What to Wear For Your Newborn Session
You may have spent a good amount of time thinking about what you wore for your maternity session – but chances are, you haven’t given as much thought to what you’ll wear for your newborn session! Hopefully you can plan this before baby arrives, because you might otherwise find yourself searching for whatever is clean and not covered in spit-up! (But also – no shame mama, you’re keeping a tiny human alive!)
I usually suggest wearing light neutrals – whites, khakis, light gray, pale pink/blue, etc.. This allows for your baby’s tiny, delicate features to stand out. It also helps bounce a little extra light around on often grey PNW days. Soft/delicate patterns like florals or stripes, or texture like chiffon or lace can also look great! Check out my Pinterest board for inspiration!
I would stay away from any bright colors, especially pink, reds, and greens, as the color will reflect onto the baby’s skin. Avoid logos, graphics, and distracting patterns. I even suggest wearing polos & button downs that have no branding.
Be comfortable! Your session is about snuggling your baby, not fidgeting with difficult necklines, and definitely not scratchy fabrics.
My suggestion for new mamas would be to wear a comfortable midi-length dress – this way you don’t have to worry about dark jeans/leggings, and it won’t be too short to sit on the bed/ground with your little one! OR a tunic top + very light colored jeans or leggings!
Consider keeping baby’s outfit changes minimal as most babies don’t typically like to be changed. I suggest a plain white onesie look & a swaddle look.
If you have older kiddos, pick what you want to wear first, and then choose a coordinating outfit for them. Ex. If you do a subtle pattern, keep them neutral!
I also suggest ditching the Apple Watch or whatever smart devices you’ve got – take those phones out of your pockets, too, gentlemen!
+ A note about socks: I recommend going barefoot – if you’re uncomfortable with this, wear some nice dress socks (not athletic socks, and avoid logos / worn/sad looking socks!)
This all being said, I always encourage my clients to showcase their personality. If this means wearing something fun + funky, by all means – do that! The goal is to feel comfortable & confident!
Bedding
I also suggest some neutral sheets/blankets/comforter for your bed. Again, we’re looking for a neutral backdrop here that will let the focus be on you and your family.
Again, though, if your style is bright and colorful – go for it! Baby Oliver below in a white onesie, but on colorful bedding! Can you tell there are no hard and fast rules here??
All in all, your newborn session is about capturing your new life as a family. While I may suggest light neutrals, this is really about telling your story through images! Regardless of what you wear, or how your home is decorated, these will be photographs of YOU, and that’s what matters most!
Where should we shop?
Here are a few of my favorite places to shop for the whole family for your at home newborn session!
Show Me Your Mumu – beautiful midi-dresses in a variety of shapes, styles and colors
Anthropologie – always a favorite go-to for dresses and statement pieces
Pretty Plum Sugar – perfect pastel floral + neutral dresses for mom
Pink Blush Maternity, Serephine, Wren & Ivory – awesome selection of both maternity + nursing-friendly dresses
Other places to check for dresses: ASOS, Nordstrom
Little Bipsy – local PNW baby + toddler classics with a hipster twist
Zara – great on trend neutrals for baby & kids
Rylee + Cru – Soft neutrals and patterns for baby, kids and mom
Jamie Kay – High quality, soft, neutrals for baby
Spearmint Love – a favorite for statement swaddles
LottieLemon – adorable & delicate felt headbands
Looking for more tips? Check out How to Prepare for Your Newborn Session or Nursery Decor Inspiration on the blog!
