by Celebrities everywhere from the lakes of Italy to the steps of the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York are showing off the pregnancy bump enjoying its own moment in the spotlight.
When Margot Robbie was photographed on Lake Como earlier this week, a crop top was discovered on the left which was widely reported as evidence of the Barbie actress’ pregnancy. White Lotus actress Alexandra Daddario appeared in Vogue on Thursday wearing a Phoebe Philo shirt that was undone from the sternum down, baring a blow.
Model and activist Adwoa Aboah and actress Sienna Miller have left their pregnant tummies bare for red carpets, photoshoots and trips to the corner store in recent months.
“The shift in how pregnant bodies are viewed and celebrated in fashion is a significant cultural evolution,” said Naomi Raybould, founder and creative director of Beyond Nine, which offers “clothing for the modern mom.” She said: “The rise of celebrities such as Margot Robbie and Rihanna proudly showing off their pregnant bellies in a mainstream way has definitely had an impact, making it more acceptable and even trending for attention. draw on pregnancy rather than hide it.”
Grace Kapin, who has worked in the maternity space for ten years – and co-owns the Storq brand – said: “I’ve been paying close attention for a long time, and there is such a radical change in the way bodies are pregnant. not only by spectators but by pregnant people themselves.
“There’s a lot more acceptance of how pregnant bodies actually look in their beautiful human variety than – and maybe this is my guess – people feeling socially appropriate or having the confidence to try from recently.”
Demi Moore looked stunning as she flashed her bum on the cover of Vanity Fair in 1991. It’s now more common for women, in the public eye and out, to wear clothes that don’t cover a growing belly.
Rihanna was a pioneer in this regard, actually announcing her first pregnancy by stepping out with an ornately accessorized but otherwise bare baby bump. She told the now head of British Vogue, Chioma Nnadi, at the time: “I hope we were able to redefine what is considered ‘reasonable’ for pregnant women. My body is doing incredible things right now and I’m not going to be ashamed of that. This time should feel celebratory. Because why should you hide your pregnancy?”
There were moments over the years that were a reminder of the queasiness that can be displayed throughout the body when pregnant. In 1998 there was tragedy when All Saints’ Melanie Blatt performed while five months pregnant and proud. A “bump watch” was a boon for pregnant celebrities during the 1990s and 2000s gossip press. In 2019, the tabloids criticized the Duchess of Sussex for “flaunting” her own baby bump.
Now, there’s a growing list of celebrities — and, anecdotally, non-celebrities — leaving their tummies open to the elements. “Since spring I’ve seen pregnant bellies in bra tops and crop tops every day on the street,” said Kapin, who lives in New York. “I see stretch marks, scars, linea negras and generally very stretched bodies out in the open and I excited to see it.” She sees it as “a sign of what’s to come across the country in terms of trends”. The same could be said for the UK.
She also thinks it’s important to note that she sees “bumps at every stage” now rather than around the third trimester. “There’s always been a struggle over when to announce or talk about a pregnancy, a phase of hiding behind your clothes until you’re ready to be fully scrutinized by tables or co-workers and take it off together.”
While name-checking Daddario, she said: “It’s a big thing for a celebrity to be confident enough in how he/she looks and feels at this point that he/she wants to be seen the way this.”
Much of this is due to the evolution of mothering style. With searches for “maternity” down 45% year-on-year on online fashion search business Lyst, content editor Amy Fenton said: “We’ve seen a huge change in maternity over the last few years. Bumps are now celebrated as part of your look – something to dress up rather than hide.”
So-called peasant tops and peplums were once standard attire. Jackie Kennedy wore a box suit for her pregnancy. Diana, princess of Wales, wore pie-shell-collar tent dresses. Again, Rihanna was instrumental, wearing everything from sheer lingerie-inspired designs to low-slung jeans and cropped rugby shirts. Many women now only wear what they wore before they were pregnant, increasing when necessary.
It’s also not unusual now for maternity wear to be bump-first, leading off with an exposed midriff rather than wrapping it tightly in body-hugging fabrics or looking like it’s trying to hide it with tailoring or empire waist. -line.
“Historically, maternity fashion has leaned heavily on loose, shapeless garments designed to hide the bump, an approach that made me and others I spoke to uncomfortable,” said Raybould. “I think it’s great that pregnant women are empowered to show off and celebrate their bodies.” Kapin sees it as “entangled in fashion trends, a push for more body positivity”.
Does it reflect changes in wider attitudes towards motherhood? “It’s perhaps in direct contrast to the reversals we’ve seen at the supreme court level as far as deciding who can make decisions about having children and which ones,” Kapin said. “Public attitudes seem to be more open and accepting than ever about women being able to show and talk about pregnancy on their own terms, but it’s getting worse politically.”
