THE BEST MATERNITY DRESSES FOR YOUR PHOTOSHOOT

updated April 2023

Deciding what to wear for your maternity photoshoot is one of the most exciting parts of planning a maternity session. You scroll Pinterest, Instagram, and all your favorite maternity shops for something to jump out at you — but really, it can be overwhelming. There’s so much inspiration out there, and it’s tough to know where to start so you can finally narrow down your favorite maternity dresses.

To help streamline this fun (albeit overwhelming) part of the maternity session process, I thought I’d share some guidance and a few of my favorite options for maternity dresses to wear to your photo session.

WHERE TO BUY THE BEST MATERNITY GOWNS FOR YOUR PHOTOSHOOT

As a maternity photographer, I’ve done my fair share of gown shopping — both online and in-person — for my maternity clients. And it really is one of my favorite parts of the process. We get to be creative together as we coordinate your vision for your maternity photos, considering everything from the location, any loved ones included in the session, and my photography style. All of this to say, I’ve seen a lot of maternity gowns.

my favorite PLACES TO BUY MATERNITY GOWNS FOR YOUR PHOTOSHOOT

Here’s my biggest takeaway about choosing a maternity dress for your session — before you go out and start your search for a store-name gown, begin your search on Etsy! Not only are the dresses on Etsy sustainably hand-sewn by independent business owners, they’re also often less expensive (although not cheap) than what you’d find at a name-brand store. These gowns are created for the purpose of being worn in a maternity photoshoot, and are often purchased by professional photographers to use in their client closets because they’re just that photogenic. They may not be practical for everyday wear, but that’s the point: in an Etsy maternity gown, it is clear you didn’t go shopping at a fast fashion site or name brand company.

WeAreReclamation
If I may be honest for a moment, I’d like to say that if you don’t get anything else from this guide, I hope you at least check out the maternity dresses at We Are Reclamation. By far, these are my favorite maternity dresses to photograph, and the online shop offers the best selection of white maternity dresses, lace maternity dresses, and two piece maternity outfits for your photoshoot. Trista, the woman behind We Are Reclamation who creates, designs, and constructs every single dress, works out of British Colombia, Canada. We Are Reclamation offers a huge selection of breathtaking floor-length boho maternity gowns (as well as two piece sets) in effortless, bohemian, always-flattering silhouettes.
Here’s how We Are Reclamation describes their brand:
“Reclamation is like no other brand of dresses you will ever encounter. Our dresses speak to you and know you because we understand that truly all women are one. We understand the value of establishing a relationship with the women we design for and we care about you as a person. Reclamation begins with you.”
SeilaArtDressesShop
Seila Art Dresses Shop is a close runner-up for my favorite maternity gown shop. Like We Are Reclamation, the dresses at Seila Art are light, effortless, romantic, and designed with the photograph in mind. The shop is owned and operated by Marta who works out of Poland. If the prices at We Are Reclamation are a bit steep, Seila Art is a great option with similar styles at a lower price point. They always have white maternity gowns designed for photoshoots in stock, as well as plenty of lace and sheer options. If you’re looking for two piece maternity outfits for your photoshoot, this shop has plenty of great options for you.
Emmrycloth
Whether you’re looking for a maternity dress for yourself or sweet, boho dresses for your kids, Emmrycloth is an incredible place to start your search. Emmrycloth is a small, independently owned boutique of hand-made dresses for women and girls that are truly heirloom-worthy. If timeless, quality bohemian styles are your thing, I seriously can’t recommend this shop enough.
ZeBuBeYou
Similar to We Are Reclamation, ZeBuBeYou is a favorite shop for maternity photographers to source from for their client closets. This Etsy boutique has some of the most stunning, eye-catching maternity gowns you’ll find on Etsy, often favoring lace and off-the-shoulder styles.
LEARN ABOUT MATERNITY SESSIONS