Rihanna’s baby bump looks close the circle of the parable of motherhood

There is a subtle, but very strong, line girl power linking Lucille Ball to Rihanna. What does the American diva of the 50s have to do with the Barbados pop star of the Third Millennium? More than we think, in fact.

Society, not just women, owes both of us something if we have gotten to where we are when it comes to discussions about pregnancy. Here and now we will not address the story of motherhood and how it has been iconographically presented to the world since the time of Mary of Nazareth. What we want to rattle off is linked to the topic that currently fills pages and pages of the Internet, social networks and magazines dividing public opinion: but how does Rihanna dress when pregnant?

Let us return for a moment to Lucille Ball, that is the one who about 70 years ago paved the way for showing herself in public in an interesting state. Indeed, not only in public, but on television. Pregnant, the actress, star of the sitcom I love Lucy alongside her husband Desi Arnaz, she fought against the TV network’s advice to have her pregnancy integrated into the show.

Before then, showing the baby bump on the screen was unthinkable. In seven episodes Lucille appears with the baby bump, albeit hidden under tunics and curtain garments. On TV, however, her to be hidden she was also the word “pregnant”, prohibited according to the censorship code of the time (one could only say that she “waited”).

Seven decades later, here is Rihanna who removes another veil from the preconceived codes of motherhood thanks to her daring wardrobe baby bump.

Which, of course, speaks of body positivity he was born in sexy side of being pregnant, but not only. These concepts associated with motherhood have already been assimilated for several years thanks to famous people even light years away from each other, ranging from the beauty guru Clio MakeUp (showing followers the stretch marks on her baby bump) a Emily Ratajkowski (in super tight clothes until the day before giving birth). So what are the revolutionary choices of RiRi that everyone is talking about?

First of all, it is clear that it doesn’t take a fashion expert to notice that her maternity style is one of a kind, since the choice of the way to announce, last January, the event on social media and for the look flaunted.

Nothing new, some might object. Now all the celebs share the news of expecting a baby via Instagram. But the pop star in the post does not appear at home waving the ultrasound in a domestic outfit. Or posing for an ad hoc photo shoot (as Beyoncé did in time with her and, more recently, Cardi B.). She didn’t show her surprise baby bump on a red carpet for the first time.

Rihanna and future dad A $ AP Rocky are on the street in New York. There are polar temperatures and she is wrapped in a vintage pink Chanel duvet by now (by the way) already entered in the forbidden dreams of any fashion addicted, pregnant or not. Under her outerwear a pair of jeans and a cascade of golden necklaces and pendants, including a crucifix by Christian Lacroix, to immediately make the baby bump glamorous and which seem to say: “Pregnancy is precious, it’s sacred but, man, it’s fun too”.

“The pregnancy is nine to ten months long. You have to have fun, ”said mum-to-be herself Entertainment Tonight. «Fashion is one of my passions, therefore, it teases me to challenge with clothes what it means to be pregnant and maternal. It’s all an exciting journey so far. I take pregnancy as it comes from week to week, there is always something new, ”she added.

In short, Rihanna takes expectation to another level which, beware, is not that of the game. She has been under the bridge a lot since Grace Kelly in 1956, albeit hyper chic, covered the curves behind the legendary Hermès bag and since Lady Diana in the early 80s covered her baby bump under oversized dresses.

Then in 1991 it came Demi Moorenaked and pregnant, on the cover of Vanity Fair USAimmortalized by Annie Leibovitz: overwhelmed by criticism (accused of being pornographic, indecent for sharing the intimacy of her state in this way), the actress added an important piece of empowerment: the finally experiencing pregnancy without having to hide the belly anymore, enough to put it on a cover.

After more than 30 years since then, Rihanna, with her extreme looks ranging from bondage effect cardigans to very small crop tops, hyper stretch dresses, visible lingerie, sheer blouses, but also T-shirts, oversized coats and lots of heels, breaks another taboo. His intent is not to appear hot, contemptuous, or perhaps a body positivity icon, as we said. The singer and businesswoman declares that being pregnant means changing your body, not your personality.

Covering or uncovering the baby bump is not a question of fashion. Because life is beautiful and what grows in women is celebrated in the only possible way: by remaining true to themselves, without changing the essence, in spite of the physical. Probably the greatest gift to give to a child. With the clothes that best fit who we are, criticism can’t hurt. Rihanna dare? It’s simply Rihanna. She puts on high heels, is covered with jewels, stands out, she is bright. If not her stilettos (her ankles will swell too, in the end she is human), we can well expect that this radiating energy will certainly accompany her for the next few months.

Meanwhile, in the gallery, let’s enjoy her experimental maternity looks. Mums just wanna have fun.

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