Hollywood bombshell Jessica Simpson is known for many things, from her numerous acting roles, short-lived career as a singer, and now her ventures in the fashion industry as a designer. Seriously, this celeb has had a very colorful career in Tinsel Town and has dabbled in a little bit of everything. Jessica first broke out onto the scene as a singer with the release of her debut album in 1999, and her second (more mature) album in 2001.

The singer found even more fame when she married fellow musician Nick Lachey in 2003, and starred in their own reality show for two seasons. Even their divorce in 2005 brought the star more fame and notoriety. Jess has had roles in blockbusters like The Dukes of Hazard (2005), Employee of the Month (2006), Blonde Ambition (2007), and Dangerous (2008), and has released five studio albums in total. Starting in 2005, the celeb also began her own clothing line, which has gone on to become a billion- company and one of the most successful celeb clothing brands ever.

Aside from her career ventures, Jessica has made headlines for her dramatic personal life. Things climaxed with the dissolution of her marriage to Lachey, but the public has continued to take an interest ever since. Jessica was known for her wild partying image and her long list of ex-boyfriends, including Tony Romo and John Mayer, before settling down with NFL Player Eric Johnson. The couple, who began dating and became engaged in 2010, married in 2013. They have two children together: daughter Maxwell, born in 2012, and son Ace, born in 2014.

It’s clear that Jessica’s life has changed immensely since becoming a wife and mother! Check out these photos to see just how life was different before and after Jess had kids- what are you most surprised about?

17 Her Late Nights Are Now Spent At Home

Back in the 2000s (especially after her divorce from Nick Lachey), Jessica Simpson famously went on a party binge that lasted several years. The celeb was photographed countless times partying it up and stumbling out of nightclubs worse for wear. The singer-actress was also going hard on the dating scene, and it seemed like she had a new guy on her arm every other month.

There was one point where sources claimed that those closest to Jessica were worried about her partying habits. Several years back, an insider told OK! Magazine, “[Jessica] goes on these massive booze binges and works her way through too many cocktails. [She] doesn’t stop drinking until she’s totally bombed,” they added,

“The biggest worry is that she is incapable of slowing down.”

However, nowadays, it seems that Jessica has slowed down her partying ways for a more low-key lifestyle with her family. Instead of paparazzi photos showing her getting wasted, the celeb is known for posting cute Instagrams of her kids and the fun things they do together. It’s safe to say that motherhood has tamed Jessica’s partying, and she seems to enjoy taking things a little bit slower. Then again, nothing is relaxing about raising kids!

16 Her Post-Baby Body Has Gone Through A Lot

When she first broke out onto the Hollywood scene, Jessica was known for her rock solid abs and ability to look flawless in a pair of Daisy Dukes. The star’s weight began fluctuating before she had her children, but nowadays its clear that her figure isn’t the same as it used to be (not that there’s anything wrong with that!).

Despite the fact that this before and after shows just how much weight Jessica put on during both of her pregnancies, sources say the star is as obsessed as ever to shed the weight- especially since the media and haters haven’t been too nice to her. But it turns out shedding the baby weight hasn’t been as easy as she thought. “Jessica’s weight exploded to over 200 pounds while she was pregnant,” a source told National Enquirer. “She thought losing it after giving birth would be a breeze, but Jess was in for a rude awakening.”

The insider said that Jessica went down from 200 to 155 pounds post-birth, but it's not even close to the mere 100 pounds she weighed at the height of her fame. “Jessica wants to stick to her weight-loss routine, and hopes that one day she’ll start to like it,” the source said, adding that the mom-of-two is unhappy with her post-baby body as it is.

15 Halloween Takes On A Whole New Meaning

Back in her free-from-kids days, Jessica was known to take Halloween very seriously. And by seriously, we mean she’d go all out and choose a suggestive costume to show off her best features. Jessica never failed to impress with her spooky yet steamy costumes, but its clear that the star is taking a new approach to Halloween now that she’s a mom.

