Connect with me on social media:

top posts:

get the freebie!

learn more

A luxury maternity and newborn photographer, business coach, and educator. I have a heart for helping busy moms save oodles of time so they can spend more of it with their families. As a homeschool mom and business owner, I understand how precious your time is. My goal is to help you build the business, and life, of your dreams.

I'm brenna

How to Start Your Client Closet →

How to Plan Your Family Photo Outfits →

Gift Ideas for Clients →

How to Market Your Mini Sessions →

How To Start a Photography Business From Scratch →

My Favorite Dresses for Maternity Sessions

When it comes to buying dresses for maternity sessions, whether you’re a photographer or client, there are few things to keep in mind. The ideal timeframe for maternity photos is around 28 weeks. This is when you’ve just started your 3rd trimester. Your belly isn’t too big yet but you have just enough of a bump to look and feel great!

Also see my popular blog post about buying dresses for your photography business’s Client Closet!

Three things to remember when buying maternity session dresses

1. Fit

I prefer to buy non-maternity dresses and size up. For example, if your pre-pregnancy size is a small, size medium should fit perfectly while you’re expecting. When check the fit, you’ll want to make sure your dress  isn’t too tight in the torso area. Not only around your baby belly, but also across your back. And make sure you’re wearing the right undergarments for your dress so we don’t see bra lines or straps.

2. Flatter

Every women, no matter her shape or size, has an area of her body of which she’s self conscious. It’s best to choose a dress that helps to conceal that area so you’re not worrying about it during your portrait session. In my experience, most expecting moms would rather cover their arms. Long sleeve or off-the-shoulder dresses are perfect for that!

3. Fun

Have fun when selecting your maternity session dresses! Show off your personality, sense of fashion, and think outside the box. Maybe you hunt for a one-of-a-kind gown and something really unique. Or you could choose a dress from your favorite designer. Remember, if it’s not a maternity dress just size up.

Favorite Dresses for Maternity Sessions

Baltic Born Lydia Wrap Dress

This non-maternity dress is so classy, bump-friendly, and comfortable! The stretchy waist and wrap tie ensures a more custom fit if you’re in between sizes. My favorite feature of this dress is the sheer, chiffon puff sleeves with the cuff and gold buttons. Let me say this again… it’s so classy! You can get 15% off your Baltic Born purchase with this referral link!

Reclamation Design Company Ruffle Me Dress

If you’re looking for a “WOW” dress, look no further than Reclamation Design Company. These gowns are one of a kind and made with vintage fabrics and/or high quality materials. All dresses are made by hand in Canada and ship worldwide. They are pricey (but worth it!). If you can’t afford to purchase a dress, they also offer rentals. Some of my favorites are the Wonderment and Awe Gown, Forever Glimmer Dress, and Ruffle Me Right Up. One dress usually fits multiple sizes, which I love! The Ruffle Me dress that I have in my Client Closet, for example, fits sizes Small to Extra Large with ease.

Morning Lavender Kelsey Long Sleeve Maxi Dress

This dress makes me swoon! I love it so much that I even wore it for my personal family photos in April 2022. The Kelsey dress from Morning Lavender is so feminine, soft, and flattering. It has a plunging neckline so it’s best with no bra or a white lacy camisole underneath. The chest area is not stretchy at all, so if you have larger breasts, definitely size up. Bonus: Save 10% on your Morning Lavender purchase with promo bode BRENNA or use this link. A few of my other faves from Morning Lavender include the Paige Puff Sleeve Midi Dress, Justine Lace Maxi Dress, and the Marcy Sweetheart Maxi Dress.

Free People Beach Bliss Maxi Dress

If you love comfortable, casual, organic style, Free People is for you. This dress is so comfy, stretchy, and it has pockets!! I have this dress in Ivory and Stone (Stone is no longer available), both in size small. It can easily fit larger sizes. The fabric is somewhat sheer, so nude undies or a nude slip underneath is recommended. I also love these Free People dresses: Plenty of Love Maxi Dress, For Love and Lemons Temecula Maxi Dress, and the Waterlilly Maxi Dress.

A few additional favorite dresses

Here are a few of my other favorite dresses for maternity sessions worth honorable mentions 😉

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

browse by category:

BUSINESS

maternity

newborns

SITE CREDIT

LEGAL

© BRENNA HEATER PHOTOGRAPHY, 2013-2024