Choosing everyone’s outfits can be a little intimidating, and in most cases, far down the list of concerns when you’ve recently brought a new life into the world and are living off sporadic sleep and frozen dinners.
But if you’ve chosen to hire a newborn photographer to come into your home in this intimate season, chances are you care about having images you love and want to look good in them. No shame there.
Here’s a few tips that will hopefully help narrow down your options and make you feel confident in your wardrobe choices.
Colors:
- Beige, cream, white, cool grays, black, or brown are all great options to keep the focus on baby. Don’t feel confined to neutrals, though -mixing colors in the same general pallete of cool or warm tones often looks great, too.
- If you want to add patterns, stick to 1-2 family members in something more intricate and keep everyone else in solids and textures.
- You don’t have to worry about “matching;” instead, shoot for coordinating. You’ll look more natural and less forced.
- Bare feet are best! No one wears dress shoes when they’re piling on the bed for a cuddle 🙂
Stay away from…
- Super bold and bright tones like apple red, bright orange, and hot pink as they are just too harsh for the setting. If those colors are part of your personal style, add them in as accessories!
- matching outfits
- logos and bold stripes
What about baby?
There are few times in life when it’s acceptable to tool around in the buff, and this is one of them.
Given the fact that lifestyle photography doesn’t involve artful covering of certain areas with little burrito poses, I do suggest having a neutral or solid swaddle and/or a neutral diaper cover/cloth diaper on hand. The diaper cover or cloth diaper just ensures that in unswaddled shots, we don’t have Elmo or the Pampers logo or a blue stripe that screams “I just peed” staring back at you in your images.
If you want to try clothes as well, opt for simple. Clothing will look best if it fits well; if the clothing is too big it will bunch around his/her face, and just look awkward instead of cute in photos.
The movement test
In your session, you’ll be sitting, lying, and standing. I’ll be shooting from high angles, close up, and far away. Make sure you wear something you are comfortable in. I know that’s easier said than done if you’ve just had a baby, but honestly, flowing fabrics, soft linens, and cozy knits look so beautiful in a home session.
When choosing your outfit (this mostly goes for mom) do few checks first:
- The sitting test: does this look okay when I’m sitting down?
- The bending test: if I bend over– like picking baby up from his crib or leaning over the kids on the floor, am I still covered to a point where I feel comfortable?
- The standing test: do I feel good just being me in this outfit without having to make adjustments with every move?
It’s a tall order to find that perfect outfit ensemble for the whole crew, and it definitely takes some advanced planning — (I did not do this and then after our daughter was born and there was no way I was going shopping, I was like…. ooooh crap I have nothing to wear… and ended up really not loving my outfit in photos.)
Follow these tips and you’ll be set for classic images that flatter everyone and keep love as the focus of it all.
If you’re expecting or a new mama, make sure to grab the free Newborn and Motherhood Resource Guide with tons of recommendations, links, and advice from our Firefly tribe.
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