Adventuring for Two
Maternity wear for outdoor sports, and if it's not evident enough—another big TOGS announcement
Happy New Year, Hadley here.
2025 was a big year for TOGS. We doubled in size (!). We gained the brilliant wordsmith-clothes-rocking-North Bennett (who just turned 30 HBD-North, we love and appreciate you big time). Kellyn and Cody are engaged. And to round it all out, Pierre and I are expecting a baby. The little peanut is arriving in late June of 2026, and excited is an understatement.
Being pregnant is a wild experience. Trying to get pregnant is too. If you’re reading this and thinking, great, another person around me that succeeded while I didn’t, another person who seemed to merely sneeze and become pregnant, my heart goes straight out to you. It took Pierre and me nearly 2 years. It was emotionally and physically exhausting. So many painful doctor’s appointments, a surgery to remove my IUD which decided to take up permanent residency, a rollercoaster of hormones, and an endless stream of three weeks of every month being loaded with pressure, and wondering, and the inevitable disappointment. There was that one awful time where we thought we were pregnant but in the end weren’t, and instead of getting to crawl into a dark hole of misery, I had to work, typing away about clothes and skiing while pretending that I wasn’t deeply, deeply sad. If that’s you, or even worse, because I know the process can be much, much worse, my fingers are crossed extra hard for you. I hope you have oodles of support from family and friends, and hopefully, the greater community is offering you endless grace, despite not knowing what’s going on.
I have no idea what changed, nor why it suddenly worked. And despite the first trimester being one long vomiting, exhausted, hangover, the happiness I feel inside is ineffable. Seeing the baby wave its arms like it was saying cou-cou during our second echography will be a moment I will never, ever, ever forget. Pardon me for the cheese board—but 3D printing a kid is magical, magical, magical. I honestly don’t know how I’ll have the patience for the remaining few months, as I cannot wait to meet this kid.
During the first three months, exercise was reduced to taking out the trash, and even that felt heroic at times. I’m thankful for my extra sporty girlfriends who assured me that they, too, were mainly couch-bound during that time. It felt that every activity I did (walking, working, cooking) required a nap of equal length.
Those same girlfriends were also correct in the magic of the second trimester. My energy, while not at full gas, is significantly better, and skiing feels GREAT. Be it ski touring, lift lapping, or XC laps, I feel so, so delighted and content to be outside with planks under my feet. Turns out, Peanut loves to go fast just like their mamma!
Skiing has been “easy”, but getting dressed has been wild. Overnight, nearly 75% of my closet became unusable. It’s not that you’re necessarily gaining tons of weight, but your body is actually shifting and making room. My ribs and hips moved and widened. I usually wear a small bra, lasted only a week in a medium, and am now in a large. Needless to say, my love of stiff, high-waisted denim has not come in handy.
All the changes have left me sartorially stumped—so I reached out to my sporty mom-friends for advice on what to wear and tricks for expanding my own closet, so I —and you —don't have to buy a lot of stuff to keep getting outside. Not only did they provide clothing tips, but they were also very generous with general advice on staying active or embracing the chill while pregnant.
Lentine Alexis, Ayurvedic Practitioner
“I was able to move and play right up until the day that Leo was born. I dropped mountain biking, backcountry skiing, and riding lifts about a month before I gave birth, but kept hiking, gentle touring, and swimming until the day he arrived.
I sized up in my cycling bibs and ski bibs. I favored bibs (instead of tights or pants) for both, as they stayed up, provided belly support, and let me ski and move even when the pants finally needed to be unbuttoned.
I used a belly band from my dear friend Jenny Jurek (her company AlwaysUp is fantastic!) It was invaluable for riding, skiing, and running/hiking as well. I really feel this kept me moving longer in the ways I wanted to through the whole process!
I did eventually buy a jacket extender called Make My Belly Fit (the horror!) but it was amazing and allowed me to wear my ski jackets and winter jackets with ease, even with Leo inside once he arrived.”
“A couple of other things I found really helpful…
I bought an XL Men’s Patagonia Puffy that fit me at 38 weeks pregnant. When I brought it home my husband thought I was crazy....but we still have and LOVE this jacket in this size (even though we both ordinarily wear small or medium outerwear.) Further, inspired by a gorgeous pregnant mama I saw on our honeymoon in Italy when I was 15 weeks pregnant, I bought a pair of wide-leg Chimala jeans that fit my belly perfectly through pregnancy without a belt. They were anything but “maternity wear” and I LOVED them. They are still my favorite jeans! They’re super baggy, super comfortable, and thanks to a tip from Kellyn about button pins, I wear them everywhere with several pins to hold them up. (*Hadley here, I’ve also been using the hairtie trick on my buttoned jeans to extend their use into pregnancy)
I suppose that the moral of the story is that this doesn’t have to be a time in your life when you’re “resigned” to fast fashion or clothes that don’t make you feel like yourself.
As for the way that movement changed for me during pregnancy, it was so important that I got used to moving at a pace that felt comfortable for the baby and me. Instead of “pushing it” (which I was sometimes inclined to do), I noticed that I was able to feel really strong and energized through the day if I would simply operate a few notches below my usual pace/duration. In contrast, if I pinned it, I paid with needing huge naps, feeling nauseous, and generally unbalanced. Learning to slow down and move steadily was really helpful after Leo was born too, and ultimately helped me return to sport and movement more quickly and steadily in the end.
Snack strategies! I always always always had something packed! No matter how long I was going to be out, I brought something - dates, a homemade peanut butter protein bar, a cookie. Proteins, fats and carbs were what I prioritized and what I recommend my clients prioritize too.”
*Lentine has been my ayurvedic practitioner for years and really helped me through all sorts of life phases. Her practice and website are a tremendous resource no matter the stage of life you’re in. Her offerings include an expansive recipe catalogue, specific courses, and one-on-one availability. She generously donated a snack recipe, perfect for pregnancy, postpartum, or even for non-pregnant humans to take on adventures.
Leslie Hittmeier, Photographer
“All of my outerwear fit through the winter because I bought everything pretty roomy to start with. The Arcteryx Rush bib was a must. I remember contemplating zipper extenders, but in the end, I didn’t need them.
