Fashion finds a way into every part of a women's life

To keep everyone up to date, the following stars are pregnant and/or have just given birth; Christina Aguilera, Nicole Richie, Halle Berry, Jennifer Lopez, Jessica Alba, Lilly Allen, Jamie Lynn Spears and Nicole Kidman.

These pregnant stars must feel a great deal of pressure from the media to look fabulous while pregnant. Most women, including celebrities, don't like to change their signature look too much when becoming pregnant. But all of a sudden they find that, more so in the end months of pregnancy, wearing heels and getting all fancy and dressed up, becomes too ridiculous.

If you ask your mother, I'm sure she would say wearing heels while pregnant would be pure torture. Well known brands have recently, as in the last seven years, realized women who are with child, don't want to look and/or feel like a beach whale.

Style for maternity once was nothing but big baggy t-shirts, floral cap dresses and men's sweat pants. Nowadays, there are very reasonable, comfy styles all pregnant women can wear and still feel good. This new category of women's wear makes women who work till up to a few weeks before their due date, still fit into their work place environment. For maternity fashion, there are specially made tops and pants that will accommodate the random weight gain in certain places on your body that you will experience. Like weight gain on your back, hips, butt, thighs and feet.

- Do avoid plunging necklines while pregnant, because a lot of women's breasts look like road maps due to all the visible veins.

- Do wear minimal make-up because your skin tone will change and be more prone to breakouts.

- Do keep active (walking) while pregnant. Being active will benefit both mom and baby.

How, you may be thinking, would an 18 (almost 19-year-old) know so much about pregnancy and maternity wear? Fashion magazines pretty much cover everything these days and my course, Fashion Merchandising, covers all areas of fashion in everyone's lives.

If you are interested in viewing the options for trendy maternity wear, I found a really cute website called ‘UnButtoned.' This online store offers comfortable yet stylish clothing, but at high prices. In a section on their website, they have pictures of once pregnant celebrities wearing their fashions. Stylish child wear and maternity wear are becoming a growing industry. Anyone interested in fashion design and/or business should get in on the action this industry is creating.

I am going to be just as bad as the gossip magazines but, Nicole Richie, in my books, has won as the best dressed pregnant women of the expecting mothers.

On January 11, 2008 Nicole Richie gave birth to a baby girl named Harlow Winter Kate Madden.

On January 12, Christina Aguilera had a baby boy named Max Liron Bratman.