What Dress to Wear for a Maternity Photo Shoot

Advice on Dressing for a Maternity Photo Shoot

There are so many options for what to wear for a maternity photo shoot, and as a designer and a mom of two I want you to look great. What you wear in your everyday life may not necessarily be photogenic, so keep reading for my advice. At the end, I’ve included links to my favorite dresses and stores.

Choose a Flattering Silhouette for Your Maternity Photos
You want to wear a dress that will bring out your most flattering silhouette for your maternity photos. Here are the things to look out for:

A dress/top that is tighter in the top, that is, it’s tight just above your belly. A dress or skirt that starts just above your belly and flares out. You don’t want it to be too tight below your belly. There are a lot of dresses out there, and maybe it’s a personal preference, but I like a flowy skirt that allows for free movement. I think it looks more flattering and also gives you something to play with/wiggle around. The length should be to the ground.
If you want the photos to be more surprising, you can choose a dress with a super long train that’s not too comfortable to walk around in. A midi dress works too if you want to show off your shoes. But generally, a floor-length dress looks more romantic and flowy.
When I say these suggestions, I’m referring to your main outfit. You can certainly bring a completely different outfit. 🙂

What color should you wear?

You booked this maternity photoshoot to show off your beautiful belly, so make sure you wear colors that show off your belly.
Light colors: Choose light colors to enhance the softness and brightness of your pregnant face. Light colors like pink, light blue, light purple, or light green are good choices.

Neutral colors: Neutral colors like white, beige, gray, or light brown are also very suitable options. These colors are simple and classic and can highlight the contours of your pregnant belly.

Avoid patterns: Try to avoid choosing overly complex patterns or designs, as they may distract the viewer's attention instead of focusing on the pregnant woman.

Most importantly, choose a color and style that can highlight the beauty and confidence of the pregnant woman. It is best to communicate with the photographer before choosing the outfit, and the overall effect is in line with your expectations. Finally, remember to consider the pregnant woman's comfort and personal style when choosing the outfit, so that she feels at ease and confident. I think light to medium colors look best.

What kind of material should I wear for maternity photos?

I think this is something that moms tend to overlook when planning their maternity photos. Choosing a dress with a good fabric will make your photo shoot more natural and the photos you take will be more perfect.

Fabrics to avoid for maternity photos
Let's talk about fabrics to avoid. Don't wear stiff cotton because it doesn't breathe and it wrinkles easily. It's not my favorite.

Best fabrics for maternity photos
Now for my recommended fabrics!
Comfortable fabrics: Choosing soft, comfortable fabrics is key. Give priority to natural fiber materials such as cotton, linen or silk because they are breathable, allow the skin to breathe, and are more friendly to sensitive pregnant skin.

Stretch fabrics: Since the pregnant body will gradually change during pregnancy, choosing some fabrics with a certain degree of stretch can adapt to the body changes and provide better comfort and flexibility. Stretch cotton fabrics or fabrics mixed with stretch fibers are good choices.

I also like lace.

Avoid too tight: Try to avoid choosing clothes that are too tight because the pregnant body will change during pregnancy and need more room to stretch. Choose loose-fitting clothes to better show the pregnant body shape.

Lightweight fabrics: When choosing a material, try to go for light fabrics to better show the curves and silhouette of your body. Overly heavy materials may hide your beautiful figure

What patterns are best for maternity photos?

You can never go wrong with solid colors and textured dresses (like lace or crepe fabrics). But patterned dresses are also great for maternity photos! You just have to choose the right pattern. If the pattern you choose is too small, it can be too busy and distracting, especially when there are two contrasting colors (like black against white). But you don't want to choose a pattern that is too big, either, because that won't look good. Medium-sized patterns are what you want to shoot here. You also want to make sure that the contrast between the color of the pattern and the color of the dress isn't too big. For example, a dark blue pattern on a white dress would be too contrasting. But a white pattern against a dark rose dress would be subtle and beautiful.

Wear clothes that are appropriate for the seasonWhen deciding what to wear for your maternity photos, always consider the weather conditions. If it's hot, choose something that's more breathable. If it's cold, choose a dress with long sleeves. Chunky knits are great too because you can wear them off the shoulder and look great and then between shots you can cuddle up for warmth.

What should your partner or child wear for your maternity shoot?
When deciding what your partner wears, you want to coordinate but not be identical. If you both have the same colour, you will blend in and it will be hard to tell the difference. The same goes for anyone in your family, we don’t want anyone blending in. Have your partner and/or child wear complementary colours. You can search for complementary colours or get inspiration on Pinterest.

What underwear to wear for your maternity shoot?

Depending on the dress you choose and how comfortable you are, you may want to consider wearing some shapewear under your dress. Or just get some seamless underwear so that the seams don’t create a bulge on your dress. For your bra, make sure the straps don’t show, you can also go for clear straps or you can go braless and use nipple covers. That way you don’t have to worry about bra straps at all. Just make sure what you wear matches the dress you choose. Don’t forget the colour of your underwear. Wear colours that won’t show through your dress.

Bring an extra set of maternity clothes
It’s a good idea to bring an extra set of clothes to your maternity shoot to give you some variety. Sometimes the extra piece is just a lace cardigan over your lingerie so we can really highlight your beautiful belly. Or you might want to shoot in something casual, like wearing overalls or a midriff-baring top with jeans.
Where to buy maternity clothes
There are a lot of clothing loaner shops that have clothes you can borrow, but you might want to buy your own.

I want to make it as easy as possible for you to find the right clothes for your maternity shoot! Most maternity clothes on Amazon come in multiple colors, not just the ones shown in the main photo. Tip: Read the reviews to get an idea of ​​what size to buy. When buying non-maternity clothes, you’ll usually need to order a size up from what you normally wear.

Another great place to buy maternity clothes is in small boutique online stores. Sometimes a dress that isn’t meant for maternity wear can be great, and there’s a bonus: you’ll most likely wear it again after you have your baby! You should look for dresses with stretchy fabrics, elastic at the waist, and a high waist. You also want to pay attention to whether it is lined, as some dresses are lined but only partially and are too short to fit over the tummy.

I particularly like the ALITTLE dress.