Of all the life chapters I get to photograph as a lifestyle and wedding photographer, I am consistently inspired by the unique magic of newborn sessions. There is no life transition quite like bringing a baby home, and whether a baby is 5 days or 5 weeks old at the time of the photoshoot, it is a formative moment for the whole family. Leading up to the session, parents may feel overjoyed, overwhelmed, in awe, exhausted, or all of these emotions at once, and each parent is adjusting to a new life clock set to “baby time.”

Because of this, newborn sessions require a little different planning than my other sessions. Newborn sessions often have an unhurried timeline, a flexible set of expectations, and a low-pressure, comfort-focused approach to wardrobe planning.

This summer and fall, I shared my top 10 wardrobe planning tips for engagement and family sessions, and today I’m sharing my top wardrobe tips for a newborn session. Overall, I find that newborn sessions are less about making a style statement and more about capturing the tender interactions between you and your baby, so my biggest advice is to release the pressure to look a certain way for your session and remember that we are here to document relationships, not appearances. All that said, I know that it can be helpful to have guidance about where to begin when it comes to wardrobe planning - so here are some gentle wardrobe guidelines to keep in mind before a newborn session.

Top 10 wardrobe planning tips for a newborn session:

1. IMAGINE YOU’RE GOING TO AN EVENT

I hear from clients how photoshoot outfit planning can come with a certain amount of pressure to wear the “right” thing, and any extra planning can feel downright impossible to navigate when a newborn is captivating all your time and energy. To relieve this pressure, here’s my universal top tip for choosing outfits: instead of trying to choose an outfit for a photoshoot, imagine you are getting ready for an event or outing with your baby.

Picture yourselves getting ready for a baby shower, taking your newborn along for a coffee date, or inviting a few friends over to see the baby for the first time. For each of these social engagements, you and your newborn would probably dress to a similar level on the casual-fancy spectrum.

I find that choosing a more casual, cozy outfit that still feels a little polished tends to feel intuitive for parents to wear during their newborn session. The focus is less on your outward appearance and more on the emotional dynamic between a parent and their new baby, so choosing comfort over fashion is often a preferred mindset. That said, I also work with parents who value dressing up a little and want to lean toward the fancy side of the wardrobe spectrum. In the end, whatever feels best to you is the best decision! I encourage parents to first decide where you want to be on the casual-fancy spectrum and then imagine an event or outing in that category to plan your wardrobe around.

2. Choose outfits ahead of time

This is a tip I often bring up during planning conversations, and while it might sound like a bit much, I consistently hear from clients how helpful it was to plan ahead. I recommend picking out 2-3 outfits for yourself and your newborn well before the session, even before your baby is born! Once your baby arrives, there may be limited time to think about anything beyond your baby’s needs, and your future self will thank you for planning ahead. Some clients actually find a spot in a closet or drawer to store these outfits so they are easy to find on the day of your photoshoot.

It’s also important to keep in mind that bodies go through many changes after a newborn arrives, especially for the birthing person. Your body might vary in size and shape after birth, so as you think ahead try to choose outfits that you imagine might feel good for your body regardless of the changes your body may be experiencing.

3. Consider wearing only one outfit each (with a backup!):

Some folks want their baby to wear more than one outfit during a photoshoot, and while that absolutely is possible, I find that with newborn sessions simplicity is best. Newborns tend to dislike having their outfits changed, as being introduced to a new temperature and texture can wake them up or make them a little fussy. Keeping your baby in one outfit, like a plain cream or gray onesie, can help keep your baby calm and cozy. For folks who want to incorporate some variety into the photoshoot, it can be easy to add layers to that onesie by adding a headband or knit hat. Wrapping a newborn up in a colorful blanket or swaddle for some portraits works really well too.

Similarly, while it is possible for parents to wear more than outfit for a newborn session, I encourage parents to consider sticking to one outfit. During a newborn session, it is not uncommon to need to take breaks for the baby to be fed or changed, and adding in an outfit change for the parents can create more transition moments that can be tiring for the newborn.

That said, please do bring a back-up outfit! Accidents or spit-ups can (and often do!) happen, so it’s helpful to have a spare shirt or onesie ready to go if needed.

4. avoid too much matching

While some of the parents I work with want their outfits to coordinate with their newborn, I find it helpful to avoid too much matching and instead opt for wardrobe choices that feel more natural and comfortable. Try to avoid wearing the same color/pattern of clothing as your newborn. It’s okay to stick to the same color palette, but too much matching can move the focus away from you and your baby and onto your clothing instead.

