It seems that 2021 was the year for love. A long list of celebrities are expecting a newborn within the next couple of months, and others have just recently welcomed their children to the world. While it’s interesting to see which icons are going through the very early steps of parenthood, it is just as invigorating to see what these beautiful women wear while carrying their children.

Arguably some of the most iconic new parents are Rihanna and her partner, another musically gifted artist, ASAP Rocky. The last time the media was updated, Rihanna hadn’t given birth yet, but the couple is ecstatic about their future together. While they met a couple of years back, these two are easily now the most supported couple on social media. 

Posted on Rihanna’s Instagram, @badgalriri, just six days ago, were the first maternity pictures on her page; all of her other posts consisted of a lingerie line and her collaboration with Fenty Beauty. The picture in the four photo slides was of her in what seems to be an all-white bathroom, wearing a vibrant blue and orange jersey—this look started off her pictures with low expectations until I looked a little further.

In the second picture, which should have been the cover image, we can see ASAP and Rihanna’s maternity photoshoot by Miles Diggs. Rihanna is wearing a long, puffer jacket from Chanel in a vibrant shade of pink, which was unbuttoned near the bottom. This coat shows off her baby bump perfectly, but it also looks practical for her to wear during the cold months of winter. 

A piece that weirdly caught my eye was Rihanna’s blue jeans. While ASAP seems to be wearing a casual outfit that doesn’t scream A-lister, her jeans humble her outfit just enough for the focal point: bejeweled, gold chains. Using this flashy accessory like a belt is one thing, but Rihanna’s genius idea of placing the bulkier centerpiece right above her stomach really catches your eye and makes you think: ‘hey, Rihanna is pregnant.’

Just last night, on Feb. 6th, paparazzi spread the news further than just Rihanna’s Instagram post. The most iconic picture circling the internet right now is of her exiting her vehicle in Beverly Hills with her, now deemed as iconic, baby bump. While it’s common for women to dress in comfortable clothes in their final trimesters, Rihanna doesn’t seem to want to fit that stereotype. 

Her all-black outfit seems like one of the most uncomfortable looks which included tight pants, high heels, a short jacket, headscarf, but most strikingly: her top. The vertical strip down her stomach was replaced with zigzagging strings that most women wouldn’t dare try even in their most comfortable state. Rihanna is hitting the media with a ‘go big, or go home mentality, which carries over from everything she sets her mind to in life. 

Rihanna is setting high expectations for her child’s future closet, which reminds me of Kylie Jenner and her now four-year-old daughter, Stormi. While one of 2021’s top memes came from this mother and daughter duo, their fashion sense is no laughing matter. Stormi is known for her Jordans, high buns, street style clothing, and overall, her very expensive wardrobe. She has been the focal point of her mother’s Instagram page for the past four years, but something recently changed.

On Sept. 7th of 2021, Kylie posted a video of her finding out and telling her family that she is pregnant again. In a homestyle video, we see Kylie’s first major signs of a baby bump and the outfits she has been wearing. 

Since posting her IGTV video, there have been many standstills of her maternity outfits which are a little more classy and simplistic than what this media personality tends to wear. On Dec. 31st, Kylie made a reflection post for the new year with her wearing a black two-piece which highlighted her bump immensely—the caption left out any details of her pregnancy but wished everyone health and happiness. 

On Jan. 6th, Kylie’s first post of 2022, she’s wearing a humble white, tied-up long sleeve and unbuttoned, ripped blue jeans. This is always one of my favorite looks for celebrities who tend to flaunt their money—it’s a classy way of reminding the media that they’re still human with the priority of comfort on their mind. Especially in maternity shoots, this look isn’t necessarily about the clothes or Kylie herself but what she’s representing: new life and fresh beginnings. While she wore this to show her bump, this outfit is cute and flattering for women in all stages of life.

The final post showing her baby bump before her child’s birth on Feb. 2nd was on Jan. 14th. In an all-white and giraffe-themed baby shower, Kylie and her family celebrate the new life being brought into their home. With each look, I keep coming back to Kylie’s. It is so extremely elegant and again, isn’t there to be the most high-end fashion; she wore it to symbolize peace, purity, and her baby’s innocence. Overall, the shower was just like any Jenner-Kardashian party: over the top in the best ways possible.

Not only should these women receive more praise for the work they’re doing for our world today, but they should also be recognized as strong souls who are bearing the next generation. With these children in the hands of style icons, only time will tell if these babies will out-fashion their parents.