A maternity session is an incredible way to celebrate where you are right now! Though a lot of things about pregnancy might not feel… the most glamorous, I promise that once the baby is here, you’ll love having these memories. And once they’re old enough, they’ll love seeing photos of what you looked like before they were born! When you’re planning a maternity session, what to wear is a big consideration – you want to look your best, be comfortable, and feel good in the photos. This guide will give you some tips for what to wear for maternity photos, and some tips for choosing an outfit!

The Most Important Thing to Remember About What to Wear for Maternity Photos

Before we dive into practical tips about colors, patterns, and outfit details, this tip is the most important. Wear something you feel good in – something that feels like you! If you never wear dresses and don’t feel comfortable and confident in one, it’s likely that you won’t love seeing yourself in a big flowy gown in your maternity photos. That’s not to say that you shouldn’t dress it up more than you usually would, or that it’s bad to go a little out of your comfort zone, but don’t sacrifice your personality or your personal style for photos! If you’re more comfortable and feel more like yourself in a suit than a dress, or jeans and a t-shirt than something formal, there are ways to make those more maternity-ish, and what’s important is that you feel good.

What to Wear for Maternity Photos 

Here are some tips for what to wear for maternity photos, and how to show off that bump!

Silhouettes and Styles

Long, flowy dresses are really popular for maternity photos. A dress that’s tight on top and flares out above the belly looks beautiful, and the loose skirt allows for a lot of movement, which is fun for photos! This style is flattering, and shows off the bump with those classic hand-on-the-belly poses. A maxi dress tends to look very romantic and flowy, and something a little shorter will have a more casual vibe. It all depends on what you’re going for!

A tight, more bodycon dress shows off the bump too, and can look sleek and classy. It won’t move as much, but as long as it’s easy to walk in, it’ll be great! 

You can also totally choose to go more casual, and wear jeans. On top, a button up that you can open (with a cute bralette underneath) is a fun way to show the bump, or you could go with a loose top that flows a little for added movement.

Colors to Wear for Maternity Photos

Color is important when choosing an outfit for your maternity session! Remember, the point is to show off the bump, so I recommend avoiding super dark colors, as they tend to hide curves and can sometimes look a little too solid and blob-ish in photos, if there’s nothing to break up the outfit or add contrast. Opt for light to medium colors, or add some layers if you are wearing something dark. A good rule of thumb is that if you’re wearing multiple pieces (like a shirt and pants), they should be different colors so that they don’t blend together.

I recommend avoiding neons or anything super bright. Neutral colors always work well – but this doesn’t mean beige! Neutrals are colors that are muted and not super saturated, and some non-beige examples can include sage green, pale pink, and burnt orange.

However, don’t think that you have to wear something muted and neutral. Pops of color can be absolutely amazing! Here in Arizona, reds look amazing against the desert backdrop. A dress that stands out a little is great! Later in this guide we’ll talk about what your partner or kids should wear if they’re in the session, and how to avoid clashing colors.

Patterns to Wear for Maternity Photos

There’s one pattern I recommend always avoiding for maternity photos – and that’s anything with thin stripes. They often get distorted on camera, and will just look a little funky. Floral patterns are popular on dresses, and a great option. I recommend opting for smaller, tighter patterns that aren’t too distracting.

Texture is another way to make an outfit interesting, and this is usually done with the choice of fabric. Fabrics like lace, or crushed velvet are great fabrics that can add texture to an outfit, and so is choosing fabrics like tulle that can be used to add ruffles, layers, and movement to a dress.

Bring Multiple Outfits!

When it comes to what to wear for maternity photos, you don’t have to pick just one outfit! You can absolutely bring multiple. A lot of people do one casual outfit and one more formal one, so you get some variety in your photos.

Be sure to talk to your photographer about this to see how many outfits you can bring and what you’ll have time for!

What Should Your Partner and Kids Wear for Maternity Photos?

It’s really fun to get the whole family involved in maternity photos! You’ll definitely get some photos of just you, but  having your partner or kids in the photos is fun, and they’re part of this experience too. Adding more people to the photos means more things to consider and outfits to pick out, but here are some tips!

Choose Your Outfit First

Let’s be honest, if you’re pregnant, you’re the star of this show – so choose an outfit you love first, and coordinate the others around that! 

Color and Pattern Coordination

Choosing colors for the other outfits is important, as you don’t want to clash. Most of the same tips for your outfit apply to these as well – avoid really dark colors and make sure that different pieces aren’t matching each other, and opt for neutral tones.

Usually, you don’t want to overdo it with patterns or pops of color – if your dress is brighter, make sure that everyone else’s outfits are more neutral, or that any other pops of color are small. While you want the outfits to be coordinated and look cohesive together, avoid matching too much – colors in the same family are awesome, but make sure the shades are at least a little different from each other.

The same goes for patterns – make sure they go together and don’t clash! Small, tight patterns can usually work together if the colors are pretty muted, but avoid having too many big, bold patterns together.

Consult Your Photographer About What to Wear for Maternity Photos

As a photographer, I want you to not only love your photos, but to love the entire experience of having them taken! You should look at your maternity photos and think about how incredible you look, but also about the moment it was taken and what you were feeling. So I’m here for the entire process, and if you need tips, outfit advice, or a second opinion on which dress to wear, I’ve got your back!

And if you’re ready to book a maternity session, contact me!