Why Do All The Pregnant Girls Look So Cool Right Now

What to wear while pregnant.

It’s been over five years since I was last pregnant, and in that time it seems there has been a sea change in the way that pregnant people are seen in the world, and in how they see themselves, because all of a sudden, I’m looking around and…all the pregnant girls look HOT AND CUTE.

When I was pregnant (here I go, back in my day….) you were given a free pas to slob-land. I happily boarded that train, the train to idgaf-ville, and I said VAYA CON DIOS wardrobe! Peace the motherfuck-out. Sure that all looks rosier in retrospect, hindsight being 20/20, I was grateful for the chance to just stop trying for a minute. I remember the first time I wore a bikini when I was visibly pregnant, I was so grateful for the opportunity to just let it go. Not suck it in, not worry about it, just exist—and I think style wise, it was kind of the same. It was nice to just get to live in sweaters and sweatpants or leggings and just let that be it.

However, in the moment, I was deep in internal body shaming, wondering if I looked pregnant enough to look pregnant, wanting to look good, mourning my body, mourning my life, mourning my wardrobe…. Needless to say, on the whole, I did not have a cute pregnancy.

But now! Man, now! What a difference. I blame/credit Rihanna, obviously.

Before this, and this happened two years after I had my second and last pregnancy, I couldn’t imagine showing my belly pregnant. I was horrified by my own belly—I happily admit it was because of all my internalized body shame and dysmorphia and all the bad things I grew up telling myself about my body—and would sooner pull out my toenails than show it.

But this! This, Rihanna in full Chanel, a vision, was honestly! Revolutionary! And while I’m grateful for a new mindset for pregnancy, that allows women to not feel like they need to be all hidden away and shamed, it’s a lot of pressure! It’s a lot of pressure to look cool and fun and hot when your ankles are swollen and your nipples are on fire and it feels like a watermelon is going to fall out of your vagina if you walk faster than a very mild stroll.

And here she is again, on Sunday this week, in Fall25 Alaïa, leaving Georgio Baldi in Santa Monica and meanwhile!!! Just down the street and about three hours earlier!!! My kids and I were eating Hot Dogs at Golden Bull (secretly one of my top five restaurants in the world).

And it’s not just Rihanna! Two weeks ago I was in the waiting room at my OB/GYN and there was this totally radiant woman in a cropped white tank, drawstring black trousers, a baseball cap, arms all tan and tattooed, cool looking Alaïa shoes on, just looking fucking sexy and cool and easy and not sweaty and not miserable—like sucking on a lollypop scrolling on her phone, not a single care in the world. This was not the case when I was pregnant.

Clockwise from top left: @_Dilone ; @annawinck ; @rosie_coco ; @rileyhillyer

And then here’s

Liana Satenstein

- behold, the pinnacle of pregnant style:

liana_ava

A post shared by @liana_ava

liana_ava

A post shared by @liana_ava

In a way, peak pregnancy style feels a bit like the penultimate frontier in terms of…female style. The final frontier is style after a certain age, which I’m working on. But horny, hot, sexy pregnant style was so beyond taboo, even five years ago, it feels like a micro-revolution that this belly-out Y2K version of maternity wear is de rigeur. It makes me so happy—yet to play devil’s advocate to my own story here, there was something so liberating about giving myself permission to just not care for a while. To sit the game out for 40 weeks and exist outside of personal style, strictly in a comfort bubble. Maybe I felt that way because my entire professional (and much of my personal) life revolves around clothing and style and I needed a tiny break from it, but I do wonder if this new movement around expressive maternity style might feel like one more thing to keep up with. All these girls I’m pointing to here genuinely look like they’re having fun with it, and truly nothing is better than that. I wasn’t having much fun pregnant, I really didn’t like it, and I felt kind of happy to be excused from needing to look a certain way.

There’s no right way to do pregnancy dressing—but the best way to do it is to just wear what you feel like and what makes you feel good. Maybe if I hadn’t let myself so entirely off the hook and let myself go so thoroughly I wouldn’t have been such an unhappy pregnant person. I struggled hard with my identity during that period, and really grappled with who I was and how I wanted to present myself after my kids were born. So yeah, no right or wrong,

That all said, I am endlessly inspired by this whole thing, and I love it as a new take on maternity. Clothing has real power, and again, maybe if I had had more fun with it while I was knocked up my experience and sense of self worth would have been better.

If you happen to be pregnant, here are some treats to consider shopping and wearing.

BOTTOMS

1: These are the kinds of shorts that you can really only wear while pregnant. Little terrycloth bloomers? Come on! So cute, but they’re basically begging for a little baby bump over them. Suzi Kondi, $165

2: These little lace trimmed poplin shorts are heaven, I’d wear them with a button down, OR! A bikini top? Faithfull, $150

3: The elastic waist on these is high, but still, these should be able to go under your bump. Polo, $200

4: I love this satiny Doen skirt, and with a narrow elastic waist, it’s perfect under a bump. Doen, $328

5: And now! The best thing ever when you’re pregnant and then still for after….sequin Dries drawstring elastic pants. Dries van Noten, $2,190

6: Another pair of Dries pants, these are on sale! Imagine how cute with a cropped white tank! Dries van Noten, $612 (plus extra 20% off)

7: These Loewe jeans are another thing that’s probably only able to be worn pregnant. But HOW FUCKING CUTE while pregnant! Treat yourself, girl! Loewe, $1,300

TOPS

1: Oooooo the little peplum on this! With a pair of shorts and a bump! The cutest ever! Dries van Noten, $935

2: I also see this pulled up over the belly. My entire thesis about women looking cuter pregnant now than we did in my day hinges on the exposed belly. Faithfull, $220

3: And this! Unbutton it to show your belly - I love this for a bit of Dumb & Dumber irony, but the material is gorgeous! Tibi, $595

4: I looooove this one, it’s voluminous and will be super fluttery and beautiful over an expanding bump. Róhe, $370

5: EEEEEEEE!!!!!!! This one! Alaïa!!!!!!!!!!!! TREAT YOURSELF YOU ARE PREGNANT AND YOU DESERVE IT GIRL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

6: ALSO THIS! To go under everything else. Róhe, $175

7: My favorite button down of all time in my favorite color, unbutton it so your belly is out! Comme Si, $275

8: And then, I love this Sacai tee, it has high slits up the side with poplin shirting inside, so it will accommodate your belly. Sacai, $530

DRESSES

1: One thing I learned while preg was that you want dresses to be kind of tight on the belly. The more they hug your figure, the better they tend to look. This T-shirt dress will hug AND is bright orange AND is stretchy and soft and comfortable, so what more really could you want? Leset, $180

2: Another tight one! This time, in an excellent Pucci print. Pucci, $940

3: Not tight, but so pretty. This one will be great after the baby is born and forever after, too. Khaite, $1,280

4: This is tight around your belly to really show that off, but a bit fuller around the hips and ass, in case you’d like to leave those parts to the imagination. Toteme, $870

5: And now! One that’s sheer. Wear it with full coverage black underwear and a black bra and be the hottest thing in the world. Silk Laundry, $385

AND THERE WE ARE!

You do you. Always.

Your friend,

Laurel