One of the biggest questions that I am asked by clients is where to find a dress for their session. I want the process of styling your session to be as stress-free as possible, and your choice to make you feel absolutely beautiful during your session. That’s why the client closet exists, but I also understand some people prefer to purchase their own. I’m going to show you some of my favorite stores for dresses so you can decide for yourself! Many of the dresses in the client closet are purchased online, though there are a few local shops I love, too. This is by no means an exhaustive list. In no particular order, see below for my recommended stores for styling your session.

I want to preface this list by saying that all of these brands have perfect options for your session, but not every item is suitable. Here are a few quick tips for choosing an outfit for your session.

1. When choosing a dress, midi or maxi dresses are usually the most flattering choices.
2. Choose colors that are pastel or neutral so that we avoid colors reflecting poorly on each other’s skin.
3. If you are worried about your arms, opt for a dress with flutter or short sleeves.
4. Don’t shy away from floral patterns, but keep in mind that we will want to balance out the pattern with dad or the kids’ outfits. So if mom is wearing a pattern, then dad should wear something more neutral.

As always, I want to work together with you to ensure everything is perfect! Never hesitate to ask questions.

Worth Collective

Worth Collective is a woman-owned business out of Fort Wroth, TX. Since going online during the pandemic, they have become a favorite along maternity and family photographers for the sheer amount of beautiful, flowy dresses that they offer. There are so many dresses in pastel color range and are flattering for all body types – including bump friendly!

Ivy City Co

This is a mother-owned brand, founded by three friends. One thing that I absolutely love (and don’t see with every brand) is Ivy City Co’s collection that includes mommy and me outfits. There are several dresses that would be so lovely for mom and her little girl to match, as well as bump and nursing-friendly options. These dresses tend to fall more on the modest side, without many with low-cut neck lines.

Needle and Thread

This brand is the definition of a formal and feminine dress, but that definitely comes with an increased price range in this case. If you are looking for something more formal for your session and you are not as concerned with pricing, then this is a beautiful option! I have personally fallen in love with the brand and we do have one option in the client closet (with hopefully more to coming in the future!)

Baltic Born

We have several dresses from this shop in the client closet and I love them so much! Three sisters are behind the shop, whose goal is to provide dresses that are flattering for women in all stages. Whether you’re expecting, postpartum, or neither you can find something beautiful here.

Noralee

This is another brand has mommy and me options and lovely floral prints! What makes this one unique is that were are also mommy and me options for moms and their boys.

Morning Lavender

This brand was actually created by a wedding photographer based out of CA, and includes so many lovely, feminine options to choose from. They offer a limited amount of each style, so you will want to move more quickly in your decision if one of these dresses are for you.

LOCAL TO THE LANCASTER AREA:

As a small business owner myself, I would never wan to leave out other local small business, so here are a few that you can check out in person! If you know of another that I should add to this list, let me know!

Main Street Exchange

Cocalico Creek Home

(while they are mainly a home store, they have a smaller section with thoughtfully curated pieces)

I hope that you have found this post on my recommended stores for styling your session helpful! As always, please never hesitate to reach out for help or suggestions.