What to Wear for Newborn Photos: A Guide for Chicago Suburbs Families
One of the most common questions I hear before a newborn session is:
“What should we wear for newborn photos?”
The good news is that choosing outfits doesn’t need to be complicated.
For newborn photography, I recommend clothing that feels simple, timeless, comfortable, and true to your family. Your outfits should complement your new baby rather than compete for attention.
At my Elgin newborn studio, I photograph families using a soft, neutral setting, along with black and warm caramel backdrops for some parent and baby portraits. Because we can create several different looks during your session, you aren’t limited to wearing only cream or beige.
Here’s how I recommend planning what your family will wear.
Choose Your Newborn Photo Outfits With the Backdrop in Mind
The first thing to consider is the style of portraits we’re creating.
For my lighter family setup, soft neutrals photograph beautifully. Think:
- Cream
- Ivory
- Oatmeal
- Beige
- Soft gray
- Muted blue
- Light denim
- Subtle earth tones
The goal isn’t to have everyone wearing the exact same color. Instead, choose a small palette of colors that naturally work together.
This family is a perfect example. Mom’s textured neutral dress works beautifully with Dad’s cream sweater, while their little one’s denim adds just enough contrast. Everything coordinates without looking overly matched.
For portraits on my black backdrop, darker clothing can be beautiful. Black-on-black creates a dramatic, timeless portrait where your faces, hands, connection, and new baby become the focus.
My warm caramel backdrop gives us another option. It creates a rich, classic look that works beautifully with both neutral and deeper clothing choices.
You don’t need to decide exactly what will work with every setup on your own. I’m happy to help you choose clothing that will photograph beautifully with the different looks we’ll create during your newborn session.
What Should Mom Wear for Newborn Photos?
This is usually the outfit I recommend choosing first.
Once Mom has something she feels comfortable and beautiful in, it’s much easier to coordinate everyone else around her.
And please don’t feel like you need to fit back into your pre-pregnancy clothing for your newborn photos.
You just had a baby.
Choose something comfortable that makes you feel good right now.
Flowy dresses, relaxed sweaters, longer sleeves, soft knits, and simple blouses can all photograph beautifully.
Some of my favorite choices include:
- Midi or maxi dresses
- Soft knit dresses
- Cream or neutral sweaters
- Simple blouses
- Linen or gauze fabrics
- Subtle texture
- Solid black for darker portraits
Texture is especially beautiful in newborn photography because it adds visual interest without distracting from your baby.
Think ribbed fabrics, knits, linen, gauze, subtle lace, or delicate embroidery.
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Most importantly, don’t choose something you’ll spend the entire session adjusting. Comfort matters. When you feel comfortable, it’s much easier to relax, hold your baby, and focus on your family.
What Should Dad Wear for Newborn Photos?
Keep Dad’s outfit simple.
For the lighter family setup, a solid sweater, henley, polo, button-down, or well-fitting T-shirt can all work beautifully.
Good colors include cream, beige, gray, navy, muted blue, olive, and other understated tones.
If Mom’s outfit has texture or a subtle pattern, Dad usually looks best in something solid.
For the darker portraits, a simple black shirt or sweater is an excellent option.
This is exactly why I don’t have a blanket rule against dark clothing. Depending on the backdrop and type of portrait we’re creating, it can be incredibly flattering.
I do recommend avoiding large logos, graphics, writing, and extremely busy patterns. We want the first thing you notice in your photographs to be your family not someone’s shirt.
What Should Baby Wear for Newborn Photos?
This is the easiest outfit to plan because you don’t need to bring anything for baby to wear.
I provide a carefully selected collection of newborn onesies, wraps, and blankets for your session, chosen specifically because they photograph beautifully with my studio setups.
We’ll keep baby’s styling simple and timeless so the focus stays on all those tiny details you’ll want to remember their little fingers and toes, wispy newborn hair, sleepy expressions, and just how incredibly small they were.
Depending on the portraits we’re creating, your baby may be wrapped, dressed in one of my studio onesies, or photographed simply to keep the attention on them.
One less thing to shop for, coordinate, or pack in the diaper bag.
What Should Siblings Wear for Newborn Photos?
When older siblings are included in newborn photos, I recommend the same approach:
Coordinate without matching.
