What To Expect When They're Expecting ...

Natalie Portman, Kate Hudson, Victoria Beckham, Selma Blair, Marion Cotillard: To change up a timeworn cliche, they must be putting something in the (bottled) water in Hollywood these days ...

Celebs seem to be on a baby high of late, but every time one of these announcements -- forgive the pun -- pops, here's where my mind goes: Congrats, but what about the red carpet? Admittedly it sounds flippant, but it's no minor thought. If A-list actresses are like the rest of us, surely a significant portion of daily mental thought is devoted to the challenge of looking stylish while a bump grows, and grows, and grows (and unlike the rest of us, they must do so with the eyes of the world quite literally upon them).

With the Golden Globes set for Sunday night, a cursory perusal of the Spring/Summer and Pre-Fall collections reveals that an abundance of chic options await the boldfaced name who, for reasons of enceinte, would rather not reveal just how convex she is by sporting a body-skimming goddess gown. And granted, there's a good chance we won't see Kate or Posh, but our titular Black Swan? Undoubtedly she's mulling her options. With that in mind, here's a quartet of choices to suit every taste:

Emilio Pucci Pre-Fall: The boho look, with its flow and volume, is often a popular choice among the Hollywood set when preggers, thus making this an ideal dress from Emilio Pucci's Pre-Fall collection. It also doesn't hurt that Peter Dundas was channeling the theme that's overtaken fashion for 2011: the '70s. "Charlotte Rampling meets Stevie Nicks" was how Dundas described the collection that debuted earlier this week -- a highly romantic notion, yes?

Lanvin Spring/Summer: Alber Elbaz is the darling of the fashion industry, crafting dresses that are forward and luxurious and always respectful of a woman's body (that may sound like an obvious prerequisite, but you'd be surprised). This caftan-like wonder from his Spring/Summer collection for Lanvin is both highly chic and looks highly comfortable. Add a touch of fab jewelry and heartstopping shoes ...

Valentino Pre-Fall: To play up a pregnancy in a most poetic fashion, you can't beat an empire waist. For their Pre-Fall collection, Valentino's Pier Paolo Piccioli and Maria Grazia Chiuri worked a modified empire on a variety of evening dresses, part of a collection that also evoked a decided '70s vibe. This organza and lace dress is perhaps a little serious for the more fun-loving Globes, but might we see it come Oscar Night?

Marchesa Spring/Summer: I'm both delighted and dazzled by the dichotomy of this ornate jeweled neckline above -- wait for it -- a distressed-chiffon trapeze minidress! Few reinvent eveningwear like the Marchesa duo of Keren Craig and Georgina Chapman (Mrs. Harvey Weinstein gave birth to a baby girl mere weeks before the debut of this collection, btw); we're sure to see their now red carpet-requisite label represented Sunday night, and likely more than once. I'll be endlessly tickled if this is among the winning choices. 

Of course, this is all conjecture; despite weeks of preparation among fashion houses, there's no guarantee of a "get" until a starlet steps out of the limo. And you never know how much a stylist will influence the final choice: Just ask Rachel Zoe -- if she doesn't go into labor first, that is ...