Is Motherhood Fashion’s Newest Power Statement?
Motherhood’s having a high-fashion moment. Meanwhile, I’m just trying to find clean clothes and a sense of self...
I recently became a mum for the first time —and somewhere between learning how to change a nappy with one hand and realising most of my wardrobe now feels more like a museum than a rotation, I started noticing something. Not just the practical changes (though yes, breastfeeding in multiple layers is a logistical nightmare), but how motherhood is framed. Not just by those closest to me, but by fashion, by media, by the feeds we scroll at 3am—sleep-deprived, milk-stained, and quietly searching for some version of ourselves between the chaos.
What I found wasn’t just baby products or “mum hacks.” It was Rihanna in vintage Chanel, belly out and bejewelled. It was Serena Williams on the cover of Vogue in Valentino, holding her daughter like a trophy. It was Kourtney Kardashian announcing her pregnancy in a Blink-182 crowd like a pop culture time bomb.
Motherhood, it seems, is not going quietly. It’s having a high-fashion moment. And it made me wonder—are we witnessing a cultural shift where becoming a mother isn’t about disappearing... but stepping into a new kind of power?
The Power of Being Seen
For decades, pregnancy and motherhood were styled into invisibility. Either covered in kaftans, confined to the “mum section” at Zara, or absent altogether in fashion media. You had the baby, went into hiding, and emerged six months later in high-waisted jeans and a carefully rehearsed smile that said, “I’m totally fine.”
But today? Women aren’t just announcing babies—they’re curating full-scale fashion arcs. Think: Rihanna at the Dior show in a sheer babydoll dress, pregnant. Beyoncé performing pregnant. Vanessa Hudgens announcing her pregnancy at the 2024 Oscars in Vera Wang Couture.
This isn’t about modesty. It’s not about blending in. It’s about owning space.
Fashion has always been a mirror of who’s allowed to be seen. And for the first time in a long time, motherhood isn’t being edited out of the frame—it’s front and centre.
Style as Narrative, Not Disguise
What’s interesting isn’t just that we’re seeing mothers in fashion—it’s how. This new era of maternal style isn’t about bouncing back. It’s not even about compromise. It’s about expression.
These women aren’t trying to “look like they don’t have kids.” They’re building their motherhood into their aesthetic. They’re making it a chapter—not a footnote.
And while it’s easy to dismiss it as celebrity privilege (yes, they have stylists and night nannies), what it signals is bigger than them. It’s an invitation to reconsider the idea that becoming a mum means leaving parts of yourself behind. What if, instead, it’s just a new moodboard?
The Postpartum Mirror
The contrast, of course, is real. While Rihanna was redefining maternity wear in Alaïa leather, I was wearing the same oversized button-down three days in a row, trying to figure out how to feel like myself in a body and life that no longer felt recognisable.
But even through the fog, I started seeing something else: the possibility that identity doesn’t have to be paused. That style can shift, rather than vanish. That you can outgrow your wardrobe without outgrowing your sense of self.
Because here’s the truth—when you’ve created a human from scratch, what you wear can be a power move. Even if it’s just a clean tee, sweat pants, and your favourite sneakers. It doesn’t have to be a Vogue shoot to be a reclamation.
Cool maternity/mum-friendly pieces I am loving:
So What Does This Mean for Us?
Fashion’s love affair with motherhood might be media-driven—but its resonance is real. It’s not about looking like a celebrity mum. It’s about remembering that motherhood isn’t the end of your aesthetic identity.
You don’t have to disappear.
You don’t have to dilute yourself.
You don’t have to “bounce back” to something you’ve already outgrown.
What if style post-baby wasn’t about returning to who you were—but stepping into who you’ve become?
Your Turn
Is motherhood having its cultural fashion moment? Have you felt your style shift since becoming a mum —or are you still trying to find your footing (and your favourite jeans)?
Let me know—I’d love to hear your story.
B xoxo