What To Wear For Maternity Photos. Top 5 tips for choosing the perfect dress
My Tips on How To Dress For Your Maternity Photo Session
There are lots of options for what to wear for your maternity photos, and as a maternity photographer, 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. At 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.
- 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.
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!!
Fabrics to avoid for maternity photos
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.
What patters are best for maternity portraits?
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 for maternity photos, 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 (like black against white). But you also don’t want to 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 dark 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.
Here is a list of some dresses I like on Amazon, if getting a non maternity dress to use typically you want to go a size up! The reviews are helpful when choosing what size also, you can do a search for maternity to see people talking about using them for this purpose.
https://www.amazon.com/shop/wolfmanblues/list/2SOXO3VB89W7G?ref_=cm_sw_r_cp_ud_aipsflist_aipsfwolfmanblues_C4YR5S8RN3AA8TWEKGB5
Most of them come in way more colors than what you see in the main image so there's a lot of options!