Also, try to choose clothing that hits your bodies in different places. For example, if two adults are both wearing jeans and a solid color t-shirt and the shirt meets the jeans in the same spot on both of your bodies, then when you stand side by side this can make a distracting horizontal line in the portrait. Instead, think about combining different clothing lengths, patterns, and lines: if one parent is wearing a solid color t-shirt and jeans, the other could wear a knee-length dress, a button-up shirt over leggings, or a sweater with khakis.

5. Add textures / limit patterns

Adding visual texture through your wardrobe can bring personality and life into your portraits, making them feel less like a posed photoshoot and more like a window into the world of you and your newborn. Between each parent and your baby, you could incorporate a variety of fabric textures including soft cotton, flannel, denim, knits, or linen. Some folks enjoy incorporating a meaningful accessory as well, like a favorite necklace, headband, or hat.

While some patterns - like a floral swaddle for your baby - can look lovely, I find that too many patterns can become distracting and move the attention away from you and your newborn. One or two people wearing subtle patterns can work well if that feels natural to how you like to dress, but try to balance that out with some solid colors (like one parent in a floral dress, another parent in a solid linen shirt, and a baby in a gauze swaddle).

6. colors to avoid

I usually recommend avoiding neon colors – they can photograph a little harshly. During newborn sessions, I also encourage folks to skip super bright or bold colors that can draw attention and instead opt for a more muted, subtle color palette (think an earthy terracotta instead of fire engine red, a soft sage green instead of kelly green, or a muted blue-gray instead of bright cyan).

Beyond that, there aren’t ‘good’ or ‘bad’ colors for pictures, but I do encourage thinking about what colors will show up in the setting of your pictures, and trying to avoid colors that will blend in too much. For instance if you’ll be sitting on a white couch in your family room, consider wearing a charcoal blouse instead of cream. If the walls in your baby’s room are blue, maybe opt for that cream sweater or an earthy mustard.

7. my favorite colors for newborn portraits

I find that many parents want their newborn portraits to capture a calm, cozy, and connected feeling, and choosing soft, more muted, or earthy color palettes can work really well to capture that energy. I’m also a big fan of neutrals in pictures (whites, creams, charcoals, blacks).

For parents that want a cohesive look or are drawn to something more matchy, I recommend choosing a color temperature (like cool tones or warm tones) that gives you a palette to work with. I suggest wearing a variety of light/dark shades from that palette and mix in a few neutrals. For example, if you opted for muted cool colors, you could mix airy pale blue, light gray, and dark charcoal gray. If you opt for brighter warm colors, you could mix a lighter terra cotta and deep rich mustard, balanced with some cream.

Eliza and Isaac and little Freya wore some relaxed, muted colors for their newborn session! I love all the textures they included too: Eliza’s sweater tunic has a gorgeous ribbed texture, Isaac’s linen shirt has some lovely heathering, and Freya looks so snuggly in her soft cotton onesie.

8. avoid outfits with words or logos

While there are always exceptions, I generally recommend avoiding articles of clothing that can draw the gaze away from the focal point: you and your new baby.

9. CONSIDER THE season

Your portraits will feel more natural and cohesive if you choose outfits in line with the season your newborn session takes place in. This tip applies more for parents who opt for outdoor portraits, but even if we’re inside your home or my studio, it feels authentic to have your outfits align with the seasonal feeling of the setting. This doesn’t mean you have to wear a parka if it’s winter in Minnesota, but maybe wear a turtleneck if the photoshoot is in January and a breezy dress or blouse if it is July.

Allison, Keith, and baby Saoirse’s session was in the wintertime, and Allison’s long-sleeve dress and leggings feel really seasonally appropriate! I also love their neutral colors, and how they have varied the layers they’re wearing! They feel really cohesive and cozy without feeling matchy.

10. WEAR WHAT YOU FEEL comfortable IN

There can be pressure when planning any photoshoot to feel like you “should” wear a certain type of outfit, but I encourage you to let go of those “shoulds.” I also invite parents to release the pressure to have your hair, makeup, or wardrobe look perfectly polished, because first of all perfection is an insurmountable beauty standard our culture places on us. Secondly, after a baby comes home the time you have for self-care and dressing up may feel limited. Time with a newborn can be a complicated, ever-changing body moment for parents, especially for the birthing person, so I recommend choosing outfits that you feel comfortable, natural, and at ease wearing.

Newborn sessions are all about capturing the authentic dynamic between you and your baby, and I promise the love you have for your baby will shine through no matter what you are wearing.