What to wear for your Maternity Session
No need to stress, I’m here to help!
Here are some helpful tips for what to wear for your maternity session.
There are lots of options for what to wear for your maternity photos, but what I want is for you to look and feel amazing! Pregnancy is truly a special time. Wanting to capture it perfectly is understandable. However, with my guide, there is no need to stress about what to wear to your maternity photo session. Follow the tips below to create the most personal and beautiful photos for this very special time in your life.
In the end, I include links to my favorite dresses and stores to shop at. 😘
Choose a Flattering Silhouette for Your Maternity Photos
I’m adding this first because it’s the most important. If you stop reading after this tip, at least you will see this one! You want to wear a dress that will give you the most flattering silhouette for your maternity photos. So here is what to look for:
A dress/top that is tight up top, meaning that it is tight to just above the belly.
A dress or skirt that flares out starting just above the belly. You don’t want it to be tight underneath the belly. I know there are a lot of dresses like that, and maybe this is a personal preference, but I love a flowy skirt that allows lots of movement. I think it looks more flattering and it also gives you something to play with/swish around.
The length should be to the floor. Not too much longer than that because you don’t want to trip on it (unless you plan an epic, long dress for just a small portion of the session). And it’s okay if it’s midi-length if you want to show off your shoes. But typically a floor-length dress looks more romantic and flowy.
And when I say these recommendations, I’m talking about your main dress. You can definitely bring another outfit that is completely different, but for the main part of the session, this is what I love best. 🙂
What Color Should You Wear?
The reason you’re booking this maternity photo session is to show off that beautiful bump, so make sure to wear colors that will show it off. Meaning do NOT wear black or navy or any other super dark color. It hides the bump and makes it hard to see, and that’s not what you’re going for. But at the same time, you don’t want to wear bright neon colors, either. Light to medium colors will look best. But sometimes a great bright red does the trick too 😘.
What fabric should you wear for maternity photos?
This is something that I think gets overlooked when moms are planning for their maternity photos. Fabric makes a huge difference!!
First, let’s talk about fabrics to avoid. Don’t wear stiff cotton because it doesn’t flow nicely and it can be super wrinkly. It’s just not my favorite. The second fabric I would avoid is that super stretchy fabric. You may think it will be good, and there are tons of maternity dresses made from this, but it’s a mistake. It shows every little bump, so if you have a bra on, you can see all the bumps on your back and side. It also can cling awkwardly to your legs while you walk.
Now onto fabrics that I would recommend! I love texture so gauze or crepe fabrics are amazing like this one from Jen’s Pirate Booty. I also love the texture in this soft cotton Free People dress and the swiss dot fabric looks awesome(pictured below). Polyester has a great flow. Rayon also photographs really well like this Free People dress. And I love chiffon material over a lined dress like this one from Baltic Born. Basically, anything that has a nice flow when you swish it! I also love lace.
Be Careful With Patterns
You can’t go wrong with solid colors, and dresses with some texture (like maybe some lace or crepe fabrics). But patterns can be great, too! You just want to select the right one. If you select a pattern that is too tiny, it can be too busy and really distracting, especially if there are two contrasting colors. But you can also select patterns that are too big, which isn’t all that flattering. Medium-sized patterns are what you’re going to shoot for here. You also want to make sure that the contrast between the colors in the pattern and the color of the dress isn’t too much. For example, a navy pattern on a white dress would be too much contrast. But a cream-colored pattern against a dusty rose-colored dress would be subtle and beautiful.
Dress for the Season
Make sure to think about the weather when deciding what to wear for your maternity photos. If it’s going to be hot out, pick a more breathable fabric. If it’s going to be cold, look for a long-sleeved dress, or bring a chunky knit cardigan to go over the top. Chunky knits are great because you can wear them off your shoulders and it looks amazing, and then between shots, you can cuddle up and get warm.
Avoid Being to “Matchy Matchy” With Your Partner/Family
When deciding what your partner will wear, you want to coordinate but not match. If your colors are the same, you will blend into each other and it will be hard to see the separation. The same goes for anyone in your family, we don’t want anyone blending into each other. You can search Pinterest for complementary colors or get ideas.
What to wear under your dress for maternity photos
Depending on the dress you choose to wear and also your comfort level, you may want to consider some shapewear for underneath your dress. Or just get some seamless underwear so the seams aren’t creating bumps in your dress. For your bra, be sure that the straps will not show, or rather than wearing a bra, you can also get some pasties instead. That way you don’t have to worry about bra straps at all. Just make sure that what you wear makes sense for the dress you choose. And don’t forget about the color of your undergarments. Wear colors that won’t show through your dress.
Bring an Extra Maternity Outfit
Bringing another outfit to your maternity session is a great idea and gives you some variety. I can bring my changing tent so changing on location is quick and easy. Sometimes the extra outfit is just a lacy cardigan over underwear so we can really emphasize your beautiful belly. Or maybe you want some casual photos in your overalls. Possibly you just want two different dresses. Whatever your style is, just let me know ahead of time so we can decide when the best time to wear it is, in the beginning, or at the end of the session.
Hopefully, you have a better idea now of what to wear for your maternity photo session, but remember that I am always here to help! When you book a session with me, you gain access to my client closet, as well as my styling advice, so please ask me any and all your questions!
Where to Shop for Maternity Dresses
I want to make your search for what to wear for maternity photos as easy and as stress-free as possible! So here are my favorite amazon dresses for maternity sessions (I own these so I know they’re good). They come in more colors than just what is shown below, as well. Tip: read the reviews on what sizes to get. When buying non-maternity dresses typically you need to order one size larger than you would wear normally.
Another great place to get maternity dresses is at small boutique online shops. Sometimes a dress that isn’t meant for maternity can be amazing, and bonus: you can probably wear it again after you have the baby! You want to look for stretchy fabric, dresses with elastic at the waist, and a higher waistline. You also want to pay attention to if it is lined or not, because some dresses are lined, but only partway down, and it’s too short to fit a bump.
In particular, I love Joyfolie dresses!
Other shops I love:
Looking for a maternity photographer?
I would love to document this very special moment for YOU! I’m based out of the Treasure Coast, but I also serve Palm Beach and Martin County. I also travel to West North Carolina throughout the year and would love to document maternities and families up there!!! Please contact me for local or travel sessions and we will work together to create gorgeous images for you that show off your beautiful bump and some amazing scenery.