The Fascinating Evolution of Maternity Style Over Time
The Fascinating Evolution of Maternity Style Over Time
From billowing dresses and maternity corsets intended to conceal a woman's baby bump to formfitting gowns seen on expectant mothers today, pregnancy fashion has changed so much throughout history. Scroll through to learn about all the different maternity trends, starting with those that emerged in the 14th century.
1339
Back in the Middle Ages in Europe, women's everyday dresses were typically full and forgiving enough to readily double as maternity wear. It wasn't until the early 14th century, when silhouettes started to follow the female form a bit more, that specific design elements were introduced to make clothing more pregnancy-friendly.
1434
Here's another look at modest maternity style in the 13th century. Heavy materials like velvet became popular for dressing gowns at this time, which helped further conceal bumps.
1460
No seams to take in or let out, just lace-up panels that could be loosened to accommodate a growing baby bump.
1500
Aprons, too, were commonly used to help hide a pregnant belly.
1551
Overcoats had lace-up vents in the back, making them adjustable to fit.
1595
The first recorded maternity gown came about in the Baroque period and was called the "Adrienne," which featured an empire waist.
1615
The Adrienne style dress also consisted of folds under the waistline and flowing fabric that helped with a growing bump.
1650
By the time we were approaching the Georgian period, the Adrienne dress had evolved to include a bib around the bust to make breastfeeding easier.
1776
As the fashion in the 16th century required petticoats and corsets to attain the ideal figure, many women continued to wear corsets while pregnant.
1803
Many women could not afford new clothes while expecting and had to make due with their previous wardrobe. In these cases, when their bump grew so big that letting out their back laces didn't work anymore, they would wear a shawl or scarf to hide the opening in the back of their dress.
1860
As dresses became fuller into the 1800s, a bump easily blended in with the silhouette.
1860
In the thick of the Victorian era, pregnancy was considered a condition to be concealed. Enter: the maternity corset. This cringe-worthy garment was structured with whalebones and intended to restrict and minimize the appearance of a baby bump. And doctors endorsed them ...
1876
The Gossard maternity corset's slogan promised "Better Babies," as women were convinced that the contraption would provide exercise that was necessary during pregnancy — while also promising to keep the figure looking trim.
1880
Just add ruffles. No one will notice.
1880
The empire waist is back and this time it's complemented by a structured, heavy material.
1904
It's worth noting that most of the maternity style developments to this point were more or less exclusive to wealthy women. Women in poor or working class families typically just wore baggy, oversized dresses during their pregnancies.
1909
"Clothes of Prospective Mothers Should Have Quality of Beauty as Well as of Comfort." A novel concept, indeed.
1913
Sadly, the maternity corset was still a mainstay for expectant mothers well into the early 1900s.
1920
Benito Mussolini's pregnant wife sporting the popular empire waist.
1920s
Progressing into the 1920s, maternity style relaxed a tad. Softer silhouettes with draped and belted waistlines were the early signs that confining garb was on its way out.
1920s
But not quickly enough. The mindset of the times was still to hide away any signs of pregnancy. "Be entirely free from embarrassment of a noticeable appearance during a trying period," said one 1923 maternity wear ad in Good Housekeeping.
1924
The Roaring Twenties brought a welcome reprieve from the restrictive clothes that were popular in decades prior. Just as normal women's fashion shifted to looser, freer silhouettes, so did maternity fashion.
1925
And women across America breathed a (literal) sigh of relief.
1928
Those drop-waist dresses were the perfect amount of slouchy to accommodate the early stages of a belly.
1930s
The 1930s saw a return of a more conservative standard in mom-to-be style. Feminine waistlines and slim figures were very much in vogue, meaning pregnant women relied on small prints and adjustable waistbands to camouflage their "condition."
1930s
Flounced necklines, capes, and oversized bows and embellishments helped women hide a bump for a little bit longer.
1930s
Instead of dresses, separates started coming into play in the '30s. Pleated trapeze tops could be cinched during early months and worn more loosely once a bump started to show.
1934
Small prints, like polka dots, became fashionable for maternity wear, as it was seen as minimizing of a woman's bump.
1940
Light cotton fabric that was popular at the time offered an air of comfort for pregnant women.
1940s
For the most part, the 1940s saw similar maternity fashions to the '30s.
1940s
Long, billowy button-downs were a sure tell sign that a woman in the 1940s was expecting.
1940s
Shirtdresses and wrap styles also became popular. A wraparound cut allowed the dress to grow with a woman's changing body, while the button-down silhouettes provided an easier solution for breastfeeding mothers.
1941
Separates that could accommodate a woman's bump at any stage in her pregnancy continued to be popular throughout the decade.
