In late January, paparazzi pictures of Rihanna in a pink Chanel vintage coat broke the news that she was pregnant. In the midst of snowy Harlem, the singer stood with her partner, ASAP Rocky, proudly showing off her naked bump. That proved to be the first of her public displays of shockingly chic maternity clothes. Or, were they maternity clothes?
Indeed, Rihanna’s controversially revealing pregnancy style does not really resemble what we picture when we think about maternity wear. But why exactly is that? Is it that females are expected to behave a certain way once they know they are with child? There is certainly something iffy about asking women to bend their life around motherhood. And our shock in the face of a woman’s decision to wear what she wants points to a big issue.
What exactly, then, are the ins and outs of maternity clothes? Do they really reflect pregnant women’s desires? Might they tell something about the world in which we live? Stay tuned, because we are here to answer all of your questions.
The People vs. The Clothes
A Woman’s Desire To Look Good
Like it or not, we currently live in an image-driven world. We consume pictures all day every day, so curating ourselves to fit the frame has become only natural. Social media has led us all to maintain a perfect image of ourselves, much to the envy of others. Of course, this has led to high levels of depression and anxiety amongst users.
In the realm of maternity clothes, the picture is not so different. Pictures of perfect women with perfect-looking pregnancies create pressure for the rest to be equally as perfect. Henceforth, more so than ever, women desire to look their best while pregnant.
Then there is also the great uncertainty that pregnancy brings in and of itself. Sadly, miscarriages are not uncommon, meaning that there is great anxiety overdoing everything wrong. But there is so much information available, so much to learn, so many things to not do. It’s hard, as writer Stephanie Grob Plante puts it, to not feel like you are failing at everything. The feeling of powerlessness overwhelms.
Enter clothes. In a sea of doubt, the only thing one might feel one has control over is how one looks. Hence, some pregnant women might turn to clothes as an anchor, something to give them a sense of control.
Furthermore, the great hormonal variation which takes place inside women’s bodies during pregnancy usually translates into a fluctuating sex drive. This can easily manifest itself as sexual outbursts, during which women might desire to feel sexy, to look sexy.
The Industry’s Failure to Meet Needs
Despite what seems like great demand for good-looking maternity clothes, supply does not seem to be responsive. As journalist EJ Dickenson puts it, “stylish maternity clothing options—or even basics—are few and far between.”
Why? Well, like so many things, it can be traced back to sexism. The idea that women exist only to bear children is, whether we want it or not, still very much present. In fact, it might be the reason why companies do not feel compelled to create cute maternity wear. Because why would women care about their appearance once they have a baby on the way?
Moreover, the business of maternity clothing is tricky because it handles clothes that will be worn for a finite amount of time. Women only need them when they are pregnant, and from a sales point of view, that’s difficult to manage.
That’s not to say there aren’t any good options out there. Brands like Hatch and PinkBlush go out of their way to render maternity clothes chic. The former even carries temporary belly tattoos! Still, the market remains stagnant, and it needs to be addressed. And that’s where Rihanna comes in.
Rihanna’s Exceptionalism
Completely see-through dresses paired with lacey lingerie. Crop tops, body chains and low-rise skirts. Body-con leather dresses and high heels. These are Rihanna’s maternity outfits.
On paper, these seem like Rihanna’s outfits, full-stop. The singer has not changed her style in the slightest since she conceived. And she’s very well aware of that. “There is no way I’m going to go shopping in no maternity aisle,” she stated in a Vogue interview.
Such a simple statement, yet such a politically charged one. Because pregnant bodies have always been the object of political discourse. In ancient times, the pregnant body was venerated as a symbol of humanity’s relation to mother earth. That changed during the European Middle Ages, when baby bumps became symbols of profanity and had to be hidden.
This brings us to today. Demi Moore’s groundbreaking Vanity Fair cover, in which she appears semi-naked while pregnant, led to some changes. It suddenly became popular to show off the baby bump. Celebrities ranging from Kim Kardashian to Beyoncé flaunt it in photoshoots and on the streets.
However, as the scarcity of good maternity wear highlights, the change has yet to ripple through everyday life. The idea of modesty and change while pregnant still prevails, and Rihanna is helping to change that. Her refusal to transform herself into a different person just because she is with child is a political statement.
Her maternity wear not only changes our conceptions about what pregnant women should be. It also challenges the idea that anyone but women own their own bodies. By wearing what she wants whenever she wants, Rihanna emphasizes women’s autonomy to do as they please, no matter the conditions.
So What Might Be Next?
All evidence seems to point to the same thing. There’s no denying that change is coming our way. As a matter of fact, change is here. Maternity wear will never again be what it used to be, and it is all thanks to Rihanna.
Brands might soon begin to understand that the needs of pregnant women are not unlike those of non-pregnant women. The former might even start looking for maternity wear elsewhere—in thrift stores, general brands, and hand-me-downs.
In the meantime, we can be sure that Rihanna’s message is being heard loud and clear: a woman’s independence is not to be toyed with.
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