Our edit of the best maternity trousers proves you don’t have to live in leggings for 9 months

If you’re sporting a bump, you’ll know the struggles of getting dressed *every* morning. You start the day rolling out of bed in your super-cute maternity nightwear, but when you fling open your wardrobe, you quickly find yourself faced with limited options (and feeling sad about all the clothes you used to be able to wear like your patent leather trousers or your smart-enough-for-the-office-but-still-stylish cropped pants. 

Even though maternity clothing has come a long way in recent years, trying to find the best maternity trousers to add to your wardrobe is enough to make you crawl back into bed. Take it from someone who knows the struggle – I’ve only just recently given birth, and during my pregnancy I spent a lot of time in search of trousers that were *actually* something I wanted to wear. Maternity leggings? Too many to count. Maternity jeans? Got them. Even my maternity knicker game was better than my selection of bump-friendly trews to start. 

Initially, stylish trousers – that weren’t shapeless and black – seemed like my weekend glasses of Prosecco or cheeky midweek sushi – something I’d have to forgo. But fortunately, with a little perseverance I managed to find a few perfect pairs. 

To help you out, I’ve curated an edit of the very best maternity trousers, including everything from soft cotton chinos to lilac hued cords and even some coated leather flares – proving maternity wear doesn’t have to be basic.

Trousers designed for mums-to-be tend to fall into two styles – they’re either designed with a thick band, usually made from a jersey fabric that covers (and stretches over) your stomach, or they’re cut to sit below the bump with an elasticated waistband. Comfort preferences aside, maternity trousers with a band will look best a longer length top or jumper to cover it, while those that sit below the bump will look trés chic with a (stretchy) bodysuit or fitted top– perfect for showing off your bun in the oven.

Whichever style you prefer, as with all of your maternity pieces, when it comes to buying maternity trousers, you really want to choose wisely and invest in items you’ll love enough to wear repeatedly over the nine months. Besides being the more sustainable way to shop, with such a finite amount of time to wear your maternity wardrobe, you’ll find that just a few bump accommodating trousers go a long way. 

A classic pair for regular rotation like this black, straight leg ASOS Design pair or this split hem style are a great foundation to build your maternity dressing around. Then choose a select few additional pairs to add some interest to your bump ‘fits – like this blue velvet pair (extra style points if you go for the full suit). This white faux leather style or this head-turning rose gold sequinned wide leg pair – because you can’t ever have enough mocktail dates with your girls pre-baby.

Scroll down for our edit of the very best maternity trousers to see you through your pregnancy.