28 Celeb Looks That Proved Maternity Clothes Can Still Be Chic

For years, pregnancy was viewed as a milestone tasked with mediating a shift in a woman's wardrobe, even in the largely free-spirited environs of Hollywood. Bodycon dresses, daring cuts, and loud fashion were swapped for softer, more demure aesthetics consistent with society's narrative around motherhood. 

Thankfully, many Hollywood actors threw this dated rulebook away and continued to dress as show-stoppingly as they typically did on red carpets throughout their pregnancies. Some others gave the world pregnancy fashion inspo for the ages while simply walking down the streets in their casual best. A handful of them even seized the power of their celebrity to turn public appearances into full-blown, high-glam pregnancy announcements.  

In every case, these famous moms-to-be proved that having a baby bump doesn't translate to compromising the fun one can have with fashion. Here's a list of the hottest celebrity looks that show maternity clothes can be chic. 

Anne Hathaway very nearly upstaged not just her castmates from "The Odyssey" but also the film's premiere when she showed up looking ethereal in a statement-making, floral-appliquéd gown from the house of Dior that pleated gracefully down her baby bump. Like much of the style she adopted during her third pregnancy — which coincided with promotions for "The Odyssey," in which she plays Penelope, the Queen of Ithaca — Hathaway seems to have leaned into the divine theme of the moment by elevating her feminine, maternal elegance. 

Rihanna took her pregnancy wardrobe up one very sensational notch in 2022, when she stepped out for Dior's fall show in Paris wearing little more than a sheer babydoll lingerie set and slouched a matching black trench completely off her shoulders. It was easily the most jaw-dropping, eyebrow-raising, fashion-forward maternity look the "Rude Boy" singer had sported up until that point. Few would dare to wear that bold Dior attire off the runway, let alone rock it with a baby bump. But then again, she's Rihanna for a reason! 

Margot Robbie's Barbiecore era transitioned gracefully into maternity style with the onset of her pregnancy. In 2024, the actor debuted her baby bump at Wimbledon in a chic black and white polka-dotted dress that featured a tasteful asymmetrical shoulder and hem. Not only did Robbie's dress fit the theme of the English event with its classic print, but it was also a preview of the impeccable pregnancy style she would sport throughout the year. 

Kate Hudson holds a special place in the pages of resurging noughties fashion for pushing baby bump-baring looks on the red carpet. At the Venice Film Festival in 2003, she rocked her iconic top and skirt ensemble from Chanel in all its silvery, kitschy Y2K excess. "I wore my belly out and it caused quite a bit of a stir," Hudson recalled to Elle. The look — which had everything from feathered ruffles to sheer bits, glittering embellishments and a millennial-coded halter-neck design — has since become an enduring sample of the decade's maximalist aesthetic. 

Blake Lively's pregnancy reveal in 2022 wasn't her first, but it was definitely her shiniest. The actor showed up to Forbes' Women in Power Summit in a shimmery gold minidress that clung to a baby bump the world had never seen before that moment. She accessorized the neutral-toned, sheer piece covered in embellishments with a white scarf wrapped loosely around her neckline and a headband that added just the right amount of vintage glam to her look. 

In 2012, a pregnant Sienna Miller turned the streets of London into her personal runway as she strutted down Primrose Hill in a colorful graphic dress, paired with a barely-there crochet shrug and ankle-length boots. Miller oozed free-spirited country charm during her daytime outing, completing her look with a wide-brimmed hat and a belt that lay loosely beneath her baby bump. Casual as it was, the moment reinforced Miller's longstanding reputation as the reigning queen of boho chic. 

In what became one of the all-time best maternity looks on the red carpet, Jodie Turner-Smith wore a magnificent gown to the BAFTAs in 2020 that was unanimously hailed as the best look of the night. Her sequined Gucci number in canary yellow was equal parts glamor and drama, featuring a bold skin-baring neckline that gave way to a dreamy, floor-grazing skirt. "I felt so beautiful wearing that dress ... I'm on the carpet with my baby, and she's big enough to kick and let me know that she's enjoying this experience too," the "Anne Boleyn" star later told Elle.

Angelina Jolie showed up to the 2008 Cannes Film Festival in a ravishing green gown with her son Knox Jolie-Pitt, then unborn, in tow. Her look immediately became a fashion moment for the ages, as the "Girl, Interrupted" star embraced the glorious silhouette of her baby bump draped in a gown by legendary designer Max Azria. The chiffon number featured a relaxed, free-flowing skirt with a wide hem that offered plenty of room for the expectant mom, while its plunging neckline took care of the glam side of things. 

