Ah the second half of pregnancy; The time when all proverbial hell lets loose and you can’t control your bladder, growing stomach or hunger pains. With the reports that Kate was recently seen browsing TopShop for clothes to accommodate her changing body, I thought that maybe I should share with her what I learned from having been pregnant when it came to clothes.

Tip #1: Live in Non-Maternity Clothes as Long as You Can

When you start to feel as big as a house, there is nothing more depressing than not being able to fit into any of your old clothes, or any of the new and  adorable clothes that the stores will inevitably release. I stuck to wearing my regular clothes for as long as I humanly possibly could because I wanted to feel as much like myself as I possibly could. Luckily, there are all kinds of styles which tend to be on the looser side that many women already have in their closets. I had some tunic tops and longer sweaters that went well into my 6th-7th months of pregnancy.

I am also pleased to see (and not surprised in the least) that Kate already knows my biggest secret for your current wardrobe in pregnancy: dresses. I practically lived in dresses – especially wrap dresses- for the latter half of my pregnancy, especially at work. Since Doctors and fashionistas alike are now recommending that you wear compression hose preventatively during pregnancy, dresses are a great way to flaunt your new hosiery without having to wear tights under your pants. Trust me, wearing tight pantyhose under pants for months on end is not glamorous.

If you don’t have stomach-flattering dresses in your current wardrobe, there are tons of cheaper options you can look at, such as at Top Shop. Grazia Daily reported that Kate picked up this floral Deirdre dress on her most recent trip, and I think it will be incredibly practical for her pregnancy.

Tip #2 : Wear What You’re Comfortable In

My second tip for Kate is probably the most cliché – wear what you are comfortable in. There is literally nothing anyone can say to a woman in her last trimester regarding her fashion sense. For me, this meant continuing to wear heels and dress pants to work, for others it means wearing yoga pants every day. For Kate, I imagine it will be finding pieces comfortable enough for her “off days” and yet also finding a handful for public engagements.

I loved wearing maternity dress pants (soooooo comfortable) and I found that since I’d only be wearing them for about 3-4 months and only a couple of times a week (I bought 2 pairs) that I was OK with spending almost nothing on them- I picked mine up at Target. Since Kate will be at her largest in the summer, capris might be a lifesaver, like these ones from duo Maternity which are more formal than jeans.

I paired those pants with a t-shirt most days- maternity t-shirts are really just extra long regular t-shirts- and then added on a blazer for when I was at work. I LOVE this Top Shop Square print fluid blazer in Spring’s hot black and white combo. It would be easy and comfy to wear open and not look like you’re about to explode.

And remember those dresses we talked about earlier? Scoop them up. I found maxi dresses to be particularly forgiving, comfortable and stylish. There are all kinds of options out there, like this duo Maternity Puma Maxi Dress for only $21!

Tip #3: When All Else Fails…

Repeat these words: “I’m pregnant. No one can say ANYTHING about how I look other than glowing, radiant and beautiful without getting a punch in the nose”