There's a growing number of millennial moms who are changing what maternity clothing should look like. Gone are the typical big and flowing dresses or tent dresses that allow for more room in the mom's belly. Instead, young pregnant mothers are choosing to wear fashionably sexy and cool outfits that hug the baby bump so that moms can show this off better.
New York Times reports that millennial moms' maternity clothing choices have shifted in recent years. More women wear pregnancy clothes that proudly flaunt their growing bellies with more stylish cuts and fits. Pregnancy wear is becoming a fashion statement that clothing companies have actually latched on to the idea.
Today, moms can buy maternity clothing at fashion retail sites like Gap, ASOS or Hatch. The options look like everyday basic fashion pieces, which moms would usually want to wear when they are not pregnant. However, the pregnancy clothes are engineered with stretchable and quick-drying fabrics, so that it's also practical.
Because of this trend and because of the demand for stylish clothes from moms-to-be, newly-formed niche pregnancy fashion retailers are also increasing. Fast Company observes that there is an emerging competition among new players in the maternity clothing business. But as this is happening, old reliable stores that popularly cater to the more traditional maternity clothing options have seen a decline in sales.
"Women with a strong sense of personal style feel alienated by maternity and perceive the industry as a whole to be cheap and unfashionable," according to Courtney Klein, who operates the maternity fashion store Storq. "Why not design pieces just for them that look like the things they would normally buy for themselves?" she points out.
"We're really working hard to overcome the old stigma that maternity clothes are not fashionable," Destination Maternity's Anthony M. Romano told the New York Times. The bottom line is that these new maternity fashion retails stores understand that pregnant moms today still want to feel and look beautiful as their body is changing. Check out the video below for maternity clothing stylish options and tips.
