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In-Forum (Fargo - Moorhead)
August 2007
Modern maternity
08/25/2007 - Mila Koumpilova
Jacy Voglewede doesn’t feel her oversized army uniform does her figure justice as she awaits the arrival of her first child in October.
“So when I do get to wear civilian clothes, I like to look nice,” she says.
Problem is, the majority of the maternity outfits don’t help her much in that mission, she says. Instead they make her look frumpy, overwhelming the changing body she’s proud of with “too many ruffles and doily looking things.”
On Friday those grievances brought the Fargo mom-to-be to downtown’s Mama Mia maternity store, where she made the unlikely acquaintance of Skye Hoppus, glamorous wife to punk band Blink-182 bass player Mark Hoppus.
Skye Hoppus arrived from Los Angeles this week to introduce her maternity and toddler line, Childish Clothing, to Mama Mia customers and sign copies of her book, “Rock Star Momma,” subtitled “The Hip Guide to Looking Gorgeous Through All Nine Months and Beyond.”
Hoppus is on the front line of a style revolution that’s addressing the concerns of ladies like Voglewede. At its heart is the notion that maternity wear can be flattering and flirty, showing off curves rather than downplaying them. The movement trails a spate of high-profile, highly visible celebrity pregnancies credited with making bumps newly beautiful.
When Hoppus was pregnant with her 6-year-old, Jack, she despaired of finding maternity getups that reflected her trendy style.
“There was a serious lack of great clothes,” she recalls. “It’s the only time anyone is creating a miracle, so why couldn’t women look as great as they feel?”
Her wardrobe woes inspired her to launch Childish Clothing, which ditches the tent tops and Spandex panel pants of yore for form-fitting designs and natural fabrics. More recently, she wrote “Rock Star Momma,” with a foreword by style icon Gwyneth Paltrow.
When Mama Mia owner Ciara Stockeland – mom of two and an inveterate “denim and heels kind of girl” – read about the book in InStyle magazine, she resolved to invite the author. Her young customers are confident about their bodies and in no mood to hide them.
“It’s such a new, hip thing to be pregnant,” she says, referring to the tabloid-cover parade that has included celebrity moms such as Angelina Jolie to Gwen Stefani.
On Friday, Hoppus – in a silk mini dress and major high heels – chatted about baby names and style tips with Mama Mia customers. At a get-together the night before, women raided racks filled with her designs – kimono-inspired silk tunics, tank tops that proclaim “Momma” in a bejeweled font and a $152 empire-waist dress worn by pregnant supermodel Heidi Klum.
Vicky Brunsvold of Fargo stopped by to browse for her daughter, Molly. She welcomes today’s maternity look, light years away from options she had when she had kids in the 1970s and ’80s.
“When I was pregnant, clothes were very loose,” she said. “Now women are proud and excited to let everybody know they’re pregnant.”
Voglewede bought a $40 jersey top in a look-at-me purple hue and picked up a copy of “Rock Star Momma.” She’d noticed the tabloid covers, too: “Recently, they’ve been showing a lot of pregnant celebrities. They all look cute, and women want to keep up.”
But speaking of keeping up, could the new trend backfire, sending ladies scrambling to appear polished during the few months they’re normally free from pressures to look their best? (“Rock Star Momma” features a “Hospital Hip” chapter, which advises readers to stash hair shine serum and mascara on their way to the delivery room.)
Hoppus says not to worry. Her book advocates casual, comfy clothes over high fashion, and if an infusion of flair gives you an edge in the battle with hormones, there’s no harm done. After all, “Let me tell you,” she says, “pregnancy is really hard.”
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