Like many celeb families, Jessica and her brood are known for showing up in adorable group costumes. The one year the family didn’t choose a theme, Jessica was pregnant with their son Ace and she decided to incorporate her baby bump into her costume. She went as a Mummy, which is funny since she was pregnant and thus going to become a mommy. How punny- um, we mean funny- is that?

Even though Jessica has toned down her own Halloween costumes, that doesn’t mean she still doesn’t make waves with her choices! Just this October, the celeb was mom-shamed for coloring daughter Maxwell’s hair dark to make her look more like Belle from Beauty and the Beast. Even though it was only temporary, spray-in color, some fans felt it was unnecessary and not age appropriate. Do you think Jessica is still taking it too far with Halloween costumes?

14 She Got A Lot Of Grief For Her Size

Even before she had kids, Jessica was getting a lot of backlash from so-called fans for her fluctuating weight. But the weight-shaming got even worse when she became pregnant. The amount of ridicule the celeb got just for being bloated during her pregnancies (what mom isn’t while expecting?!) was shocking and extremely disheartening.

Insiders said that Jessica struggled a lot with insecurity during both of her pregnancies, and she was noticeably more reserved during her second pregnancy, which may have been because of the public backlash.

“There’s no way you’re not going to be affected by the ugly things people say about you,” Jessica said at the Women’s Conference in Long Beach, California back in 2010, referring to the harsh things the media had been saying about her body. “It’s very hurtful. It definitely brings up a lot of your own insecurities,” she continued. “It takes a great family and wonderful friends – and love definitely helps, too – to get through it,” she says.

The things that the media and haters have said about Jessica’s weight are cruel and totally uncalled for. No one should be shamed for their weight, especially not if they’re gaining it only due to pregnancy! Hopefully, Jessica knows this and also realizes how gorgeous she is at any weight. You go, girl!

13 Her Comfy Clothes Are Actually Casual Now

There was a time when Jessica’s ‘casual’ clothes looked a lot more dressed up than the average person… but clearly, motherhood has changed that! Back in her early days of fame (and when she was filming a reality TV show), Jessica seemed afraid to set foot out of the house in sweatpants. If she was dressed-down, the celeb was seen in comfier clothing like this bodycon t-shirt dress. Though this might be comfier than a pair of jeans, most people wouldn’t consider a dress and a ton of gold jewelry casual.

But, many fans have noticed that Jessica’s style has changed since becoming a mom, and not just on the red carpet. The star is more likely to be photographed rocking leggings and a t-shirt than ever before, just like this photo on the right that shows Jess running errands while heavily pregnant with baby no 2.

"As a mom I just have this confidence and I just feel so proud of what I've done and what I've accomplished,” Jessica recently said on Good Morning America about how her priorities have shifted since becoming a mom. “I don't want to give her (Maxwell) any false perception of what is real...it is important to love yourself and know yourself.”

12 Her Public Appearances Are More Tame

Back in the day, Jessica showed up to one or two performances under the influence and interviews slurring her words. It wasn’t uncommon to see paparazzi photos of her stumbling out of events after a long night or partying. And it also wasn’t uncommon for her to be dating a new guy every other month. Let’s just say that this mama enjoyed her 20s to the full extent!

But fans have taken notice of the fact that Jessica has toned down her image since becoming a mom. Not only are her clothing choices less revealing, but she’s decreased her partying and the number of times she appears in public after one or two many drinks. Jessica has admitted that becoming a mom has made her shift her priorities as she wants to make sure she’s a role model for her two youngsters.

“Raising Maxwell makes me realize that I don’t want her to see me beat myself up for things like food choices or numbers on a scale,” she once told Parents Magazine. “I don’t want her to learn anything like that from me. Those things don’t determine who we are and instead make us feel terrible about ourselves. I want to teach her to value herself, listen to herself and tune out the world. I want her to know her value, rather than spending her energy fighting negative voices from within.”

11 Not Everything Has To Be Televised

Before she was Mrs. Eric Johnson, Jessica was Mrs. Nick Lachey… and the whole world knew about it thanks to reality TV!

