Rihanna Declares Her Power Mom Essentials: Belly Cut-Out Dresses and Alaïa's New Le Teckel Clutch

Fashion, like motherhood, takes no days off.

Rihanna wearing a high neck cut out dress
(Image credit: Getty Images)

It used to be that once the strip turned pink, closets became a breeding ground for muumuus, stretchy pants, and floral prints. But not anymore. Today, pregnant people are no longer expected to hide their bellies under layers of ill-fitting clothing. Thanks to stylish power moms like Rihanna, fashionable—even sexy—maternity wear has become the norm.

The pop star has worked tirelessly over her three pregnancies to shift the conversation around style and motherhood. “[Pregnancy’s] a long nine to 10 months. You have to enjoy it,” she told Entertainment Tonight in 2022. “Fashion is one of my favorite things, so, you know, we’re defying what it even means to be pregnant and maternal. It can get uncomfortable at times and so you can dress the part and pretend.”

For the beauty mogul, cut-out dresses have become a mat style signature. And though she only announced baby number three earlier this month, Rihanna has already worn several. At the 2025 Cannes Film Festival this week, the star walked the red carpet in a turquoise Alaïa number with several belly cut-outs.

A$AP Rocky, Rihanna at the "Highest 2 Lowest" Premiere during The 78th Cannes Film Festival at Palais des Festivals

Rihanna and A$AP Rocky attend at the Highest 2 Lowest premiere during the Cannes Film Festival on May 19.

(Image credit: Getty Images)

Not 24 hours later, she was at it again, stepping out in the South of France sporting an even spicier design. While out with her partner A$AP Rocky, Rihanna wore a saucy LBD that put her bump on full display.

It featured a huge cut-out across the torso and a thigh-high slit that reached all the way to her hip. Ever one to fearlessly show skin, the "Umbrella" singer continued that energy with a pair of $745 lucite naked heels from Manolo Blahnik.

Pregnant superstar Rihanna shows some skin during a night out with rapper A$AP Rocky at Palm Beach in Cannes, France.

The pop star wore another belly-baring dress only one day later, while out with her children's father A$AP Rocky.

(Image credit: Backgrid)

Her date night look was styled minimally. Beyond her foot-forward high heels and a glitzy gold watch, the pop star accessorized only with a rectangular clutch bag. But, since this is Rihanna we're talking about, the bag in question just so happened to be one of fashion's most sought-after styles.

The singer busted out her favorite Le Teckel Clutch, which she debuted two months prior. Like her Cannes red carpet dress, the purse also came from Alaïa—unofficial sponsors of Rihanna's maternity style. It featured an elongated silhouette with tiny top handles, for a new take on their viral handbag design.

Bottom line: Fashion, like motherhood, takes no days off.

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Kelsey Stiegman
Contributor

Kelsey (she/her) is a freelance fashion editor and writer, specializing in e-commerce and fashion news. With more than ten years of experience in digital media, Kelsey has a knack for turning top-performing content into top-selling content. At Marie Claire, she provides witty celeb style commentary, unpacking the style choices of stars like Zoë KravitzDua LipaSelena Gomez, and her fashion superhero, Rihanna. When she’s not tracking the personal style of Hollywood’s elite, Kelsey also covers designer collabs and industry news.

Before taking her talents to Marie Claire, Kelsey was the Senior Fashion Editor at Bustle, where she oversaw the site’s fashion coverage and launched a successful luxury handbag series called Secure The Bag. Prior to Bustle, she came from a six-year stint at Seventeen, during which she managed the team’s fashion and beauty verticals and led e-commerce strategy. In her freelance era, Kelsey contributes to publications like InStyle, CosmopolitanGlamour, and more. She also offers consulting services and content creation, in addition to writing and editing. Follow @klstieg on Instagram for 'fit pics and travel recommendations.