The Best Maternity Red-Carpet Looks Of All Time
Gone are the days of pregnant celebs wearing shapeless muumuus and ill-fitting maternity jeans. Thanks in large part to many celebrities refusing to alter their style during the transformational period, maternity fashion has evolved to include daring, sexy, and chic ensembles that are really no different from the outfits one would wear outside of pregnancy. From Blake Lively to Rihanna, famous parents are pushing the boundaries on what's deemed "societally acceptable" to wear while pregnant, and they're using red-carpet events as a platform for their cause.
Lively was one of the leading pioneers of stylish maternity wear, helping to normalize the oddly controversial idea that you can look alluring and fashionable during pregnancy. In 2015, the mom of four told InStyle, "So much of me has changed — I can't change the way I dress too! I actually didn't even buy any maternity clothes at all." Rihanna echoed the actor's sentiment during a 2022 interview with Vogue. The mom of two said, "When I found out I was pregnant, I thought to myself, 'There's no way I'm going to go shopping in no maternity aisle.' I'm sorry — it's too much fun to get dressed up. I'm not going to let that part disappear because my body is changing."
While Lively and Rihanna have looked chic during every public appearance throughout their pregnancies, some of their best maternity ensembles have debuted at celebrity events. Scroll on for their best red-carpet pregnancy looks, as well as several stunning ensembles from other expecting celebrities.
Rihanna at the 2023 Oscars
Rihanna has become known for her daring, fashion-forward maternity looks that rewrite the narrative on what pregnancy "looks" like. Her gorgeous sheer and leather ensemble for the 2023 Oscars is one of her best maternity looks to date, and it's one of the most ravishing iterations of red carpet pregnancy style to ever grace a major celebrity event.
The glowing mom, pregnant with her second child with her boyfriend A$AP Rocky, wore a deep brown three-piece set by Alaïa. Rihanna layered a sheer long-sleeve turtleneck under a matching leather maxi skirt and halter bra top, which put her baby bump on display. The bra and skirt featured horizontal etching, with the latter including cutouts from her hip down her thigh and a sweeping fishtail silhouette flaring into a dramatic train.
Rihanna accessorized with two large gold statement rings and a mesmerizing pair of drop earrings, all designed by Moussaieff High Jewellery. Additionally, the "Ocean's 8" actor wore her hair in an artfully undone topknot with curled tendrils framing her face. Her makeup included warm metallic eyeshadow, berry-colored blush, and deep red lipstick to match her jewels. Proving how attentive she is to detail, the award-winning musician's nails were also painted blood red — because Rihanna serves looks all the way down to the tips of her fingers.
Jodie Turner-Smith at the 2020 BAFTAs
Jodie Turner-Smith wowed on the red carpet at the British Academy of Film and Television Arts awards in 2020. The expecting mother, pregnant with her first child with her husband Joshua Jackson, donned a sparkling canary yellow gown by Gucci. The fitted bust featured a narrow but deep scoop neckline with thin black halter straps, which joined with an oversized bow at the top of the actor's back. The skirt billowed into an angled empire waist. The shimmering gossamer material just kissed the floor at her feet, and the gown as a whole felt akin to a ballroom number "Beauty and the Beast's" Belle would wear in an edgier universe.
The "Murder Mystery 2" star wore her curls in a bob that showed off the bow detailing at the back of her gown. Her glam included monochromatic honey-toned blush, eyeshadow, and lipgloss, and her smokey eye added a grungy element to her fierce look. Turner-Smith kept her accessories minimal, opting for just her engagement ring and a septum hoop.
Chrissy Teigen at the 2016 Oscars
Chrissy Teigen looked regal and radiant at the 2016 Oscars. The mom of four, pregnant at the time with her and husband John Legend's first child, wore an altered gown from Marchesa's fall 2016 collection. The nude number featured a deep V neckline, sheer long sleeves, a figure-hugging fit that flared out at its tulle fishtail skirt, and breathtakingly intricate bronze and ruby floral embroidery throughout. Teigen accessorized with a crimson-colored satin clutch, an assortment of silver rings, and a pair of statement stud earrings.
Like Rihanna's 2023 Oscars look, the "Cravings" author matched her nail color to the burgundy detailing in her ethereal gown. Teigen's tousled tresses were pulled back from her face with plenty of volume at her crown and woven into an elaborate braided style with several plaits joining together in a single woven bundle trailing down her back. The former Sports Illustrated swimsuit model wore soft makeup of rose and bronze tones, finishing her enchanting look by complimenting the jewel tones in her custom Marchesa gown.
Keke Palmer at the 2023 New York Film Critics Circle Awards
Keke Palmer channeled her inner Taylor Swift to "make the whole place shimmer" at the 2023 New York Film Critics Circle Awards. The former child star wore a disco-inspired gown by Michael Kors that delicately draped over her baby bump. The shimmering silver dress featured a plunging V neckline, ultrathin spaghetti straps, geometric cutouts at the waist, and a modest fishtail skirt. The celeb, who won the award for best supporting actress in "Nope," accessorized with a cuff-style Lorraine West choker and matching statement earrings, as well as several metallic bangles and a delicate ring.
