I have one question: Are pregnant women doomed to be unfashionable, covering their baby bumps with baggy, outdated tent tops and radiation protection vests?

Karen Page, the owner of Nine Months, a boutique with a collection of various Western maternity fashion brands, says no. "I sometimes hear that pregnant women will buy non-maternity clothing in a much larger size thinking that it will suffice for their pregnancy. Sadly this isn't the case since a bigger garment is bigger everywhere, not just in the belly area, so it just looks like it doesn't fit."

The Canadian mother of two opened the boutique in early 2009 during her first pregnancy.

"At that time, I was desperately hunting for fashionable clothing," she said. "However, it surprised me that I couldn't find any maternity clothes in such a fashionable city!" Now her online shop at ninemonthshk.com delivers maternity fashion brands from the US, Canada and Australia to fashionable young moms-to-be in Beijing.

"Being pregnant is a happy time, why not dress myself prettier, then my mood will be better, which is good for the baby too," said 32-year-old Toyca Du, who admires the pregnancy style of the character Rachel from the sitcom Friends, who frequently paired a plain, close-fitting T-shirt with a cardigan that was left unbuttoned over the lower half to show off her pregnant belly. "I think it is beautiful and sexy," Du said. "And I personally do not mind showing off my belly at all."

While the general trend for maternity clothing is to try to keep it as close to mainstream fashion as possible, "It still flatters the pregnant form," Page said. She also noticed a movement towards jeans and trousers that fit below the belly in recent years, because they most closely resemble regular jeans and trousers. The way that the pants can be worn for a while post-pregnancy will not feeling like maternity styles.

For a chic and fresh maternity look while still being comfortable in the spring and the coming summer, Page recommends the three items.