Over the past 9 months we have seen a juggernaut of the fashion industry, Rhianna, continue to revolutionize fashion and top herself. One may think that pregnancy would inhibit Rihanna’s ability to wear her typical high fashion streetwear looks however, she has proven to the world that her baby bump was far from inconvenient in the name of fashion. The bump became the focal point and the inspiration for her looks during this time. Now that she has popped and her baby bump looks are over for the time being, it seems to be a good time to review this era of Rihanna’s fashion journey and dissect it. 

Starting with a review of some of her best looks throughout her pregnancy, here is a showcase of the versatility and array of styles she was able to put together that highlighted her pregnancy while maintaining her personal style. 

My personal favorite look of Rihanna’s was the one she wore when she and A$AP Rocky announced the pregnancy, featuring a hot pink vintage Chanel coat. This was my favorite look not because it was the most stunning or the most fashion forward but because it signified a shift in maternity wear and foreshadowed how Rihanna would dress for the next 5 months.

Obviously, the centerpiece of her ensembles during her pregnancy was the bump. WIth most of her outfits showing it off in a way that complimented everything else she was wearing. Her black sheer lace lingerie look with knee high latex boots for the Dior Fall 2022 show really embodied a sexy pregnant woman who wanted to emphasize her body. On Mother’s Day, she also wore a jeweled mesh set from Miu Miu that spared no curve, and did nothing to cover her bump as she was almost at the end of her pregnancy. 

Some of her other amazing looks during this period were ones that were right in Rihanna’s wheelhouse, which she would be wearing pregnant or not. She compromised nothing in the name of fashion for this pregnancy, continuing to wear her signature street style outfits with oversized pants, long and large jackets and crop tops. 

Though her wardrobe did feature some looks that covered the belly, they were far from traditional conservative pregnancy wear. She continued to wear strappy heels and glittery mini’s through it all. 

Rihanna’s undying devotion to her personal sense of style through this pregnancy is one for the history books. It has begun to revolutionize the maternity wear industry and society's perception of ‘appropriate’ clothes for pregnant women. I will include a brief disclaimer that obviously we are discussing Rihanna, a celebrity, pop star, fashion and beauty icon. The rules do not apply to her as they do the rest of us, but this does not negate the positive effect her actions have had on women’s perception of their bodies during pregnancy and the clothes they wear during that time.

I am in no way a maternity wear aficionado, as I have never been pregnant and have entered a maternity store exactly one time. From my understanding and perception, traditionally maternity clothes are stretchy and flowy pieces that are made to cover the belly during pregnancy. In my opinion, pregnancy clothes can be somewhat boring and there are only a few maternity brands that are supposed to cater to the entire female population so they probably play it safe to be able to appeal to everyone, rather than a specific aesthetic. This seems like a sad reality for pregnant women; you are told by society that you need to wear these conservative blouses, stretchy jeans, and maxi dresses for 9 months. Or possibly just resort to athleisure if nothing else suits your taste. This is not to knock women who wear these pregnancy garments or like them, this is to explore the fact that there is a set dress code for pregnant women that may not appeal to all of them. 

Photos courtesy of https://www.harpersbazaar.com and https://www.vogue.com

Header Graphic by Owen Doane