You look in your closet and you think what on earth am I going to wear for this? Nothing fits! Nothing looks good! HELP!

Mommas… I get it. I’ve been there, I know that the first weeks after the baby’s birth is not really the best time for fashion. But I promise you, it’s not as painful as it sounds.

I literally get asked this question every single time a family books a session so I figured I would create a quick guide to making sure you feel comfortable and confident in what you bring to your session.

TIP No. 1 – NEUTRALS (dark or light)

While I always encourage clients to pick clothing that they feel comfortable in, communicates the style they have and compliments their home. – I do always suggest starting from a neutral palate. Newborns should be the star of the show when it comes to the session, so dressing in bright colors or busy patterns often is distracting. Neutrals do not have to mean a plain white T-shirt. I consider neutrals as a palate of likeness (gray, navy, tan, white, ivory, soft blue, soft pink, etc.) The most important part is that the colors compliment one another and there are three-four colors (if including denim) MAX. Men can sometimes have a hard time finding shirts without patterns, in which case a solid sweater overtop is a nice compliment to break it up. Black has always been one of my favorites as well, as it is flattering and is not distracting. Wearing black really helps baby stand out is simple and timeless.

TIP No. 2 – FLOW AND TEXTURE

Fabric that moves or has texture is always a beautiful choice. Women who have just delivered a baby do not feel like their most beautiful versions of themselves (although they should). Fabric that moves and flows is a flattering option, especially when choosing ivories and whites for your color choice. Textures are also wonderful as they add visual appeal but don’t distract the viewer. It is a great way to add interest.

I also love the look of a dress on a woman after childbirth. I don’t suggest wearing a maternity dress that is tight around the waist. Instead, pick a dress with movement. Think maternal, classic and beautiful flow.

TIP No. 3 – FOR THE MEN. KEEP IT SIMPLE. I MEAN REALLY SIMPLE

Long or short sleeve knits are the best options. If you dont have anything that is knit just a simple neutral colored tee-shirt with jeans will work. Remember we are going all about the baby here. We want your love to radiate through these portraits, so simplicity is key. We definitely don’t want a striped collard shirt or flowered dress to distract from the baby.

TIP No. 4 – SKIN TO SKIN

I am a HUGE fan of skin to skin portraits with you snuggling baby against you. They are so simple and timeless and so moving. For me, the less clothing the better because it just makes for a more striking and loving image. So if you would like the look of a skin to skin portrait please consider wearing a tube top dress or a dress with “straps” so we can just pull the straps down under your arms. You will see in the examples below how the images with less bulky clothing look more visually striking and loving. DADS! Please don’t feel weird or uncomfortable taking your shirt off. These are some of the most beautiful portraits we can create when your brand new little one is skin to skin snuggling, and trust me…. mom will LOVE it.

TIP No. 5 – MOM AND DAD SHOULD TRY TO MATCH

I don’t normally suggest matching in portraits, but newborn sessions are the exception. If mom goes with light colors, dad should go with light colors also. If dad wants to wear dark gray (or black) it would be best to have the mom in the same dark tones. This helps keep unity throughout the family pictures and keeps focus on the new love for the precious baby you are holding in your arms.

TIP NO 6 – WHAT SHOULD  SIBLINGS WEAR?

For the most part, the idea is the same. Neutrals are best, match mom and dad but it doesn’t have to be perfect, and for the little boys, shirts off can be super cute. For young girls, I will often take one of my newborn wraps and tie or pin around her torso to look like a tube top. This way she and baby can match.

When a sibling is holding baby, the baby will often stay wrapped, especially if the sibling is in the 2-4 year range (toddlers are wiggly!) My wraps are all different colors, so don’t worry about trying to match what I have… chances are I’ll have a wrap to match whatever big brother or sister is wearing.

TIP No. 7 – ASK FOR HELP

If you still have questions on putting a look together for your family, please feel free to reach out to me. I am more than happy to help. The goal is for you to be comfortable, confident and looking fab for these portraits. As they will be some of the most important portraits you will ever have.

TIP No. 8 – SEND ME WHAT YOU HAVE!

I LOVE to part of the creation process from start to finish! PLEASE send me a quick snapshot of what you have in to wear so I can the entire session to coordinate! I love being able to have gallery full of images that flow beautifully. Plus, I’m a bit of a perfectionist, so know ahead of time what you will be wearing will help a ton! ; )

xoxo – Corinna

Here are just a few examples of what families in the past have worn so you can get a visual.