What to Wear to Your Maternity Shoot

Maternity shoots have become a very popular trend and with good reason. Mamas–to-be get to show off their bump while posing in beautiful locations, with or without their significant others and looking as radiant as ever with the pregnancy glow. A maternity shoot is a wonderful keepsake that you will cherish forever, a way to document the moment’s happiness and your growing baby bump. 

So, what to wear to your maternity shoot? 

1. Consider your audience.Who will be seeing the pictures? Will you want to frame them? Post them on Instagram? These are all important things to consider when deciding what to wear for your maternity shoot. I’m a big believer of keeping the look simple – true to your every day style and avoiding trendy items that will make the pictures look dated later on. The best pictures will reflect your personal style and you should feel comfortable in what you’re wearing so that same comfort can translate in front of the lens.

2. Keep accessories to a minimum. The best accessory is your bump so keep the jewelry, bags, hats and other accessories to a bare minimum. If you want to wear some jewelry I would suggest choosing pieces that have a special meaning to you – your wedding ring, a pendant your Mom gave you, etc. This Anita Ko ring is a great example of some perfectly simple but yet striking.

3. Think of the weather/season.You want your outfit to be appropriate for the time of year and weather conditions. If your maternity shoot is scheduled for the fall, then a light jacket (i.e. a trench coat ) would be perfect on top of a pretty cami or tank that highlights your bump.

4. Scout the right location.Your photographer may help you with this but if there’s a location you love or has a special meaning to you then request to meet there and shoot at least some of the images in that location. What you wear will also depend on where you’ll be shooting. For example, a shoot at the beach should call for a very breezy, casual look versus a city shoot that would call for a more polished, urban style.

5. Natural beauty wins.Let your glowing skin and shiny hair (thanks to those pregnancy hormones!) take the lead and be the stars. Keep the makeup to a minimum, opting for a natural color palette and rosy cheeks. Try Tata Harper’s tint on your cheeks and lips for a natural, dewy glow or Chantecaille tinted moisturizer—it keeps skin moisturized and highlighted. The hair should also be kept simple – stay away from those prom hair up-dos! These are not prom pictures and the main focus should be your natural, pregnancy beauty.

Photography by Rylee Hitchner for Irrelephant Blog.