There are lots of options for what to wear for your maternity photos, but what I want is for you to look amazing. To accentuate how beautiful you are. What you would wear in normal day-to-day life may not necessarily look the best for photos, so let me help you look beautiful and feel comfortable. At the end I include links to my favorite dresses and stores to shop at.
Choose a Flattering Silhouette for your Maternity Photos
This is SO important to help you look and feel your best. 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.(see photo below) 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. And it’s okay if it’s slightly shorter if you want to show off your shoes. But typically a floor length dress is most flattering.
And when I say these recommendations, I’m talking for the dress style I know photographs well and flatters every gorgeous expectant momma. There are other options or combos if you were wanting a tight dress or even a more casual look. Keep on going as I will share a few of those at the end.
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 look best. Neutrals like beige or white are always a safe bet.
Be Careful With Patterns
You can’t go wrong with solid colors, and dresses with some texture (like maybe some lace or crepe fabrics). That would be my top choice. 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 distract. 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. AND REMEMBER if your dress has a pattern, your spouse should wear solid colors. Too many patterns, no matter the size, area always a problem.
Avoid Matching Your Partner/Family
When deciding what your partner will wear, you want to coordinate but not match. As a general rule, if your colors are the same, you will blend into each other and it will be hard to see the separation. Same goes for anyone in your family, we don’t want anyone blending into each other. You can search Pinterest for complimentary colors or to get ideas. I also have a what to wear section on my website AND all my clients get a What to Wear Guide as well as access to a styling website for even more help!
Bring an Extra Maternity Outfit
Bringing another outfit to your maternity session is a great idea and give you some variety if you have an hour long session or more. Especially if you are wanting multiple locations. Sometimes the extra outfit is a flowy dress that showcases the belly or jeans and a tight shirt to show off your more casual style. A pair of overalls would be adorable and there are crochet tops or tops with fringe that are amazing for Maternity portraits. Possibly you just want two different dresses. Whatever your style is, just let your photographer 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.
Where to Shop for Maternity Dresses
I want to make your search for what to wear for maternity photos as easy as possible! So here are a few of my favorite amazon dresses for maternity sessions. 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 store that surprised me with its options is Forever 21. Again, as these are no specifically Maternity dresses consider ordering a size up from what you normally wear.
Other online stores I like are:
For more What to Wear Help Check out:
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