For girls, soft dresses, sweaters, cardigans, and simple tops photograph beautifully. I also provide simple wraps for younger girls, which create a soft, timeless look and coordinate beautifully with baby.
For boys, henleys, sweaters, polos, simple button-downs, and solid T-shirts are all great options. Denim can add just enough contrast to a neutral family wardrobe without becoming distracting.
For younger brothers, we can also skip the shirt altogether. Bare-chested sibling portraits with a new baby are simple, sweet, and timeless, especially for those close-up snuggling images.
Most importantly, don’t stress about creating the perfect sibling outfit. I’ll help you decide what works best with your family’s clothing and the setups we’re using.
And above everything else, choose something your child will actually wear comfortably.
I’d much rather photograph a happy toddler in a simple outfit than a miserable toddler in the “perfect” outfit.
Don't Be Afraid of Black for Newborn Photos
That’s not necessarily true in my studio.
Black can be absolutely beautiful.
Against my black backdrop, dark clothing creates a very different look from my light neutral setup.
The clothing almost disappears, allowing your baby’s skin, your faces, your hands, and the connection between you to become the focus.
It’s simple, dramatic, and timeless.
So while you’ll see plenty of creams and neutrals throughout my newborn portfolio, you don’t have to dress your entire family in beige.
We’ll choose clothing based on the type of portraits we’re creating.
Add Texture Instead of Busy Patterns
If you’re worried that solid colors will look boring, texture is the answer.
Consider fabrics like:
- Chunky knits
- Linen
- Gauze
- Ribbed knits
- Cable-knit sweaters
- Subtle lace
- Delicate embroidery
Texture gives photographs dimension without pulling attention away from your family.
This is particularly effective when everyone is wearing a similar neutral palette. Different textures keep the outfits from looking flat or overly coordinated.
What Should You Avoid Wearing for Newborn Photos?
There aren’t many hard rules, but I generally recommend avoiding:
- Neon or extremely bright colors
- Large logos
- Graphic T-shirts
- Distracting text
- Very busy patterns
- Everyone wearing the exact same outfit
- Clothing that wrinkles extremely easily
- Anything uncomfortable or overly restrictive
And don’t automatically assume you need to avoid dark colors.
Your wardrobe should work with the backdrop and style of portrait, which is why I’ll help guide you before your session.
Should Everyone Wear White for Newborn Photos?
No.
In fact, I’d rather have you coordinate than match.
If everyone wears exactly the same shade of white or cream, you can lose some of the visual separation between family members.
Instead, mix complementary shades and textures.
For example:
Mom: oatmeal knit dress
Dad: cream sweater
Sibling: ivory top + denim
Baby: soft white wrap
Lay Everything Out Before Your Newborn Session
Here’s one of the easiest tricks I give families.
A few days before your session, lay everyone’s outfits together on your bed or floor.
Then take a quick phone picture.
Look at the photograph rather than the individual outfits.
Does one piece immediately grab your attention?
If so, that might be the piece to reconsider.
When everything works together, your eye should naturally move across the clothing rather than stopping at one bright color or bold pattern.
And if you’re still unsure, send me a photo. I’m happy to help.
Your Newborn Photos Should Still Look Beautiful Years From Now
Trends come and go.
Your newborn photographs shouldn’t feel dated a few years after you take them.
That’s one reason I love using simple clothing, beautiful textures, neutral tones, and classic black.
Years from now, you probably won’t look at these photographs and think about what sweater you chose.
You’ll notice how your baby’s entire body fit against your chest.
You’ll see those tiny fingers wrapped around yours.
You’ll remember your toddler proudly holding their new sibling.
And you’ll wonder how your baby was ever that small.
That’s what I want your newborn photographs to preserve.
Looking for a Newborn Photographer in the Chicago Suburbs?
My newborn photography sessions take place at my Elgin, Illinois studio and are designed to be relaxed, comfortable, and baby led.
There’s time for feeding, soothing, changing, and snuggling. I’ll guide you through the entire session, including posing and preparing for your photographs, so you don’t need to arrive knowing exactly what to do.
And yes, I’ll help with wardrobe, too.
If you’re expecting, you may also want to read my When Should You Book Newborn Photos? A Guide for Chicago Suburbs Parents.
If you’re looking for a newborn photographer in Elgin or the Chicago suburbs, I’d love to help you create photographs that preserve just how little your baby was.