1949
Tie waists became a popular staple in maternity wear at this time.
1950
As well as dresses with buttons down the front.
1952
Fashion leaned into maternity wear in the 1950s ... thank goodness.
1952
Separates really took off by mid-century. And finally, PANTS!
1952
Lucille Ball was a pioneer for all moms-to-be. She was the first woman to appear pregnant on-screen, publicly and openly celebrating her burgeoning bump.
1953
Ball popularized the maternity style of the '50s, appearing on her hit show I Love Lucy in demure smock tops and voluminous separates.
1956
A wide, tent-like top over a slim-fitting skirt or capris was a signature of the decade.
1957
Grace Kelly no doubt inspired women to look chic while pregnant, with her maternity ensembles.
1957
Elizabeth Taylor adopted the combination of a pencil skirt and dress-like tunic as her maternity uniform.
1957
And continued to maintain her iconic glamour throughout her expecting months.
1960
Elegant simplicity was the name of the maternity game with the onset of the 1960s. And no one embodied it better than Jackie Kennedy. The style icon opted for chic shift dresses and boxy separates while pregnant with her son.
1960
The A-line silhouettes of the 1960s were ideal for the early months, but weren't as versatile in terms of growing with the baby bump. It was around this time that women began to buy maternity clothes for each stage of their pregnancy.
1964
Maternity beachwear in the 1960s had a decidedly Barbie vibe.
1964
In order to make room for an expectant mother's belly, some dresses featured inverted pleats.
1964
Princess Margaret uses a loose overcoat to accommodate her growing bump.
1968
Babydoll dresses were a favorite of moms-to-be for their open, flowy shape. Mia Farrow epitomized the look in Rosemary's Baby.
1969
By the late 1960s, the first influences of the '70s were visible, even in maternity wear, à la Sharon Tate's bohemian tunic dress.
1970
As any fashion lover knows, the 1970s were all about polyester — and the stretchy synthetic material was definitely popular amongst the expectant set.
1970
Peasant tops and bohemian maxis were a pregnant woman's best friend.
1971
Hemlines were at an all-time high throughout the country and pregnant women made no exception with their maternity wear.
1971
Jane Birkin epitomizes comfort and ease in a cotton sun dress that compliments her bump.
1971
Participants in the "Mother-to-Be of the Year" competition are seen here being judged on their maternity fashion and beauty.
1972
Behold: Winner of the 1972 "Mother-to-Be of the Year" competition.
1975
Yoko Ono throws a fashionable kimono robe on over her expectant bump.
1977
Tiered maxis were a popular style of the decade in general, but proved especially useful in covering a blossoming baby bump.
1977
Bebe Buell pregnant with daughter Liv Tyler in a graphic print that has serious '70s vibes.
1979
A pregnant Cybill Shepherd wears a sheer flowing gown, that was quite daring for the time, to meet Queen Elizabeth II.
1981
Enter the 1980s: When everything was taken to extremes. Extreme volume, extreme proportions, extreme shapelessness. Princess Anne managed to avoid the common pitfalls of the decade's style in an elegant, oversized cape.
1982
All eyes were on Princess Diana during her highly publicized pregnancy. Everyone's favorite royal made oversized shirtdresses in baby pastels an instant trend with moms-to-be around the world.
1982
Princess Diana continued to rock oversized dresses throughout her first pregnancy.
1982
Diana even managed to mix in the trend for more formal occasions by topping her dress off with a cardigan and pearl choker.
1983
Jerry Hall pregnant with daughter Elizabeth Jagger.
1987
As women were moving out of the domestic domain and into the career world more and more, finding workplace-appropriate maternity wear became a thing to consider for the first time.
1987
These mixed graphic prints have '80s written all over them — but they do look comfortable.
1987
The proportions during this decade were odd, to say the least.
1988
Even Sarah, Duchess of York, couldn't escape the crazy '80s trends during one of her pregnancies.
1991
The '90s generated an unprecedented level of maternity style consciousness, as the public and media interest in pregnant celebrities skyrocketed. Demi Moore famously posed nude on the cover of Vanity Fair while pregnant, sparking a trend among famous moms-to-be that's still seen today. "It did seem to give a little bit more permission to feel sexy and attractive when you're pregnant," she expressed in her interview with the magazine.
1995
Overalls, like the ones being rocked here by a pregnant Kim Basinger, took over maternity trends in the mid-'90s.
1997
Ah, Kris Jenner. The ultimate #ProudMom.
1997
Julia Louis-Dreyfus harkens back to the middle ages with her empire waist dress here — although this one looks far more comfortable.
