What to Wear for Your Lifestyle Newborn Session
A question I get from people all the time is about what to wear for your lifestyle newborn session. So today I’m excited to share some of my top wardrobe tips and examples of great outfits that past clients of mine have worn.
General tips for what to wear for your lifestyle newborn session
Neutrals
First of all, I recommend neutrals for your lifestyle newborn session. They’re timeless and classic, they never go out of style, and they keep the focus on you and your family. They don’t distract, and they help us achieve that light, airy look which is the signature style of my photography.
Light and Soft Colors
That brings me to my second tip: light and soft colors. They tend to photograph better and they’ll allow your photos to have the look you’re probably hoping to get from working with me: light, bright, airy, and soft. My favorites are white, cream, beige, light blue, light gray, light green, and light pink.
Coordinate, don’t match
This is something I always tell clients…and luckily it’s an easy one, because when you all wear soft neutrals, you’re pretty much guaranteed to be coordinated. I typically advise against outright matching though, as it can look dated and unnatural. Sometimes it can be cute, like if you match your toddler in a Hill House dress and a mini version of a Hill House dress (it’s just too cute!), but overall, best to just coordinate.
Let’s talk patterns!
Patterns can be perfect as a way to break up solid blocks of color. For example, let’s take a look at the photo above. Mom is in white, dad is in white with khakis, and baby is in light blue – so it’s perfect that older sister is in a softly patterned dress. Even better – the blue in her dress ties in perfectly with baby’s light blue outfit. You can see how her patterned dress adds just the perfect touch of interest to the photos and coordinates so well with everyone else’s looks. If she was in white or just light blue, it wouldn’t be bad at all, but the touch of pattern is just *chef’s kiss.* Choosing patterns can sometimes be tricky though, and I always help my clients in finding the perfect ones. I highly suggest soft, subtle patterns. It is important to avoid any loud or distracting patterns, and stripes can sometimes photograph oddly so I typically would avoid those. Florals are wonderful-I love Nothing Fits But for floral dresses for mom, and La Coqueta for floral dresses for girls.
Shades of White
While I generally advise against matching, shades of white are the exception. As you can see above, it looks beautiful! Dad was in a white shirt with very light-colored khakis, which I think is the ideal outfit for men at a lifestyle newborn session. One nice thing is that Mom’s dress has an eyelet pattern on it, and this soft texture adds interest and keeps the all white from looking too flat. Baby is wearing one of my favorite newborn outfits from Bonpoint, and it has beautiful lace detailing that further adds interest and soft, subtle texture.
Denim
White denim always looks great, especially mixed with a soft cream sweater. If you’re going to wear blue jeans, I recommend a light or medium wash rather than a dark wash, and I would keep the other colors in the outfits on the lighter colored side. I also advise that denim err a bit loose, rather than skintight. It’s closer to what’s in style currently, it’s more comfortable and flattering, and in my opinion it’s also a more classic look.
Fit is Important
That brings me to my next recommendation – keep clothes on the looser side. It can be nice if they sort of skim the body, vs anything that’s skintight. This is because I’ll have everyone snuggling and lying down on the bed together, and you don’t want anything to be pulling or too tight to comfortably move around in. Another factor – comfort! You want to feel comfy and relaxed and anything that’s super tight or not moving with you will cause discomfort, which can show in the photos. This is why I highly recommend trying your outfits on and getting them organized at least three weeks prior to your session. This way you can make sure everything fits the way you want it to, there are no gaps between buttons, and nothing is looking off. You’ll also have time to steam out wrinkles. Hill House is always a great resource for comfortable dresses that move with you while still looking flattering.
Dresses vs Pants
Speaking of loose, comfortable clothing – dresses! This is part of the reason why a dress is the ideal choice of what to wear for your lifestyle newborn session. They’re comfortable, they flow, they’re incredibly flattering, and there are so many great options out there. Some of my favorites are from Nothing Fits But, Doen, and Worth Collective. When you work with me for your lifestyle newborn session, I’ll send over Pinterest boards with links to favorite options! That being said, pants with a sweater or tee is great too. I encourage outfit changes at your lifestyle newborn session…because why not? You’re home and in your own space, so might as well! It can be fun to do one dress look, and one more laidback pants with a tee or sweater look (an oversize button down can look laidback and chic as well). I do find that it can be a bit more challenging to style pants (even just for the fact that you need to find two pieces to go together), so if you’re looking for simplicity and ease, a dress is your best bet.
Can I wear black?
While I don’t necessarily recommend it, you can! It’s all about feeling comfortable in your skin and true to who you are, and if that means wearing black, then you should stay true to your style. I recommend other family members wear lighter colors so we can still maintain that light and airy look, and things still feel balanced. Everyone in shades of black and navy is not something I’d recommend, because the dark colors will blend together and the photos will feel dark and moody, instead of light and airy.
What Should Baby Wear?
A lot of my clients get cute little newborn outfits for their babies, and that is great! There are lots of adorable options out there for onesies and sweater sets. That being said, you definitely don’t need to go out and find outfits for baby (which can also be tough because sizing is all over the place). I bring a selection of neutral colored swaddles, wraps, and blankets for newborn sessions, and often this is the best option because swaddles and wraps help to soothe fussy babies. Most often we’ll do images in a swaddle and wrap, as well as an outfit. Some favorite sources for baby outfits are Bonpoint, Jacadi, and Kissy Kissy.
Start with Mom
When you’re ready to start planning outfits for your lifestyle newborn session, I suggest you start with your own outfit and then build out the looks from there. Find the dress you love for yourself, then look for outfits for your family that mix well and coordinate. This strategy takes what can feel like an overwhelming task and breaks it down into a manageable one!
Details
Other important tips when it comes to what to wear for your lifestyle newborn session are:
-steam or iron your outfits.
-for toddler siblings wearing dresses, definitely add in tights, a diaper cover, or bloomers.
-usually we do shoes and socks off for everyone since you’re being comfortable at home (and sitting or reclining on your bed), but if you want shoes on, everyone should have shoes on.
-I suggest taking off Apple watches as they can be distracting and are not a timeless look.
These tips are just the beginning when it comes to what to wear for your lifestyle newborn session! If we work together, I offer more guidance, links, and sources, as well as personalized one-on-one assistance in finding and coordinating outfits. There’s a lot that goes into wardrobe planning and it’s one of the most important factors in how your finished portraits will look, so I love helping clients with this aspect of planning for their newborn session!
I would love to work with you to begin planning your New York City newborn, family, or maternity portrait session. Let’s chat about what you’re looking for from a New York City photographer and see how we can begin capturing your family’s story!