Some fans might forget that, in the early 2000s, Jessica and her ex-husband were the stars of one of the original reality TV shows. Their show Newlyweds: Nick and Jessica aired from 2003-2005, until the two confirmed they were separating (which many have speculated was in part due to the strain being on TV put on their relationship).

“You could feel there was tension between the two of them. They were very different people,”

a former producer for the show told Complex Magazine. “He wanted a family, and her father thought maybe she was too young. Her father was very involved in her life.”

Nowadays, Jessica seems to know better than to go broadcasting her personal life all over television. While the celeb and her hubby love sharing photos of each other and their kids, they’ve yet to let reality TV cameras inside their house (and likely never will). Jessica has dabbled in reality TV since her failed stint with her ex-husband, but they’ve all been related to her work in the fashion industry: she had her own reality show, The Price of Beauty, in 2010, and was later a judge on Fashion Star for two seasons from 2012-2013.

10 Having Kids Made These Sisters Closer

For years, the media tried to pit Jessica against her younger sister Ashlee Simpson, claiming the sisters were in competition from each other from the beginning. It’s true that Ashlee tried to forge an acting and singing career for herself at the height of Jessica’s success, with many accusing her of trying to ride on her big sis’s coattails.

At one point, both girls had successful shows on MTV, lead acting roles, and hit singles, so it always seemed like they were neck-in-neck.

Despite the so-called evidence, both sisters have always maintained there’s no bad blood between them. “We’re sisters,” Ashlee previously told Today Magazine. “For us it’s not about competition. If she succeeds, then I’m happy, and if I succeed, then our family wins no matter what.”

Still, it appears that having kids has helped make the sisters even closer. Nowadays, the girls are often photographed at red carpet events together with their children (Ashlee has a son and daughter of their own), so it appears like their relationship is stronger than ever. Plus, it helps that Ashlee has shied away from both the acting and music industry in recent years in favor of a more low-key life, while Jessica has branched off into fashion. There’s nothing to compete about anymore!

9 Her Red Carpet Style Has Sure Changed

Just ask any mama and she’ll tell you that your style will definitely change after having kids. And the same can totally be said about Jessica! In the early 2000s, the celeb seemed all about flaunting her stunning figure in the steamiest of outfits. Like this photo on the left, she often showed up to the red carpet in steamy outfits that hugged her curves and left little to the imagination. We’re seriously jealous of her confidence! But the mom-of-two has seemingly toned things down since having kids.

Like the photo on the right showing Jessica heavily pregnant with baby no.1, the star often chooses clothes that are a bit more covered up nowadays. Especially when she was pregnant, the celeb was going for things with a higher neckline and lower hemline.

At the end of the day, Jessica says she doesn’t let her outfits control how she’s feeling- happiness comes from within!

"Nobody's words, nobody's compliments, nobody's love, none of that...it's all what I have within myself," she says. "Every day will continue to be a journey. Every day, we'll find something new out about ourselves that is authentic and is unique, but I really just finally relaxed,” she once said in an interview with Oprah. “I don't care what people have to say about my weight. I really don't, because I think I look great."

8 Her Size Has Always Fluctuated

There’s a common misconception that a woman begins having ‘trouble’ with her weight after having kids. But Jessica Simpson is proof that your weight will fluctuate even if you haven’t been pregnant!

Years before welcoming her daughter, Jessica caught media attention for allegedly gaining a few pounds. The media was undeniably and unnecessarily cruel to the celeb only for gaining a bit of weight, which reportedly had a negative impact on the star. Insiders have claimed for years that Jessica has struggled in silence with an eating disorder- and she may still be dealing with an eating disorder, even after becoming a mom.

“She is determined to get even thinner,” an insider told InTouch weekly about Jessica only 3 months after she’d delivered her son, adding that her goal weight was to get done to a mere 93 pounds. “She's been the smallest she's been in years, and she still doesn't think it's good enough.” The source implied that Jessica was trying to lose the baby weight in an unhealthy way, which reinforced the eating disorder rumors from years before. “She walks six miles a day, strength-trains three times a week and constantly runs on a treadmill. She's gotten so carried away, she's fainted on a few occasions,” the insider added.

