Wardrobe Advice from a Denver Newborn Lifestyle Photographer
Deciding what to wear for photos can be overwhelming, especially if you’ve never had photos taken in your own home before. Here’s what I recommend for my clients as they begin to coordinate outfits for an in-home newborn session.
First, decide on a vibe. There are three general options:
Option 1: Dressy / Elevated
For this vibe, Mama might wear a maxi dress and Dad might wear nicer pants with a Henley. Baby might be swaddled or in a high quality outfit. If you’re home leans toward a luxury/upscale or traditional aesthetic, this option may fit your home and family best.
Option 2: Casual / Modern
For this option, Mom might wear an outfit that is a little bit more “everyday” – like overalls or a jumpsuit or even leggings and an oversized sweater. Dad might wear a Henley or nice tee and baby might be in a trendy outfit, or casually layered in blankets for some photos. This style works well in pretty much any home and can feel a bit more natural for those who don’t love to dress up. My favorite one shop with casual, modern options for almost everyone in the family is Rylee and Cru.
Option 3: Lounge
A vibe I’m seeing more and more of at my in-home newborn shoots is relaxed/lounge vibe. This might mean a matching lounge set for mom (helloooo comfort), nice joggers and a tee for dad, and a causal outfit on baby. This option brings a truer “documentary” feel to your session and can feel most authentic in photos because the wardrobe is reflective of real life during the newborn phase.
Next, think about color coordination.
In general, shoot for neutral colors. Neutral does not necessarily mean white or beige. Neutral colors can be a softer, more muted tone of any color.
Neutral colors are recommended by many photographers because they don’t draw the eye away from the subject of the photo and don’t cast colors onto the skin. For my photos in particular, they also work very well with my editing style, ensuring that I can edit your photos similar to the style of edit that you see throughout my portfolio.
If you have a color in your decor, take that into consideration and try to choose colors that will coordinate well with the existing colors in your home. When in doubt, creams, browns, and earth tones never fail). If your home is pretty neutral, you have more freedom to incorporate more colors into your wardrobe selection.
Here are examples of neutral colors. What colors do you think might work best in your home?
Last, consider textures, layers, and comfort.
Utilizing rich textures can elevate a photo. Weaved textures, knits, and waffle material are all popular lately and add dimension and a cozy feel to your photos. It’s helpful to add various layers so that we can add and remove textures as we go. For example, a waffle textured outfit on baby along with a pointelle blanket, or a knit sweater on mom or dad can all help the photo feel rich and cozy.
If you’re unsure what to do for this – just look at your outfits as a whole, and if everything seems to be basic cotton or single layer fabric with no texture, add a knit blanket, a cozy cardigan, etc.
Of course, if you’re feeling unsure, your photographer can always help you plan outfits for your shoot. Most photographers love collaborating on wardrobe selections – so don’t hesitate to reach out to them for assistance.
To see examples of my work or book your newborn session, click here.
