If you're planning maternity photos, you've probably already started wondering:
What am I supposed to wear?
Maybe you've saved beautiful maternity photos on Pinterest with flowing dresses, bare feet, golden light, and perfectly styled bumps.
And maybe you're thinking, “Okay, but what would actually feel like me?”
That's the question I want you to start with.
Because your maternity session doesn't need to look like anyone else's.
You don't need to squeeze yourself into a dress you don't feel comfortable in. You don't need to completely change your personal style. And you certainly don't need to look like you've stepped out of a maternity magazine.
You just need to feel like yourself—while celebrating this incredible season you're in.
My approach to maternity photography is natural, warm, and connection-focused. I want your photographs to feel beautiful and timeless, but I also want them to feel like you.
So let's make choosing your outfit a little easier.
Start With How You Want to Feel
Before you think about colors, fabrics, or dresses, ask yourself:
How do I want to feel when I look at these photographs years from now?
Maybe you want to feel:
- Beautiful
- Feminine
- Confident
- Soft
- Romantic
- Comfortable
- Powerful
- Like yourself
Let that feeling guide your outfit.
If you're drawn to soft, romantic images, a flowing dress may be perfect.
If you love a more simple, modern look, a fitted dress or a two-piece outfit may feel more natural.
There isn't one "right" way to dress for maternity photos.
Dresses Are Always a Beautiful Option
There's a reason flowing maternity dresses are so popular for photographs, they are incredibly beautiful on camera.
A long dress can highlight your bump while creating movement as you walk, turn, or gently move in the breeze.
I especially love:
- Soft, flowing fabrics
- Linen
- Cotton
- Gauze
- Knit textures
- Subtle lace
- Long skirts
- Dresses with movement
For outdoor sessions, these fabrics can create beautiful movement and softness without feeling overly formal.
And if you find a dress that makes you feel beautiful?
That's the one.
Fitted or Flowing?
This really comes down to your personal style.
A fitted dress can beautifully emphasize your bump and create a more classic maternity look.
A flowing dress creates movement and feels romantic and effortless.
You can also do both.
If you're unsure, consider bringing two outfits, one more fitted and one more flowing. That gives us two completely different looks without needing to choose just one.
You Don't Have to Wear a Dress
This is important.
If you're not a dress person, don't wear a dress just because you think you're supposed to.
A beautiful pair of pants with a fitted top, a cozy sweater, a simple white tee-shirt & jeans , or another outfit that feels like you can photograph beautifully.
Your maternity session is about celebrating you and your baby.
Choose Colors That Feel Natural
For my style of photography, I love colors that complement the natural surroundings.
Some beautiful options include:
- Cream
- Ivory
- Beige
- Tan
- Soft brown
- Sage
- Muted green
- Dusty blue
- Soft blush
- Terracotta
- Warm neutrals
You don't have to wear neutrals, though.
If you love color, choose a shade that feels like you. Softened or earthy versions of brighter colors tend to photograph beautifully outdoors.
Think About the Location
Your location can help guide your outfit.
A flowing cream dress might feel perfect in an open field.
Soft earth tones can blend beautifully into a wooded location.
A simple, fitted dress might work beautifully in a more architectural or urban setting.
When we choose your location, I'll help you think about the overall look so your clothing and surroundings work together.
The goal isn't to disappear into the background.
It's to make you the focus while everything around you supports the story.
What Should Your Partner Wear?
If your partner is joining you, I recommend coordinating rather than matching.
If you're wearing a soft cream dress, your partner might choose:
- Khaki or tan pants
- Brown or neutral shoes
- A cream, white, blue, or muted green shirt
- A simple sweater
- A linen button-down
- A neutral jacket or layer
Keep their outfit relatively simple so your maternity outfit remains the focal point.
And remember—they don't need to dress formally just because you're wearing a dress.
The goal is for the two of you to look like yourselves together.
Including Your Other Children
If you're bringing your older children, don't feel like you need to create perfectly matching outfits.
Instead, choose a small color palette and let each person have their own look.
For example:
Mom: Cream flowing dress
Partner: Tan pants + blue button-down
Daughter: Soft sage dress
Son: Cream shirt + brown pants
Everything feels connected without looking overly coordinated.
And please let your kids be kids.
If your little one wants to run, hold your hand, sit in the grass, or snuggle into you, we'll make room for those moments.
Those are often some of my favorite photographs.
Consider Going Barefoot
For outdoor maternity sessions, bare feet can create a really beautiful, intimate feeling.
You certainly don't have to go barefoot, but it's worth considering—especially if we're photographing in a safe, comfortable location.
Simple sandals, neutral shoes, boots, or bare feet can all work depending on the setting and season.
Don't Forget About Undergarments
This isn't the most glamorous part of planning your session, but it matters!
If you're wearing a dress with a lower neckline, open back, thin straps, or a lightweight fabric, think ahead about what you'll wear underneath.
Seamless, nude-toned undergarments are often the easiest choice.
If you're bringing more than one outfit, make sure your undergarments work with both.
And if you're considering a more intimate maternity look, we'll talk through exactly what you're comfortable with beforehand.
Bring Two Outfits If You Want Variety
You don't have to choose just one.
Two outfits can give your gallery a completely different feel.
For example:
Outfit 1: A long, flowing dress for romantic outdoor images.
Outfit 2: A fitted dress or more casual outfit for something simple and intimate.
You can also change the feel of your session simply by removing shoes, adding a sweater, changing accessories, or letting your hair down.
You don't need an entire wardrobe.
Just a couple of outfits you genuinely love.
Dress for the Weather
Your comfort matters.
If you're pregnant, the last thing I want is for you to spend your session freezing or overheating because you were worried about getting "the shot."
For cooler sessions, think:
- Cozy sweaters
- Long dresses
- Cardigans
- Shawls
- Coats
- Boots
- Layered textures
For warmer sessions:
- Lightweight dresses
- Linen
- Cotton
- Gauze
- Breathable fabrics
- Bare feet or sandals
We'll always work with the season rather than against it.
And Here's My Biggest Piece of Advice...
Don't wait until you feel like you look perfect.
Your body is changing.
You may feel swollen.
You may not recognize yourself some days.
Maybe your clothes don't fit the way they used to.
Maybe you're tired.
Maybe you're incredibly excited.
Maybe you're feeling all of those things at the same time.
That's okay.
You don't have to feel perfectly confident every day to deserve photographs of this season.
Your body is doing something extraordinary.
And someday, your little one will look at these photographs and see the person who carried them before they ever knew what the world looked like.
That is worth remembering.
A Simple Maternity Outfit Formula
If you're overwhelmed by all the choices, keep it simple:
1. Choose something that makes you feel beautiful.
2. Decide whether you want to emphasize your bump with a fitted style or create movement with something flowing.
3. Choose a color that complements your skin and the location.
4. Look for texture and movement rather than complicated patterns.
5. Coordinate your partner and children rather than matching everyone.
6. Bring a second outfit if you'd like variety.
7. Prioritize comfort. Always.
Those moments are part of your story.
I'll guide you when you need direction, but I also want space for the moments that happen naturally—the way your partner reaches for your hand, the way you instinctively cradle your belly, the way your children lean into you, or the quiet moment when you realize your family is about to change forever.
Those are the photographs I want to create for you.
Not just photographs of your belly.
Photographs of this moment in your life.
Because one day, you'll look back and realize just how quickly it all went.
And you'll be so glad you remembered it.
Ready to document this season?
I'd love to create a maternity session that feels natural, beautiful, and completely true to you.
Let's make photographs you'll treasure not just because you were pregnant, but because they remind you of who you were, who you loved, and who you were becoming.