7 She Found The Perfect Man

One of the most notable things that have changed about her life since after having kids is that Jessica is finally in a happy marriage! Nowadays, Jessica is happily married to NFL star Eric Johnson, who she’s been with since 2012. But it took the actress a long time to find Mr. Right, and also a failed marriage to singer Nick Lachey, who she’s pictured with on the left.

There continues to be much speculation over what went wrong between America’s sweethearts Jessica and Nick,

with some theories suggesting her father Joe was too controlling over their relationship to others saying infidelity was to blame. ”This is the mutual decision of two people with an enormous amount of respect and admiration for each other,” the celebs said in a joint statement when they announced their divorce.

But others claimed that the separation blindsided Nick. “[Jessica] said, ‘I don’t know if this is working. I want to file for divorce,’” an insider told People Magazine at the time about how Jess broke the news to her now-ex-husband. “He was shocked. Nick was saying, ‘There are things we can do to work on this, and isn’t this worth fixing?’ And the answer was no.”

“I know for a fact there wasn’t one event that brought it about,” another insider dished to the magazine. “I think it was a general growing apart, as in most marriages. It’s very rare that it’s just one thing that causes people to break up. It’s usually over time a slow growing apart.”

6 She Always Has A Red Carpet Date Now

Back in the day, Jessica used to arrive solo to the red carpet- but nowadays; she’s more than likely to bring a date with her!

Rather than using premieres and events as a way to strut her stuff, Jess has become known for using it as a fun outing with her family.

In the photo on the right, Jessica was posing with her mini-me daughter Maxwell at an event related to the celebrity’s clothing line. The mother-and-daughter duo wasted no time posing for a series of adorable pics together, which is a far cry from the steamy poses Jessica used to make when she walked the red carpet solo.

“She teaches me a lot about outfits, and she is better at putting outfits together than me,” Jessica told People Magazine about her daughter back in 2016, emphasizing what a Fashionista her little one is, just like her mom! “She’s the new inspiration.” Lucky for Maxwell, Jessica added that she’s saving tons of clothes for her daughter to wear one day! “I’m a vintage buyer so I collect,” she said. “I have all my prom dresses. All my music video outfits. I went to a lot of proms. That’s why we have a warehouse. I’m a keeper for my daughter.”

5 Uggs Aren't Part Of Mom's Uniform

Jessica's casual wear has taken a dramatic turn since she became a mom! A decade ago, it was common to see the blonde filing up her car in a pair of furry Uggs, shorts, and a sweatshirt. Nowadays, the paparazzi would surely have a field day if a respected celeb- not to mention, a fashion designer- was caught walking around in a pair of Uggs… which is why Jessica probably switched up her outfit options!

Now, the star tends to wear casual clothes that are comfy yet also stylish. In the photo on the right, the mom opted for a flowy maxi skirt and tank top that flaunted her growing belly as she walked around with toddler Max. Although this look was probably super comfy and pajama-like, it was also a lot more put-together than a pair of Uggs and sweatpants. Sorry, not sorry.

In an interview with Parent Magazine, Jessica admitted that not much has changed when it comes to her everyday beauty routine since becoming a mama- it's still low-key and quick! “I've always been low-key when it comes to my everyday routine. I throw on moisturizer and lip gloss, and I am good to go,” she said. Hey, when you’re a mom, that’s about all the things you’ve got time for!

4 She Shows Off Less For The Camera

Jessica used to be all about letting her fabulous physique do the talking - hey, if you’ve got it flaunt it, right?! The star’s outfit choices for the red carpet tended to be cleavage-baring, figure-hugging, and the shorter the better. Jessica became known for her steamy sense of style, and for owning it like a total boss. We wish we could rock the same looks with such confidence!

But, since becoming a mom, Jessica has seemed less focused on showing off skin and more focused on what she’s wearing.

