6 Tips for Choosing Your Maternity Photo Outfits
Planning your maternity photos can be an incredibly fun experience, but if you don’t feel confident in your ability to style your outfits, it can really hinder your excitement going into your session. That’s why I’ve created this guide to choosing your maternity photo outfits, where I’m answering your biggest questions, giving you my top tips as a maternity photographer, and providing all sorts of real-life inspo for you to reference. You’ll leave feeling ready to choose pieces that make you feel like your most beautiful, authentic self—as you deserve to during this wildly special season of your life.
Maternity Session Outfit FAQ’s
What color should you wear for maternity photos?
Whatever color makes you feel good! There’s no black and white (pun intended) answer to this question, unfortunately—every mama is different, and every session is different. The color you wear should depend on a few factors:
What you feel most confident in/what makes you feel like your best self
The location of your session, and the colors of your backdrop
The mood/vibe you’re going for
The colors that flatter your skin tone most
The time of day/lighting during your session
Whether you go for a bright pink sweater and a patterned skirt for a more bold, eccentric look, or you stick to your go-to neutrals for a soft, gentle tone, there’s no right or wrong here. . . as long as you wear what feels right for you.
How fancy should you dress for maternity photos?
However fancy you want to dress, friend. I think there’s a misconception out there that you have to dress fancy for your maternity photos—when, in reality, you could also just be home in your pajamas, chilling in your favorite comfy sweatshirt or that pair of linen pants you adore, and your session will be just as amazing. The level of fancy you go for should match the way you want to feel during your session + when you’re looking at your photos afterward, and if you do dress on the more elegant, classy side, it should be because YOU want to. . . not because Pinterest told you to.
What shoes do I wear for maternity photos?
This depends on the season of your session, as well as what you’re most comfortable in. During the summer, my clients often go with open-toed sandals or comfy sneakers, whereas you might opt for a pair of boots in the fall—or you may prefer to go barefoot if you’re in your own home, meandering around a field, etc.
6 Tips for Choosing Your Maternity Photo Outfits
1. Prioritize comfort over everything
Pregnant mamas know that when it comes to shopping for outfits for your maternity season, comfort is everything—and that doesn’t change when it comes to your photo session. Yes, you’re dressing for the camera, but comfort, confidence, and feeling good should be your ultimate priorities. . . not just what “looks good” in photos. Because if you don’t feel good during your session, all you’ll remember when you look back at your photos is how uncomfortable your clothes were, or how insecure you were feeling—rather than the beautiful memories you were making, the peace you felt in the present moment, and the joy you found during that season of your life.
When shopping (or sifting through your closet) for maternity photo outfits, avoid pieces that feel itchy, tight, stiff, or that restrict your movement. You want to be able to snuggle up close to your partner without worrying about your dress ripping, to be able to stroll through the park without looking down at your tank top every few seconds to make sure the strap hasn’t fallen off your shoulder. Pick outfits that you’ll be comfortable wearing for at least 30-45 minutes, depending on how many outfit changes you’ll be doing during our time together.
2. Consider your colors
The color of your outfits plays such a big role in the way your maternity photos look, feel, and come together creatively. I know it’s been a trend in recent years to stick to earthy, neutral tones when doing any kind of photoshoot, but I encourage you to think out of the box and not be afraid to take a bolder, brighter approach—if and only if that feels more genuine to you! Don’t limit yourself to shades of beige, cream, or muted colors; if you want to let your personality shine, let it do so naturally and authentically, whether that be through wearing your favorite shade of bright pink or keeping things a little darker with a rich, deep shade of burgundy. You’ll also want to consider the colors of your location, and how your outfit will blend in with your backdrop—but more on that in just a minute.
3. Don’t forget to accessorize
The beauty of your maternity photo outfits is that they can be as minimalist or as intricate as you’d like them to be, according to your personal sense of style and what makes you feel like your most beautiful, abundant self. I love when mamas use accessories to bring out unique aspects of their personalities, or to add a little extra oomph to their outfits in front of the camera!
Here are a few accessories you might consider incorporating into one or multiple of your maternity session outfits:
Hats
Necklaces (perfect to pair with off-the-shoulder or strapless tops)
Bracelets
Rings (especially for those close-ups of your hands cradling your bump)
Painted nails
Stylish jackets/outer layers to throw over your shoulders
Hair pieces/stylized barrettes
Earrings
A pop of gold or a dash of silver can really help accentuate different pieces of your outfit, and add a little extra sparkle to every shot, even if it’s just a simple pair of gold hoop earrings ✨
4. Coordinate with your location
The location of your session plays a huge part in determining the vibe of your photos, and the mood you’re going for—so you want to be sure your outfits match the vibe, and highlight the best features of your location. You’ll want to think about the color of your outfits, the accessories you wear, and the level of sophistication you’re going for. . . for example, you probably wouldn’t want to wear an elegant ballgown for photos of you and your love snuggling up in bed. Unless you want to, in which case absolutely go for it!
