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Interestingly enough, I was thinking of this topic last night while trying to fall asleep...imagine my delight when I saw that a fellow blogger had posted her thoughts on the matter. Perhaps we're all connected somehow in the blogosphere? Weird, wild stuff.

I saw a young girl walking down the street yesterday, too young to be pregnant in my opinion but that's a whole 'nother story...she was wearing a pair of low cut, tight jeans and a belly shirt with a winter jacket over it, worn open. The belly shirt wasn't a maternity shirt...it was just a regular, straight up belly shirt, and the girl appeared to be seven months along or so. I had a full view of her entire baby bump, hanging out in its full glory, popped belly button and all. I shuddered.

Now, I'm a mom. I did the pregnancy thing, and I think that pregnant women ARE beautiful. They should be proud of their temporary bodies, and are entitled to have trendy clothing so they don't look ridiculously fashion challenged for six months. But, I DO think that pregnant women also need to main some degree of propriety, and that it is NOT acceptable to be walking around in public with your belly hanging out unless it's 100 degrees in August. Ever.

This all made me wonder if I was a throwback, or if I was showing my age...so as always I did some research. I mean, how did women centuries ago manage to accommodate their pregnancy with such strict fashion guidelines? It appears that is was quite simple up until the middle ages...women wore the same dresses they always wore, which were not at all form fitting so it was easy to hide a baby bump. Once dresses became more form fitting, women let out the seams and added fabric if need be as their pregnancy progressed. During the Baroque period, it became common for women to once again wear loose, flowing gowns and men's waistcoats that laced. Aprons were also a way to hide any gaps in clothing that was front closing, and there are many notations of folks commenting about a woman wearing an apron that she must be having another child. Shortly after, and until the 19th century, dresses that were specifically designed for gestation and lactation became the norm and included nursing flaps. Women remained comfortable, and appropriately covered. Very nice. I would have LOVED to wear nothing but mumus, thank you very much.

During the 19th century, and nearly up to the 1950's, it became socially unacceptable for a woman to parade around in public while pregnant. Clothing was designed to be worn around the house, and designs didn't evolve much. Most women spent the last four to eight weeks in bed, a horror I simply cannot imagine. Lucy was the first gal to show herself in a family way on TV, and soon after with the onset of the sexual revolution women began to celebrate their pregnancies instead of hiding them. Pants for pregnant women with stretch fabric on the front face became the norm, allowing them to use the same clothing throughout every trimester if they wished. Tops with empire waists and trendy prints were also popular, right straight through the late 1980's...and then working women began to demand business maternity attire so they could continue to appear professional until they went on leave. Cotton button front shirts and dressy slacks became available, and this ripple expanded into everyday wear. Suddenly, you couldn't pick a pregnant woman out of a line simply because she had on a pink frou frou empire waist shirt with 'Baby On Board' emblazoned across it...a closer look was required because the woman's clothes looked JUST LIKE YOURS. Jeans. Cute tops. Sweatshirts. Evening wear. Having a giant belly was TRENDY and the fashion world took the opportunity to make some serious sales.

Of late, thanks to some former pop-stars and other icons who've gone the mommy route, pregnant women think nothing of wearing bikinis, tube tops, low cut shirts, mini skirts and more...which I think is just...wrong. Personally, I spent my entire pregnancy in maternity jeans and men's shirts...or sweatpants (thought not in public). I'm a big gal, so finding plus maternity clothing was difficult and expensive...I still wear the shirts I bought, but the maternity jeans are the first things that went in the garbage when I got home from the hospital.

I can't help but feel that by dressing like a teenager or exposing too much skin just shows a lack of respect for your unborn child...I know that sounds extreme, but it's my opinion. It's fine to look trendy, cute, and fashionable. That's a wonderful thing and makes being pregnant less horrible. But to wear a mini skirt and a low cut peasant blouse when you're eight months along...yuck. No one wants to see that...not me, anyway...and what is your CHILD going to think when he sees your picture 20 years down the road? I don't think it's going to be 'my mom was HOT!'.