What to Wear for Your Studio Newborn Session in Scarborough Maine
If you’re planning a newborn session in Scarborough, Portland, Kennebunk, Freeport, or the surrounding Southern Maine area, one of the biggest questions is always — what should we wear?
The good news is, it doesn’t have to be complicated.
My studio newborn sessions are designed to feel calm, timeless, and focused on connection rather than trendy outfits or perfectly matching clothes.
Keep Clothing Timeless and Intentional
For family and parent images, I usually recommend soft neutral tones and subtle textures because they photograph beautifully in my studio lighting and help create those soft, heirloom-style images that feel timeless years from now.
Some favorite tones are:
Cream
White
Beige
Soft gray
Earth tones
But that doesn’t mean everything has to be light and muted.
For families who love a bolder, moodier look, black photographs beautifully in studio as well — especially against darker backdrops or for more dramatic parent images.
I also love rich, unmuted jewel tones like:
- Emerald
- Sapphire
- Deep plum
- Rust
- Mustard
- Burgundy
These colors can add depth and emotion while still keeping the focus on connection and your baby.
The biggest goal is choosing clothing that feels cohesive, comfortable, and true to your family rather than overly trendy or distracting.
Avoid Busy Patterns and Large Logos
Neon colors, large graphics, and busy patterns tend to pull attention away from your baby.
Simple clothing almost always photographs best because it keeps the emotion and connection at the center of the image.
WHAT SHOULD BABY WEAR?
Most of the time, parents don’t need to bring much at all for baby.
I provide:
- Wraps
- Layers
- Simple outfits
- Headbands and bonnets
- Textured styling pieces
Each newborn session is carefully styled around your preferred colors while still maintaining my signature painterly and heirloom-inspired look.
All I usually ask is that baby arrives in something easy to remove without waking or upsetting them too much.
WHAT ABOUT MOMS AND PARENTS?
This is the part I think parents worry about most.
You do not need to “bounce back” or wear something uncomfortable to look beautiful in newborn photos.
Soft fabrics, flowy dresses, oversized sweaters, and comfortable textures photograph beautifully and allow you to relax into the moment with your baby.
I’m always happy to help guide styling before your session if you’re unsure what will photograph best.
And if you don’t want to fully be photographed right after birth, that’s completely okay too.
Some parents choose to keep the focus mostly on baby while still incorporating meaningful connection images through simple hand shots and close details.
Clean nails are especially important for those images — not necessarily a full manicure unless you enjoy having color — but neat, clean hands photograph beautifully when holding your baby close.
PREPARING FOR A CALM SESSION
My Scarborough studio is kept warm and relaxed to help baby stay sleepy and comfortable throughout the session.
Most families simply arrive, feed baby once settled in, and let me guide the rest.
Newborn sessions are baby-led, flexible, and never rushed.
SERVING FAMILIES THROUGHOUT SOUTHERN MAINE
I photograph newborns for families throughout:
- Scarborough
- South Portland
- Cape Elizabeth
- Portland
- Saco
- Biddeford
I also regularly work with families traveling from Kennebunk, Freeport, and other surrounding areas looking for a calm studio newborn experience.
If you’re currently expecting and planning your newborn session, I’d love to help guide you through the process.