Questions For. . . Skye Hoppus

Former head of MTV’s West Coast music office and wife of Blink-182’s Mark Hoppus, Skye Hoppus knows about being cool and pregnant. She is spreading the gospel with Rock Star Momma, her guide to looking great during and after your pregnancy. Skye comes to Boston for a book signing and party at District on October 11th. We talked to Skye about what fashion challenges await mothers-to-be, and if Heidi Klum is in league with the devil.

Women used to view pregnancy as a time to “let themselves go,” for the lack of a better term. When did women start caring about how they look while pregnant?
I think that when Demi Moore did the cover of Vanity Fair, it brought a heightened awareness to the new pregnant woman’s body. Five or six years ago, you never saw these gorgeous, glamorous celebrities on the red carpet during their ninth month, and now you do.

What fashion rules, if any, are there for expectant mothers?
The first thing is that you have to learn to love your body. If you don’t love your body and how you look, trying to dress yourself is a huge challenge. Your body changes so much in such a short amount of time that you have to accept the changes and dress your new body. Know what fits on your new body, then go shopping.

What’s the most difficult time to dress fashionably while pregnant?
For myself and most of my clients, it’s the end of the first trimester and beginning of the second trimester. You’re just starting to gain the weight, you may not have told your friends or coworkers that you’re pregnant, but you have the extra weight and you’re not big enough for maternity clothes and your regular clothes don’t fit. That’s the point in my pregnancy where I had a meltdown and most of my clients have the same meltdown.

Did you have any unexpected changes to your body during your pregnancy?
Every pregnancy is so different, so what I expected to happen in my pregnancy didn’t. I remember the day I woke up and I had gained 15 pounds and nothing fit, I had all these new curves and my body changed literally overnight. I knew about the slow changes, so I expected that. With me, it was overnight. That was a struggle for me. That day, I spent $1,500 because I was so desperate. My husband said “Let’s go, I’m taking you shopping. You’re having a meltdown.”

What can mothers who have already had children learn from Rock Star Momma?
I think the book is full of great resources and advice and anecdotes from women of all walks of life, and designers and stylists. The resource chapter is my favorite part of the book. After you’ve read all the advice and get to the last chapter and find that someone else has weeded through all the crap, and you’ve got 20 solid pages of places to shop and find cool things. I was specific on who to put in that guide because the Internet gives you access to a lot of things that are bad, and when you’re pregnant you don’t have a lot of time to sort through them.

Some women who’ve been through multiple pregnancies want to look stylish, but don’t have a ton of money to buy new maternity wardrobes each time. What pieces are worth an investment, and which can be done on the cheap?
Luckily, a lot of everyday designers like Juicy, Splendid, and Lucky make a differently fitted t-shirts with longer torsos with more stretch. You can have great things in your maternity wardrobe that aren’t expensive if you’re smart about the way you shop. Vintage stores are wonderful for maternity wear because they have the soft t-shirt that stretch to no end because they’re so old and cost $15. If you don’t have a great vintage store near you, you can go online. It’s also a big secret in our business that so many modern maternity designers are copying from designers of the past because babydoll cuts are perfect for pregnant women when it’s done right.

Every woman needs to spend the money on the right pair of jeans. If you don’t spend the money on the right pair of jeans, you’ll end up spending the money on the right pair of jeans halfway through your pregnancy.

T-shirts and tank tops aren’t where to spend your dollars. Women should buy two or three fashion pieces they can wear throughout their pregnancy. A nice lightweight silk printed tunic can look great with a pair of black slacks or a pair of jeans.

What aspects of the rockstar life did you miss when you were pregnant?
I missed… do you have a pen? I missed coloring my hair because I’m not a natural blonde. I was one of those women who didn’t color their hair while pregnant. I didn’t get manicures because I was afraid of the chemicals in the polish. I didn’t eat any sushi or blue cheese. I love wine, but obviously couldn’t have any of that. But the hair color and not being able to polish my nails were the hardest. Some doctors say that it’s fine to do those things after the first trimester, but you have to go with what you think is right. There are a zillion reports that say it’s okay to do it, and a zillion others that say you shouldn’t. For me, I chose not to.

What maternity-wear item doesn’t flatter women?
I’m over the tents and over the overalls. Some women can’t quite pull it together, and the tents are a safe way to go, but it’s so unflattering. Women forget that body-hugging clothes, even if you’re a size 12, is always the option to go with. If you try to hide your belly, it makes you look like a walking tent.

Women do try to go with the overalls. My own sister did it, bless her heart. She gained 80 pounds and when you’re that big you go with the comfort stuff. But I can’t do it.

You feature a lot of famous rock star mamas in your book. Which ones do you think most exemplify the rock star mama style?
Everyone does it her own way. A lot of times, being on the outside you think these women have stylists and people who dress them every day, but at the end of the day if you don’t have your own sense of style, it’s pretty impossible to hire that. Money and fame can buy you a lot, but an innate sense of style can’t be bought.

Do you think Heidi Klum made a pact with the devil to look so cute while pregnant?
She’s got great genes and she was dedicated to her body during her pregnancy. She ate healthfully, she worked out safely, and she has great genes. I think no matter what I did to myself during my nine months, my body was going to do what it was going to do. Look at Kate Hudson. She was glamorous during her pregnancy, but she was not thin and she was more dedicated to her body than most. Trying to fight and change your body isn’t going to work.