1997
Pregnant bodies were celebrated in the '90s like never before. With so many high profile celeb moms-to-be, designers took note and the maternity fashion market boomed accordingly. Models, like Elle Macpherson here, eschewed baggy, oversized garb for more slim-fitting silhouettes that highlighted their changing shape.
1998
Jada Pinkett Smith proudly shows off her bump on the red carpet in a hugging column dress.
1998
Maternity wear had never been as stylish as it was in the 1990s, as proven by a pregnant Kate Beckinsale.
1999
Victoria Beckham barely had to change her "Posh Spice" look while pregnant in 1999.
2001
Once we hit the early aughts, pregnant women everywhere were showing off their baby bumps without hesitation. Stretchy dresses and belly-baring tops, like the one Jennifer Aniston wore as Rachel Green on Friends, were the norm for expectant moms in the new millennium.
2001
Bodycon dresses, like this one on Cindy Crawford, became a go-to look for women wanting to show off their bumps.
2002
Sarah Jessica Parker channeled her on-screen character Carrie Bradshaw when outfitting her baby bump. Empire waist babydoll dresses made a comeback with pregnant women in the 2000s.
2002
Finally, comfort was key for pregnancy style, as demonstrated by an expecting Kate Moss.
2003
Kate Hudson gave the crop top maternity trend a go while pregnant with her son Ryder.
2003
Reese Witherspoon wore a sweet empire waist dress while pregnant in 2003.
2005
Another look-at-me mom-to-be: pop princess Britney Spears. She drew attention to her baby bump with an arrow on a graphic tank.
2006
Gwyneth Paltrow didn't let a growing bump stop her from sporting couture on the Golden Globes red carpet.
2007
Isla Fisher proudly showed off her bump in a formfitting empire waist dress.
2008
Jennifer Lopez channeled vintage vibes in this shift dress while pregnant while her twins.
2008
Nicole Kidman covered her bump with flowing fabrics and pleats in 2008.
2009
Gisele Bündchen opts for a stretchy tank top underneath her leather jacket.
2010
Claudia Schiffer's horizontal stripes minimize the size of her bump while the model lets her bump breathe in a stretchy sweater dress.
2011
Entering into the second decade of the 21st century, maternity style took a turn for the romantic. Long, flowing, feminine gowns were a favorite amongst pregnant A-listers, like Natalie Portman.
2011
Jessica Alba keeps her bohemian spirit going strong in a gauzy printed maxi skirt.
2011
January Jones belts her bump in a maxi sundress.
2011
Beyoncé takes the floor-length maternity trend to glamorous territory (naturally), opting for an orange one-shoulder gown that made her look like a brilliant Grecian goddess at the 2011 MTV Video Music Awards.
2012
Alessandra Ambrosio's silk sheath dress is formfitting yet comfortable.
2013
Kim Kardashian's first pregnancy saw its share of surprise fashion moments. Among them was this floral Givenchy number she wore to the Met Gala in 2013.
2013
Halle Berry's flowing dress was able to accommodate her bump, even towards the end of her pregnancy.
2014
Blake Lively kept her statuesque frame towering high in Louboutins throughout her pregnancy.
2014
Kourtney Kardashian was a pro at pregnancy dressing by the time she was expecting her third child with Scott Disick.
2015
Kim Kardashian's pregnancy wardrobe the second time around was infinitely better than with baby #1. The reality star stuck to bodycon silhouettes in neutral tones — and in finding what worked for her, inspired a wave of other expectant women who followed her lead.
2016
Chrissy Teigen took cues from her good friend Kim and filled her maternity wardrobe with body-hugging dresses and lightweight duster jackets.
2016
Megan Fox opted for a monochromatic look that appears to be as comfortable as it is stylish.
2016
Candice Swanepoel kept things simple in a maxi sundress.
2018
Meghan Markle announced her pregnancy just before her first royal tour in 2018. The duchess opted for a combination of high waisted and structured dresses that gave us a peak at her tiny bump.
2018
Khloé Kardashian kept her bump covered in a monochromatic look while pregnant with her daughter, True Thompson.
2018
A pregnant Cardi B turned heads when she arrived in a bejeweled gown for the Heavenly Bodies: Fashion and the Catholic Imagination-themed Met Gala.
2019
Model Ashley Graham shrugged off the idea that you can't be sexy while pregnant by wearing this formfitting dress.
2019
Anne Hathaway opted for pants and a ruffled top that showed off her gorgeous bump at the premiere of Modern Love.
2020
At the National Hispanic Media Coalition's Impact Awards gala, America Ferrera was honored for her work in Gentefied and Superstore while wearing a bold cheetah-print gown.
Suffice it to say that bodycon dresses weren't always the most popular choice.