Vintage photos that show how maternity fashion has changed

Publish date: 2024-09-07

From the '20s to the '40s, maternity clothing was largely designed to conceal women's baby bumps and maintain a feminine silhouette. But, by the '50s and '60s, pregnant women began to embrace their changing bodies with the help of new styles.

Today, maternity clothing differs from person to person, and is much more reflective of personal style. From the baby-doll dresses of the '60s, to sheer ensembles worn by modern celebrities, here's how maternity fashion has changed over the years.

Some forms of maternity clothing likely existed as early as the 1800s.

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However, pregnant women living in the 1800s rarely passed down their maternity clothes to relatives instead, they would discard them after giving birth. Fashion journals were also hesitant to mention anything related to pregnancy, as it was considered indecent at the time.

Those who could afford maternity garments in the 19th century were said to have purchased their clothes through mail-order catalogs. And, according to the dissertation, pregnancy undergarments were available by 1811, while maternity sewing patterns were sold by the 1890s.

Lane Bryant changed the game in the early 1900s.

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In the years leading up to the 20th century, fabric was costly . Many women weren't able to buy new clothes throughout their pregnancies, and would instead alter garments they already owned.

This continued into the early 1900s, especially amongst pregnant women living in lower social classes. But for those in middle and upper classes, the early 1900s brought a wider range of options to the market, including maternity corsets and tightly-laced dresses .

The company, which still exists today, is said to have created the first maternity gown in 1904, as well as the first ready-to-wear maternity clothes in 1911.

Between 1910 and 1920, women were encouraged to conceal their pregnancies by wearing loose-fitting maternity styles.

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According to Americas Health Rankings, a prenatal pamphlet from 1913 advised pregnant women to dress in a way that was "both comfortable and pleasing without being conspicuous, so that the prospective mother need not deny herself the pleasure of going out among her friends."

In the 1930s, pregnant women continued to wear feminine clothing that accentuated their waists.

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Any outfit that created a feminine silhouette was favored by pregnant women in the '30s including adjustable waistbands and wrap dresses.

Maternity fashion hadnt changed much by the 1940s.

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And even when new designs did emerge, it was difficult to tell which styles were intended for pregnant women many catalogs and fashion plates did not depict pregnant women between the '20s and '40s, and generally showcased designs through slim illustrations.

But some pregnant women began to reject outdated designs in the 40s.

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Despite the popularity of wraparound dresses, some pregnant women took issue with the fact that the style could leave their abdomens exposed.

This led three sisters in Dallas to create Page Boy, a maternity-fashion label that " d ominated the maternity market for five decades ," according to Slate. The brand was most widely known for its patented skirt design, which "fit snugly around the hips without hiking up in front."

The skirt also featured a "scooped-out window in the front" covered by a "long jacket," which accommodated growing stomachs.

In the 1950s, pregnant women began to experiment with two-piece ensembles.

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Inverted pleats became a staple of maternity fashion in the 60s.

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The style allowed room for growing baby bumps, and was included on shirts , skirts , and dresses .

Women didnt want to conceal their pregnancies in the 70s.

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Throughout the decade, pregnant women began to reject to loose-fitting gowns and pleated tops. Instead, many women replaced them with minidresses, jumpsuits, and shorts .

Maternity clothing was extremely bright throughout the 1980s.

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Pregnant women in the '80s also took a liking to athletic wear , which was commonly mixed into everyday styles at the time.

That same decade, Princess Diana became one of the first British royals to influence maternity fashion across the world.

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Princess Diana was pregnant with Prince William in 1982, and then Prince Harry in 1984.

All eyes were on pregnant celebrities in the 1990s.

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"While you're pregnant, you're made to feel not beautiful or sexually viable," Moore told Interview. "You're either sexy, or you're a mother. I didn't want to have to choose, so I challenged that. I'm not the only one."

From then on, interest in pregnant celebrities skyrocketed, and the media began to cover soon-to-be mothers like Jada Pinkett Smith and Madonna.

Throughout the decade, maternity fashion was all over red carpets.

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Pregnant celebrities such as Paulette Washington, Demi Moore and Cindy Crawford all rocked the red carpet while wearing sparkling runway looks.

By the early 2000s, designers were even creating maternity looks for pop stars to wear while performing.

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Jennifer Lopez was one of many musicians who wore maternity ensembles while performing in the early 2000s. Other pregnant performers at the time included M.I.A. , Gwen Stefani, and Alicia Keys .

Women werent afraid to show off their stomachs during this decade.

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Today, red-carpet maternity looks can be much more risqu.

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In 2019, just about any style can be transformed into a maternity look including the "naked trend," which Kim Kardashian has been rocking since her second pregnancy in 2015.

Modern royals also play a large part in influencing current maternity trends.

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