Wondering what to wear for newborn photos?
It’s one of the most common questions I hear before a newborn session—and I understand why it can feel overwhelming.
You may be preparing for a new baby, recovering from delivery, figuring out what still fits, dressing siblings, and now someone is telling you that everyone needs to look coordinated for photographs.
The good news? You do not need to buy an entirely new wardrobe or make everyone match.
After more than 15 years of photographing newborns and their families, I’ve learned that the best clothing choices are usually the simplest ones.
The goal isn’t for your outfits to be the first thing you notice.
The goal is to notice your family.
You can see how these choices come together in my Newborn Photography Portfolio.
What to Wear for Newborn Photos: Start With Your Color Palette
I generally recommend starting with soft, muted colors.
Some of my favorites include:
- Cream and ivory
- Beige and taupe
- Soft gray
- Sage and olive green
- Dusty blue
- Muted pink
- Warm brown
- Soft lavender
- Rust and terracotta
That doesn’t mean everyone needs to wear beige. In fact, I love color!
What matters more is choosing colors that work together without competing for attention.
If you love rich earthy colors, we can absolutely incorporate them. If your home and personal style are light and airy, creams and soft pastels may make more sense.
Your photographs should still feel like you.
Coordinate Your Family—Don’t Match
We’ve come a long way from everyone showing up in matching white shirts and blue jeans. 😉
Families don’t need identical white shirts and jeans to look coordinated in portraits. Instead, choose a soft color palette and let each person wear a different shade or tone within it. Creams, warm neutrals, muted earth tones, and soft colors blend beautifully without looking overly matched.
For example, a sibling dressed in cream pairs beautifully with a baby wrapped in warm terracotta. The colors are different, but their soft, earthy tones create a cohesive look while still allowing each person to stand out.
For example:
Mom: cream dress
Dad: taupe or soft brown shirt
Sibling: muted sage
Baby: ivory or cream
Another family might choose:
Mom: dusty rose
Dad: charcoal
Sibling: cream
Baby: soft gray
Everyone belongs in the same photograph without looking like they were issued a family uniform.
What Should Mom Wear for Newborn Photos?
First and foremost: wear something you feel comfortable in.
Newborn sessions happen very shortly after you’ve had a baby. This is not the time when I want a new mom worrying about whether her body looks exactly like it did before pregnancy.
It doesn’t. You just grew a human. ❤️
Soft, flowing fabrics are especially beautiful for newborn portraits because they add movement and texture without distracting from the baby. Neutral shades like cream, ivory, beige, and soft earth tones also keep the finished portraits timeless. Most importantly, choose something that feels comfortable and flattering during those early postpartum weeks.
If dresses aren’t your thing, that’s okay too. A soft sweater or simple neutral top can photograph beautifully.
I’d generally avoid very large patterns, prominent logos, neon colors, or anything that you know you’ll spend the entire session adjusting.
The most important thing is that you feel comfortable enough to focus on your baby rather than your clothes.
What Should Dad Wear?
Dad is usually pretty easy. 😉
A simple solid shirt, henley, sweater, or button-down works beautifully.
Cream, gray, taupe, brown, muted blue, olive and other understated colors tend to coordinate well without drawing attention away from baby.
I’d avoid large logos, athletic clothing, bold graphics, and very busy patterns.
Dad doesn’t need to match Mom. He just needs to look like he belongs beside her.
What Should Siblings Wear?
For siblings, I follow the same basic philosophy: simple and comfortable.
Soft dresses, knit rompers, solid shirts, suspenders, textured clothing and bare feet can all photograph beautifully.
But there’s another consideration with little siblings:
If they’re uncomfortable, we’re all going to know about it. 😂
A beautiful outfit isn’t worth much if a three-year-old hates wearing it.
Choose something that photographs well but still allows your child to move, sit, snuggle and be themselves.
And I generally recommend limiting patterns. If one family member is wearing a subtle print, keep everyone else’s clothing relatively simple so the photograph doesn’t become visually busy.
