Pregnant does not have to mean dowdy. In fact, maternity clothes can look an awful lot like nonmaternity clothes.

"Fashion is responding to what women are clamoring for," says Julia Beck, founder of 40 Weeks, a consulting firm that focuses on expectant and new moms. "There are more independent maternity designers than ever before."

The reason? The influx of chic celebrity pregnancies (and no, we're not taking about Britney Spears) and the widening age gap. "Women are pregnant in their early 20s to their late 40s," she says. The range is much broader and so the demand is greater.

"There's so much more selection and it's so much easier to stay on-trend than 20 years ago," says Rebecca Matthias, founder of Motherhood, Mimi Maternity and A Pea in the Pod. Look no further than 7 for All Mankind maternity jeans and the high-end maternity boutiques popping up, such as Daisy Baby & Mommies Too in Bethesda, Md.

Strolling her store, co-owner Andrea Paro says, triggers memories of muumuus and housecoats for the older generation. "Now, there's stuff that's sexy and fun," she says. "You can you still feel sexy when pregnant. It's about embracing the belly."