A little over a year ago I posted about my new obsession with navy. I had immediate plans to purchase a pair of navy slacks. But I got pregnant very soon after, and it seemed silly to buy pants I wouldn’t be able to wear. Fast forward a year, and I am back to my pre-pregnancy size (yay!) so FINALLY got my navy pants.

After a careful search, I got the Perfect Trouser Pinstripe Pants in Navy from Gap ($59.95 regular price). Y’all, these are the best pants ever. They are beautiful! The pinstripe is subtle, the cut is perfect, and the quality is very high. The reviews said they run a bit small, so I sized up and they fit perfectly. They are definitely flared, so if slim is more your style then they won’t work for you. They have a bit of stretch, so they are very comfortable and moved well. I was also impressed by how good they looked straight out of my suitcase. Plus, they don’t have to be dry-cleaned. My only problem with them is that they are quite long. If you wear heels that’s great! I don’t wear heels, so I will probably have them hemmed. They are regularly priced at $59.95 but I purchased them during a 30% off sale so they were around $40. A super deal, IMO.

Here’s how I wear navy during travel:

• No suits. I love navy suits—they are the ultimate power statement. But when it comes to airlines, they are also the best way to be mistaken for a flight attendant. Same goes for navy pants with a navy sweater. The monochromatic look is cute at the office, but you might get asked for a beverage on a plane.
• Color on top. Navy looks great with a variety of colors—green, yellow, and purple are my favorites. But it also looks great with orange and pink, if they are the right shades. I go back and forth on red—I love the way it looks, but I wonder if it’s too flag-like.

Recently I have been wearing the slacks with a cream colored camisole and my Merona green and cream polka dot cardigan. Love it!

I have spent years working on my travel wardrobe. I have capsules for winter and summer, and enjoy adding to it on a regular basis. So it was a bit disconcerting to realize when I got pregnant that I would basically have to start over, and get a completely new wardrobe. Even more so to know this wardrobe would only be good for about six months, and had to accommodate a growing belly. Here are my tips for putting together a maternity business travel wardrobe:

Use non-maternity pants as long as they are comfortable. There are these miracle things called Belly Bands, sold all over the place, that you can use to hold up your unzipped non-maternity pants. They are great at the beginning of your pregnancy, and some people can use them throughout. They stopped being comfortable for me for a few months, but I have started using them again recently.

Use non-maternity cardigans. As long as you don’t need to button them, your non-maternity cardigans should work just fine. Using them really helped me stretch my maternity wardrobe!

Don’t buy too much at one time. This is a good rule of thumb for all maternity wear—don’t go crazy at the beginning buying stuff, because you just don’t know what will fit you comfortably as you get bigger. I actually found that once I got past 20 weeks and was feeling pretty good, I could wear my non-maternity pants with the belly band again. If I had spent a ton of money on a bunch of different maternity pants, well, it would have felt like a waste!

Dresses are tricky for travel days. I love dresses, and normally love wearing them for travel days. But during pregnancy, because my ankles would swell so dramatically, I had to wear compression socks on the plane. This meant I could only ever wear pants, which involved some planning.

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I have a new obsession, and its name is navy. Beautiful, beautiful navy. Three months ago I would never have believed that the pants I am drawn to all the time are navy pinstripes. Sounds stuffy! Boring! But three months ago I was wrong. Everything changed at a bridal shower for a friend. Now, a navy pencil skirt and navy polka-dotted blouse may not sound like traditional attire for a bride, but she looked amazing–pulled together, chic, and classic. And it started my new-found goal of finding the perfect navy pants. Not only are they gorgeous, but navy pants go with all colors–purple, yellow, turquoise, green….. This weekend I will be checking out a few pairs–the Ann Taylor Curvy Pinstripe Trousers in Navy and the Gap Perfect trouser pants in Navy. Hopefully next week I will sporting a brand new pair! Here is the entire outfit. Love!!

The Banana Republic Lourdes Pleated Blouse was not at all what I had in mind when I started looking, but as soon as I saw it I knew it was the one. This would be beautiful with navy slacks (as well as gray, brown, or taupe).

Love the cut of these navy Gap Perfect trouser pants. They look comfortable, classic, and best of all the reviews say you can throw them in the washer. Win!

I would finish off the outfit with shoes in a deep plum and a bracelet in a contrasting color, maybe yellow. If you think you’ll get cold, a plum colored cardigan would top it off nicely.

ETA: The comment below makes a good point. I don’t think wearing an entire navy suit is a great idea, as the potential for being mistaken for a flight attendant is pretty high. But navy slacks with a colorful or printed top can work beautifully. The trick, in this instance, is using color to keep your outfit from being too serious.