Pregnancy fashion: to disguise or not disguise your bump?

Maternity clothing still seems to get tongues wagging.

I’m halfway through a pregnancy and have quickly discovered that even at this stage in life you can’t escape the fashion police.

It seems everyone has something to say about what to wear when your bump is growing – and it’s not always kind.

The Baby Boomer generation, in particular, still seem to think it’s socially unacceptable to flaunt your bump. I’ve been told “baggy, peasant-style” clothing is the most flattering – a pointed hint, I’m guessing – and that mums used to advise their grown-up daughters to hide their stretching stomachs as though it were somehow uncouth.

“Used to” here is the keyword, because I’m sorry but the era of wearing tent-like maternity smocks a la Princess Diana are long over. Those frocks were burned along with ra-ra skirts in the eighties. I much prefer the chic wrap dresses Kate Middleton has been kicking about in of late and all the curvalicious fashion turns Kim Kardashian has been making on the ruby rug. Or the sleek outfits preggers weather girls have been showing off their side-profiles in.

Still, someone needs to send a memo to the women still clinging to the out-dated ideals of what pregnant women should be wearing.

It’s not like my pregnancy is somehow scandalous. I’m married – not that it would matter if I had a ring on my finger or not. I’m of appropriate child-bearing age – not that that should be anyone’s business either. But for some reason I feel like I need to justify my wardrobe choices, because sometimes I feel like I’m living in one of those countries with strict dress codes for women instead of the fashion-forward Western world.

I’m hardly going to leave the house wearing a midriff top, miniskirt and stilettos, but I don’t think there’s anything wrong with donning slightly form-fitting clothing to show I’m evenly proportioned elsewhere. Otherwise a silhouette can just look, well, frumpy, or have people whispering about whether you’re packing on the pounds. With all the other pregnancy woes to deal with – like cankles, swollen fingers and skin irritations – why shouldn’t women still be able to have some panache with their wardrobe when preggers?

Don’t even get me started on the lass who told me the prettiness of a mum determines whether she’ll have a boy or girl…

What do you think about pregnancy fashion these days?

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149 Comments

- - ChiWren said
  - 18 Dec 2023
    10:53 am
I’m so glad I didn’t receive any of the horrible judgement you mentioned while.pregnant. some days I dressed for comfort, others I dressed to look cute with my bump. Never had my tummy out or anything, but cute form fitting dresses and skirts. It’s the only time in life I’ve been happy about having any sort of belly, why not be loud and proud haha.
Grateful that these are cute, affordable maternity clothes available.

- - mom93821 said
  - 20 Jan 2015
    6:40 pm
Dressing for comfort during pregnancy is important!

- - mom94125 said
  - 03 Jan 2015
    12:06 pm
flaunt your bump but you don’t need to walk around with crop tops and belly hanging out. i have seen people doing this lol

- - Tene said
  - 15 Dec 2014
    5:47 pm
You be comfortable Sweetheart. I am from the baby boomer era and the many of the clothes in 1969- 75 and beyond were like maternity clothes anyway so I never really needed to change what I wore. I had been to church on Sunday morning attended a football dance Sunday night, where I was dancing and having a great time and gave birth on Monday. Our Minister visiting the Maternity ward on the Tuesday thought I was visiting some one and would not believe I had given birth the day before. He thought I was joking! A guy my husband worked with was dumfounded when husband said he was leaving work because I was in labor and said “but I was dancing with her last night!” Other acquaintances thought I was baby sitting and took some convincing that this little doll baby was actually mine. It was funny because I was rather tiny and looked like a school kid anyway! At home I used to put a cushion under my dress to see what I should look like…it never happened! Baby number two was much the same “preggy tops” were trendy! Baby number three, I seemed to have a baby bump early on and felt that I looked like an elephant. I did not end up fitting into anything much, I had the trendy peasant tops and soon not even maternity things, fitted, I wore my husbands shorts and shirts at home.
I still do not give a hoot about what others may say. Just remember your baby bump will soon be gone but
people will possibly always have bad manners! I hear people comment negatively about young mum’s showing off their tummy. I am a great grandmother I think it is wonderful! nothing more beautiful than that baby bump! just wear a sign that says “hands off”. Some people are so rude and seem to feel entitled to feel your bump! I love the photography available now. Pregnancy is to be celebrated! Enjoy!

- - mom57522 said
  - 28 Sep 2014
    2:48 pm
Dress to suit yourself not others.

- - storm7 said
  - 13 Sep 2014
    5:03 pm
Show that bump off….. Be proud and wear what you feel comfortable in.

- - skbou said
  - 31 Jul 2014
    11:55 pm
I went to a baby shower last weekend, the mum to be had on a form fitting maxi and looked amazing!

- - hayley91 said
  - 26 Jul 2014
    11:54 pm
Embrace your pregnancy because once its gone you will miss it to much

- - mom74172 said
  - 25 Jul 2014
    7:56 pm
I have this perfect site for you : http://ww.fertilemind.com.au/
- mom74172 replied
  
  25 Jul 2014 , 7:57 pm
  I have this perfect site for you : http://www.fertilemind.com.au/
- - mom62141 said
  - 24 Jun 2014
    6:35 pm
Embrace the bump!!

- - eestigirl said
  - 31 May 2014
    10:03 pm
Comfortable and suitable for the occasion? Great! Wear it and be happy.

- - kazh said
  - 29 May 2014
    11:35 pm
At a certain point there is no way to disguise it anyway

- - mom57522 said
  - 29 May 2014
    5:45 pm
I was lucky. I just undid my jeans and wore bigger tops.

- - catgrrl3 said
  - 27 May 2014
    6:45 pm
dont cover, its a great time and should be worn like a badge of honour

- - christial said
  - 17 May 2014
    10:37 pm
I loved showing off my bump! At least in had an excuse to have a massive waistline! Lol or no waistline!

- - loulee said
  - 06 May 2014
    8:37 pm
Comfort is the go especially when you are near due. As long as you are feeling happy with your own appearance, doesnt matter what others think.

- - no1ladydj said
  - 06 May 2014
    1:14 pm
It’s thankfully no longer the done thing to have to hide a pregnant body, and thank god for that. Pregnancy is something to be celebrated and be proud of, so wear what you like. If it’s comfortable and you look good, wear it. It’s not up to other people to dictate what you wear and when you wear it.

- - mariel said
  - 02 May 2014
    11:46 pm
I use hubby clothes when pregnant, its bigger than mine and no need to buy new clothes.

- - rustyblue said
  - 03 Apr 2014
    12:10 pm
Carla, you wear what is comfortable and bu–er the rest – I am of the Baby Boomer generation (though I really hate that tag!) and I think its wonderful to see a proud mum showing off her Baby Bump – its natural for god’s sake, as long as its not in a too short shirt !

- - yyon4699 said
  - 29 Mar 2014
    2:05 pm
but thank u for this article