Anne Hathaway’s Maternity Red-Carpet Look Ignites Online Controversy

At the Burbank premiere of *The End of Oak Street*, actress Anne Hathaway—pregnant with her third child—appeared in a sky-blue high-neck top by Prabal Gurung paired with low-slung, non-maternity jeans from La Ligne that revealed the lower third of her belly. The look quickly went viral, prompting a wave of criticism on social media. Some commenters accused Hathaway of fabricating her pregnancy with a prosthetic, a claim that resurfaced in an Instagram caption where she wrote, “fake hair, real bump.”

CNN

Hathaway’s appearance follows a broader move away from traditional maternity silhouettes. Rihanna, who has previously modeled lace bodysuits, corsets, crop tops and mini-skirts while pregnant, is frequently cited as a catalyst for this shift. Other high-profile examples include Adriana Lima’s keyhole-cut gown at Cannes 2022, Ciara’s gold-leaf dress at *The Color Purple* premiere in 2023, and Sienna Miller’s puffy Schiaparelli two-piece at Vogue World the same year. These outfits have helped normalize “bump-bearing” styles on red carpets.

CNN

Industry data from fashion platform Lyst indicates that searches for maternity clothing have fallen by as much as 45 % in recent months, suggesting that consumers may be gravitating toward more form-fitting, non-traditional options rather than conventional elasticated garments.

CNN

CNN senior style reporter Rachel Tashjian contextualizes the controversy as evidence that public attitudes toward pregnancy fashion remain unsettled. Hathaway remained undeterred, appearing the next day on *Jimmy Kimmel Live* in a black-ruffled top by Lein that again exposed her bump. The episode highlights a tension between evolving personal style choices for expectant mothers and lingering expectations about modesty and authenticity in the public eye.

CNN