Maternity style is tough. You want to look good, but it’s hard, you guys. You’re tired, your body feels different and your current wardrobe doesn’t look at all the same as it did pre-baby. But we’re here to help, with a hand from some seriously stylish pregnant celebs. Even without a stylist on retainer and a bottomless budget, we can still learn a number of lessons from these chic moms (and moms-to-be).
7 Tricks for Looking Great in Maternity Clothes
How to dress your bump like Kate, Chrissy and Blake
•
Published Feb 3, 2016
Stick With What You Like
Just because you’re pregnant doesn’t mean you have to pull a style 180. Blake Lively told Elle, "I would've felt foreign in my own body if I'd started dressing differently.” And when you’re Serena van der Woodsen, that means favoring feminine daywear, body-hugging gowns and the best collection of ponchos we ever did see.
Establish A Uniform
As we said, dressing your growing (but temporary) bump can be exhausting. One way to make it easier is to create a uniform, like Olivia Wilde’s jeans-and-biker-jacket combo. Find something that you feel comfortable in and wear variations of that ensemble, like, every day. Hell, even wear one exact variation every day. You’ve got better things to worry about right now.
Accept Stretch Fabric Into Your Life
You might be tempted to squeeze into constricting fabrics and cuts all in the name of looking put together. But we (and a one Kim Kardashian) are here to tell you that Lycra can be just as polished as structured materials. Just be sure to stick to neutral colors and simple accessories.
Layer, Layer, Layer
Remember what we said about super-stretchy material? Yep, it’s awesome, but maybe you’re not the most comfortable in just a skintight tube dress. That’s where the long vest or coat comes in. Chrissy Teigen’s insanely chic maternity style has featured a number of to-die-for coats atop formfitting skirts and dresses. Learn from her, people.
Or Go Loose And Leggy
If you’re not comfortable going the formfitting route, try a looser style that shows off your legs, like how Gone Girl star Rosamund Pike so expertly demonstrates in this monochromatic look.
Don't Limit Yourself To The Maternity Section
You’ll probably end up buying a few maternity things (God bless belly bands), but that doesn’t mean you’re beholden to those sections of the store. For example: Zoe Saldana in a bubblegum-pink Dior tent. Sure, we can’t all rock a dress straight from the runway, but you can certainly find loose and floaty pieces in a wealth of places.
Reconsider The Empire Waist
This is the one time you won’t have to worry about someone mistaking you for pregnant when you wear an empire waist top, dress or coat--because, duh, you are pregnant. The ire of many a non-pregnant lady, this Kate Middleton-approved silhouette is comfortable and slightly more figure-defining than a sack dress.
