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Tuesday
March 16, 2010 Since 1922 |
From here to maternity
By Wanda Orton
Contributor Published September 22, 2009 Today’s topic is maternity clothes so those not interested have been forewarned. (Hey -- not everybody leave!)
Sorry, but I feel compelled to comment on the current fashion trends among pregnant women. Tacky, tacky. They parade around in garments they wore long before they were PG, apparently not knowing or caring that more loosely fitting clothing is more flattering to the fuller figure.
Although they’re not so little any more, the PGees continue to squeeze into their little cocktail dresses for special occasions, and for casual wear they still sport the old T-shirts from lesser pounds past.
Take that back: Some of them buy new T-shirts announcing a baby is on the way. Further confirmation of this news flash appears in the form of an arrow on the front of the T-shirt pointing to the so-called baby bump.
Even more offensive, in my opinion, are the midriffs and cropped tops that bare skin, lots and lots of skin, of the future mommies. We could call this trend the “good news bares.”
What got me riled up about today’s sad state of maternity wear was watching the AMC series “Mad Men” and admiring the ensembles worn by a pregnant Betty Draper, played by January Jones. Her wardrobe, vintage 1960s, had class, style, dignity. We don’t see maternity clothes like that any more.
What happened? I don’t know for sure but I think the demise of the maternity fashion industry started when a pregnant Demi Moore bared her bulging belly in an unusual photo on the cover of Vanity Fair. It looked as though Demi were asking, “Am I showing? Can you tell I’m pregnant?”
Well … yeah.
Other expectant celebrities, while not going to the extreme of posing nude for magazine covers, began to flaunt their increasing girth in skimpy, skanky garments, marching down red carpets with baby bumps that more accurately could be described as baby barrels.
Call me old-fashioned, guilty as charged, but I liked the maternity ensembles that women used to wear – the flowing, trapeze tops with matching expandable skirts and slacks.
Early in my pregnancy in 1960, before I “showed” and had any maternity clothes of my own, I borrowed an outfit from my neighbor, Billie Godwin, to wear to a style show at the Humble Community House. I was playing the piano for the event and wanted everyone there to know I was proudly pregnant. The next day I wore my regular clothes to work.
Soon enough, my Aunt Rachel – the seamstress extraordinaire – created a complete new maternity wardrobe for me. Those outfits were works of art, so exquisite that I missed wearing them after Baby Jan arrived.
I remember one unfortunate incident, though, regarding the ruination of one of my maternity tops. It was one of my favorites, a royal blue blouse with embroidery around the neckline and sleeves.
You’ve heard the old excuse, “The dog ate it.” A friend’s Chihuahua really did eat part of the blouse. Engaged in conversation, I was unaware that her dog was by my side on the couch, quietly chewing on the hem of my long, flowing blouse as we talked. Little Jaws mistook all that fabric for food.
Well, anyway, he had good taste.
Wanda Orton is a retired managing editor for The Baytown Sun.
Contributor Published September 22, 2009 Today’s topic is maternity clothes so those not interested have been forewarned. (Hey -- not everybody leave!)
Sorry, but I feel compelled to comment on the current fashion trends among pregnant women. Tacky, tacky. They parade around in garments they wore long before they were PG, apparently not knowing or caring that more loosely fitting clothing is more flattering to the fuller figure.
Although they’re not so little any more, the PGees continue to squeeze into their little cocktail dresses for special occasions, and for casual wear they still sport the old T-shirts from lesser pounds past.
Take that back: Some of them buy new T-shirts announcing a baby is on the way. Further confirmation of this news flash appears in the form of an arrow on the front of the T-shirt pointing to the so-called baby bump.
Even more offensive, in my opinion, are the midriffs and cropped tops that bare skin, lots and lots of skin, of the future mommies. We could call this trend the “good news bares.”
What got me riled up about today’s sad state of maternity wear was watching the AMC series “Mad Men” and admiring the ensembles worn by a pregnant Betty Draper, played by January Jones. Her wardrobe, vintage 1960s, had class, style, dignity. We don’t see maternity clothes like that any more.
What happened? I don’t know for sure but I think the demise of the maternity fashion industry started when a pregnant Demi Moore bared her bulging belly in an unusual photo on the cover of Vanity Fair. It looked as though Demi were asking, “Am I showing? Can you tell I’m pregnant?”
Well … yeah.
Other expectant celebrities, while not going to the extreme of posing nude for magazine covers, began to flaunt their increasing girth in skimpy, skanky garments, marching down red carpets with baby bumps that more accurately could be described as baby barrels.
Call me old-fashioned, guilty as charged, but I liked the maternity ensembles that women used to wear – the flowing, trapeze tops with matching expandable skirts and slacks.
Early in my pregnancy in 1960, before I “showed” and had any maternity clothes of my own, I borrowed an outfit from my neighbor, Billie Godwin, to wear to a style show at the Humble Community House. I was playing the piano for the event and wanted everyone there to know I was proudly pregnant. The next day I wore my regular clothes to work.
Soon enough, my Aunt Rachel – the seamstress extraordinaire – created a complete new maternity wardrobe for me. Those outfits were works of art, so exquisite that I missed wearing them after Baby Jan arrived.
I remember one unfortunate incident, though, regarding the ruination of one of my maternity tops. It was one of my favorites, a royal blue blouse with embroidery around the neckline and sleeves.
You’ve heard the old excuse, “The dog ate it.” A friend’s Chihuahua really did eat part of the blouse. Engaged in conversation, I was unaware that her dog was by my side on the couch, quietly chewing on the hem of my long, flowing blouse as we talked. Little Jaws mistook all that fabric for food.
Well, anyway, he had good taste.
Wanda Orton is a retired managing editor for The Baytown Sun.