Hey gorgeous mumma! You’ve booked your maternity photo session in at the recommended window during your 3rd trimester, you’ve read through the prep guide that your photographer has provided you, but you are still trying to decide what exactly to wear?!
I’ve listed some of my tried and tested outfit choices down below. Some of these will showcase your beautiful bump without you needing to do anything, others have comfort front of mind! All of them are guaranteed to make you look amazing!
For outfit inspo for dad/partner check out our other post here: Photo session outfits for Dads & Partners
For outfit inspo for your littlies, check out this one: Photo session outfits for kids
#1 – Comfort above ALL else
Nobody likes being uncomfortable! Most mummas in their 3rd trimester already find some discomfort in the day-to-day activities, so there is no need to add to this.
For outdoor shoots, the weather is the main factor since being overly hot and sweaty or freezing cold is no fun for anyone and will leave you wanting to end your shoot early. Your maternity shoot is your time to shine and celebrate the incredible things that your body is doing to bring a new little one into the world! Make sure to keep an eye on the forecast and keep it in mind when choosing your outfit so you can enjoy your session in its entirety. We are fairly lucky here on the west coast, in that we get to enjoy pretty good weather and temperatures all year round!
#2 – Consider if you are having an indoor shoot or outdoor
See if your photographer offers both indoor and outdoor sessions, or specialises in one. If you have not booked your photographer yet, include this on your list of questions to ask if you have a preference. Some photographers, like us will tend to do both.
Some mummas will choose indoor sessions to do the more revealing outfit choices, like split front growns, fabric draping, and semi-nude or nude. If hiring gowns and robes, check if they are permitted for use outdoors, as some with delicate features and materials may only be permitted for indoor use. Indoor sessions are where you can achieve the stunning backlit silhouette images, as your photographer has more control over the lighting and does not need to factor in weather conditions.
If you prefer the idea of being outdoors in one of our many stunning landscapes, it depends on your comfort levels to your outfit choice. Some mummas are comfortable and want to bare their bumps (and some extra skin) in a beautiful outdoor location. With the abundance of locations, your photographer is sure to know a few out of the way spots to give you that semi-private space.
#3 – Check out some inspo pics
There are so many outfit choices when it comes to maternity photo shoot gowns, robes, dresses and bodysuits. This can make it hard to narrow down your options, especially given that you don’t need to follow your everyday clothing style preferences! The best starting point is to look through some inspo pics on pinterest. Usually this will help you decide if you’re leaning towards that gorgeous dramatic gown, would prefer the beautiful bump hugging sundress or want to go with a stunning and sleek bodysuit.
If you’re a jeans and tee mumma who dislikes the flowy dresses and floral crowns, that is definitely fine! Wear your fave jeans; you can then choose to go with belly tucked away or on display, whatever feels most comfortable! There are no set rules when choosing your outfit choices, and you can always change outfits to a dress for some variety in your shoot.
Check with your photographer and see if you have a limit on outfit changes. Mini sessions generally will only allow the one outfit. Longer sessions will usually allow for multiple outfit changes, depending on how long it takes to set the next outfit up. We don’t have a definite limit on outfit changes, so long as there is time left in your session to cater for them.
#4 – Consider your colour choices
A general colour scheme rule for photo sessions is to avoid bold colours. With maternity, bold colours are definitely on the table! With dresses and gowns that come in all types of stunning shades, who can resist that beautiful pop of colour that highlights that gorgeous bump. We still recommend avoiding bright neon colours, as these are usually the shades that reflect unwanted colour onto the skin.
For outdoor sessions we love those pastels, neutrals and softer muted colours for the majority of the photoshoot. These are usually the photos that we see our clients choose the most as it matches their house decor and colour schemes. We also really adore when clients choose a dreamy dark berry or a striking cobalt for their second dress because these make your bump stand out the most from the surroundings. Blacks and dark tones are usually reserved for studio sessions as they downplay your bump when shooting against a non-white background, which is the opposite of what we want to achieve with your maternity session.