Texture Is Your Friend
One of my favorite ways to add visual interest without distracting from baby is texture.
Think:
- Knit
- Linen
- Lace
- Chiffon
- Ribbed fabrics
- Soft cotton
- Subtle embroidery
Texture catches light beautifully and adds dimension while still allowing the photograph to feel timeless.
But texture and pattern aren’t the same thing.
A cream knit sweater can add beautiful texture without competing for attention. A shirt covered in giant tropical flowers is probably going to have a little more to say. 😂
What Should Baby Wear?
Here’s the easiest answer of all:
You generally don’t need to bring anything for baby to wear.
I’ve accumulated more than 15 years’ worth of wraps, fabrics, layers, accessories and tiny outfits specifically for newborn photography.
And when I say tiny outfits, I mean tiny.
Regular 0–3 month clothing often swallows a brand-new baby. Many of the outfits in my studio collection are made specifically for newborn photography, so they’re designed to fit those little bodies properly.
I also have wraps and posing fabrics in practically every color, which means I can coordinate baby’s styling with the colors you’ve chosen for the rest of the family.
You can learn more about what I provide and what to expect on my Newborn Photography Experience page.
That’s one less thing you need to worry about.
Save this color guide for later! You don’t need to use every color in a palette. Choose three or four that work well with clothing you already own, then use different shades and textures to create variety.
Can I Bring Something Special for Baby?
Absolutely.
If you have an heirloom blanket, meaningful item, special outfit, or something else you’d love incorporated into your newborn photographs, bring it.
I’ll take a look and help determine the best way to use it.
One thing I’ve learned over the years is that not everything photographs the way people expect it to.
Scale matters with newborns because they’re so tiny. Some fabrics photograph beautifully while others can appear bulky. Knit and crochet, for example, can look very different once they’re wrapped around or placed beneath a tiny baby.
So bring the meaningful item. If it works beautifully as-is, wonderful. If not, we’ll find another way to incorporate it.
Should I Choose My Clothes Based on My Home?
This is something families don’t always think about.
If you’re planning to display your newborn portraits as wall art, consider the colors already in your home.
If your home is filled with warm woods, creams and earthy colors, photographs styled with those tones will probably look beautiful on your walls.
If your home is light and neutral, you may prefer softer styling.
You don’t have to design your wardrobe around your couch. 😂 But if you already know you want a large family portrait hanging above it, thinking about the finished artwork can help guide your choices.
What Should We Avoid Wearing for Newborn Photos?
There aren’t many absolute rules, but I generally recommend avoiding:
- Neon or extremely bright colors
- Large logos or words
- Very busy patterns
- Multiple people wearing different prints
- Clothing that is uncomfortable or constantly needs adjusting
- Exact matching outfits for the whole family
And here’s an underrated one:
Make sure you’re happy with everyone’s socks. 😂
Depending on the poses we use, feet may show. Bare feet often photograph beautifully, but nothing ruins a carefully coordinated neutral wardrobe quite like an unexpected pair of neon superhero socks making their grand entrance.
Don’t Stress About Getting It Perfect
This may be the most important wardrobe advice I can give you.
Your baby isn’t going to look at these photographs 20 years from now and say:
“Mom, I really wish Dad had worn a slightly warmer shade of taupe.”
They’re going to see how tiny they were in your arms.
You’ll see the way your older child looked at their new sibling.
You’ll notice those tiny fingers, sleepy expressions and the way your entire newborn fit against your chest.
Good wardrobe choices help create a beautiful, cohesive photograph.
But your family is what makes it meaningful.
Need Help Choosing What to Wear?
Please ask me!
If you’ve booked a newborn session with me and you’re deciding between outfits, you’re welcome to send me photographs of what you’re considering. I’m happy to help you coordinate colors and decide what will work best with the styling we’ll use for baby.
My studio is located in Princeton, Indiana, and I photograph newborns and families from Evansville, Vincennes, Washington, Southern Illinois and surrounding communities.
You bring your family.
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