Palmer, who was pregnant with her first child with Darius Jackson, wore her hair down in long, cascading twists. Her makeup featured bronze and honey tones, as well as a metallic smokey eye that played up the lustrous effect of her evening gown. Talk about gorgeous!
Blake Lively at the 2016 Cannes Film Festival
Blake Lively is a highly-revered celebrity fashionista, considering she curates her own looks without the assistance of a professional stylist. In 2016, shortly after becoming pregnant with her second child with husband Ryan Reynolds, the actor attended the Cannes Film Festival in the south of France. While she debuted several stunning ensembles throughout the cinema event, her vibrant azure gown by Atelier Versace was a cut above the rest — and it's gone down in celebrity fashion history as one of her best red-carpet looks of all time.
The "Gossip Girl" alum showed off her burgeoning bump in the fitted floor-length gown, which featured an asymmetrical neckline with an avante-garde cutout, shimmering beading from the bodice down the skirt, a thigh-high slit revealing her strappy gold stiletto, and a billowing train. Lively accessorized with a pair of diamond drop earrings and a dazzling cuff bracelet that wrapped around her wrist and fingers. Her hair was styled in a slicked-back high ponytail, and her makeup was natural with a subtle false lash and baby-pink lipstick.
Ciara at the 2020 Vanity Fair Oscars after-party
Wearing one of the sexiest maternity ensembles to ever grace God's green earth, Ciara slayed the pregnancy fashion game at the 2020 Vanity Fair Oscars after-party. The singer was expecting her third child, a second with her husband Russell Wilson, and she stunned in a sparkling Ralph Russo gown. The sheer gunmetal garment was fashioned from chain mail and rhinestones, and its asymmetrically draped silhouette was feminine and ethereal. Beneath the shimmering dress, the "One Two Step" singer wore a strapless bodysuit with black boning and mesh panels. The see-through ensemble made Ciara's baby bump the star of the show while revealing her delicate decolletage and showing off her arms and legs — she looked exquisite as ever.
The mom of three wore her hair in a pile of curls atop her head with several strands tumbling free to frame her face. The glamorous updo included a chain mail headband that matched Ciara's dress, and she further accessorized with diamond drop earrings, a metallic black statement ring, and strappy gunmetal stilettos.
Beyoncé at the 2017 Grammys
Beyoncé is always delivering fashion slays, and not even being pregnant with twins could keep her from asserting her status as a style queen. At the 2017 Grammy Awards while expecting her twin son and daughter with her husband Jay-Z, the decorated singer wore a red sequined Peter Dundas gown that put Dorothy's magical slippers to shame. Beyoncé won best urban contemporary album and best music video that evening while wearing the long-sleeve, floor-length number. The shimmering gown featured a plunging boxy neckline, modest shoulder pads, a fitted bodice, and a short train.
Reminding us that she's rich-rich, Beyoncé accessorized with a jewel-encrusted choker necklace that opulently draped down the center of her chest, as well as several statement rings including a massive ruby to match her glitzy gown. She wore her long honey-toned tresses ironed straight, and her soft glam makeup included a bronze smokey eye, nude lip, and subtle contour.
Keira Knightley at the 2015 Oscars
Keira Knightley was a vision in Valentino at the 2015 Oscars. The actor was expecting her first child with her husband James Righton, and she embraced the divine femininity of the moment in a nude-toned gown by the luxury fashion brand. The whimsical design featured delicate embroidered blush- and sage-colored florals, as well as an assortment of French phrases sewn across the gossamer skirt in a cursive script. The gown's bodice was demure with wide straps and a scalloped empire waist, and the A-line skirt billowed over Knightley's baby bump and cascaded to the floor in a mass of gently pleated tulle.
The "Pride and Prejudice" star embraced the soft wistfulness of the look by wearing her chocolate-colored tresses in loose curls with a dainty floral headband resting across her shiny locks. Her subtle yet striking makeup incorporated the same nude and pink tones as her Valentino gown.
Emily Blunt at the 2016 Oscars
Emily Blunt emulated Old Hollywood glamour at the 2016 Oscars. Pregnant with her second child with her husband John Krasinski, the actor looked polished and pretty in her pink Prada gown. The blush-colored design featured an empire waist, a subtly pleated A-line skirt, a modest cape that extended into a short train, and metallic rhinestone appliqués throughout the gown's skirt and straps.
Blunt added an assortment of silver accessories to the elegant look, including a diamond bracelet, several rings, dangling chandelier-style earrings, and a glitzy box-shaped clutch. The "Devil Wears Prada" star styled her auburn locks in a side part with soft waves tucked behind her ear on one side and framing her face on the other, leaning into the vintage aesthetic of the ensemble. Her makeup was just as glamorous as her gown and accompaniments — Blunt wore a rosy blush with a matching glossy lip, bronze smokey eyeshadow, and a generous amount of contour to sculpt her cheeks.