The year 2024 marked Vanessa Hudgens' third time as a host for the Oscars red carpet, and the former Disney star made sure it was memorable. She showed up to the awards event sporting a large baby bump, thus making the first public announcement of her pregnancy. The form-fitting gown from Vera Wang featured a modest, full-length design that let her pregnant belly do all the talking. The only pops of color in the all-black look were the Chopard earrings and necklace Hudgens wore. 

One of Meghan Markle's best pregnancy fashion moments was also among her simplest. In 2019, the former British royal stepped out for her duchess duties at London's Mayhew animal shelter, dressed in a plain turtleneck dress and overcoat. Her beige ensemble generated widespread interest. Not because it broke any pregnancy fashion rules royals have to follow; the dress was off the H&M shelves and bore a humble price tag of $35. Turns out, a good bargain is hard to resist, even for a duchess! 

Natalie Portman knows how to make a point without loud fashion. At the 2017 Golden Globes, the "Black Swan" star, then pregnant with her second child, made jaws drop in a plain yellow Prada gown with a few well-placed embellishments. The look, also featuring a classic bouffant hairstyle, was unmistakably inspired by former first lady and fashion icon Jackie Kennedy, whom Portman played in "Jackie," and for which she was nominated that night. The standout detail, though, was easily her vintage Tiffany & Co. bracelet dating back to 1910. 

Uma Thurman was pregnant with her second child when she proved that when carried well, even uncomplicated silhouettes can be memorable. She arrived at New York's Christie's Auction House in 2001 for a benefit event in a simple ensemble featuring a soft brown peplum top, a black midi skirt, and a long-line satiny shrug in white. Thurman was then in her final weeks of pregnancy and, by her own admission to Redbook magazine, would have weighed close to 190 pounds. "I was a great pregnant person!" she gushed.  

Fashion rules don't essentially exclude pregnant women from enjoying an LBD moment, and Reese Witherspoon proved just as much when she showed up to the 2012 Cannes Film Festival wearing a classic figure-hugging little black dress from the house of Versace. Her choice of hot pink heels acknowledged the time-honored tradition of elevating an LBD look with pops of color. Against the backdrop of a simple hairdo and minimal accessories, all eyes were on Witherspoon's growing baby bump, which only added character to her LBD silhouette. 

Jennifer Garner was at the top of her casual chic fashion game throughout her second pregnancy in 2008. An example of it came about at the Pink Party cancer benefit event in Santa Monica, when Garner wore a simple empire-waisted blue top and paired it with denim jeans. In her everyday clothes, Garner was the image of practical pregnancy fashion that many moms-to-be, who similarly prioritize comfort over glamor, would have related to. 

Jurnee Smollett made heads turn in a monochromatic, color-blocked dress she wore at the Hollywood Foreign Press Association banquet in 2016, when she was several months pregnant. Featuring a deep neckline and a high-low hem, the sleek black and white number fit snugly over the "Lovecraft Country" star's baby bump, which she lovingly embraced. A swipe of dark lipstick completed her look, which exuded understated, minimal elegance in the absence of embellishments. 

In 2015, Keira Knightley made the transatlantic journey from her native England to California for a smattering of media appearances while heavily pregnant. And there was one look she recycled a couple of times. The stunning dress in question is a floral piece, embossed with red flowers all over, that she wore to an event for her film "The Imitation Game" and a taping of "The Ellen DeGeneres Show." Knightley looked like a vision straight out of a summer daydream, thanks in no small part to her pregnancy glow that complemented her cheerful wardrobe.

Eva Longoria's beauty evolution has been a sight to behold, and nowhere has that been more apparent than during her pregnancy through 2018, when the "Desperate Housewives" star was practically glowing. That she leaned into a white wardrobe around that time only made her look more ethereal. One such moment came during her appearance on "Jimmy Kimmel Live,"; Longoria wore a plain white bodycon dress and a matching longline shrug that made for a simple yet elegant maternity style. 

Zoe Saldana was in her final weeks of pregnancy — and carrying twins! – when she gave the world a lesson in comfort dressing as a mom-to-be. At the Academy's Hollywood Costume exhibition in 2014, the "Avatar" star wore a candy pink, high-low Dior gown with a relaxed silhouette that would presumably have felt as unfussy as it looked. "Your body changes dramatically, inside and out ... and you are tired beyond belief," Saldana shared on Facebook about her pregnancy, during which she admitted to weighing close to 190 pounds. 

