Australian influencer and model Dominique Elissa has issued an empowering call to pregnant women everywhere — urging them to proudly show off their baby bumps — after facing unsolicited comments from strangers about her own third-trimester wardrobe choices.
The 31-year-old, who is expecting her first child with husband Tom Bull early next year, regularly documents her pregnancy journey for her 300,000 social media followers. But it was a candid TikTok post over the weekend that struck a particular nerve, sparking an outpouring of support online.
What Dominique Elissa said about pregnancy fashion scrutiny
In the video, Elissa described wearing a skirt and slightly cropped top while out and about in her third trimester — an outfit that, she said, drew unexpected attention from multiple people she encountered.
"I've been told by multiple strangers that it is courageous that I am wearing this," she said in the clip, gesturing to her ensemble. She added that she had also felt the sting of being looked up and down by men, leaving her feeling judged simply for getting dressed.
Rather than shy away from her style, however, Elissa was resolute: she would not be overhauling her wardrobe to accommodate others' expectations.
"I'm not going to just sit at home in track pants while I'm pregnant — I love getting dressed up, I love feeling good," she said, before directing her message squarely at fellow expectant mothers.
"Wear your bump out, feel confident, and who cares about all those other people?"
Flood of support from followers and fellow mums-to-be
The TikTok quickly attracted hundreds of likes and a wave of enthusiastic comments, with many viewers praising both the outfit and the sentiment behind Elissa's message.
"Nah, they're just jealous. You look better than me not pregnant," one commenter wrote. Another added: "No this outfit is so tea, the bump makes it even better!"
The video also resonated strongly with other pregnant women who recognised the experience. One follower shared her own take on the situation: "I love making people uncomfortable with my big belly!" Another expectant mother echoed the defiant tone, writing that she refuses to buy maternity clothes — if something fits and shows the bump, she simply doesn't care what anyone thinks.
Broader moment for pregnant women and fashion
Elissa's post arrives at a moment when the intersection of pregnancy and public presentation has been generating widespread discussion. Just days before her TikTok went live, Hollywood actor Anne Hathaway found herself at the centre of an internet storm after appearing at a film premiere with her bare bump on display.
The images prompted a bizarre wave of online speculation — including doubts from some social media users about whether Hathaway's pregnancy was even real — as well as criticism of her outfit choice, with some calling it "ridiculous" and "tacky." Hathaway responded directly, posting a behind-the-scenes getting-ready video with the caption: "Fake hair, real bump."
Together, the two incidents underscore an ongoing and uncomfortable reality: that pregnant women continue to face public commentary and judgment over how they choose to dress and present themselves, regardless of whether they are global celebrities or social media personalities building their own communities.
For Elissa, the answer is straightforward — and she is not keeping it to herself. With her due date approaching at the start of next year, she appears determined to model body confidence as enthusiastically as she models her outfits, in the face of public scrutiny that many women know all too well.