Cardi B at the 2018 Met Gala
Cardi B is known for her bold looks, and she did not shy away from her penchant for fierce fashion while pregnant at the 2018 Met Gala. The rapper, who was expecting her first child with her husband Offset, showed up in an ornate Moschino ensemble. The dramatic gilded dress was encrusted with gems and featured a cleavage-baring neckline, long sleeves that transitioned to gloves, a belted empire waist, a fitted bodice, and a hip-high slit in the floor-length skirt. A billowing champagne-colored ballgown skirt plumed from the sides and back of the baroque-style gown, cascading around Cardi to lavishly drape across the floor. The "Money" rapper wore a gold pearl-encrusted collar and a jaw-dropping gilded headpiece that matched her ornamented dress, as well as a pair of strappy bronze stilettos.
Adding to the regal ostentatiousness of the look, the mom of two styled her hair in a voluminous mass of natural curls that fell around her shoulders and down her back, ending at her waist. Her makeup included a deep red lip, an elaborate cut-crease smokey eye, and thick black eyeliner extending past her eyebrows.
Anne Hathaway at the 2016 Vanity Fair Oscars after-party
Like her "Devil Wears Prada" co-star, Anne Hathaway showed up to the 2016 Oscars pregnant and ready to remind the world that she's a fashion icon. For the Vanity Fair after-party, the award-winning actor wore a glamorous gown by Naeem Khan that featured a figure-hugging strapless black gown beneath a sheer short-sleeved overlay adorned with metallic gold and silver paillettes. Hathaway, who was expecting her first child with her husband Adam Shulman, was glowing in the demure ensemble.
The "Les Misérables" star accessorized with a gold box-shaped clutch and dangling chandelier earrings that nearly grazed her shoulders. She styled her dark hair in a braided high ponytail, and she complimented her complexion with a peach-toned blush and rose-colored lipstick. Hathaway's thick graphic eyeliner was the star of her makeup, giving the look structure in the same way her black strapless gown gave her pregnant frame shape beneath the draping mesh overlay.
Clémence Poésy at the 2016 Deauville American Film Festival
Clémence Poésy debuted her very first baby bump at the 2016 Deauville American Film Festival, and the Paris-born actor embodied that effortlessly chic French girl style in her Sonia Rykiel gown. The "Harry Potter" alum attended the premiere of Daniel Radcliffe's "Imperium," much to the joy of wizarding fans around the world. Poésy's sparkling black and gold gown elegantly cascaded in multiple tiered sections from her waist to the floor, with a cape-style short-sleeved layer giving the designer garment the illusion of an empire waist.
Poésy kept her accessories simple — she wore a large pair of gold hoop earrings and '90s-style black platform heels, willing her gown to be the focus of the red-carpet ensemble. The mom of three gathered her hair in a tousled ponytail at the nape of her neck and wore a natural makeup look — a master class in l'essence d'une fille française.
Natalie Portman at the 2017 Palm Springs International Film Festival
Natalie Portman asserted her status as a style savant as early as her debut as Queen Padmé Amidala in the "Star Wars" prequel films, and in the decades since, she's continued to serve fashion-forward looks that emphasize her elegance and timeless beauty. The actor donned one of her best pregnancy ensembles at the 2017 Palm Springs International Film Festival, during which she was expecting her second child with her husband Benjamin Millepied.
The "Jackie" star, who was honored with the Desert Palm Achievement Award at the festival for her on-screen portrayal of Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis, channeled the dignified energy of the late first lady herself in a deep navy gown by Dior. The designer dress featured an inverted triangle neckline with V-shaped halter straps and a sheer long-sleeved underlay covering her arms and decolletage. The stunning A-line gown ruffled around her in soft pleats. The mom of two added to her sophisticated look with an elegant side-parted chignon, magnificent diamond and sapphire drop earrings, and a very subtle, extremely stunning pale pink-toned makeup look.
Olivia Wilde at the 2016 Met Gala
Shortly after announcing her second pregnancy with her ex Jason Sudeikis, Olivia Wilde stunned in an edgy-glam ensemble at the 2016 Met Gala. The actor wore a rocker-chic gown by Michael Kors at the hailed fashion event, putting her baby bump on display in the figure-hugging dress. The black gown featured a severe inverted V neckline that was attached to a wide metallic neckplate. Wilde's floor-length gown was studded with black- and gunmetal-colored metal rings, and the edgy design showed off her delicate shoulders with its low-cut back.
Keeping with the glam-rock theme, the "Don't Worry Darling" director accessorized with silver bar earrings that hung from her lobes, and she painted her nails black to match her gown. Wilde slicked-back her long hair in a flat-ironed ponytail, which was bound in a silver cuff at the crown of her head. For her makeup, the mom of two rocked a metallic smokey eye, a generous amount of bronzer, and a pale pink lip. She finished the look by trimming her ears with silver paint — a quirky nod to the ever-campy annual gala.