Those early newborn days are like no other… The precious snuggles, the little shape of baby’s little feet, the adorable scrunch that baby does while yawning… You just want to remember absolutely everything. And what better way to remember this special phase in your baby’s life than to schedule a newborn photography session?! Capture allllllll the priceless moments on camera – that way you can look back on them for years to come.
Now that you’ve picked a newborn photographer and scheduled the session, the next stop is figuring out what to wear. And it can be downright STRESSFUL picking out the perfect outfits. Whether you are planning a studio shoot or an at-home lifestyle shoot, there are some things to keep in mind:
Picking out colors that will coordinate well together AND with the season of weather.
Outfits that everyone likes and is comfortable in.
A change of clothes for baby… because IYKYK, and if you don’t then I have two words for you:
Poo. Explosion.
I don’t know why every baby wakes up on the day of photos and chooses THAT day to ruin their best outfit…but I digress 😉
With all that being said, preparing for a family photo shoot can have a lot of moving parts, but it doesn’t have to be stressful with this guide!
Once you find a great photographer to work with, combined with this outline on exactly what to wear – you will be set up for a great session to grab some beautiful photos.
Checkout these examples below to take the guesswork and worry out of what to wear for your newborn photography session.
The examples below are from various lifestyle newborn photographers all over the U.S., who were so incredibly kind to allow me to include their photos in this post. I will leave their link below each photo – please take a moment to check them out!
Let’s dive right in!
First things first: Talk and plan with your photographer before the date of your appointment
Before the day of your booking arrives, make sure to touch base with your photographer to see what vision they have for your session! This will help to make sure you are both on the same page and you can get all the shots that you had in mind for you and your family.
If you are doing an in-home photoshoot, ask about which shots your photographer is thinking of and how best to set up the space they will be working in. Take note of what your background will be (color of the walls, light colors, bold colors, etc.), so you can pick outfit choices that coordinate well with the environment you’ll be in.
If you’re doing an outside photoshoot, check to see what colors will be prominent in the background such as a wooded area, lake, red barn, or meadow with white flowers for example.
Now you can prepare your outfits to compliment the area you will be posing in.
Which brings us to…
Pick a Color Scheme
Source: Laurie Adalle Photography
Now is the time to decide what type of color palette that you are more drawn to. Picking out a color scheme right off the bat can really help take a lot of the headache out of deciding on outfits (especially if you have a big family!).
This way you won’t get halfway through ordering the outfits and realize that you actually wanted your newborn to wear a light pink dress, but the rest of the family will be wearing Christmas reds and greens. (Speaking from experience on that one! 😉 )
Remember Your Natural Style
Source: Availeth Photography
Take a step back from looking at the latest trends and take note of what you are naturally drawn to…You may prefer dresses over jeans, or a cozy sweater, bright colors vs neutrals, etc.
No matter what, go with something you love and is truly ‘you’!
The most important thing is to pick out something you are comfortable in (which means better pictures!), and also something that will stay ‘in style’ no matter how many years down the road – because it is YOU!
Keep it Uncomplicated
Source: Nurture Baby Photography
If you are unsure where to start for your newborn session, keep it easy and elegant with earth tones and minimal patterns.
You can never go wrong with neutral colors which create a timeless look.
It’s All in the Details
Source: Monica Conlin Photography
A long flowy dress, pop of pattern, texture and pattern with the floor rug… It all adds a beautiful depth to the end result photos.
If you’re unsure how to add details without ‘overdoing’ – try these great options:
Putting a little bow headband on your sweet baby girl
Muted earthy tone outfits for outdoor fall photos
Wearing a lace cardigan over a solid color dress/shirt
Wrapping baby in a swaddle with textured material (muslin, lace, or even a crocheted/knitted blanket would be great!)
Source: Jessica Craig Photography
Outfit Tips and Inspiration
Coordinate but don’t worry so much about matching
Source: Brittany Olander Photo
Speaking of color schemes again – Try finding a palette that compliments each other without becoming too ‘matchy matchy’.
Different tones of the same color can do this, or some solid colors with a printed top thrown in somewhere, or even a bold bright dress…
This gives each person in the pictures a chance to show off their individual style while still creating harmony with the overall scene… which will result in beautiful pictures!
Wear different textures
Source: Shannon Reece Jones Photography
Textures are an amazing way to add unique character to the photos and you can do this no matter what your personal style is!
No matter if you prefer bright colors or more natural tones, texture is an easy thing to add – even if it is just a crocheted shawl for your dress, or sweater with knit twill.
Texture also shows up beautifully in black and white pictures!
Source: Helena Goessens Photography
Remember the location you’re shooting at
Source: Kylie Rae Photography
None other goes best with a beach photo scene than long, flowy dresses! Try coordinating your outfits around where you will be taking photos. Remember the background colors or where you’ll be, what outfits will look most natural in the environment, and can take your photoshoot to the next level.
For example:
A cozy outfit with an oversized sweater might make more sense if taking candid photos at home.
A casual, flowy dress would look amazing against a lake or open water background.
Different tones of blue would go great if posing by an old, red barn.
Don’t be afraid to add print
Source: Melissa Arlena Photography
I think sometimes color and print get a bad rap these days because different tones of beige are all the rage right now.
But listen! Adding a pop of color (or colors!) is amazing at bringing focus to your new little bundle of joy and also adds your own personal touch to the family photos.
This goes back to what I said above about dressing in what you TRULY love and are comfortable in! Is it more your personality to dress in neon colors rather than a muted neutral? Then absolutely go for it!! You will treasure your pics that much more if you remember the feeling you felt while taking them, which I hope is feeling comfortable AND beautiful.
Final Thoughts
Picking outfits for a lifestyle newborn photo session can quickly get overwhelming, especially with a newborn baby at home to care for. But listen – it doesn’t have to be! Let this guide be an outline to easily pick your outfit colors and style to take any worries you may have about your upcoming photoshoot.
There are so many beautiful ways to add dimension and character to your photos, without having to do anything complicated. Read above how you can do that too!
Save this for later so you can refer back again and again.
Let me know in the comments what outfits you went with and your best tips for planning a newborn photo shoot!
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