The fashion designer now tends to choose things based on their silhouettes or fashion-forward nature, rather than what will flaunt her slim figure the best.

Especially during her two pregnancies, Jessica’s choices seemed a bit more reserved than what we’re used to seeing on her. But she totally rocks her new sense of style with the same amount of class!

"The fact that I was famous last year for gaining 10 pounds, it's ridiculous, and it's really sad," Jessica once said in an interview with Oprah over the media’s fascination with her weight. Clearly, the mom has stopped focusing on the number on the scale and more so on what clothing choices make her happy- and we love it!

3 She Looks A Lot Happier Now

Along with speculations made about her weight and personal life, there have has a lot of speculation about Jessica’s mental health throughout the years. After her divorce from Nick Lachey and her subsequent years of hard partying, Jessica seemed somewhat less peppy than usual, leading many fans to wonder if the celeb was depressed. Her fluctuating weight and so-called sources claiming she was unhappy with her weight only led fuel to the fire.

“[Jessica is] seriously down in the dumps as her weight spirals and her performing career slumps,” an insider told New Weekly just this past year. “[She] put on about 50 pounds [and] can’t stand to look in the mirror,” they said, adding, “She feels so alone and like no one understands what she’s going through.”

However, despite all the speculation, fans have been quick to notice that the mom-of-two seems a lot happier online and in person than she has in a long time. Jessica appears more pulled-together and cheerier during interviews, and her cute Instagrams and Snapchats of her family are reassuring that she’s enjoying motherhood. Hopefully, motherhood has had a positive impact on the star’s life, and that whatever battles she may have had with her mental health are a remnant of the past.

2 She's Learned To Embrace Her Curves

While Jessica isn’t at her heaviest weight any longer, it's clear the celeb is also not at the weight she used to be in her early 20s- and she seems totally okay with that! In recent years, Jessica seems to be embracing her curvaceous body all the more. When she was first pregnant, Jess tended to shy away from figure-hugging, revealing outfits (even after giving birth).

But, now, the star seems confident enough to wear whatever she wants, despite the fact that she’s a few pounds heavier than she used to be.

"It wasn't really my priority to please the public and make them feel like I'm supposed to be looking like I did when I was 25,”

Jessica said in an interview with Matt Lauer about not feeling as much pressure to lose weight as she has in the past.

Jessica has taken her body positivity so far that she’s even included plus sizes in her clothing line, making it accessible to women of all shapes and sizes. "I've been all kinds of sizes and […] being a mom, I feel like people just can relate to me. I feel like it's very important for people to be able to relate to someone that is a fashion designer," Jess said on The Today Show about why having a size-inclusive fashion line was important to her. Slay, girl, slay!

1 Fans Think She's Cleaned Up Her Act

All in all, Jessica seems to be doing a lot better since settling down! Her career is still booming, she’s looking better than ever, and she all-around just seems happier. A decade ago, photos like the one on the right were a common sight, often showing Jessica looking dishevelled, depressed, and just downright messy. Nowadays, the celeb has a much more poised demeanor about herself. Her outfit choices appear a lot more sophisticated, and she overall seems more confident and happy with herself. Becoming a mom has never looked better on anyone!

“I felt like I was in eternal new-mom mode!”

Jessica said about being a mom in an interview with Parent Magazine right after delivering her son Ace. “Because I had just had Max, so much was familiar to me and that really helped me through my second pregnancy. Eric and I are calm and supportive. We take parenthood one day at a time, but sometimes we have to reassure each other and say ‘we've got this.’ I can't lie, I'm happy to be done with pregnancy right now!”

While there’s no word on whether Jessica and Eric are wanting to expand their family in the future, we would love to see this couple have even more adorable babies! Do you think baby no. 3 could be in Jessica’s future?

References: OK! Magazine, OK! Magazine, National Enquirer, People Magazine, People Magazine, Pop Sugar, Bustle.com, Complex Magazine, Today Magazine, Parent Magazine, Daily Mail, Gossip Cop