Ever since I’ve been doing my “Elegant Expecting” series, I’ve been (unsurprisingly) paying closer attention to celebrity maternity style. As my yoga instructor poignantly pointed out, “we are living in the age of Kim Kardashian and Kate Middleton” – neither of whom I particularly click with style-wise. Though I do find Kim’s approach to maternity dressing amusing, I almost feel sorry for her for being compared with Kate Middleton – who hardly looks pregnant at all.
So then I got to thinking – which celebrity pregnancy style do I find the most interesting? A brief search on the web rendered the following results. I would say that Gwen Stefani’s maternity looks rank the highest on my list, as her aesthetics probably resonate the most closely with my own.
My one advice for all of you expectant fashionistas out there would be, if you do decide to pick a “style model,” try to choose one whose body shape most closely resembles your own. In my case, neither Kate nor Kim would fit the bill (and never mind Jessica Simpson!). Try to also be realistic about how far along these celebs are. It makes no sense for you to compare yourself with somebody who is four months pregnant if you are six months along yourself (trust me, the difference is significant!).
Having said that, I went with a few ladies whose approach to dressing I could most identity with, and here are some of my takeaways:
1) Mixing with patterns is the way to go. Gwen seems particularly adept at this throughout her pregnancy (and beyond), be it with florals or stripes (Fergie’s not bad either). In general that is my personal preference as well, which is why I still shop at non-maternity stores, even as I hit my third trimester.
2) A blazer, plus flowy blouse and slacks will always pull your look together. Jessica Alba (aka the queen of blazers and colored pants), does a nice job here. Okay so when it comes to bottoms you cannot escape the maternity department (my go-to solution has been leggings), but you can certainly get creative when it comes to tops and jackets!
3) When in doubt – always wear a maxi with a light shirt/sweater. This is an easy look (which I recently wore on the beaches of Barbados), particularly as we get larger. I also think that having a little bit of a cover up (in a different color) can look more flattering and effectively streamline your silhouette. This is key for me, as I find that long maxis don’t always flatter me and my burgeoning belly – but wearing something over it helps to balance out my proportions. Ms. Alba also seems to be a fan of this combo.
4) Don't be afraid to show some leg! This can be tough at times –
particularly when Mr. Swelly feet comes around, and you get cankles (a battle I
am currently fighting). Be that as it
may, I do like Kate Hudson’s approach to her peasant dress and sky-high heels, just be
sure to keep hydrated at all times!
5)
Long sleeve shirt dresses are the way to
go. I’ve been investing in a couple of these myself, as I find them to be the perfect balancing act, particularly for
the office. Plus, let’s be honest, as we
gain more weight all around, our arms get larger, which can look a bit ungainly
when bared. That is definitely on my
to-do list as far as body-toning goes! (Though I suspect that Halle Berry, even in her incredibly pregnant state, does not have the same problem).
6) Last but not least – when in doubt, always turn
to our fallback color of black, you can’t go wrong! I am loving Jenna Tatum’s ensemble here (though she doesn't look very far along there), and
if my swollen foot can squeeze into those boots, I would totally live in them!!! (Sidenote: Jenna also seems to love her denim cover-ups, which can be a nice casual day-look if that's your thing).
Above all – I would say, just have fun with your pregnancy wardrobe! Get to know your body, what works, what doesn’t – and also be realistic about how you dress. I personally find it a bit funny when shopping on-line, and am quite convinced that half the models we see in the ads are actually just wearing fake belly bumps, since real pregnant women seldom look like that (take note Beyonce!). As your pregnancy progresses, your belly not only protrudes outward, but it also increases in circumference overall), which would inevitably make you look bigger and wider (something a prosthetic belly bump just can’t mimic). This is yet another reason why I’m a big fan of patterns and tailored blazers!
