The clothes I wore when I was pregnant, and the clothes my mom wore when she was pregnant with me, are quite different! Maternity styles have changed so much over the past two decades, with the most drastic changes seen over the past five years as celebrity pregnancy has become such a hot topic.
In the early 1980s, pregnant woman wore over-sized shirts and loose-fitting dresses that didn’t do anything in terms of defining the pregnant shape. If you look through pictures of pregnant woman in the 1980s, you’ll notice everything was billowing, flowing and draping. There was no fitting, accentuating, or flattering. All the maternity wear aimed to hide, not show off a woman’s baby belly.
Today, maternity clothes are cut to fit and flatter. Most tops and dresses feature an empire waist and feminine lines. One of my favorite shirts featured the “Modern Fit,” which gathered at each side to keep the bottom of the shirt fit against my body, rather than gaping out and causing a draft.
I think one of the major reasons maternity clothes have changed to fit current styles is the fact that people, not just celebrities, live much more transparent lives. If you’re famous and paparazzi are plastering your image all over the internet, you’re going to want to look good, even while pregnant. Likewise, if your friends and family are uploading pictures of you from your baby shower onto Facebook or other photo sharing sites, you might think twice about wearing your husband’s over-sized t-shirt.
Another reason maternity clothes have changed over the years is the fact that the perception of pregnancy has also changed. Pregnancy is trendy now. People used to be much more discreet about it, especially aspiring actresses. Today, rather than ruining an actress’ career, pregnancy can actually promote it and make her more famous, especially if she sells her baby’s first photos to a tabloid! In the past, the demand for fashionable maternity was much lower, so there was much less to choose from and less incentive for designers to create stylish maternity lines. Now that designers can feature their maternity styles on famous women, there is a growing market for trendy maternity.
What do you think of the changes in maternity clothes in the past decade? Do you like to show off your pregnant belly or do you prefer your husband’s t-shirts?