Today we can find clothes for pregnant women even in the most international fashion chains. But there was not always this facility for women who wanted to be comfortable during pregnancy. The origins of maternity fashion date back to the early twentieth century, and they were not easy.
Until then, many women hid their curves by tightening the belly with corsets, something that doctors did not like too much, since it could harm the health of the fetus. It was the Lithuanian immigrant Lane Bryant who had to face the censorship of the time to get her maternity fashion collection on sale.
She opened her first store in 1904, in New York. He created the first line of clothes for pregnant women and wanted to advertise it, but he did not get the "New York Herald" to publish an advertisement of his until 1911, when he had been selling his garments in detail for several years. Your products sold out the day after the announcement was published.
The newspapers of the time they refused to print the words "clothes for pregnant women", in a sample of the strange taboos that have existed until recently, like the one we told you about the word "pregnant" on television.
In this way, going to the catalog sale to avoid censorship already on everyone's lips, his modest tailoring became a powerful firm (more than one hundred stores in 1969), founding the company that bears his name and that today still selling oversized clothing worldwide.
Adjustable waist skirts They were a comfortable alternative to the corset, and it was good to hide the shapes. We think the same thing about postpartum bellies today, and that "hiding" something so beautiful and natural doesn't make much sense.
And before the creation of maternity clothes, what did pregnant women wear? Well homemade designs sewing themselves, probably fixing presses they already had, from them or their partners. They also resorted to buying a few sizes above their own. That, those who wanted to go comfortable, because as we say many women considered that with a corset They called less attention, and this for many centuries.
Some dressmakers also made custom clothes, although only for the wealthiest. What he wore were wide clothes that concealed the gut. But the sale of maternity clothes "in style" would only arrive at the beginning of the 20th century with Lena Bryant.
Of course, after the success of the company of this designer of Lithuanian origin maternity fashion evolved and today we find not only skirts or dresses but any type of pants, underwear and even special bath clothes for pregnant women. And without fear of showing the belly. No one would say that this booming fashion had complicated origins ...
