What to Wear for Boston Newborn Photos (For Parents & Baby)
You grew a baby for nine long months, checking a million things off your to-do list. The pediatrician was secured, the hospital paperwork completed…and you even hired a photographer for Boston Newborn photos! Now you’re home from the hospital staring at your wardrobe and you can’t even begin to process what you should all wear for your photoshoot.
As a veteran Boston newborn photographer, this is one of the most common hang-ups my clients have when planning for their photoshoots. The good news is that it doesn’t have to be complicated and coordinating outfits for an in-home newborn session is much easier than for an outdoor family one!
Keep Newborn Outfits Simple + Comfortable
Your baby is the star of this photoshoot and when it comes to their outfit choice, less is ALWAYS more. Stick to neutrals and soft colors or nothing but a diaper (my favorite choice) so that the focus remains on their adorable tiny features. Soft, simple onesies, knit rompers, or solely a linen swaddle photograph beautifully. Keep their tiny toes bare and avoid bright colors and bold patterns. If it’s Winter and a bit drafty in your home, a onesie with a wrap loosely tucked around your baby is a beautiful choice. Most parents have an abundance of linen wraps and a simple outfit right in their newborn’s closet already….no need to purchase anything new!
What Should Boston Parents wear for their newborn session?
The whole point of doing a relaxed in-home Boston newborn photos versus more formal studio photos is to feel comfortable and natural. This feeling starts with choosing outfits! We want the adults to be in clothing that they feel comfortable in, can move around in, and that makes sense for snuggling their baby in. This is not the time for tight dresses or starched button downs. For in-home sessions, embrace flowy dresses, soft sweaters, leggings, joggers, simple tees, pajamas, linen pants, or jeans. Skip the shoes (they look weird indoors!) and go for bare feet. Don’t like bare feet? Consider cute patterned socks or slippers. For colors indoors, you want to stick to soft colors and neutrals: tans, beige, blush, light blues, warm greys, soft whites, and earth tones.
Coordinate Without Matching
Matching outfits scream “early 2000s” and that’s not the look most people want for their newborn session. Instead, you want to coordinate. What this essentially means is choosing 2-3 complementary colors and textures and mix and match them throughout your family members. The great news is that all of the colors I listed in the above paragraph are complementary with one another. Let’s say you chose tan, cream, and sage as your three colors. You would then mix and match these like so:
Mom in tan wide leg linen pants with a cream knit sweater
Dad wears sage joggers with a tan tee shirt
Baby wears a diaper and a sage and tan printed linen wrap OR a sage knit onesie
This focus on comfort and soft colors will result in images that feel elevated yet comfortable at the same time.
When In Doubt, Ask Your Photographer!
If this still feels overwhelming to coordinate, please don’t hesitate to reach out to your photographer! This is one of the reasons why you hire a professional…to help you put your best foot forward. I have been a Boston newborn photographer for 11 years now and coordinating your family’s outfits is second nature. There’s nothing I want more than to help you look and feel your best so that you look back fondly on your baby’s photos for years and years to come.
At the end of the day, the most important thing for your Boston newborn photos is that you feel comfortable, relaxed, and present with your baby. Those quiet, in-between moments are what make newborn images truly meaningful — and no outfit choice matters more than that.
