DIY Maternity Photo Gown • Rhode Island Maternity Photographer
If you're either a photographer who shoots maternity photos or an expectant mama, you've probably seen maternity photos with those beautiful flowy maternity gowns. And, if you're like me, you probably look at all of those pretty dresses and say, "Oooooooooooh!" There are lots of beautiful maternity gowns out there for photos. They can get a bit pricey (and understandably so; there is a lot of work that goes into making many of them.)
But. If you're a thrifty Rhode Island maternity photographer like me, you see something and think, "Hmmm, could I make that, or something like it?" There are things that I will gladly pay money for. And then there are things that I will go the DIY route. Did it work?
I think it worked out rather well for a total cost of $13. Sunrise at Narragansett Town Beach + beautiful pregnant mama + diy maternity gown = win. If you'd like to know how to make a maternity gown out of a tube top and a curtain, take notes.
Things you will need:
- Tube top, color of your choice (I bought mine from Amazon for $5)
- Sheer or lace curtain (I got a pack of 2 gray ones from Amazon for $16, so $8/apiece. White ones are super cheap. If you want to go fancy with lace you may pay a bit more.)
- A sewing machine, or, in my case, an awesome crafty mom with a sewing machine since I don't have a sewing machine and may have flunked out of Home Ec.
I had a vision of what I wanted and I brought this vision to my mom (aka my awesome seamstress). It was a simple version of the flowy maternity dress you see in photos. Strapless with a fitted top and a sheer, flowing, open front. Mom took this and got to pinning one of the curtains to the tube top. Then she broke out her sewing machine. This was a bit of trial and error; we (she?) first started with a stretch stitch to sew the tube top to the curtain. After a bit of trial and error mom determined that a mock serge stitch was where it's at for this kind of gown. Mock serge stitch = super stretchy!
Mom sews, I document with the iPhone.
Inside out dress detail showing the stitch. Wonder Mom stretched the tube top very taut while sewing the curtain to it to allow for maximum stretch.
The gown turned out beautifully and worked so well for the photos. I've got another tube top and another curtain...the color combinations and possibilities are endless! One word of advice, some of the tube tops from Amazon can be rather sheer though it depends on the color. I had my mama wear a second, grey top underneath the pink just in case the pink got too sheer. Though it likely would've been OK, going to a store where you can see and check out the tops in person might be a benefit. I'll definitely be using this gown again and mom is teaching me how to sew them myself so I can make lots and lots. Do you have a favorite photo accessory that you've made yourself? Let me know in the comments!