In general, though, consider how your outfit will pair with the atmosphere of your location. Cozy pajamas, for instance, go perfectly with an in-home session and the casual, laid-back vibes you’ll be embracing. A classy dress might be best in a well-lit studio with beautiful, thoughtful decor, whereas a comfy skirt and soft sweater would look amazing pretty much anywhere. I’ll be happy to help you out with this, because I know it can be tricky to think about what outfits might go well with different locations—I’ve got plenty of experience I can pull from to support you in finding the best options.
5. To wear shoes or not to wear shoes?
That is the question—famously asked by Shakespeare!
Jokes aside, I actually do get this question a lot from my maternity clients who are wondering if it would be best to go barefoot, or if they can’t decide what type of shoes to wear for their session. Once again, it completely depends on the style of session you’re envisioning, as well as your location(s). I’m personally a big fan of the relaxed, barefoot vibe, especially for in-home sessions or sessions at the beach, in a grassy meadow, etc . . . especially if you’re wearing a flowy dress, or a loose skirt that embodies that carefree spirit. However, if you’ll be walking around quite a bit for your session (especially in a public place), you’ll definitely want to wear shoes that fit the vibe of your outfit and are comfy enough for you!
6. Never underestimate the power of thrifting
Finally, never think that you have to buy brand new outfits for your maternity session! If you don’t have anything in your closet that you love wholeheartedly and want to wear for your photos, I highly encourage you to try your hand at thrifting your outfits, rather than buying new. Finding outfits secondhand is not only a great way to make your maternity photos more sustainable and eco-friendly; it’ll also probably save you a good chunk of money at a time where you’re probably already spending a lot preparing for your little one! Honestly, thrifting is also just such a fun experience and activity to do before your session, whether it’s by yourself, with your partner, or with your littles. . . I even have a full guide to how to thrift the perfect family photo outfits here.
My Go-To Maternity Session Outfits
In my many years of photographing families, mamas, and kiddos, I’ve seen all kinds of amazing fashion choices that make for beautiful maternity photos. Here are some of the go-to’s that you can never go wrong with, plus some photos for inspo!
Simple tank + loose linen pants
Loose-fitting, flowy dress
Classy, form-fitting dress
Just a skirt—if you want a little tasteful nudity
Unbuttoned blouse + skirt or unbuttoned jeans
Denim top + denim jeans or skirt
Swimsuit
Comfy tank top + loose pajama shorts
Bralette + overalls or jumpsuit
Cozy sweater + a billowy skirt
Cozy pajama set
Matching off the shoulder top + skirt/pants set
Best Places to Shop for Maternity Photo Outfits
If you do want to shop for new items for your maternity session, below is a list of my all-time favorite places to recommend for maternity pieces!
ZARA
Henly
Madewell
Anthropologie
Free People
Old Navy
Cotton On
Real Maternity Session Outfit Ideas + Inspiration
Sometimes it’s just easier to see visual examples and ideas, so I’ve compiled a gallery of recent mamas who killed it with their session styling + are here to give you some real-life inspiration.
Summer Maternity Photo Outfits
Go-to items: Maxi dresses, loose linen pants, flowy skirts, tank tops and shorts, oversized hats, open-toed sandals, floral prints, bright colors, swimsuits
Fall Maternity Photo Outfits
Go-to items: Chunky knit sweaters, long cardigans, oversized blouses, loose jeans, maxi dresses, shawls, warm tones, flannels
Winter Maternity Photo Outfits
Go-to items: Chunky knit sweaters, cozy beanies, oversized turtlenecks, leggings, boots, trench coats, oversized blazers, cozy long sleeves, dark and moody tones
Spring Maternity Photo Outfits
Go-to items: Maxi dresses, flowy skirts, overalls, jumpsuits, sandals, floral prints, pastel colors
Casual Maternity Photo Outfits
Go-to items: Loose tank tops, blouses, comfy shorts, pajama bottoms, loose overalls, t-shirts, loose jeans, barefoot
Themed Maternity Photo Outfits
Fun ideas: Homemaking/homesteading, around the farm, ranch/western, beach day, intimate in-home, bright & airy greenhouse
Feeling excited about your session now that you know how to style your outfits? Good! I cannot wait to see what you’re dreaming up, and as your maternity photographer, I’ll be there every step of the way to provide guidance + support—whether that means giving you feedback on outfit photos you send me, or letting you know what colors I think would work best with your location. Reach out now and we’ll get to planning your dream session!