Casual chic seemed to have been the theme of Liv Tyler's pregnancy wardrobe in 2004, when she was carrying her first child. And thanks to her strolls around New York City during the time, the world could bear witness to that phenomenal moment in fashion history. In what was one of her best looks from these excursions, Tyler threw on a pair of basic track pants, a long neutral-toned coat, and a popping pink scarf that made for a dreamy palette reminiscent of the cozy, rom-com aesthetic of that era. 

Irina Shayk gave the world one of the best celebrity pregnancy announcements of all time – except no one caught it. The seasoned model was in her second trimester when she walked the ramp for a Victoria's Secret show in Paris in 2016, with her physique on full display for those with eyes keen enough to spot the change. But it was also hardly a surprise that her baby bump went unnoticed, considering that Shayk's stomach was largely concealed in her catwalk outfits, the best of which featured a red lingerie set paired with a gorgeous fringed coverup.

Suki Waterhouse gave fiery fashion a new meaning at the 2024 Emmys in a red statement gown. The Valentino piece was skin-baring, with its backless design running into the front and teasing glimpses of Waterhouse's heavily pregnant belly down the sides. Effortless as she made it look, Waterhouse revealed that the runway gown's original silhouette reportedly had to be taken apart and redone to work her pregnancy into its proportions. The ballgown-style skirt, meanwhile, was a masterclass in drama with its billowing form, wide hem, and massive bow in the center. 

Sophie Turner turned a classic maternity look into a fashion moment on the streets of Los Angeles, where she was photographed out and about in comfy denim coveralls with a Rolling Stones T-shirt peeking out from underneath. That she was pregnant with her first child by ex-husband Joe Jonas was only a rumor at that point but became increasingly evident as her baby bump grew. Also apparent was Turner's favoritism toward her mommy-to-be dungarees, which made repeat appearances in the months that followed. 

Mariska Hargitay looked like a dream at the 2006 Screen Actors Guild Awards in a plain, floor-length white gown that featured gentle pleats cascading over her baby bump. The bold neckline, meanwhile, was embellished with silver detailing that gave the dress just the right amount of flair. Hargitay was carrying two bundles of joy that night. Not only was she pregnant with her first child, the "Law & Order" star was also nominated for her iconic role as Detective Olivia Benson. 

Pregnancy didn't stop Spanish star Helen Lindes from walking the ramp at the Barcelona Fashion Week in 2019. If anything, her baby bump added character to her look, lending her an elegant edge over other models who graced the runway. Lindes wore a striking red gown with a bold slit running all the way up its middle and shimmered with sequins all over. She paired this high-glam pregnancy moment with a simple swept-back hairstyle and almost no jewelry, letting her dress (and bump) take center stage. 

Madonna has popularized many a fashion trend, sometimes even at the cost of causing a scandal. But one of Madonna's most memorable looks goes back to a rare occasion in 2000, when she wore a fit so simple it rendered her almost unrecognizable. Ditching her usual pizzazz for comfort, she stepped out in a basic full-sleeved T-shirt and cropped pants that showed just a little bit of her belly bulge. That it looked like a fit any of us might have in our wardrobes was only a reminder that, with the cool-girl aesthetic, less is always more.

Gwyneth Paltrow looked like she had descended straight from the heavens and onto the Golden Globes red carpet when she showed up to the awards event in an ethereal white and cream gown by Balenciaga in 2006. The daintier details of her dress — from the softly ruffled collar to the puffed sleeves and lacy embroidery — complemented her maternal glow well. Pregnant with her second child at the time, the Hollywood star was nominated for her film "Proof" that night. 

Kate Upton may not be a fan of fashion shows — ironic, considering she is one of the most celebrated models of her time — but when it comes to making a personal style statement, she barely ever misses the mark. Her elite aesthetic sensibilities were on full display at Maxim magazine's Hot 100 event, where she showed up in a multicolored dress covered in sequins. Her baby bump only elevated the look, giving the bodycon dress a distinct maternal silhouette. 

Like so many of us, Hilary Duff seemed to be reeling from a bit of the noughties fashion hangover even well into 2011. For a book launch event in Los Angeles, the then-pregnant actor opted for a super sequined bodycon dress in lime yellow that screamed Y2K aesthetic. Like a true millennial girlie, Duff didn't go easy on the accessories either, maximizing the already eye-catching look with chunky bracelets and a contrasting clutch purse. Her gloriously highlighted baby bump, meanwhile, was the star of its own show.