A week in maternity outfits with Tali Zevi of Who Boutique

“We’re freeing the bump this summer.”

It can be hard enough to curate a wardrobe that encapsulates your personal style at the best of times. But when you’re pregnant, this enters new territory. Your body is changing, your belly is growing and comfort becomes a top priority. Your favourite jeans may no longer fit, and your once oversized cardigan becomes tight and cropped.

Tali Zevi, the owner of Melbourne fashion store Who Boutique, has taken the challenge in her stride. Going into her first pregnancy, Tali had two non-negotiables. “I was going to have my belly out as much as possible and I wasn’t buying maternity clothes,” she tells us.

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Though maternity fashion has historically ushered women towards hiding their bump (a choice that is more than fine, provided its your choice), there’s also a case for embracing your changing body and wearing whatever makes you feel best. For Tali, whose pregnancy has fallen right in the middle of an Australian summer, this has taken the form of mid-length skirts, big bottoms and little tops. Below, she takes us through her current rotation.

Day one

Melbourne is finally heating up, so I’ve been living in skirts and tank tops. I’m just over 20 weeks now and very much starting to feel the need to size up, especially in bottoms. I’ve gone from a medium to a large practically overnight, and with everything needing to sit under the belly, I can see an extra-large on the horizon. Comfort has really been key this week.

Here I’m wearing a blue Exotic Import tank top, which I love because the length is perfect. It’s cropped enough to show the belly when I want, but long enough to pull down on days I’m feeling more conservative. I’ve paired with Who Boutique’s newest in-house brand Who satin chocolate skirt and my Havaianas, which have been a common theme lately.

Day two

Dresses have to be really right in pregnancy. I’m gravitating more towards two-piece outfits because they give me more shape, while most some dresses can make me feel bigger than I’d like. That said, when the dress is right, I feel amazing. I may eat my words as the days get hotter, but I’m happy to be pregnant in summer. The tan has everyone confusing it for a “pregnancy glow,” and throwing on a dress instead of a hundred layers has made life very easy.

Here I’m wearing a Day Birger et Mikkelsen dress from Who Boutique that gives me a really nice shape and is bra-friendly. I’ve paired it with a vintage pair of Miss Sixty heels I found on Depop.

Day three

Anything elasticated has been my best friend these past few weeks. Big bottoms, little top is also something I’ve really been leaning into. It’s hard not to feel top-heavy – why did no one tell me your boobs become ginormous so early? I’ve gone up at least three cup sizes since around six weeks, which has definitely added another layer of difficulty when it comes to dressing. But with some good maternity bras (I love the Nala maternity range), I’m finally getting the hang of dressing a bigger chest.

For this look, I’m in head-to-toe Paloma Wool. Honourable mention to these heels, which are genuinely the most comfortable heels I’ve ever owned. Paired with the Paloma Wool Limone Pants, which I’ve had my eye on for a long time and finally decided to make mine, and the Puka T-shirt.

Day four

With zero intention, over a year ago I designed the perfect pregnancy T-shirt. When we first released the Exotic Import T-shirt, I noticed so many pregnant women coming in-store to buy them and now I completely understand why. The boxy fit is comfortable and forgiving, without making me feel like I’m wearing a tent. Belly and bust-friendly, I’m wearing a size small here and genuinely think it’ll get me through the entire pregnancy without needing to size up. Catch me in these all summer long.

I know denim can feel scary during pregnancy, and no shade to maternity denim but I’ve opted for the size-up approach instead. These jeans were bought years ago and were far too big at the time, which has worked out perfectly now. I’m also starting to find closed-toe shoes are making my feet swell, so I think it’s time to say goodbye to my favourite sneakers for a while.

Day five

I know it’s not for everyone, but I’m really leaning into belly out as much as I can. Whenever I’m in-store and older women come in, they tell me how they wish they’d shown their bump more during pregnancy and what a time it is to be alive now, when the funny looks are few and far between. Feeling sexy during pregnancy is a beautiful thing, especially because there are plenty of unsexy parts to the day-to-day. So we’re freeing the bump this summer.

This Baum und Pferdgarten jumper isn’t cropped by design, but I sized down to an XS and paired it with a lilac Who Boutique skirt that I’m obsessed with, plus my brown Havaianas.

For more maternity inspiration, try this.