If there’s anywhere for the rules of maternity style to be tossed out the window, it’s Fashion Week—no one’s trading in their designer clothes on the streets of Paris for a pregnancy-friendly muumuu (unless of course it happens to be Chloé).
Editors, bloggers, and fashion execs have come up with creative ways to tweak their personal style to accomodate growing bumps during the biyearly whirlwind of shows, and the recent season had even more moms-to-be in the front row than usual. No less than five street-style regulars announced their pregnancies in the weeks and months leading up to the Spring 2017 collections: Instagram’s Eva Chen, Style Bubble blogger Susie Lau, Danish stylist and creative director Pernille Teisbaek, The Misshapes DJ Leigh Lezark, and color-loving stylist Elisa Nalin. Plus, the perennially-stylish Léa Seydoux made a guest appearance at Louis Vuitton, showing off a growing belly in a swingy silver knit.
MORE: A Comprehensive Guide to the Best Maternity Clothes
Suffice it to say, if you’re a) expecting and b) dreading the idea of giving up your leather jackets and curve-hugging dresses—or, alternatively, your maximalist layers and out-there accessories—you’ve come to the right place for inspiration.
For the fall and winter months, take a cue from Chen and pick a coat with an empire waist, so that you can stay warm up top without feeling too constrained. If you aren’t too far along yet, pick up Teisbaek’s technique of wearing slim-fitting skirts that hit slightly higher on the waist, paired with either a roomy button-down or a silk camisole. Lau’s love of oversize layers—think wide-leg pants, roomy coats, and tulle dresses (which she promised to pass down to her daughter in her announcement on Instagram)—clearly lends itself well to pregnancy, but Lezark’s stretchy knits and sky-high heels prove its hardly the only option.
MORE: 40 Ways to Look Chic When You’re Expecting
In the gallery, see 40 of the most inspiring maternity looks from the Spring ’17 shows.
