What To Wear For Your Lifestyle Newborn Session - Boise Idaho Lifestyle Newborn Photography
SO WHAT TO WEAR?
It's a little intimidating, and usually 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. However, if you've chosen to hire me to come in and capture this new story and life unfolding, you also probably care about having images you love. AND you want to look good in them. No shame there!
Side note: You will NEVER regret having a newborn session, especially when he or she is graduating high school and you’re crying in your bed flippin through the album and seeing those tiny fingers and toes. 😭
ANYWAY...
Here are some tips that will narrow down your options and make you feel confident in your wardrobe choices.
COLORS: NEUTRALS USUALLY WINS
Beige, cream, white, cool grays, black, or brown are all great options to keep the focus on baby. Soft and/or muted tones are also great ways to add a splash of color. If you had a baby girl, a soft pink isn’t a bad idea! But cream is always going to win out in every home and situation. If you can wear cream, do it.
Stay away from bold and bright tones like apple red and bright orange, as they just do not work well indoors. Light will reflect those colors onto the skin when everyone is cuddled close. If you can’t live without bright colors, add them in as accessories!
WHAT ABOUT BABY?
There are few times in life when it's acceptable wear nothing, and this is one of them. 😉
Photographing baby in his/her birthday suit is great, mainly because a majority of clothes just swallow a baby that young. I’ll wrap baby up in swaddle blankets that I bring along for some images, and clothes just get in the way. (Although one great benefit to lifestyle newborn photography is that baby gets to wear a diaper the WHOLE time, saving your pretty white bedspread from nasty yellow poop.)
I bring along with me a huge assortment of delicate headbands for baby if you’re having a girl, and a pile of swaddle wraps to wrap baby up in for some images. If you have neutral or special blankets or swaddles you’d like to include, we can use those in a few images too!
If you want to try clothes as well, opt for simple and/or sentimental. And tight fitting! Sweet vintage rompers or special little dresses that mean something to the family are great to include in a few shots. Just keep in mind that the clothing will look best if it fits really well and keeps the focus on baby. If the clothing is too big it will bunch around his/her face, and just look awkward instead of cute in photographs. Avoid logos and graphic onesies.
YOUR HOME IS THE BACKGROUND
Take a look at your walls, the colors you use, the style of your decor when planning out your outfits. You'll want your wardrobe to compliment that style.
For example: baby girl in her purple and cream nursery is going to look terrible if you wear a red dress. Think about where you’ll be in your home and where you want to display the images… this is why neutral tones usually are best!
DON’T FORGET THE MOVEMENT TEST
In your session, you'll be sitting, laying, and standing. I know that's easier said than done if you've just had a baby! Flowing fabric, soft linens, and cozy knits look so just great in a cozy home session. When choosing your outfit (this mostly goes for mom) do few checks first:
The standing test: do I feel good just being me in this outfit without having to make adjustments with every move?
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?
OTHER TIPS
Patterns can be okay when kept to a minimum. Mom in a soft floral maxi dress or silky robe, complimented by the rest of the family in neutral solids would totally work. But baby in a floral onesie, mom in stripes, and dad in chevron will not work!
That's an extreme example, but you get what I’m saying. Keep it simple!
Make sure all shirts are free of logos or writing.
Wrinkles do show up in photos, so be aware of that in advance.
If your other children are joining us for the session, it definitely takes some advanced planning! Just stick to nuetral basics. Jeans, leggings, white or cream or black or gray tops.
PLAN AHEAD
My number one tip is to plan ahead! Get the outfits planned out before baby even gets here. Maybe iron or steam them then and set them aside so you don’t have to even think about it until the day of. Preparation will help you manage any stress or worry and help your images be amazing and comfortable!
I’M HERE TO HELP
I’m 100% used to assisting all of my clients with their outfits! If you have any concerns or questions, text me a picture of your outfit and I can help!