What to Wear to Your Newborn Photography Session
Selecting clothing for your first postpartum photoshoot may seem daunting. Your first instinct may be “oh, no, the baby only, not me.” But I know what I’m doing (that’s why you hired me, right?).
I know how to position you so that you look your best and that we capture the bond between you and baby. If you are going to show off one image of you and your baby, it will undoubtedly be the one taken by a professional!
Simple clothing is best for new parents, but the most important thing is that you feel comfortable in what you wear, don’t wear something that doesn’t fit right or is too tight and makes you feel uncomfortable as that will show through in your photos.
Here are some of my favourite tips to help you choose what to wear.
Tip #1
Co-ordinate, not matchy-matchy
These are the best colours to wear for your session:
Any shade of grey, charcoal, ivory, navy, khaki, burgundy, gold, tan/brown, soft pink, or blue.
These colours are simple, neutral, they photograph well and will look timeless on your walls for a very long time. Play around with these colours, and it’s best to co-ordinate these colours (definitely don’t rock up all wearing white please).
These are the colours you should avoid when picking out your clothes for your session - bright colours (red, blue, yellow, green), fluro colours, pure black and white clothes, distracting patterns and clothes with logos or graphics on them.
Tip #2
MIXING PATTERNS AND SOLIDS
Speaking of patterns - if you love them, wear them! They add variety and colour, but they do run the risk of being overpowering so you just need to be careful when choosing them.
Things will start to look messy and distracting when you have too many patterns and colours all fighting for our attention to try to choose something that is subtle and not overly distracting, and in neutral colours (in line with tip #1). Try to find a pattern that has a similar colour scheme rather than opposite colours. For example, try to avoid patterns that mix more than 2 colours, especially if they are opposite (like blue and brown). Patterns that are bold or big (think big stripes or zig-zags) can be distracting. Subtle patterns are things like little polka dots in neutral colours (like a grey shirt with tiny black dots is totally fine).
Tip #3
K.I.S.S (KEEP IT SIMPLE, SILLY!)
As is the key to most things in life, keep it simple, silly! Simple clothes and colours are timeless, and are less likely to make you wonder “What on earth was I wearing?” in ten to twenty years ;)
This tip really needs to be read together with tips #1 and #2 above as well. Things really start to look messy and distracting when you have too many patterns and colours all fighting for our attention (fluro colours and fire engine red clothes do mean things to my lenses).
Lighter colours (light blues, pinks and greens), neutral colours (shades of white, grey, black varying from light to dark) and darker colours (tan, navy, khaki, burgundy etc) are a great way to keep it simple. They always work well together, are easy to coordinate, and best of all – they won’t steal the attention away from the connections and emotions between you all. We want you to be the main subject of your photos, not your clothes.
Tip #4
START WITH YOU
If you are still not sure – try starting with yourself. Pick out your all-time favourite outfit that makes you feel like a million dollars (or treat yourself to something new) and use your outfit to guide your choices for the rest of your family.
You can just as easily start with someone else in your family that you already have an amazing outfit for, and go from there.
TIP :: Check my Instagram Account for more recent examples. You can find me @lecindaward and also check out the hashtags #lecindawardmaternity and #lecindawardnewborns
Tip #5
CLOTHES FOR THE BABY
You don’t need to have any clothes set aside for the baby to wear for the Simply Natural Session, as your little one will be naked for the majority of the session, and I have a selection of wraps and fabrics to use throughout the session.
I’m always happy to photograph any heirloom or precious items that you might have with your baby!
Please just bring them with you, and bring them to my attention at the beginning of your session so that I can incorporate them into my workflow.
Tip #6
PLAN AHEAD
There is so much variety, and so many different ways to style your clothes. Hopefully this has inspired you to start preparing your outfits for your session – but please don’t leave them in your head. There is nothing worse than spending the night before your session freaking out because you have suddenly realised your favourite top has baby spew on it and missed the wash, or your little boy’s jeans have got a new rip in them!
If you aren’t sure about something, this way you still have some time to try laying all the clothes out together to see how they fit. Try laying them all out together to make sure it all fits, and if something doesn’t go with the overall scheme you can easily swap it out with no fuss or stress. Aim to have everything set aside at least a few days before your session.
Bonus Tip
WHERE TO SHOP?
These images are going to become part of your family, and will be something you look at, hold and treasure forever - so it's best to keep your outfits as simple, and neutral in colour as possible so they stand the test of time.
Please don't feel like you have to go out and buy a whole new outfit, but it is worth putting some thought into it (and I'm always available for a second/third/fourth opinion).
If you have been inspired to go shopping, first of all, you should head to your favourite store because that’s where you’re likely to find something you love that you feel great in (which is the most important thing!). I’ve also put together a list of some of my favourite retailers for you to consider.
Country Road · SeedHeritage · Trenery · Feather & Noise · Decjuba · The Self Styler · Gingham and Heels ·
H&M, Target, Myer, and David Jones are always good options for basics as well.
L x