#5 – Consider the fabrics of the outfit
Softer fabrics that have a lot of movement are the way to go. Avoid any heavy fabrics as these will be the ones that bunch up weirdly or stick out at odd angles and generally do not photograph well. Clingy, stretchy lightweight fabrics are super popular but the downside of these fabrics is that they cling – to everything. Only photographers that hand edit their individual photos will do some smoothing to the dress in these cases. These will be the photographers that offer smaller amounts of photos rather those that offer 30-50 photos from a single session. Check with your photographer if this is something that they can offer you and if they will charge an additional editing fee to do this for you.
Textured fabrics like lace, chiffon, crepe or gauze will allow a good amount of movement and photograph well. These fabrics will sit well against your curves and make a more flattering silhouette than the lightweight, clingy fabrics.
#6 – Undergarment choices
Underwear choices are super important, and often overlooked! Consider purchasing some maternity shapewear for your photosession, not only do they give your bump some extra support and take the pressure off, but they also smooth out your silhouette and are cut smoother and at less obvious points than regular underwear. This means that your gorgeous figure hugging dresses won’t have that awkward bump of your underwear waist- or legband. If you are opting for regularly cut underwear, ensure that it fits well to avoid you needing to adjust it before every shot.
For bump revealing outfits, like slitted dresses or a crop top combination, nude seamless underwear works best. If you’re planning for a semi-nude session, then opt for lingerie bodysuits, lace detailed underwear, or nude coloured seamless. You should also avoid any tight fitting clothing as this will often leave marks on your skin that may stand out in your semi-nude or nude photos.
#7 – The finishing touches: Hair and makeup
If you have the extra budget to opt for a professional hair & makeup service, then treat yourself to it! Professionals will work with your outfit choices and ensure that your styles fit your shoot aesthetic. Also do not forget about your nails, many of your maternity shots will have at least one hand holding your dress in place or caressing your bump. Bare nails or neutral tones will work the best as these will suit all of your outfit choices.
If you are not able to or do not wish to, then we highly recommend to look at the more relaxed hairstyles as these ones suit everything from stunning dramatic gowns to comfy knits and jeans.
Makeup has the largest variation. We recommend taking your normal everyday makeup and playing up your eyes and lips without going over-the-top bold. For mummas that dislike makeup but would like a little bit for their photo shoot, you could consider a flick of eyeliner and mascara to better define your lash line and allow it stand out in your photos. You could also consider applying a nude (in a slightly darker tone than your natural) coloured matte lip colour.
#8 – To hire or to purchase
You’ve now narrowed your outfit choices down to a few ones that you absolutely love, but are left with the choice of whether you can find a similar gown to hire or if you should find a retailer to buy one. Your first step would be to reach out to your photographer and see if they have a client closet with any styles that are close to your inspo ones. Many photographers with a studio space will either keep popular styles in their closet or will rotate them through.
Dress hire companies
If they do not have your wanted styles, then do some research on the hire companies in your area. We have quite a few in Perth and even more Australia-wide. Some of these bigger companies will post their hire dresses straight to you and then you post them right back after the shoot. One such company we have partnered with is Luxe Bumps Australia, all of our clients receive a massive 15% discount on the hire rate with our booking code.
Dress trade-in schemes
If you cannot find your ideal dress in your photographer’s client closet or in the catalogues of a hire company, then you may consider purchasing the gown for your shoot. Some photographers may offer a dress purchasing scheme where they will purchase your gown if it is something in demand for them. This purchase will usually occur at a discounted rate or in exchange for session or print credit. This scheme saves you the headaches of trying to onsell your dress after your shoot, so it pays to ask if your photographer offers this type of service.
For our dress trade-in scheme, you simply fill in an application and include the link of the website, or details of purchase. We will then assess the dress and if the dress is something that we would love to include in our client wardrobe, we will approve your application and give you the option of a session credit for 60% of the dress purchase price or a print credit for 70%.
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