My Top 5 Recommended Brands for Maternity Sessions

I recently booked a maternity session for myself, and it will be my first time taking maternity photos despite being pregnant with our 3rd child. I have learned as a photographer that what you wear for maternity sessions matters in terms of the type of fabric, colors and quality of the garment to ensure the most comfortable fit and flattering images. I wanted to share my top five recommended brands to search when planning your own maternity outfits for sessions and some tips I have learned along the way.

1. Free People

Free People is a brand that boasts boho fashion and vintage trends for women. It is not a maternity store in the slightest, but I absolutely love Free People for maternity for a multitude of reasons. The clothing typically runs large, which means it can easily accommodate a bump. Many of their items are flowy, with a range of neutral colors and fabric that is sheer and photographs beautifully. Their dresses are so unique and they are continually adding new colors and designs.

Some of my favorites that I would recommend for a maternity session are: Dahlia Embroidered Maxi, Extratropical Maxi Dress, Dreamweaver Maxi Dress, Waterlily Maxi Dress, and the Selkie Romance Novel Dress.

Tip: Free People can tend to be on the pricier side, so if you find a dress you love, it may be worth checking out second hand shops like Poshmark or Mercari. Although the resale value is strong with these dresses too, so if you’re savvy at selling, you could easily make your money back on a dress purchase. Shipping and returns are super easy, and you can also find Free People dresses at Nordstrom too!

2. Baltic Born

Baltic Born is a site I often send maternity clients because they have a wide range of styles, sizes and colors to fit any budget or taste. They are not a singular maternity store, but you will often find in the reviews that women purchased that particular style of dress for a maternity session. I have found they run true to size, or slightly large and the reviews have been very spot on for size recommendations.

Some of my favorite Baltic Born dresses for maternity are: Alta Tiered Maxi, Katya Ruffled Maxi Dress, Eden Smocked Dress, Jasmine Ruffle Maxi Dress and the Pippa Ruffle Maxi Dress.

Tip: Baltic Born is return for store credit only. You will likely want to order only dress in one size and then exchange if it does not fit. Shipping is fast and returns/exchanges are relatively easy.

3. Pink Blush

Pink Blush is an exclusively maternity store online that offers tons of trendy outfits and dresses. Since being pregnancy myself, I have found myself pursuing their site weekly for fresh finds and restocks. You may find yourself purchasing other maternity clothes outside of your sessions if you find yourself on this site.

Tip: Pink Blush purchases and returns are easy, although I have found the sizing varies with each brand they sell, so I recommend purchasing a couple of sizes and reading the reviews. They are also *always* having sales!

4. Lulus

I will always hold Lulus in a special place in my heart as I attended Chico State for undergrad and Lulu’s is a Chico based company. What I love about it being so close is that shipping and returns are so fast and convenient, so you can easily purchase a few styles and sizes in a pinch. They are always updating their inventory and have a wide range of styles for any budget.

Some of my favorite Lulus dresses for maternity are: Sweeten the Occasion White Lace Short Sleeve Maxi Dress, Ready to Bloom Ivory Floral Print Smocked Tiered Maxi Dress, Chance For Us Ivory Off-the-Shoulder Ruffled Maxi Dress

5. Reclamation

These dresses are 100% worth the money and hype. There is something magical that happens when a pregnant woman puts one of these dresses on, as you can see from the photos, they are absolutely stunning. There are a few sites that you can rent Reclamation dresses and one that I have experience renting from and recommend is The Kindred Soul. These dresses are typically one size fits all, are flowy and add something very extra special to every session.

Tip: If you’re wanting to go the Reclamation route for your session, please reach out so I can send you what I currently have in my client closet or send you recent releases I have come across that I think would be beautiful for your session that we can rent!

Nicole is a Stockton, California based lifestyle, family photographer who specializes in authentically capturing the beautiful connection you share with your family. Nicole harnesses beautiful light in gorgeous locations to create an enjoyable session experience that showcases your family’s natural and joyful connections.

As a Marriage and Family Therapist and mother of two young children, Nicole prides herself on building lasting relationships and helping make you and your family feel comfortable in front of the camera. Nicole understands the importance of capturing these precious and fleeting moments as organically as possible to be valued for years to come. If you’re interested in booking your next lifestyle maternity session, you can do so by completing the form here.