The founder of Rosie Pope Maternity and star of Bravo’s Pregnant in Heels shares her secrets for a stylish pregnancy.
The number one rule of maternity style is if you wouldn’t wear it before you were pregnant, don’t buy it now. I don’t know what it is, but when some women get pregnant, they make allowances to buy really ugly, unflattering clothing. It’s terrible! This observance led me to create my own line of maternity clothing. I couldn’t believe that, in this day and age with all the fashion options out there, people still hated buying maternity clothes mainly because of the awful selection. It’s depressing! I wanted to create a line based on my thinking that women shouldn’t have to sacrifice style when they’re pregnant. We made pattern adjustments to existing designs, kept the great fabrics and prints, and steered clear of all bows and polka dots.
Hampton Tunic, Rosie Pope Maternity $275
I hate bows on clothes! Who ever associated them with maternity wear? Bows on clothes are terrible, but bows on shoes are another story. You can go all types of crazy on the shoes and, yes, I truly believe you CAN wear heels while you’re pregnant. I love a great wedge because they’re practical and stylish.
Marc by Marc Jacobs Contrast Wedge, $295
As far as styling goes, I think many women make the mistake of wearing massive amounts of accessories, perhaps to take attention away from the baby bump. I prefer just a few simple, small accessories — a strand of pearls or a stud earring.
Invest the time and money in quality underpinnings. They really can make or break an outfit. A line I particularly love is Ingrid and Isabel (left). If there’s one other key item you need to do the research on buying, it’s pants. Not all bumps are created equal and you HAVE to buy pants that fit your body or you’re in for nine months of misery. Some women prefer under-the-belly, and some prefer over-the-belly, you just have to figure out what works for you. One of my favorite styles from my own line is the Pret pant, which is an over-the-belly style that many women love.
Diaper bags don’t need to look like diaper bags, either. Just the other day, Jane Krakowski came to me with the most awful diaper bag she received as a gift. She was looking to replace it ASAP and I was happy to help.
Rosie Pope Diaper Bag, $365
