Newborn Lifestyle Photo Session | What to Wear
One of the most frequent questions that I get from my clients is what to wear during a lifestyle newborn photo session. Those first few weeks after a baby's arrival can be hectic and the last thing you need to be concerned about is what to wear. I want you to feel beautiful and confident and not to worry about anything else other than loving your new bundle of joy. Once you have decided on your wardrobe, everything else will fall into place.
Here are some tips on what to wear during a newborn lifestyle photo session:
1. Stay in your "Fashion Lane"
First and foremost, I like to emphasize that your style and personality are very important. Let your every day wardrobe influence your outfit for this photo session. Staying within your "fashion lane" is basically listening to your inner fashionista and wearing what makes you, you.
2. Light and Neutral Color Palette
We want your baby to be the central focus of the session so keeping everything else simple and neutral is kind of the key. Soft pastels such as blush, grey, browns work great. If you are running out of ideas, white/grey and ivory/brown color combinations are always a good option but please don't exactly match with your spouse, rather coordinate within the same color scheme.
If I were to pick one color that you should stay away from, I would say to definitely avoid BLACK.
3. Play with Texture
Texture is just as important as the color that you are working with. It gives dimension to the images and can add additional softness. Layering can also help in adding more interest and can be very flattering. Many new moms feel uncomfortable with their post pregnancy bodies and it is very important that you feel confident and beautiful. A white tee with a soft grey cardigan would for example be a great choice.
4. Keeping it Casual
Lifestyle newborn sessions are photographed in the comfort of your home. Therefore you should compliment the "comfort" only a home can provide by opting for a more casual option when it comes to clothing. I would stay away from fancy dresses and especially high heels. I would even go further to suggest that bare feet look most natural in a home setting. The clothing should compliment the surroundings.
5. Movement
Before making a final decision on what to wear, I would do a what I call "movement challenge". We will be photographing you laying down, standing up, from up above, from below... the clothing should allow you to move as freely as you can. Not to forget, you will most likely be doing some diaper changes and feeds during the session. One of my go-to suggestions is a long flowy dress in a soft pastel color (white and ivory also work well). I personally love when new mothers wear dresses, it's often the easiest choice and it always garners the most compliments.
6. Baby Attire
I prefer babies dressed very simply in plain white onesies, wrapped in muslin swaddled, or to just be in a diaper. The most important thing to pay attention to is that we want the chosen outfit to fit snug. Recently, I’ve fallen in love with knotted gowns and swaddles by Lou Lou and Co. that come in very beautiful designs. If you are looking for a simple white onesie with ribbed texture, I would urge you to check out Jamie Kay. Spearmint Baby has excellent baby outfits in neutral colors (ruffled ones are so cute). If we photograph your baby in the diaper, I find that diapers from The Honest Co. photograph very well. Including a special item that holds meaning is always encouraged. Often, my clients have a blanket that they had as a baby themselves or for example a hat that someone in the family knitted and I am happy to include them in the session.
Some other favorite baby attire companies to consider:
Kyte Baby - Softest materials in soft pastel colors.
Posh Peanut - If you are into colors or neutrals, they have the cutest stuff.
Mebie Baby - Organic, neutrals, cotton, buttons.
7. Think About The Crib
Sometime during our session, I love to peek over the crib with my camera to take a cute shot of your brand new baby enjoying her/his cozy surroundings. Cute patterns on crib sheets can really make a difference. When paired with an interesting nursery mobile it becomes a really unique photo opportunity. If you are looking to purchase crib sheets, I recommend Rookie for Humans. They have such creative and whimsical options for bedding.
My favorite go-to stores for parents are:
BOJANA KORACH IS A PUBLISHED LIFESTYLE PHOTOGRAPHER SPECIALIZING IN NEWBORN, FAMILY & CHILD PHOTOGRAPHY IN THE SAN FRANCISCO BAY AREA. CLICK HERE TO LEARN MORE ABOUT OUR PHOTOGRAPHY SERVICES.