What to wear
Figuring out what to wear to your family photoshoot is not easy and I know it can be stressful, so here are some tips from a local Rhode Island family photographer (that’s me!) for selecting the right outfits.
How to Dress Your Family
First, you need to decide what kind of feel you are going for. If you are wanting a warm color palette, consider mustard, brown, rust, cream, burgundy, and taupe. If you want a lighter, more pastel palette, choose clothing that is neutral and light toned. Colors that would look great for this are cream, beige, gray, muted pinks and purples, rose, and light blues. If you are looking for a more dark and moody look, choose some moodier colors, but mix in some lighter colors with it to keep it from looking TOO dark. Another idea would be to choose a couple pops of color, but keep the rest neutral.
PLEASE DO choose well-fitting clothing and something that you feel confident in. I would suggest starting with the pickiest person’s clothing first, then build everyone else’s outfits off of that. You want to coordinate, but not match. So I wouldn’t recommend just saying “We’re doing rust,” and then going out and getting tons of the same colored shirts for everyone. Get a textured knit sweater in rust, a gray shirt for another, a cream floral dress with mustard, pink and rust for another person, a mustard lace dress for another, etc. See where I am going with this? The goal is to look good together without being matchy-matchy. Change up textures and prints.
AVOID! Stay away from thin, close together stripes (it has an odd effect in photographs), small plaid or buffalo prints (also looks weird in photos), large logos, cartoon characters, or words on your clothing, as it detracts from the main subject of the photo: you. Stay away from too many super dark colors, as it makes photos look dull (especially black, avoid black as a base color of an article of clothing unless it’s pants). Also avoid neon colors like the plague, they make color casts onto skin and it’s not pretty. Don’t do this to your photographer ;).
Don’t forget to coordinate shoes! This is usually the thing most people forget about, and it really makes a difference. Know what always looks amazing? Brown shoes. Stay away from athletic shoes and shoes with neon colors, even on the soles. Wear shoes that go with the style you are wearing. Unless your session is in your home or on the beach, and in that case, ditch the shoes!
I know that was a lot of info to throw at you, but if you need ideas, please check out my Pinterest Board for inspiration (I pin things pretty often, so the most recent pins are most likely available to purchase if you want. I try to pin a variety of price ranges, too).
Also, feel free to send me an email or text if you need help deciding. I love when clients send me wardrobe photos!
Styling Hair
Quick note on hair. Keep it loose and flowy, rather than tight and pulled back. I’d rather your child showed up in 2 day old braids than tight french braids. Messy hair is more inspiring and fun to photograph than perfect hair! But really, if it looks good in wavy curls, then do it because that’s going to photograph the best. And if it’s windy, it will look amazing! For boys, just do what they normally do!
Where to Shop for the Whole Family:
Whole Family:
Babies & kids:
Joyfolie (favorite!!)
Amazon (Girls)
Amazon (Boys)
Rylee and Cru
Bailey’s Blossoms
Lenny Lemons
Roolee
Alice and Ames
Jamie Kay
Noralee
Lali
Women:
Joyfolie
Fehrnvi
Amazon
Christy Dawn
Daughters of India
Free People
Forever 21
Arula
Jen’s Pirate Booty
Reclamation
Baltic Born
Three Bird Nest
Fillyboo
Lulus
Roolee
Hazel and Olive
Wren and Ivory
Piper and Scoot
VICI
Pink Blush
Lucy Ave
One Loved Babe
Rove Designs
Men:
What to wear at maternity your session
There are lots of options for what to wear for your maternity photo session, but what I want is for you to look amazing. What you would wear in normal day-to-day life may not necessarily look the best for photos so keep reading for my recommendations.
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:
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.
Tight fitting or flowy are both beautiful, that is your personal preference. You should choose which will make you feel most confident.
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 if your session is outside. The only time black or dark colors work is if you are doing a studio session. 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.
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. Polyester has a great flow. Rayon also photographs really well and I love chiffon material over a lined dress. 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 color of the dress aren’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. I suggest staying away from patterns for studio sessions.
Avoid Matching 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 to get ideas.
What to wear under your dress for maternity photos
Depending on the dress you choose to wear and also your comfortability 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.
Where to Shop for Maternity Dresses
I want to make your search for what to wear for maternity photos as easy as possible! Amazon is a great option, 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.
Places I recommend:
Joyfolie
Baltic Born
Free People
Jen’s Pirate Booty
Wren & Ivory
Piper and Scoot
Pink Blush
Booking your maternity session
A question I get asked a lot as a maternity photographer is when to take pregnancy photos. I’ll start by saying that the answer is going to be different for every mom-to-be but I will give you some helpful tips so you can make an educated guess of when will be the best time for you.
How early do I need to schedule my maternity photographer?
Depending on what time of year it is, your photographer could book up if you wait too long. I usually suggest scheduling your maternity photos after your 12 week appointment. If you will be booking your maternity session for the fall, you will want to contact your photographer earlier rather than later because that is usually the busiest season for photographers.
Where will the maternity photo session take place?
I offer three locations for maternity photo sessions; my studio, a field or the beach. Outdoor sessions are scheduled May 1st- November 1st. During the winter months, all sessions are done in my studio.
What trimester is best to book a maternity photo session?
The ideal time to schedule your maternity photo session is usually in the third trimester, between 26 and 34 weeks (around the 7th and 8th month of pregnancy). Once you’re in your last trimester, your belly starts to become more pronounced, with a nice round shape. But this time can vary depending on your body. If you’re a first time mom, you typically won’t show as quickly, so you can book your session towards the end of that window. If you’ve been pregnant before, you usually show a bit faster, so you can book your session in the earlier timeframe.
When should I schedule my maternity session if I’m having twins?
If you’re expecting twins, you will be showing earlier than usual. You will also most likely be delivering earlier than most pregnancies, so you will want to schedule your maternity photo session earlier than if you were only having one baby. Generally, somewhere around 24-28 weeks is usually the best time to book your maternity pictures when you’re expecting twins.
Is 35 weeks too late for maternity pictures?
At this point, you may be having a harder time walking around and just be generally more uncomfortable. For that reason, I suggest planning your session for before this time. But everyone is different! If you have waited too long to schedule your photo and you’re wondering if it’s too late, it’s not. It’s always better to get them done late than to not have them at all. If you’re finding it harder to walk around at this point, ask your photographer to help find a location that doesn’t require much walking or opt for a studio session.
Is 25 weeks too early for maternity photos?
Some moms are already showing enough to get their maternity photos taken this early, and some are not. It’s better to have a more defined baby bump, but if you have some reason why you need to take them early, then there are ways to make your belly pop more in photos. You can arch your back a bit and bend your leg and that will help to define it more. You can also use your hands to bring attention to your belly. If you choose a photographer who knows how to pose you correctly, you will still be able to get amazing photos of your baby bump even at 25 weeks.
Tips for when to book maternity pictures
In the third trimester, between 26 and 34 weeks.
For twins, schedule earlier. Probably around 24-28 weeks.
Usually you will want to book later if this is your first pregnancy .
Moms typically show faster if they’ve already been pregnant before, so book earlier in the window in this case (probably before 30 weeks).
Pay attention to your body and when you feel would be the best time for you.
Waiting too long could result in you feeling tired and uncomfortable.
Taking maternity photos too early could make it difficult to see a defined bump.
Reach out to your photographer when you are around 12 weeks to book your maternity photos.
