a bulge you can get creative with?
If you’re still in your first trimester, you’re likely getting uncomfortable already even though you won’t be showing. Look for something loose, or at least adjustable — there are plenty of costumes you can still look great in, including some of this year’s most popular ones. You can be Game of Thrones’ Daenerys Mhysa in this new costume from spirithalloween.com and still wear your own comfy leggings and low-heeled boots. (After all, they call her Mother of Dragons.) The Melisandre cloak is also easy fitting, and you can wear whatever you want underneath.
You may be at the point where you need something a little roomier than your usual size, though not necessarily maternity wear just yet. Think about getting a plus-size costume — you can be anyone from a ninja to Elsa from Frozen. Check out this selection at halloweenexpress.com.
Word to the wise, however — it’s probably better to use Halloween sites for inspiration rather than shopping. After all, a pregnant woman seldom knows what size she’s going to be from day to day. Also, if you don’t wear a plus size when you’re not pregnant, you may find it too big in places other than your belly. If possible, try on any costume before you buy it. Department stores are good places for in-person shopping at this time of year. So is Value Village, where people have always gone to find materials for homemade costumes, and which now also sells new ready made costumes of all kinds. It’s also a handy place to pick up low-priced accessories and other finishing touches for your costume.
If you don’t feel like thinking even about the beginning touches for a Halloween costume — I understand completely. After all, there was one Halloween that I spent in a hospital gown. You can still get into the spirit by throwing on a maternity T-shirt that dresses up the baby bump as a ghost or a pumpkin. You can even get one with a thought balloon saying “I’m dressed up as my Mom.â€
Taking it easy may be the best course. Next year you’ll have one more person to dress up.